Theroux is the one in the jeans
The Most Hated Family in America
They call themselves the most hated family in the US and they picket funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq. So what did [British documentarian] Louis Theroux make of the Phelpses after three weeks?
In any country, let alone one as patriotic as the US, few actions are as provocative as protesting at a soldier’s funeral.
The Phelps family pickets mourners across the country, to mark what it describes as God’s revenge on the US for tolerating homosexuality.
Their actions are in the name of the Westboro Baptist Church, which numbers 71 and is headed by “Gramps”, preacher Fred Phelps. The church, which is based in Topeka, Kansas, mostly comprises his extended family.
I first saw the family through reading about them and on their website but now, having met them, the most incongruous thing about them is how they look. What I mean is, for example, many of the women are these nice-looking young ladies whose beliefs are so old-fashioned in some ways so you’d think they’re kind of like the Amish or something and wear head dresses and long skirts and dirndls. Instead, they’re all wearing shorts and T-shirts. They’re all-American girls with long hair and good teeth and looking tanned and relaxed, playing volleyball and laughing and joking around and that is, for me, a totally new kind of experience. Dealing with these people with, like, Palaeolithic beliefs but hearing them coming from fresh-faced teenagers and women who you think you’d run into at the mall.
[In his documentary he's] exploring what is cruelty, trying to explain how something that really does very often just amount to cruelty could be perpetuated and passed down in a family. Why would nice people do such horrible things?
As if the Brits and the rest of the world need to see more about the US that makes us look bad.
Michelleno offense but why , and how could you support such people, certainly you have no idea of what these peoples beliefs are.People like this are not and will never be in the grace of god there ideas are all wrong yes everything that is happening in our world is strange these days bout really to say god hates america and canada. Him , his family a ever upholds these idealisms have no idea of our fathers true message, and its not to hate but love all those who do hate. love this evil in the world and rejoice our father has seen this soo long ago since the begining infact, he knows whats going to happen and has his plan for the future of the ones who let him in there harts, people like the phelps family are morrealy wrong to say god hates. Our father does not hate and just because a person takes his messages and considers him a faithfull man or woman does not put them in the grace of god , but looks at how big our harts are to even those who do not like you for the devil wants us to look his way and stray away from god, he loves that but yet hates all good, these hatebreeders are mearly nothin more then devil worshippers who do not realize this, love our father for its all he asks, is to love him and love thyself, and seeing as we are all equals , love others as would yourself..
They just play off people’s fears, just like the government. They think people fear going to hell, so they threaten it so you will listen to their message. This is an extreme cult, brainwashed poor souls who don’t know any better. It’s very unfortunate that they live their lives that way. On that note, no one is going to get through to them. But I believe that they really know the truth, and it’s all a big production. It’s insane the things that come out of their mouth, off the wall, ridiculous, and very ignorant. The bible can be interrpreted in many ways, these demented guys happen to be way out there… way way out there!
I unfortunately only had the chance to see part of the Tyra Banks episode when the Phelps family were on it. But the few minutes I was able to see, they were talking about when God punishes people, whether it be mass amounts of people at the same time (Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, etc) or whether it is one child who is sexually assaulted and murdered, that they feel absolutely no sympathy towards them because there is a reason they were killed. And according to them, that reason is that they were raised to be evil and are subjected to Hell in the first place.
Then they went on to say that they have been threatened and nearly killed themselves. Anybody else see the irony here?
Now, im not one to ever preach ANYTHING to ANYBODY, but if they think what they’re doing is so right by God and that they are justified in this endless judgement of others, then according to what THEY’RE preaching, God shouldn’t be “sending” people to kill them off if this is what He wants them to do.
Like come on. If this family is SO completely disgusted and dissatisfied with how The U.S. and Canada (and I’m assuming most of the rest of the world) are justifying their lifestyles, then why not leave and go somewhere you at least have a chance of living in peace instead of detesting everything that is your country? Why make your life a living hell by putting yourself into a world that will never change to the way you see fit?
My assumption would be that they like to be miserable. That they like to be a constant target by making themselves a threat. Probably not the safest idea a mere group of 70 people have had. Because guaranteed there are way worse people surrounding them, and when they torment someone past the point of self control, all they are doing are putting themselves in danger.
my god how sickening so much hate!!!! the poor kids are so brainwashed,, gramps is in need of medical care i´ve seen some sick people in my time but he outdo them all,,most of all i feel so sorry for the small children in that sick sick family ,,
my god how sickening so much hate!!!! the poor kids are so brainwashed,, gramps is in need of medical care i´ve seen some sick people in my time but he outdo them all,,most of all i feel so sorry for the small children in that sick sick family ,, sweden