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[[Image:Phelps2.jpg|thumb|Fred Phelps]]

[[Image:Phelps2.jpg|thumb|Fred Phelps]]

'''Fred Phelps''' is the founder and pastor of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, [[Kansas]] who is widely known for his strong anti-[[homosexual]] viewpoints. His congregates (of which there are several dozen, most of whom live within Phelps's extended family) often protest military funerals, and almost anything that attracts a large amount of people (past targets include operas, a chess tournament in Lindsborg, Kansas, funerals of school shooting victims, and many other things). His rallies display signs with highly inflammatory statements and language claiming that God hates homosexuals.  He holds to a hyper-Calvinistic viewpoint which is generally regarded as far outside of mainstream Christianity by most Christian scholars.

'''Fred Phelps''' is an extremist whose rallies display signs with highly inflammatory statements like, "God hates homosexuals".  He holds to a hyper-Calvinistic viewpoint which is generally regarded as far outside of mainstream Christianity by most Christian scholars.

    

    

Phelps has led protests of military funerals based on his belief that America is a country that harbors homosexuals and is thus evil. As a result, President [[George W. Bush]] signed the Respect for America's Fallen Heroes act, which places limitations on military funeral protests. These protests have led to the formation of the [[Patriot Guard]], an organization of motorcyclists who show up at military funerals protested by Westboro Baptist Church, and shield the families of the deceased from these protests.

Phelps has openly denounced the Catholic Church and Episcopal Church and has made claims these religious organizations tolerate and harbor homosexuals and pedophiles.

Phelps has openly denounced the Catholic Church and Episcopal Church and has made claims these religious organizations tolerate and harbor homosexuals and pedophiles.

Phelps has led protests of military funerals based on his belief that America is a country that harbors homosexuals and is thus evil. As a result, President [[George W. Bush]] signed the Respect for America's Fallen Heroes act, which places limitations on military funeral protests. These protests have led to the formation of the [[Patriot Guard]], an organization of motorcyclists who show up at military funerals protested by Phelps's Westboro Baptist Church, and shield the families of the deceased from these protests.

Before beginning his protests in earnest in the mid 1990s, Phelps was a contributor to the Democratic Party who helped campaign for [[Al Gore]] in 1988, when Gore's viewpoints were not as socially liberal. <ref>http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/1999/03/lauerman.html</ref> This proved to later be an embarrassment to Gore.

Before beginning his protests in earnest in the mid 1990s, Phelps was a contributor to the Democratic Party who helped campaign for [[Al Gore]] in 1988, when Gore's viewpoints were not as socially liberal. <ref>http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/1999/03/lauerman.html</ref> This proved to later be an embarrassment to Gore.