Nate Phelps is doing an AMA on Reddit.

[Kitchen Princess]

http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/v ... st_church/

[Minerva]

Ooh! Does anyone from FJ plan on jumping in?

[BravaAmica]

I'd love to jump in but redit already asked everything.

[mebeforee]

Yeah, I don't know what I'd ask. I really like Nate Phelps, though. I agree with a lot of people on reddit who commend him for his bravery. I can't even imagine leaving everything I know and severing all ties with my parents and siblings and community. Then again, my parents and siblings and community have not mistreated me. But it must have been extremely hard to leave behind his siblings, especially the younger ones that I'm sure he had some protective older-brother feelings for.

[Witsec7]

He really didn't put anything new out there.

[Petronella7]

Holy crap, the comment thread structure over there is impossible to read.

[fundyfunland]

He really didn't put anything new out there.

True, but I'm still impressed with his bravery & willingness to answer all the questions...even the ones repeated over and over and over again.

The most interesting comments I found, were when ppl were discussing what to do with the whole God Hates Fags protests the Phelps hold. One writer suggested that it would really fuck the family up if everyone (including gay ppl) joined them in their protests with the same signs, as the Phelps feel that if the world agrees with them, then they're doing something wrong. LOL. Would be super fun to fuck with their heads like that. Juuuuust to piss them off a bit. :twisted:

[kolga]

The Phelps are an...obsession?...of mine. I don't know if anyone's already linked to this website, but this is an online version of a article that ended up being an exhibit in a lawsuit between a reporter and a newspaper. None of the Phelps clan have denied its accuracy. It's horrific. I read it all at once the first time I saw it, and needed a shower afterwards.

http://blank.org/addict/

Nate Phelps is currently active in the atheist community in Canada, and is a LGBT activist and advocate. He is working on a documentary about his life. Last I heard, he was looking for financing to complete it. It's called "Nate vs. Hate." Here's a trailer:

If anybody hasn't seen the documentary "The Most Hated Family in America," I really, strongly encourage you to do so. It's all available online.

My personal/professional opinion is that the church is a cult (it's not recognized by any Baptist leadership in the country) and that once Fred dies, the rest of the cult will sort of fade away.

Upon editing, I apologize for assuming that the members of the boards don't already know these things. I spend so much time around people who don't share my fascination/repulsion with the Phelps that I assume everyone is ignorant of them. I definitely can't assume that about this crowd, since y'all are ON IT when it comes to religious nuts.

[Seven Severn]

This video was linked in the comments. It's very...odd. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8ilI8J0mEU It's his goal to kind of kill them with kindness.

I'm playing catch-up in that thread; serves me right for not going to Reddit yesterday.

[contrary]

great googly MOOGLY, their comment structure is impossible!

[TinyDancer87]

Okay, I just finished the thread. Wow, it's long. There were several questions about the "best" counter-protest. If WBC ever came to my parts of the US, I would create multiple posters of "signs that you are in a cult" and have them read them, and another sign would say CultClinic.org. Yelling at them, or even preaching about love will never change them.