America's Most Hated Family

[Pretty Boy]

I just watched the latest Louis Theroux follow up on the Westboro Baptist Church. It's his 3rd visit since 2006 and his first in almost a decade.

It was interesting to see the way the dynamic of the group has changed since the death of Fred Phelps. On one hand their preaching rhetoric has become less inflammatory but the tone and style of their picketing has remained pretty consistent. It was interesting to see the new intake of members and the sinister misogynistic turn the group has taken with women being stripped of all power.

The key take away for me was nobody wins when a group is so consumed by hatred. Shirley Phelps, one of the most rabid followers in the previous documentaries, was just a sad broken down person now. I almost felt a tinge of sympathy for her as she came across as a lonely, beaten woman grieving the loss of her children who had left. Her desperate attempts to justify her refusal to deal with her grief screamed someone deaperatelt trying to convince herself. Equally her daughter Megan, who seems a remarkable person, was still having to deal with the hurt her past had caused her.

My final thought was those most committed to the group refused to answer any question that didn't suit them by taking up the position of 'you just don't understand' or 'it's too complex to discuss'. It's a position I hate in any sphere, be it politics, religion, football or whatever else. If you have the courage of your convictions you should be able to justify your argument to anyone even if they are in a position of complete ignorance.

It's a programme that, once again, left me a bit unsettled but it's well worth a watch.

[Fife-Hibee]

You know what's sad though? There are even worse families in America and they're far from being the most hated.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

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I just watched the latest Louis Theroux follow up on the Westboro Baptist Church. It's his 3rd visit since 2006 and his first in almost a decade.

It was interesting to see the way the dynamic of the group has changed since the death of Fred Phelps. On one hand their preaching rhetoric has become less inflammatory but the tone and style of their picketing has remained pretty consistent. It was interesting to see the new intake of members and the sinister misogynistic turn the group has taken with women being stripped of all power.

The key take away for me was nobody wins when a group is so consumed by hatred. Shirley Phelps, one of the most rabid followers in the previous documentaries, was just a sad broken down person now. I almost felt a tinge of sympathy for her as she came across as a lonely, beaten woman grieving the loss of her children who had left. Her desperate attempts to justify her refusal to deal with her grief screamed someone deaperatelt trying to convince herself. Equally her daughter Megan, who seems a remarkable person, was still having to deal with the hurt her past had caused her.

My final thought was those most committed to the group refused to answer any question that didn't suit them by taking up the position of 'you just don't understand' or 'it's too complex to discuss'. It's a position I hate in any sphere, be it politics, religion, football or whatever else. If you have the courage of your convictions you should be able to justify your argument to anyone even if they are in a position of complete ignorance.

It's a programme that, once again, left me a bit unsettled but it's well worth a watch.

Her grief was palpable when Louis told her about her brother and sister's respective upcoming nuptials, quite hard not to be moved.

[Hibby70]

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You know what's sad though? There are even worse families in America and they're far from being the most hated.

The Waltons are a bunch of...

[Hibbyradge]

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You know what's sad though? There are even worse families in America and they're far from being the most hated.

The Simpsons?

Ah, you're hinting at the Kardashians.

Why didn't you just name them?

[Jones28]

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You know what's sad though? There are even worse families in America and they're far from being the most hated.

I promise this isn’t accusatory but could you provide some examples as to who is worse?

[Sylar]

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I promise this isn’t accusatory but could you provide some examples as to who is worse?

The current incumbents in the White House are probably on a level with the WBC group. They peddle misogyny, racism, sectarianism and hate at every turn while comfortably profiting from it.

I can't imagine David Duke's family are much fun at a BBQ either...

[Pretty Boy]

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Her grief was palpable when Louis told her about her brother and sister's respective upcoming nuptials, quite hard not to be moved.

That was a very uncomfortable watch. The Guardian review has accused Theroux of being 'exploitative' in those scenes but Megan Phelps has said that isn't true and she approached Theroux again after leaving the church and was happy with the way the documentary was made.

