Nathan Phelps facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nathan Phelps
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Phelps speaking at QED, Manchester, UK in 2014
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| Born | November 22, 1958 Topeka, Kansas, U.S.
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| Nationality | Canadian-American |
| Known for | LGBT rights activist, Atheist activist, Calgary branch director for the Centre for Inquiry Canada, son of former Westboro Baptist Church pastor Fred Phelps |
| Children | 6 (3 stepchildren) |
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Nathan Phelps (born November 22, 1958) is a Canadian author and speaker. He is known for supporting LGBT rights and for talking about religion. Nathan is one of 13 children of Fred Phelps, who was the leader of the Westboro Baptist Church. Nathan left his family home when he was 18 and completely left the church four years later in 1980. Since then, he has often spoken out against the group.
Growing Up in Westboro
Nathan Phelps was born in Topeka, Kansas on November 22, 1958. He lived with his parents, Fred and Margie, until he was 18. His life was centered around his father's Westboro Baptist Church (WBC). The church was right next to their family home, inside a walled area.
Attending church services was a must. After school, Nathan and his siblings spent a lot of time raising money for the church. They would sell candy. Later, this changed to a tough exercise program led by his father. Nathan and his siblings often ran 5 or 10 miles (8–16 km) after school. They also had to follow a strict diet.
Nathan has said that his father was very unfair and strict. His brother Mark and sister Dortha have also shared similar stories about their father.
Leaving the Church
On his 18th birthday, Nathan Phelps left his family home. He was struggling with his feelings, but he decided to leave his family and the Westboro Baptist Church. At that time, he strongly believed that leaving meant he would go to hell.
Nathan left the WBC before the church became famous for its public protests. He believes the church started protesting a lot after his father was no longer allowed to practice law.
Other members of his family who are still in the Westboro Baptist Church have criticized Nathan. He only met his father once after 1980, on a radio show. During that show, Fred Phelps spoke very negatively about his son.
Many people have criticized the Westboro Baptist Church. Christian groups often say that the WBC's views are not like their own. They also say that the WBC misunderstands the Bible. Nathan Phelps has said that his father's ideas came from real parts of the Bible. He has also written about how most Christian groups don't agree with extreme views.
Finding a New Path
After leaving the WBC, Nathan Phelps worked different jobs. In 1978, he joined his older brother Mark. They started a printing company together in Prairie Village, near Kansas City. Later, the company moved to Southern California. Nathan worked in the printing business for 25 years.
Three years after leaving, Nathan contacted his family. For a short time, he left Mark and the company to stay with them. His father offered to pay for him to go to law school. Eleven of his siblings became lawyers, but Nathan said no. Fred never truly accepted him back and eventually turned him away again. Nathan then left for good, breaking all contact with his father.
For 20 years after leaving, Nathan tried to find a milder form of Christianity. He raised his own children in a type of Christian church. But his doubts grew as he kept studying religion. At the Reason Rally in Washington on March 24, 2012, he shared that the events of 9/11 finally made him stop believing in God.
Nathan also says that reading Michael Shermer's book The Science of Good and Evil and the birth of his first child were big moments that changed how he saw the world. Nathan now describes himself as an atheist, meaning he does not believe in God.
His Work Today
Nathan Phelps later moved to British Columbia, Canada. He now lives in Calgary, Alberta. He is the executive director of the Centre for Inquiry Calgary. This is a group that teaches about reason and science, and doesn't focus on religion. He also helps lead Recovering from Religion. This group offers help and support to people who are leaving religious communities.
Nathan is a public speaker. He often speaks at events that promote atheism, skepticism (questioning things), and secularism (not being religious). He has spoken at many Gay Pride events and calls himself an "LGBT activist." He works to raise awareness about how some religious groups might treat children unfairly. He also writes articles on this topic.
Nathan is known for speaking out against the Westboro Baptist Church. He does this through his writings, interviews, and speeches at atheist events. He has been speaking out against the church since 2006.
In 2014, Nathan was working on a book called Leaving Westboro: Escaping America's Most Hated Church & Family. That same year, he announced that his father was very sick and wouldn't get better. He also shared that he had been removed from his own church in 2013. Nathan's father died on March 19, 2014. The Recovering from Religion group released a statement from Nathan about his father's death. Nathan is currently an Emeritus Board Member of Recovering From Religion. He is also the executive director for the Center For Inquiry in Calgary.
See also
- Lauren Drain
- The Most Hated Family in America, a 2007 BBC documentary about Westboro Baptist Church presented by Louis Theroux
- Megan Phelps-Roper
