{"id":18301,"date":"2014-03-21T11:23:18","date_gmt":"2014-03-21T15:23:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/?p=18301"},"modified":"2014-03-21T11:23:18","modified_gmt":"2014-03-21T15:23:18","slug":"fred-phelps-of-westboro-baptist-dies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/geneveith\/2014\/03\/fred-phelps-of-westboro-baptist-dies\/","title":{"rendered":"Fred Phelps of Westboro Baptist dies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Fred Phelps, founder of Westboro Baptist church in Topeka, Kansas, is dead.\u00a0 This congregation of 80 members<\/a>\u2013most of which are members of the large Phelps family\u2013made a name for itself with its \u201cGod hates fags\u201d protest signs and its protests at military funerals with signs reading \u201cThank God for dead soldiers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read this<\/a> to learn about the Westboro congregation and its beliefs.\u00a0 Phelps was reportedly excommunicated from his own church recently for advocating \u201ckinder\u201d treatment of fellow members, though this has not been confirmed.<\/p>\n

Here we see the dysfunctions of legalism, in which a zeal for righteousness results in unrighteousness, in which the Christian gospel that proclaims \u201cGod loves you\u201d is countered by the proclamation that \u201cGod hates you.\u201d\u00a0 Isn\u2019t this a pretty clear example of\u00a0 the Devil having his way in the church to undermine its message and to discredit Christianity?<\/p>\n

\n

From Westboro church founder Fred Phelps dies \u2013 CNN.com<\/a>:<\/p>\n

Fred Phelps \u2014 the founding pastor of a Kansas church known for its virulently anti-gay protests at public events, including military funerals \u2014 has died, the church said Thursday.<\/p>\n

The 84-year-old died of natural causes at 11:15 p.m. Wednesday, according to church spokesman Steve Drain.<\/p>\n

Phelps founded Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, in 1955 and molded it in his fire-and-brimstone image. Many members of the small congregation are related to Phelps through blood or marriage. . . .<\/p>\n

According to Westboro, the church has picketed more than 53,000 events, ranging from Lady Gaga concerts to funerals for slain U.S. soldiers. Typically, a dozen or so church members \u2014 including small children \u2014 will brandish signs that say \u201cGod Hates Fags\u201d and \u201cThank God for Dead Soldiers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Phelps was often called \u201cthe most hated man in America,\u201d a label he seemed to relish.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I had nobody mad at me,\u201d he told the Wichita Eagle in 2006, \u201cwhat right would I have to claim that I was preaching the Gospel?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fred Phelps, founder of Westboro Baptist church in Topeka, Kansas, is dead.\u00a0 This congregation of 80 members\u2013most of which are members of the large Phelps family\u2013made a name for itself with its \u201cGod hates fags\u201d protest signs and its protests at military funerals with signs reading \u201cThank God for dead soldiers.\u201d Read this to learn […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1281,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,47],"tags":[3061,3060,940,3059],"class_list":["post-18301","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-church","category-theology","tag-apostasy","tag-fred-phelps","tag-gospel","tag-westboro-baptist"],"yoast_head":"\nFred Phelps of Westboro Baptist dies<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Fred Phelps, founder of Westboro Baptist church in Topeka, Kansas, is dead.\u00a0 This congregation of 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