The Equal Rights Coalition played host to America's most notable homophobe on Sunday in Fort Wayne.

The Rev. Fred Phelps, who runs the God Hates fags website and whose followers regularly demonstrate against LGBT rights took part in a forum on gay rights sponsored by the Coalition.

About 150 turned out at Indiana University-Purdue University. The Phelps clan and LGBT supporters were separated by a wide aisle. On one side were about 130 gay supporters, on the other only about 15 people from Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. Police outnumbered the Phelps group, but there were no problems.

Phelps and his followers were in Fort Wayne to demonstrate at a production of "The Laramie Project" at the Lincoln Museum and at a half dozen churches and local papers.

Members of Phelps' clan gained national notoriety when they protested outside the 1998 funeral for Matthew Shepard, the gay college student beaten to death in Wyoming.

The murder led to the play "The Laramie Project" in which Phelps is depicted.

The Equal Rights Coalition organized the forum to avoid clashes with the Phelps' group on the picket line.

Phelps debated Kathy Sarris, president of Indiana Equality, and Dan Funk, a member of the Interfaith Coalition on Non-Discrimination.

Funk drew cheers from the gay side of the gym as he declare: “I am a gay man and I am a Christian and I am here to tell you God doesn’t hate fags.”

But, Phelps held his ground saying his "God hates fags" message is not based on hate, but on love.

The aging preacher said that he is required by the Bible to warn people about sin.

“If you love your neighbor as yourself, you will warn him his sin is taking him to hell,” Phelps said.

“We’re talking about a monstrous sin against God Almighty.”

He then said that Shepard is being punished for his sins and that “The Laramie Project,” is only "homosexual propaganda" taking advantage of Shepard’s “pitiful” life.

Asked about same-sex marriage, Phelps said America is going “to hell in a fornicator’s hand basket.”

Sarris, however, said government should be in the business of protecting rights, not defining marriage.

“How is damaging my family protecting yours?”

Pointing a finger at Sarris, Phelps said gays cannot be forgiven their sins because they won’t even admit they are sinning. Instead, he said, they hold pride parades.

Early, members of the Phelps' clan - about half of whom were teens - carried signs outside local churches reading "God Hates America” and “AIDS Cures Fags”.

This entry was posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 at 8:47 AM. Want to discuss? Leave a comment below.