Nathan Phelps facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nathan Phelps
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Phelps speaking at QED, a conference in 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 | Activist for LGBT rights and atheism, speaker, and son of former Westboro Baptist Church pastor Fred Phelps |
| Children | 6 (3 stepchildren) |
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Nathan Phelps (born November 22, 1958) is an American-born Canadian author and public speaker. He is known for being an activist for LGBT rights and for speaking about his experiences growing up in the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC).
He is the son of the church's founder, Fred Phelps. Nathan left the church and his family on his 18th birthday in 1976. Since then, he has publicly spoken out against the group's beliefs and actions.
Contents
Early Life in the Westboro Baptist Church
Nathan Phelps was born in Topeka, Kansas. His life was centered around the Westboro Baptist Church, which was run by his father. The church was located right next to his family's home.
Life was very strict. Attending all church sermons was mandatory. After school, Nathan and his siblings had to spend a lot of time raising money for the church by selling candy. Later, they had to follow a difficult exercise program. This included running for many miles after school every day.
Phelps has described his father as a violent and controlling person. He said that he and his siblings received harsh physical punishments. Nathan's brother Mark and sister Dortha have also said that their father was physically harsh with them.
Leaving His Family and the Church
On the day he turned 18, Nathan Phelps decided to leave his home and the church for good. He was scared of what his father might do, so he left secretly in the middle of the night. He drove away in an old car he had bought just for his escape. He had no real plan and spent the first night in a gas station restroom.
Phelps left the WBC before it became famous for its public protests. He believes his father started the protests after he was no longer allowed to work as a lawyer.
Family members who stayed in the church have criticized Nathan for leaving. His sister, Shirley Phelps-Roper, who is a spokesperson for the church, called him a "rebel." The only time Nathan spoke to his father after leaving was on a radio show, where his father was very critical of him.
The Westboro Baptist Church is often criticized by other Christian groups. They say the WBC does not represent their views or the Bible correctly. Phelps has said that his father's beliefs came directly from his own reading of the Bible.
A New Path: From Faith to Activism
After leaving the church, Phelps worked several different jobs. In 1978, he and his older brother Mark started a printing company in Kansas, which they later moved to Southern California. Phelps worked in the printing business for 25 years.
For a short time, he tried to reconnect with his family. His father offered to pay for him to go to law school, like 11 of his siblings, but Nathan said no. His father never truly accepted him back, and Nathan left again, this time forever.
Finding His Own Beliefs
For many years after leaving, Phelps still held on to some of the ideas he was taught as a child. He said it took a long time to see the world differently.
"When I first heard that my family had started this 'God hates...' campaign... people start using words like 'cult' and 'hate,'... And I remember... that, 'No no no no, this isn't a cult, this is my family! This is a church, this is a real church! ...that's not hateful, it's true! So I get it, because that's how you understand the world to be."
Over the next 20 years, Phelps searched for a less strict version of Christianity. He raised his own children in an Evangelical church. However, as he studied religion more, he began to have more doubts. He said the September 11, 2001 attacks were a major turning point for him. He saw people turning to faith after the tragedy, but he felt that "blind faith" was a great risk to humanity.
Reading the book The Science of Good and Evil by Michael Shermer and the birth of his first child also changed his views. Today, Phelps identifies as an atheist, which means he does not believe in a god.
Work as a Speaker and Author
Phelps moved to Canada and now lives in Calgary, Alberta. He is the executive director of the Centre for Inquiry Calgary. This group promotes reason and science. He also helps run an organization called Recovering from Religion, which supports people who are leaving their religious communities.
As a public speaker, Phelps travels to many events to talk about atheism and science. He is also a strong supporter of LGBT rights. A big part of his work is raising awareness about how some religious beliefs can lead to the mistreatment of children.
He continues to speak out against the Westboro Baptist Church. He says the church was a way for his father to express his "rage and anger."
In 2014, Phelps announced that his father was very ill and had been removed from the church. His father passed away on March 19, 2014. Phelps is now working on a book about his life, called Leaving Westboro: Escaping America's Most Hated Church & Family.
See also
- Lauren Drain
- The Most Hated Family in America, a 2007 documentary about the Westboro Baptist Church
- Megan Phelps-Roper
