Unlike many foes of the Westboro Baptist Church, actor and gay rights activist George Takei said news of Pastor Fred Phelps' declining health does not put a smile on his face.
Takei, who is openly gay, wrote about the Phelps -- who created the extremely controversial "church" -- in a Facebook post on Sunday.
"I take no solace or joy in this man's passing," Takei, said. "We will not dance upon his grave, nor stand vigil at his funeral holding 'God Hates Freds' signs, tempting as it may be."
"He was a tormented soul, who tormented so many. Hate never wins out in the end. It instead goes always to its lonely, dusty end."
Meanwhile, a Facebook page titled "Fred Phelps Death Watch" has already garnered 1,900 likes. The page's creator, Brandi Lynn Wallberg, said the page was made in jest to poke fun at Phelps' beliefs.
"Sometimes it's easier to make light of an ugly situation and to just laugh at everything," Wallberg told USA TODAY.
Though she said plenty of people have asked her about the morality of creating a deathwatch page, Wallberg claims it's "catharic" for others who were offended by Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church.
"There are people who are going through that process of grieving where they're angry, and it's an outlet," she said.
Al Snyder -- whose son's funeral was picketed by members of the church after dying in the Iraq War -- said he "hates the man" but believes "everybody has the right to be buried in peace."
"People should just say good riddance," Snyder said. "A bad man has left the Earth, and now he will answer to a higher power."
