Westboro Baptist Church is just a big scam. Regardless if they really have a belief in what they are doing, they doing this BS to make money off the lawsuits. One, they are tax exempt non-profit organization.
Two, Fred Phelps is a disbarred lawyer.
Three, there are several other lawyers that are part of this organization as well. Just read the other day that there are some retired Air Force generals trying to get them all disbarred for not maintaining a professional code of conduct required by their law license.
If you pay attention to their methods, they will show up and protest and if they don't get the attention, thus not seeing an opportunity to insight a lawsuit, they pack up and leave. They also make a big deal about where they are going to be protesting to get the public riled up, encouraging the public outrage, and thus making more potential for a lawsuit.
Once they get them all disbarred, then they need to strip their tax exemption and non-profit status. Then they will fade away.
If not... I can't write what I hope happens.