Fred Phelps is dead

The leader of the Westboro Baptist Church, Fred Phelps is dead.

He was reported to be hospitalised and on the verge of death a few days ago, and apparently as soon as he was ill and hospitalized, he was immediately excommunicated from the church. What loyalty.

There is... fairly predictable reactions from the internet regarding this.


He was a vile and disgusting person, but do you think it's right to speak ill of the dead?
There was also talks to picket his funeral, like he did for the military funerals. Which would of course be poetic justice in a way, but that doesn't really feel like rising above it. More like sinking to their level.

Here is what Westboro Baptist Church had to say:
"Your Dashed Hopes"


And this, which is truly disgusting.

What do you guys think of this?
(also I have no idea how to link twitter posts, so images will have to do, ha)

I'm honestly glad that he's dead.
The pomegranate he started is vile and reprehensible.

I won't celebrate his death, or even protest his funeral (literally/figuratively) because that make me no better than the church. I personally will let them have their peace.

pineapple 'em. screw whether they're dead or not, people still will say what they will.

I'm honestly glad that he's dead.
The pomegranate he started is vile and reprehensible.

It's a shame the entire church didn't crumble when he died, like video game lairs of old.

Disgusting man




Inb4 his funeral is picketed

I won't celebrate his death, or even protest his funeral (literally/figuratively) because that make me no better than the church. I personally will let them have their peace.

Agreed.

Although I guess I do feel a bit of pity for him. He died most likely alone, ignorant, and even ex-communicated from his own establishment he firmly believed in. I mean I have nothing nice to say about him, but I just kinda feel sorry for him for his ignorance.

Agreed.

Although I guess I do feel a bit of pity for him. He died most likely alone, ignorant, and even ex-communicated from his own establishment he firmly believed in. I mean I have nothing nice to say about him, but I just kinda feel sorry for him for his ignorance.

It's ironic because he was a fantastic activist for african american rights, was a lawyer for their civil rights and one day he just cracked.

It's ironic because he was a fantastic activist for african american rights, was a lawyer for their civil rights and one day he just cracked.

Didn't know that. I don't know if I feel even more pity for him or if I should not care, but I am not looking forward to all the news/twitter/radio broadcasts of them "celebrating" his death. I guess I'm indifferent =/

It's a shame the entire church didn't crumble when he died, like video game lairs of old.

his church is the fucking water temple of churches

Didn't know that. I don't know if I feel even more pity for him or if I should not care, but I am not looking forward to all the news/twitter/radio broadcasts of them "celebrating" his death. I guess I'm indifferent =/

Well don't get the wrong idea, overall what he did was pretty terrible in general, it's just that it's a lot more complicated than his reputation leads him to be

He was a vile and disgusting person, but do you think it's right to speak ill of the dead?

That's the best time to talk badly about them, though. Just because someone is dead doesn't make them any less of a worthless pile of garbage.

 Spoiler

in fact, it makes them more of one, being a rotting carcass.

Inb4 his funeral is picketed

That is just what the church would want people to do. It's sad to even call that place a church. But alas, it seems plenty of churches stray from what Christ's original intent was. Although that is a discussion for another day.

In my opinion, it'd be best just to forget about him and move on, without giving them the attention that they desire.

curious as to why he was excommunicated.

curious as to why he was excommunicated.

he had the audacity to die. Now his ghost will be in heaven where he'll try to convince god that he hates faggots.

He was a vile and disgusting person, but do you think it's right to speak ill of the dead?

Yes. Being dead doesn't really give you some immunity from what you did while you were alive. If you did bad things, people are going to say bad things about you, even after you are dead. While you do have to look at both sides, being dead doesn't mean people should turn a blind eye because it is "rude" to speak ill of the dead. And that is usually on a smaller level and doesn't apply to any public figure.

Hitler.

I'm usually really reserved in speaking poorly of people who pass, but I think throughout history there are a few select people who are so morally repugnant that even death shouldn't be a shield from tarnishing them. People are judged by how they lived their lives, even in death, and he's no exception of this. Just, in his case, people won't be reluctant to hold their tongue because his only lasting legacy was that of a delusional old religious quack who spent his days spewing hate filled bigotry under the guise of pseudo-Christianity.

Pineapple him. And pineapple everything he and his church stand for.

curious as to why he was excommunicated.

he had the audacity to die.

If that is indeed the reason, it's the final proof that this "church" is a ridiculous cult rather than a sustainable religion.

Yes, it looks bad for a religion if a leader falls ill, and despite the believers all praying for him, he dies. But all sensible religions are able to deal with this, usually with some variation on the "God wanted him beside Him now" theme. Excommunicating someone so he doesn't die "under our roof" is the height of absurdity, and makes the religion very unattractive to converts. People often convert, or are "born again", out of fear of death and what comes after. If they have reason to think they'd be excommunicated right before they die (and therefore might end up in Hell, lacking the religion's protection at the final judgement), they won't join.

Good friggin riddance. Hope he packed some shorts and some flip flops cause its gonna be hot where that fucker is headed lol.

Well, one down, how many more to go?

He absolutely deserves to have has funeral picketed though. If he refused to give peace to other people mourning to push a ridiculous agenda, he certainly doesn't deserve any either.