Fred Phelps, Sr., founder of the controversial Westboro Baptist Church famous for its extreme ideologies, was ex-communicated from the church in August and is close to death at a hospice in Kansas, according to a Facebook post written by one of his estranged sons early Sunday morning.
Founded in 1955, the Kansas-based church is famous for its anti-gay sentiments and has made a name for itself picketing military funerals, among other events and organizations, with signs that declare such nasty statements as "God hates fags" and "America is doomed." It has been labeled as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League.
See also: Hacker Turns Westboro Baptist Church Hate Page Into Donation Site
Post by Nathan Phelps.
Church officials told the Topeka Capital-Journal that Phelps, 84, has been suffering "unspecified health problems," at Midland Care Hospice in Topeka, Kan., for "not too long," but would not verify whether he had been ex-communicated. They also maintained that the church has no official head other than Jesus Christ. Additionally, the newspaper reported that Mark Phelps, one of the pastor's other sons, wrote in an email that both of his brother's claim are accurate.
Phelps, Sr., was reportedly an outspoken civil rights attorney in the 1960s fighting for the rights of blacks, but his more recent activities have overshadowed these earlier efforts.
Nathan Phelps left the church nearly 40 years ago, on his 18th birthday, according to his website. Since then he has become an active LGBT advocate who also cautions against the dangers of religion and child abuse. Megan and Grace Phelps-Roper, two of Phelps, Sr.'s granddaughters, left the church in October.
"I'm not sure about how I feel about this," Nathan Phelps wrote. "Terribly ironic that his devotion to his god ends this way. Destroyed by the monster he made."
Many of the thousands of comments on the post directed anger and resentment toward Phelps, Sr., but many also offered sympathy and understanding despite the elder Phelps' beliefs.
Online, there have been many calls to picket Phelps, Sr.'s funeral despite the fact that he's still alive. A group called Fred Phelps Death Watch has already formed on Facebook with nearly 1,000 members.
Others, such as gay actor and activist George Takei and former Westboro Baptist Church member Lauren Drain, are encouraging the public to take the high road.
Post by Lauren Drain.
The Westboro Baptist Church did not respond to Mashable's request for comment.
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