Ned Flanders is the father in a devout Christian family, and is often used to satirize Christian fundamentalism, as well as the cloying "niceness" of doggedly upbeat born-again evangelicals. Ned is Homer Simpson's neighbor and as such is a frequent the target of Homer's abuse and a party to Homer's antics and schemes. Ned Flanders' parents were beatniks, as seen in the episode "Hurricane Neddy." Adherents of permissive parenting, they refrained from disciplining or punishing him during his childhood, resulting in his becoming an unholy terror. Seeking professional help, Ned's parents turned to Dr. Foster who tried an experimental procedure on the boy, which rendered him unable to express any anger at all.