your posts that espouse hatred and intolerance

Hello, Larry? What the fook are you talking about?

If Fred Phelps had the capacity to recognize what was truly behind his own hatred

Which he didn't.

I'm wondering if that could have been a first step toward change.

Which it wasn't.

And now.......maybe some of his followers?

Slim chance - but get back to me on that once you have documentation that his asshole "Christian"[sic] followers have had second thoughts and/or converted to tolerance and rationality.

The more we villify a person

Proven villians deserve villification. Or do you want to give this turd a pass?