# Fred Phelps is dying. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 16, 2014, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820 "2014-03-16T05:20:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 10
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820/181 "2014-03-19T06:05:16Z")
> [@Askthepizzaguy](#): > > They are the real life versions of internet trolls, only they are too stupid to be in on the joke. I don’t think they’re stupid. Reading about them here over the years, it appears that they’ve learned how to turn their so-called hatred into dollars, by suing the fuck out of all and sundry. They are entrepreneurs, pure and simple…but instead of selling snake oil, they sell a brand of hatred that gives them publicity and public abhorrence. What a brilliant scheme! > [@](#): > > If everyone simply laughed them off and walked away, eventually they would fade into oblivion. This. ---
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820/182 "2014-03-19T06:15:19Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > I don’t think they’re stupid. Reading about them here over the years, it appears that they’ve learned how to turn their so-called hatred into dollars, by suing the fuck out of all and sundry. They are entrepreneurs, pure and simple…but instead of selling snake oil, they sell a brand of hatred that gives them publicity and public abhorrence. What a brilliant scheme! They are merely the Nigerian Prince scammers of the day. It doesn’t take much brainpower to come up with an idea to collect money unscrupulously. It’s like telemarketing, even if 99 percent of people are smart enough to hang up on you, there’s always one sucker willing to listen to your spiel and eventually fork over cash. It takes all the genius of a person who passed the first grade to know that one sucker is more than zero suckers. ---
**Author:** ![Askthepizzaguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askthepizzaguy/32/9405_2.png) [@Askthepizzaguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askthepizzaguy)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820/183 "2014-03-19T06:21:17Z")
There’s a group of people in bright red and white odd looking religious uniforms who stand on the street corner every so often around my neighborhood, and they stand in a row and one guy has a mic and a big stereo so he can preach all day long. Passing them frequently, I catch snippets. It’s your typical fire and brimstone fearmongering. I observe the other drivers. Most folks are smart enough to roll up the window and not make eye contact. So how does a church thrive? They wait for the one sucker to pull up and give them their time. And they’re impressionable enough to be convinced to join the cause and stand out there with them, standing around in ridiculous costumes trying to get perfectly normal adults to believe that there’s a fiery boogeyman out to get them. And somehow, they make enough money doing this to not die. That’s the power of one sucker out of 100. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820/184 "2014-03-19T07:12:41Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > God is forgiving and loving. He will show Fred to the apartment he picked out just for him in the West Hollywood section of Heaven. God will also introduce Fred to his new roommate Bruce the hairdresser. > > Besides being all knowing, all loving, and all forgiving God has one hell of a sense of humor. No. it would prove God hates fags. I heard a theory that the church excommunicated him so it wouldn’t have to pay to bury him. The funeral, whatever that might entail, would be on the taxpayers’ dime. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820/185 "2014-03-19T09:59:50Z")
> [@PeacePlease](#): > > Yeah, she’s called Shirley Phelps-something or other (can’t be bothered). She’s been the voice of their ‘church’ for years and I’m sure will continue to be. Well you’d be wrong. A man named Steve Drain is now acting as spokesperson for the church. Nate Phelps says he thinks that either this man, or Nate’s brother Timothy, is, in his opinion, the most likely sucessor to Fred. things could turn out differently, but still. ---
**Author:** ![MagicEyes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@MagicEyes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MagicEyes)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820/186 "2014-03-19T12:11:34Z")
> [@Canadjun](#): > > Not a very detailed cite, but it looks like WBC doesn’t do funerals. So, discussions about what to do at his funeral may be moot. I do seem to recall them in the past screaming about people “worshiping the dead” w.r.t. funerals. > > [Fred Phelps' Funeral Will Not Happen, According To Westboro Baptist Church Member | HuffPost Religion](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/17/fred-phelps-funeral_n_4980493.html) Rats. I was hoping he would have a funeral and no one would come. That would be the most appropriate end to a very horrible life. The world will be much better without him. I hope that the Westboro church falls apart after this. I know the family is trying to keep it going, but I hope it starts to crumble into dust and becomes nothing more than a footnote in Wikipedia. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820/187 "2014-03-19T14:50:13Z")
