English broadcaster Louis Theroux has made two documentaries on the Westboro Baptist Church for the BBC. The first, in 2007, was titled The Most Hated Family in America, a sort of introduction to Fred Phelps and his picket-happy congregation. His follow-up, America's Most Hated Family in Crisis, premiered in April and focuses on the multiple defections from the church.
I met Theroux in 2006 while writing a profile of Phelps' daughter, Shirley Phelps-Roper ("The New Fred"). This morning, I caught up with Theroux. In a phone interview from London, Theroux shared his thoughts on Steve Drain (the subject of this week's feature story, "The Believer"; Drain compares Theroux with Pontius Pilate, calling him "one of the chief workers of iniquity in the whole history of man"); Drain's exiled daughter, Lauren; and the church's multiple defections. He says: "For all of their quirks and strange behavior, I have an affection for the family." Read the interview and watch Theroux's documentary after the jump.
The Pitch: I didn't have the opportunity to talk with Lauren [Drain's exiled daughter] and I wanted to get from you some impressions of her and how's she's doing.
Theroux: I had interviewed her in 2007 and had found her to be, at that time, a fully signed-up believer. I think she was almost compensating for being an outsider, for being a convert, as opposed to someone born into it, by being all the more strident and polemical. We didn't really use her interviews in the first show that we did because it was hard to reach through to the real person underneath. It didn't feel as though she was being completely open. I suppose, although she maybe wouldn't have been aware of it at that time, there was conflict and self-doubt and a lot of anxiety in there, but it was in a place that we couldn't reach.
She was very close with her father, for what that's worth, and so when I heard that she'd left, whenever it was a couple of years ago, maybe a couple of years after the original taping, I wasn't surprised, but it kind of made sense, and now she is still trying to put her life back together. It's just that she's sort of more strident when she was in the church. Now it's that she's kind of anti- the group now that she's out of the church.
Libby [Phelps] is obviously much more ambivalent, and it's all mixed up with this being a part of her identity. Whereas, I think with Lauren, she regards the whole thing as a misadventure and denounces the group as a cult at this point.
Do you get the sense that she's happy in her new life?
Based on spending an afternoon with her, it's hard to say or get a definitive reading of what her state of mind is, what her whole outlook is. I think she feels that she's done the right thing, and I think she feels that this is a long process of self-healing and re-establishing her identity. She seemed to be in control of her life. She seemed to be resourceful and kind of outgoing and involved. And I feel like she's making her new life work, and she's putting herself back together, but I don't think it's easy.
Do you get any sense that if the opportunity arose that she'd go back?
She was kicked out, but if she was invited back, I don't think she would go back.
Her story is a lot different from the others in that she was kicked out.
Most of them actually leave. She didn't leave. She was kicked out. But I also think that not being a Phelps, you could argue that she was held to a higher standard. Although I don't know enough of the minutiae of how she came to leave to know whether that was really the case. And it wouldn't surprise me if it were the case.
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They do not hate African Americans. Or any race. God never said anything about a particular race being an "abomination." They are all very articulate if you actually listen to them.
Theroux, still trading on his family connections (----elite state propaganda BBC)
and recycling not only the prison theme, but the Westboro scene too.
Meanwhile, the over-riding, over-awing matter of his own 'hidden masters'
belief system ---EUGENICS--- has yet to get even a mention in Theroux's
work.
Finally, mark well, fornication, adultery, divorce, abortion and sodomy, one and all
all, just coincidentally 'fit' the agenda.
Remember kiddies, population extermination is the CORE agenda of the
'Big Boys'.
DON'T believe us? ----check out ALAN WATT's 'Long History of EUGENICS' online.
This Westboro Baptist Church says they hate the Gay-Community.
But, they also hate African Americans, Dr. & Mrs. King, Canada, Sweden, the
Fire Department of N.Y., victims of 911, other Christian churches, the pope,
Judaism, America, our American troops and the list goes on and on. Many of the
groups they despise are specifically named on their hate propaganda, picket
signs and their many websites. They not only hate, but wish death on all whom
they abhor.
This so-called “church” spreads its hate through picketing in
our streets, provoking attacks, with abusive language and flag desecration,
attempting to create a confrontation. This is not about protesting, this is
about a life of hate. They are in it for the money and the press. They are not a "church." They go
after any thing that can get them in the news. This group will protest anything
to get its face on TV or in the news. This group is lost in the darkness of
hate, and will put there children in danger to shield themselves.
These people protest at the funerals of our troops. Do we have a
real need to protest at any funeral? Is that a real freedom?
