The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

Some of you are probably familiar with these people due to coverage of them protesting funerals of soldiers who died in Iraq or their aggressive anti-gay websites and protests.

Check out this short video with highlights

If that's interesting to you, go check out the 7 part video here (see links below video window)

I've watched the first two so far. The end of part 2 is pretty interesting when he's talking to the teenage girl.

Some articles and more information.

BBC article

Guardian article

Wikipedia entry

(There are a few more links on the videosift page)

Not sure how much there is to discuss here, since I suspect most people will have pretty similar reactions to these people. But I think it's pretty bizarre and fascinating stuff.

Oh, as always, please keep discussion civil and stupid gay jokes to a minimum, thanks.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

Shirley used to call into the Adam Corolla show every now and then. Complete insanity. How they haven't gotten the crap kicked out of them is beyond me.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...elpsPulpit.jpg

Thats what happens when you let the scary dude from poltergeist have his own church.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

If you guys were Vegas oddsmakers, what line would you put on this all being an act? I.e., how likely do you think it is that these folks have been leveling us all these years?

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

These videos make me sad.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

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If you guys were Vegas oddsmakers, what line would you put on this all being an act? I.e., how likely do you think it is that these folks have been leveling us all these years?

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Very close to zero, based on the sincere hatred these people spouted when on UofM campus for one of their typical gay-bashing missions.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

These clowns picketed my high school graduation ceremony.

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These clowns picketed my high school graduation ceremony.

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For what ridiculous reason?

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

El D,
Very interesting stuff. I'd never heard about these guys. I watched the entire thing. Incredibly bizarre. Hard to believe this happens.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

I thought most of the kids were lawyers, and I was right. Then I saw this in the Wiki, and now I'm convinced this is where most of their money comes from:

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All the principals of the Phelps Chartered law firm[2], a firm founded by WBC founder Fred Phelps, are members of WBC. Phelps Chartered handles most of WBC's legal work and has received significant awards of attorney's fees from the Civil Rights Attorney's Fees Award Act of 1976 when WBC has been improperly prevented from picketing.[10]



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So basically these guys are nuts, but have figured out a loophole in the law that makes us pay for their activities. Talk about a screwed up system, they make a fortune by being annoying.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

What's the probability that Fred Phelps has powerful homosexual urges? 95%? 99.9%?

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

This is totally insane. How have I never heard of this before?

I just watched the first part -- plan on watching the rest later -- but my initial reaction is that I feel awful for the kids who are never gonna have the opportunity to develop a normal personality and have normal experiences.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

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Shirley used to call into the Adam Corolla show every now and then. Complete insanity. How they haven't gotten the crap kicked out of them is beyond me.

[/ QUOTE ]

She did an interview on one of the cable news networks that I remember seeing. I want to say it was done by Bill O'Reilly but I'm not positive. Whoever it was, they pretty much just let her talk and I don't think I've ever seen someone bury themselves so deep without any help.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

Watching part 7 I can't help to see a war going on in the young womans head (the one that can't have coffee with the documentarist). She seems like she's battling decades of brainwashing. It's really kinda sad.

And the very end, with the child who made a list for Louie, is really cute and depressing at the same time. That kid could have had a fullfilling life.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Shirley used to call into the Adam Corolla show every now and then. Complete insanity. How they haven't gotten the crap kicked out of them is beyond me.

[/ QUOTE ]

She did an interview on one of the cable news networks that I remember seeing. I want to say it was done by Bill O'Reilly but I'm not positive. Whoever it was, they pretty much just let her talk and I don't think I've ever seen someone bury themselves so deep without any help.

[/ QUOTE ]

She was on Hannity and Colmes

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

troy,

I have just watched the first two so far, but in those two it definitely looks like the teen girl is struggling to justify/rationalize some of her positions and convince herself to really believe them.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

[ QUOTE ]
troy,

I have just watched the first two so far, but in those two it definitely looks like the teen girl is struggling to justify/rationalize some of her positions and convince herself to really believe them.

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Absolutely. As you watch further you'll actually see them laugh nervously and end up changing the subject or just stop answering questions. What's really funny is how little it takes to make them see the holes in their logic. I would have figured that years of saturation would have put up some better defences (hell, any defences for that matter)

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

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[ QUOTE ]
These clowns picketed my high school graduation ceremony.

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For what ridiculous reason?

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There was a shooting at my school that year. I guess they were trying to use it as a publicity opportunity but I doubt they got much out of it.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
These clowns picketed my high school graduation ceremony.

[/ QUOTE ]

For what ridiculous reason?

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There was a shooting at my school that year. I guess they were trying to use it as a publicity opportunity but I doubt they got much out of it.

[/ QUOTE ]


Well, i guess thats one thing I agree with them on, less school shootings.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

I just watched the poor little kid get hit by that cup [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]. I don't think it's right to do that even to the adults (although I wouldn't feel terrible if someone did), but to hit a brainwashed kid who doesn't know any better is just [censored] up.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

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What's the probability that Fred Phelps has powerful homosexual urges? 95%? 99.9%?

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Whatever it is, it's less than the probability that he habitually beat the everliving [censored] out of his wife and kids (i.e. 100%)

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

i wish there were more former marines with sniper rifles sitting on rooftops just to kill these guys.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

All,

"Phelps does not permit Westboro members to marry persons outside the church."

