Rest In Noise, Fred Phelps

[Pupik]

To protest, or not to protest?

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/20/us/westboro-church-founder-dead/

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/anti-gay-pastor-fred-phelps-sr-dies-84-22986518

I don't believe in the afterlife, but he's one of the few individuals who truly has gone to a better place.

 

[TenEightyOne]

...one of the few individuals who truly has gone to a better place.

I don't mind too much, he's left this one and that's good enough for me

I imagine the funeral will be a rather private affair?

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I don't believe in the afterlife, but he's one of the few individuals who truly has gone to a better place.

And the world is a better place without him. He was a truly hateful man.

 

[DK]

My only regret about this is that we never found out if he was just the greatest example of Poe's Law.

 

[Carbonox]

I don't mind too much, he's left this one and that's good enough for me

I imagine the funeral will be a rather private affair?

Hey, he was excommunicated from the church last year. Sometimes I wonder if his own family's going to picket it. ^^

 

[TenEightyOne]

Hey, he was excommunicated from the church last year. Sometimes I wonder if his own family's going to picket it. ^^

I didn't know that, I obviously haven't kept myself up to speed with the insane goings-on at WBC

 

[prisonermonkeys]

The only source for that is his son Nathan, who was himself excommunicated when he left the group. The WBC themselves refuse to confirm or deny it.

 

[Carbonox]

I genuinely think Nate is a more reliable source than a hate-preaching church. After all, despite the horrible treatment he got as a kid, he doesn't exactly seem to be the bitter type that would spread lies about his family.

 

[homeforsummer]

It's often considered bad taste to suggest you're glad to see someone is dead. But given his "contribution" to society, I'm thoroughly glad the bugger's dead. Pity it wasn't in a fiery bus accident with the rest of them, really.

 

[Famine]

Apparently his last words were "The Aristocrats".

 

[PeterJB]

If anyone tries to picket his funeral it probably won't be very successful as they'll be bound the same anti-picketing laws made for the people they're picketing...

 

[Pupik]

It's often considered bad taste to suggest you're glad to see someone is dead. But given his "contribution" to society, I'm thoroughly glad the bugger's dead

I try to spend my rare moments of bad taste wisely...

 

[prisonermonkeys]

I genuinely think Nate is a more reliable source than a hate-preaching church. After all, despite the horrible treatment he got as a kid, he doesn't exactly seem to be the bitter type that would spread lies about his family.

Perhaps, but excommunication means the the group has completely cut off any form of contact with the person who is excommunicated.

Given that Phelps founded the church, led the church, was the public face of the church, and had a cult of personality within the church, it is highly unlikely that he could be excommunicated. And if he was excommunicated, the church would not bother to comment on it - as far as they would have been concerned, he was already dead.

 

[ildd]

I hope nobody pickets/protests his funeral... that would mean he got his "message" across and was successful in doing so. In fact, I hope not a single person shows up. Not even the Pastor.

 

[PeterJB]

I hope nobody pickets/protests his funeral... that would mean he got his "message" across and was successful in doing so. In fact, I hope not a single person shows up. Not even the Pastor.

It's best really to just ignore them. Protesting his funeral gives them the attention they want, and makes the protesters look no better than him.

Although having just read the articles it said their won't be a funeral anyway.

 

[Pupik]

Although having just read the articles it said their won't be a funeral anyway.

Yes, he'll just rise up after three days of media noise and sit at the left hand of the Father.

 

[Dan]

Somebody better paint a rainbow flag on his tombstone (If he gets one).

 

[PsuPepperoni]

 

[Dan]

If she realizes the harm that she caused, why couldn't she have stopped in the first place?

 

[1241Penguin]

If she realizes the harm that she caused, why couldn't she have stopped in the first place?

She left the church a long time ago. And what difference can one person make honestly? Especially when you're dealing with a group as extreme as the WBC.

 

[NotThePrez]

If she realizes the harm that she caused, why couldn't she have stopped in the first place?

Wasn't/ Didn't she excommunicate from the church a while ago?

Edit: Tree'd.

Edit 2: Also, is it me, or has there been more "coverage" of The Reverend's death on the internet vs. mainstream media?

 

[Dan]

She left the church a long time ago. And what difference can one person make honestly? Especially when you're dealing with a group as extreme as the WBC.

I wasn't aware that she had left.

One person can make a huge difference, by the way. Even if they aren't siding with the WBC members. Changing your ways from a disgusting and hateful person to a kind and peaceful person can make a huge difference on someone else's life. One example would be a young, impressionable, and severely bullied homosexual taking their life because of the horrible things they hear these people say. A person breaking away from a horrible group to be nicer to people can prevent these suicides. The smaller the number of hateful people, the better this world becomes. Sorry for going off on a little tangent, but I just felt like I had to say something about that.

 

[PeterJB]

Megan and her younger sister Grace left in November 2012.

 

[1241Penguin]

I wasn't aware that she had left.

One person can make a huge difference, by the way. Even if they aren't siding with the WBC members. Changing your ways from a disgusting and hateful person to a kind and peaceful person can make a huge difference on someone else's life. One example would be a young, impressionable, and severely bullied homosexual taking their life because of the horrible things they hear these people say. A person breaking away from a horrible group to be nicer to people can prevent these suicides. The smaller the number of hateful people, the better this world becomes. Sorry for going off on a little tangent, but I just felt like I had to say something about that.

I was talking more in terms of what difference can be made to the views of the church members by one person.

 

[Dan]

I was talking more in terms of what difference can be made to the views of the church members by one person.

My mistake.

 

[TenEightyOne]

From the Daily Mash, this is satire... just letting you know because a lot of Fox News looks like this

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/...ling of emptiness over death of utter lunatic.

 

[Agent_47]

I agree with George Takei's statement on this.

I take no solace or joy in this man's passing. We will not dance upon his grave, nor stand vigil at his funeral holding "God Hates Freds" signs, tempting as it may be.

He was a tormented soul, who tormented so many. Hate never wins out in the end. It instead goes always to its lonely, dusty end.

 

[niky]

Also, is it me, or has there been more "coverage" of The Reverend's death on the internet vs. mainstream media?

I think this is the best revenge.

Why acknowledge the man exists or has ever existed?

I have not commented on a single Facebook post regarding his life or death. Nor have I commented on his death elsewhere, besides now.

And, Dog willing, I will never comment on it, again.

 

[TenEightyOne]

Personally I'm happier with Westboro's message being "out there" providing that it doesn't breach the peace.

We should discuss and debate the message and acknowledge that he passed. And smile a bit, if we like

 

[Joel]

http://www.theonion.com/articles/fred-phelps-man-who-forever-stopped-march-of-gay-r,35582/

I like the onion's take on it. The reality is his entire life's work has been a complete and utter waste. The developed world has moved beyond bigots like him. There's still progress to be made of course, but when you look around the world and within the US it's pretty clear that his side has lost the war.