On a more general note I'd be surprised if there isn't revelations of abuse, sexual or otherwise, to come out within the next few years. The barely suppressed violence in Steve Drain was evident. He did not like it one bit when theroux stood his ground with him, physically and intellectually. I also felt the increasingly controlling nature of the men in the group all pointed towards a system of abusive clericalism developing.

On a final note I was reading a bit more about Megan Phelps and she stated it was the use of social media and an opportunity to debate and be persuaded by others with different views. She also said that it was an extensive conversation with a Jewish scholar who pointed out much of their understanding of the scriptures was mistranslated or misunderstood, intentionally or otherwise. I have a patchy understanding of the Old and New Testament, at best, and even I picked up on the fact several of their signs and the words they used pointed to people who absolutely knew the Bible but had twisted words and phrases to suit their own agenda.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

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That was a very uncomfortable watch. The Guardian review has accused Theroux of being 'exploitative' in those scenes but Megan Phelps has said that isn't true and she approached Theroux again after leaving the church and was happy with the way the documentary was made.

On a more general note I'd be surprised if there isn't revelations of abuse, sexual or otherwise, to come out within the next few years. The barely suppressed violence in Steve Drain was evident. He did not like it one bit when theroux stood his ground with him, physically and intellectually. I also felt the increasingly controlling nature of the men in the group all pointed towards a system of abusive clericalism developing.

On a final note I was reading a bit more about Megan Phelps and she stated it was the use of social media and an opportunity to debate and be persuaded by others with different views. She also said that it was an extensive conversation with a Jewish scholar who pointed out much of their understanding of the scriptures was mistranslated or misunderstood, intentionally or otherwise. I have a patchy understanding of the Old and New Testament, at best, and even I picked up on the fact several of their signs and the words they used pointed to people who absolutely knew the Bible but had twisted words and phrases to suit their own agenda.

Re your first paragraph, that's how I felt about it too, the timing could certainly have been better, I felt it was a tad contrived.

The first sentence of the 2nd para, I couldn't agree more.

[21.05.2016]

I haven't watched the follow up program yet but I watched the fisrt "most hated family in America" documentary. Sad to see the children being brainwashed and brought up to hate so much. The wee boy for example, who could only have been maybe 7 or 8 years old saying things like "God hates dykes and Fags etc" is just so wrong. He clearly hasn't really got a clue what he means by that but he's being brought up be so hate-filled and angry.

[Hibrandenburg]

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I haven't watched the follow up program yet but I watched the fisrt "most hated family in America" documentary. Sad to see the children being brainwashed and brought up to hate so much. The wee boy for example, who could only have been maybe 7 or 8 years old saying things like "God hates dykes and Fags etc" is just so wrong. He clearly hasn't really got a clue what he means by that but he's being brought up be so hate-filled and angry.

What's outrageous is the same is happening here at home. Replace "Fags" and "Dykes" with "Catholics" and "Muslims" and it's plain to see that our problem is just as big, if not worse.

[calumhibee1]

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What's outrageous is the same is happening here at home. Replace "Fags" and "Dykes" with "Catholics" and "Muslims" and it's plain to see that our problem is just as big, if not worse.

[Jones28]

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The current incumbents in the White House are probably on a level with the WBC group. They peddle misogyny, racism, sectarianism and hate at every turn while comfortably profiting from it.

I can't imagine David Duke's family are much fun at a BBQ either...

That’s a belter, well done! I was racking my brains to try and think of a family who were so roundly disliked and peddled such *****. I guess POTUS is as good an example as any 😂

Edit: I just looked up David Duke, he sounds a real charmer 🤮

[21.05.2016]

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What's outrageous is the same is happening here at home. Replace "Fags" and "Dykes" with "Catholics" and "Muslims" and it's plain to see that our problem is just as big, if not worse.

Very true. Also saddens me seeing young children on the Orange walks peddling out the bile. Do they know or even care what they are marching for etc? I highly doubt it but parents are making sure they are the next generation of bigots.