Given the makeup of the church, that's sorta creepy. OK. About to watch parts 3-7.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

Didnt see the documentary yet, but planning to do so soon. FWIW I've seen a lot of Louis Theroux documentaries and every one of them I liked a lot. His curious, respectful style, but with him still asking the right confronting questions after earning his subjects' trust really seems to work for me. He did a whole series of strange American subcultures (porno, bodybuilding, black panthers, rednecks, etc.) called 'Louis Theroux' weird weekends'. Check it out...

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

I am a Christian and that is the most disturbing thing I have seen in years -

having watched all 7 parts, I need a shower -

might be kinda fun to join up for a bit, marry one of the hotties, then bail - technically, they can't divorce you - LOL -

I liked the interviewer - reminded me of the foul mouthed british commentator on the Daily Show - gotta think the girls were getting just a bit turned on by his geekish charm - tsk tsk - no coffeeshop for you - LOL

and yet, they have no problem working side by side with sinners and going to school with them - innerestin.

I would have liked to see interviews with some who have fallen away though. I bet Fred Sr. has some interesting demons in his closet.

poor kids though, poor poor kids. I feel so bad for them.

rb

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

After watching the first video I couldn't stop until I watched all 7...
WOW, those people are under some serious distortions.
They always talk about "Gods hate" or wrath, whatever you want to call it, BUT they never once mention anything about the other side of what the bible says God is.
Last I remember the bible said something like God is love. Stories about forgiveness and/or the prodigal son etc.. are probably deleted and overlooked from their "beliefs/scripture".

Not that of Louis Theroux did a bad job by any means, I just was hoping he would have brought something along those lines up...

Great and insightful documentary though (like most of Louis Theroux documentaries have been).

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

lol, louie tried to mac her.

and here laugh 1:05 into the last one says it all.

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"theyre just downright mean to us sometimes. what did we do to them? nothing but a courtesy".

wow.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

Anyone else think they're just painfully stupid as opposed to being bad people?

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

how about both? i kinda secretly hope that im the only one thinking how quickly we could make our world much better by strapping a ton of c4 to their church while its in session and running?

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

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Anyone else think they're just painfully stupid as opposed to being bad people?

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I didn't really have a strong reaction to them either. I imagine there are a lot of people in this country with extreme views that I don't share. I think for the most part I'd just view them similarly as crazy homeless people.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

I wonder if they have slaves, or have been a slave, or have killed one of their kids for talking back, or any of the numerous "moral" things that in Leviticus and Deuteronomy that have been ignored by nearly all Christians and Jews

yet the God hates [censored] is literal

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

This is exactly why murder needs to be legalized in certain cases (jk, kinda). Picketing outside a soldier's funeral saying they are glad he got killed and he deserved to die is way too far IMO.

I do feel bad for the kids though, very very sad.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

wow, hadn't come across this before. very fascinating. very sad (for the children).

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

this does expose a need for new hate crime legislation which would establish appropriate punishments.
"i hereby sentence you to 70 hours of public sodomy."

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What's the probability that Fred Phelps has powerful homosexual urges? 95%? 99.9%?

[/ QUOTE ]
Whatever it is, it's less than the probability that he habitually beat the everliving [censored] out of his wife and kids (i.e. 100%)

[/ QUOTE ]

That actually is 100%, and other times, he'd order one of his kids to beat up the others as well.

Topeka is my hometown, and it sucks that he is one of our biggest claims to fame.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What's the probability that Fred Phelps has powerful homosexual urges? 95%? 99.9%?

[/ QUOTE ]
Whatever it is, it's less than the probability that he habitually beat the everliving [censored] out of his wife and kids (i.e. 100%)

[/ QUOTE ]

That actually is 100%, and other times, he'd order one of his kids to beat up the others as well.

Topeka is my hometown, and it sucks that he is one of our biggest claims to fame.

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Why is he not dead yet? Or atleast gangbanged by eight 300-pound men?

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

Someone in this thread asked how they do not get beat up. They have been on Howard Stern a bunch of times, and I think she said that they sue the people that beat them up to help fund their organization.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
What's the probability that Fred Phelps has powerful homosexual urges? 95%? 99.9%?

[/ QUOTE ]
Whatever it is, it's less than the probability that he habitually beat the everliving [censored] out of his wife and kids (i.e. 100%)

[/ QUOTE ]

very bleak article.

Re: The Most Hated Family in America - Westboro Church/Cult
 

I am familiar with the Phelp's family as I grew up in Topeka.

I watched the first couple parts of the documentary. The portrayal of the church being located in "a suburb of Topeka, KS" after showing shots of country roads and farms is the typical Kansas. The houses/church are located in a neighborhood of hundreds of houses in the middle of the capital city of ~150,000.

Phelps far-fetched actions have gone well beyond condemning gays in Topeka. At one point, Phelps was fighting to have the Topeka zip code prefix changed from 666__. Since the zip code starts with 666, Topeka is a center for [censored] bound for hell. Years ago, organizations in Topeka were pushing for restrictions on the size of picket signs. Phelps said they would sue the city if the ordinance was passed because they had over $100,000 in picket signs which would be outlawed. The Phelps appealed an ordinance / restraining order all the way to the US Supreme Court where they lost (late 90's I think).

I still don't see how these kids make it through college and law school while continuing to support their church. I suppose since they are consistently defending their beliefs and being active on a daily basis they don't have a chance to think otherwise.