The city of Topeka, the state of Kansas and the U.S. at large,
its citizens and their churches, schools and events are all held hostage by
this "hate group."-always at the tax payer's expense.
This Westboro Baptist Church says they hate the Gay-Community.
But, they also hate African Americans, Dr. & Mrs. King, Canada, Sweden, the
Fire Department of N.Y., victims of 911, other Christian churches, the pope,
Judaism, America, our American troops and the list goes on and on. Many of the
groups they despise are specifically named on their hate propaganda, picket
signs and their many websites. They not only hate, but wish death on all whom
they abhor.
This so-called “church” spreads its hate through picketing in
our streets, provoking attacks, with abusive language and flag desecration,
attempting to create a confrontation. This is not about protesting, this is
about a life of hate. They are in it for the money and the press. They are not a "church." They go
after any thing that can get them in the news. This group will protest anything
to get its face on TV or in the news. This group is lost in the darkness of
hate, and will put there children in danger to shield themselves.
These people protest at the funerals of our troops. Do we have a
real need to protest at any funeral? Is that a real freedom?
The city of Topeka, the state of Kansas and the U.S. at large,
its citizens and their churches, schools and events are all held hostage by
this "hate group."-always at the tax payer's expense.
This Westboro Baptist Church says they hate the Gay-Community.
But, they also hate African Americans, Dr. & Mrs. King, Canada, Sweden, the
Fire Department of N.Y., victims of 911, other Christian churches, the pope,
Judaism, America, our American troops and the list goes on and on. Many of the
groups they despise are specifically named on their hate propaganda, picket
signs and their many websites. They not only hate, but wish death on all whom
they abhor.
This so-called “church” spreads its hate through picketing in
our streets, provoking attacks, with abusive language and flag desecration,
attempting to create a confrontation. This is not about protesting, this is
about a life of hate. They are in it for the money and the press. They are not a "church." They go
after any thing that can get them in the news. This group will protest anything
to get its face on TV or in the news. This group is lost in the darkness of
hate, and will put there children in danger to shield themselves.
These people protest at the funerals of our troops. Do we have a
real need to protest at any funeral? Is that a real freedom?
The city of Topeka, the state of Kansas and the U.S. at large,
its citizens and their churches, schools and events are all held hostage by
this "hate group."-always at the tax payer's expense.
This Westboro Baptist Church says they hate the Gay-Community.
But, they also hate African Americans, Dr. & Mrs. King, Canada, Sweden, the
Fire Department of N.Y., victims of 911, other Christian churches, the pope,
Judaism, America, our American troops and the list goes on and on. Many of the
groups they despise are specifically named on their hate propaganda, picket
signs and their many websites. They not only hate, but wish death on all whom
they abhor.
This so-called “church” spreads its hate through picketing in
our streets, provoking attacks, with abusive vulgar language and flag
desecration, attempting to create a confrontation. This is not about
protesting, this is about a life of hate. They are not peaceful. They are not a
"church." They go after any thing that can get them in the news. This
group will protest anything to get its face on TV or in the news. It is about
an old man lost in the darkness of hate, who will put his grandchild in danger
to save himself.
These people protest at the funerals of our troops. Do we have a
real need to protest at any funeral? Is that a real freedom?
The city of Topeka, the state of Kansas and the U.S. at large,
its citizens and their churches, schools and events are all held hostage by this
"hate group."-always at the tax payer's expense.
The westboro babtist is not a "church", it is a hate group. They are in it for the money and the press. Most of the members of this "church" are attorneys, so they get away with this. Any one can say they are a "church", that is not going to make you a Church! We in this country let a lot pass for "church". This is not about freedom, it is about being human. The hate is a way to make money, by bringing a Lawsuit against people THEY have provoked. They are running a “church” scam. But, add a bit of crazy on the side just for show.
There have been some reports of physical abuse from the sons of Fred Phelps.
Actually they are to be pitted because they have allowed Satan to take control of them and they don't even realize it. God hates no one, He is our Heavenly Father and we are His children. He LOVES all of us unconditionally. I know He's not pleased with what they are doing but I know He will forgive them if they will humble themselves and repent and get rid of all their hatred and the so called religion they are in. They definately need our prayers.
Well, at least they don't fuck kids....that we know of. They just prey on the mentally ill. Follow the money.......
They really look even more stupid if they base their lives on scripture rather than facts.
I don't understand why they evoke First Amendment rights if they so loathe the Country and Constitution that provide them. And is everything they do just based on fear of a vengeful God? That's it? Cannot comprehend. (Also? None of them are very articulate for educated people.)
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