People from across Alberta are heading to Red Deer today for a different kind of faith-related conference.

They're not Christian, Muslim or Jewish. You could say they're None of the Above — which also happens to be the title of the two-day event.

"Secular ideology is crucial to critical thinking," said Nate Phelps, the son of the founder of the Westboro Baptist Church.

His father, the late Rev. Fred Phelps Sr., was known for his hate speech and for picketing at American military funerals and political events with anti-gay signs.

Phelps, who left his home and church at the age of 18, describes secularism as "just the opposite of faith."

"Because faith, as I think, is defined as a belief that's not sustained by logical proof or material evidence. And that is, to me, what secularism is. It is looking for the logic and the rationale."

Phelps has spoken publicly against fundamentalism and is an advocate for LGBTQ rights. He says Alberta's first secular conference will bring together skeptics, freethinkers, atheists and agnostics.

"I describe it as trying to herd cats because ... most people in this community are very independent, free thinkers ... if they hear something they don't agree with — you're going to know about it."

Phelps says he was inspired by the number of people who have attended a similar event for the past few years in B.C. — the Imagine No Religion secular convention.

"So we thought we should have our own. The idea is to hold this conference once a year. This one will be our trial one. We're still testing out how to do it."

The event, sponsored by the Society of Edmonton Atheists, takes place Oct. 17-18 at Red Deer College.