As a devout atheist, I am far too moral and ethical to stoop to the level of protesting Phelps’ funeral. (That, and I live \>1,000 miles away and wouldn’t cross the street to piss on him if he were on fire.) But if some other misguided individuals decide to give the surviving members of WBC a taste of their own medicine, I’m not so moral and ethical that I won’t smile quietly with smug satisfaction. I really am a terrible person. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820/188 "2014-03-19T14:52:41Z")
Personally I WOULD be willing to piss on Fred if he were on fire. Also, if he weren’t. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820/189 "2014-03-19T15:42:37Z")
> [@MagicEyes](#): > > I hope that the Westboro church falls apart after this. I know the family is trying to keep it going, but I hope it starts to crumble into dust and becomes nothing more than a footnote in Wikipedia. My fear is that the WBC actually has appeal to a certain kind of person and, now that it is famous, can always get recruits. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820/190 "2014-03-19T15:43:54Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > My fear is that the WBC actually has appeal to a certain kind of person and, now that it is famous, can always get recruits. They have all of 40 members, give or take. If that’s all the recruits they can get, their name recognition isn’t worth much. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820/191 "2014-03-19T19:33:12Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Personally I WOULD be willing to piss on Fred if he were on fire. > > Also, if he weren’t. Nah, that’s a waste of good pee. I mean, what if I see a cockroach that’s on fire or something? > [@Marley23](#): > > They have all of 40 members, give or take. If that’s all the recruits they can get, their name recognition isn’t worth much. And most of them are family members. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820/192 "2014-03-19T20:40:22Z")
random mention of [_The Ignorant Tightass Club_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhGk6eF65Fo) seems vaguely appropriate here ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2014, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820/193 "2014-03-19T20:51:00Z")
> [@PeacePlease](#): > > Yeah, she’s called Shirley Phelps-something or other (can’t be bothered). She’s been the voice of their ‘church’ for years and I’m sure will continue to be. Shirley Phelps-Roper. Although she is one of the most high-profile members, and has been a major publicity figure for the cult, the cult teaches that a woman cannot have authority over a man, so her ability to officially be in charge of the cult is limited. I have a feeling that she’s more powerful than the cult wants to admit, though. > [@Baker](#): > > Well you’d be wrong. A man named Steve Drain is now acting as spokesperson for the church. Nate Phelps says he thinks that either this man, or Nate’s brother Timothy, is, in his opinion, the most likely sucessor to Fred. things could turn out differently, but still. I wondered if Drain would be the next leader. I didn’t give him good odds since he’s one of the very few cult members that’s not a relative of Fred’s by blood or marriage. I do think that the official public head will have to be a man, given the cult teachings regarding women. I read Drain’s daughter’s memoir last year. She was excommunicated, and now lives in New Hampshire (I think). It was pretty fascinating. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820/194 "2014-03-20T05:42:43Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > According to that story, BTW, apparently young Phelps was always a very talented, capable fellow. Who knows what he could’ve been if he’d taken a different path. And you know who else was originally a talented, capable fellow who took the wrong path. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820/195 "2014-03-20T05:43:56Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > And you know who else was originally a talented, capable fellow who took the wrong path. Robert Frost? ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820/196 "2014-03-20T06:00:20Z")
Jesus? ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820/197 "2014-03-20T06:30:31Z")
Nostradamus? He used to make great cherry jams. [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iffo4iy5bys) (QI - What did Nostradamus get right?) But then he left that sweet profession to become a quack. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820/198 "2014-03-20T06:31:14Z")
Francesco Schettino? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820/199 "2014-03-20T07:16:09Z")
> [@For You](#): > > random mention of [_The Ignorant Tightass Club_](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhGk6eF65Fo) seems vaguely appropriate here I never liked that scene. I would have preferred her to shoot back “You were elected president, Mister Bartlett, not king. I invite you to think about _that_,” and remain seated. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2014, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820/200 "2014-03-20T12:00:41Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > And you know who else was originally a talented, capable fellow who took the wrong path. Obama. Definitely Obama. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820.md?page=9) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fred-phelps-is-dying/683820.md?page=11)