Fred Phelps

Rev. Fred Phelps is the maintainer of the web site "godhatesfags.org" and a proprieter of anti-homosexual propoganda. He is also the leader and head minister of the Westboro Baptist Church, whose sole purpose for assembly is to picket the funerals of homosexual victims of murder, gay-bashing or death related to AIDS/HIV.

Phelps and his supporters and members of his church attend said gatherings, as well as other gay-related events, with signs bearing anti-homosexual slogans. These have included, but are not limited to, "God Hates Fags," "Matthew Shepard Rots In Hell," "AIDS Kills Fags Dead," and "Ellen Degeneres Is a Lesbian Slut." (The latter was carried at an "Equality Rocks" rock concert and fundraiser. At the event Degeneres commented that she wasn't so offended by the slogan as the fact that they had drawn pock marks all over her face on the poster.)

Phelps' ministries have been condemned by all but only the most extreme right wing and/or religious groups. Although there are a wide variety of individuals who believe homosexuality to be immoral, even condemning of one to Hell, within these same groups there is commonly a belief to "love the sinner, hate the sin." Most individuals believe that a message of hatred, especially allegedly espousing that said hatred comes from the Christian God, is inaccurate and destructive.

On his web site, Phelps maintains an alleged "memorial" to gay murder victim Matthew Shepard. Some direct quotes/images from this "memorial":

A counter on their main page counts down how many days Matthew Shepard has "Been in Hell." As of December 21st, 2002, it reads "Mathew Shepard has been in hell for 1533 days. Eternity - 1533 days = Eternity.

"WBC does not support the murder of Matthew Shepard: "thou shalt not kill." Unless his killers repent, they will receive the same sentence that Matthew Shepard received - eternal fire. However, the truth about Matthew Shepard needs to be known. He lived a Satanic lifestyle. He got himself killed trolling for anonymous homosexual sex in a bar at midnight." (In short: Matthew Shepard, for being a homosexual, deserves the same punishment as the two men who brutally beat him, left him to suffer and eventually die.)

A photograph of Matt's face with animated flames dancing across it.

Announcements of gatherings to CELEBRATE "World AIDS Day;" a day meant to celebrate the lives of those lost is instead turned into a day to celebrate the sending to Hell of homosexuals, and to advocate the death penalty for homosexual acts