From hate, hope emerges

by Sean Previl

A former member of a Southern U.S. church, known for its controversial position against gay rights, stopped in Windsor to speak about his experience growing up in the organization.

Nate Phelps, formerly of the Westboro Baptist Church based in Topeka, Kan., came to the University of Windsor March 6 to counter-balance the anti-gay message spread by his father, the late Fred Phelps, the former leader of the congregation.

The Windsor Essex County Atheist Society sponsored the event.

Shawna Scott, president and founder of the society, said she wanted to bring Phelps to Windsor because many people in the club were interested in learning more about the church from the perspective of someone who left the organization.

“I’ve watched some YouTube videos of his presentations and the documentaries about Westboro, but when you hear it firsthand, you hear the emotion of what he experienced,” said Scott.

The church has been picketing across North America and around the world for more than 20 years according to their website, holding signs with phrases including “God Hates Fags” and “Thank God for AIDS”.

During the talk, Phelps told approximately 250 people in attendance he was allegedly abused as a child.  This alleged abuse by his father, he said, was punishment for not following the rules of the church, such as the specific dress code.  Fred died March 20.

Nate said he finally left the church when he turned 18 in 1976 and eventually started speaking out against the religious extremism.

“I needed to have a positive impact, a counter-influence to what my family was doing,” said Phelps.

Many people in the media, including members of the heavy metal band Slayer, have asked people to ignore the protests by saying the church only wants attention. Phelps, however, said he talks about his family in his presentations because he knows they will picket whether they’re given attention or not.

“I’ve had people say ‘Just shut up. Don’t talk about it. It’ll make them go away because that’s what they’re looking for,’” said Phelps. “If I thought that was possible I might consider the idea of not continuing to talk about it, but that’s not the world we live in.”

He said his family holds their protests because they truly believe in what they’re saying and as a result they may never stop their pickets.  Phelps said the best way to combat the negative opinions of his family is for people to go out and promote acceptance within their communities.

Mike Livingston, who attended the event, said it was interesting to see how someone who grew up in that type of household could become a completely different person after leaving.

“It’s inspirational that people can get out of that (environment),” said Livingston. Scott said the main purpose of the event was to show people who might be in unhealthy situations that they can escape and live a normal life.

“It’s important that Nate tells his story to show people out there who are experiencing religious indoctrination that there is, if you choose, a way that your life can be very different,” said Scott.

Livingston agrees.

“We’re not all doomed to be what our parents were.”