Fred Phelps Sr. preaches at his Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. Photo / AP
Fred Phelps, the founder of the highly controversial anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church, has been excommunicated from the group and is close to death, his son has said.
Nathan Phelps, who left the church almost 40 years ago and as such lost contact with the core of his family, wrote a
message on Facebook saying he had received the news and that he was "bitterly angry" that family-members were being blocked from saying goodbye.
He wrote: "I've learned that my father, Fred Phelps, Sr., pastor of the 'God Hates Fags' Westboro Baptist Church, was ex-communicated from the 'church' back in August of 2013. He is now on the edge of death at Midland Hospice house in Topeka, Kansas.
"I'm not sure how I feel about this. Terribly ironic that his devotion to his god ends this way. Destroyed by the monster he made.
"I feel sad for all the hurt he's caused so many. I feel sad for those who will lose the grandfather and father they loved. And I'm bitterly angry that my family is blocking the family members who left from seeing him, and saying their good-byes."
