Inform your homosexual "friend" that Fred Phelps is a liberal Democrat, a supporter of Al Gore and the recipient of multiple awards from the leftist NAACP and other so-called "civil rights" outfits. Westboro "Baptist" is NOT a church and his band of fools are liberal lawyers. We Conservatives don't have to apologize for Phelps because he and his loons are NOT on our side. It's the leftwing that owns Fred and his fools.
You might also want to have you friend prayerfully seek guidance from Almighty God. One can repent from the sin of homosexuality and live in harmony with His Will. Examples abound of homosexuals who have changed their deviant ways. Homosexuality is a sin of choice. God doesn't create them that way.
Fred Phelps is a shyster lawyer that figured he could incite folks without reprisal under religion and sue them when they took a poke at him.
He is neither Dem nor Pub, religious or secular.
He is just a shyster bomb thrower.