News that Fred Phelps is near death in a care facility leaves me terribly conflicted.

Phelps is the founder of the Westboro Baptist “Church.” I put the word “Church” in quotation marks because what he preaches doesn’t comport with my view of Christianity.

He preaches hate for gay people. He’s led his Westboro congregation on demonstrations at military funerals protesting this country’s policy toward gay Americans. You know, that the country seeks to afford gay citizens the same rights as everyone else.

Phelps’s “church” doesn’t see it that way.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/USA-Update/2014/0316/Fred-Phelps-founder-of-rabid-Westboro-Baptist-Church-said-near-death

He’s brought his hate brigade to the Texas Panhandle on occasion to protest at these service. There have been counter-protests — usually led by motorcycle clubs riding vehicles with very loud engines — to demonstrate on behalf of the young warriors who are being honored at these services.

Now he’s on his way out. His soul is headed somewhere. I’m guessing he hopes he’s going to heaven. I have not particular insight on where the souls of men such as this go.

My conflict is difficult at this moment as I ponder the end of Phelps’s life on Earth.

I detest with every fiber of my being what he did, what he asked his congregants to do, what they agreed to do and all that he and they stood for.

Speaking only for myself, I do not consider the Westboro “Church” as following the same biblical principles that I’ve followed my entire life. They follow some radicalized version of the Bible, not unlike the Islamic terrorists who have perverted their own holy book to achieve some evil ends.

Phelps’s world view and how he interprets Scripture as it regards homosexuality is anathema to decent people of all stripes.

Should I be happy that he’s dead? I don’t know. Someone once said that he doesn’t wish death on others but he reads some obituaries with more pleasure than others. I guess that’s how I’ll feel when Phelps finally checks out.

No one will know what goes through his mind and soul when that moment arrives. I hope he seeks forgiveness from whatever god he worships. And I reckon if my own God is prepared to forgive him, then who is anyone to deny forgiveness for Fred Phelps?

I’ll bid my so long now, Mr. Phelps. Have a nice trip to the Great Beyond … wherever it is.