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Louis Theroux: Most Hated Family in America

The Most Hated Family in America is a TV documentary written and presented by the BBC’s Louis Theroux about the family at the heart of the Westboro Baptist Church.

At the heart of the documentary is the Westboro Baptist Church (WBC), headed by Fred Phelps and based in Topeka, Kansas. It runs the website GodHatesFags.com,[1] and GodHatesAmerica.com, and other websites expressing condemnation of LGBT, Roman Catholics, Muslims, Jews, Sweden, Ireland, Canada, The Netherlands, and other groups. The organization is monitored by the Anti-Defamation League,[2] and classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.[3][4] The group has achieved national notice because of its picketing of funeral processions of U.S. soldiers killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The church bases its work around the belief expressed by its best known slogan and the address of its primary website, “God hates fags”, and expresses the opinion, based on its Biblical interpretation, that nearly every tragedy in the world is God’s punishment for homosexuality – specifically society’s increasing tolerance and acceptance of gay, lesbian, and bisexual people. It maintains that God hates homosexuals above all other kinds of “sinners”[5] and that homosexuality should be a capital crime.[6]

Louis Theroux stated that the Phelpses are the most extreme people he has ever met.[7]

Directed by: Geoffrey O'Connor

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  1. i bet those kids get the living shit beaten out of them every single day at school, and they fucking deserve it too

  2. I still don’t understand how religion of any sort has survived this long… when will American citizens start thinking critically?

    • when you say “American citizens” it seems as though you are implying the whole of america. You probably didn’t mean to imply that but just pointing out. πŸ™‚

    • when you say “American citizens” it seems as though you are implying the whole of america. You probably didn’t mean to imply that but just pointing out. πŸ™‚

    • when you say “American citizens” it seems as though you are implying the whole of america. You probably didn’t mean to imply that but just pointing out. πŸ™‚

  3. words fail me on this one… jeez this guy is a true cardboard cut out cunt!!

  4. This shit is sad. I mean these people have been raised from infant-hood to stand by radical and distorted ideas that they weren’t even required to understand. They basically shoved them a picket sign and said “don’t think, just scream and stomp and shout and maybe god won’t throw you into a fiery barb encompassed pit to suffer for eternity.” They also made sure their kids knew that if they died they would rejoice because it is gods will! If you told a kid that when they were two, that scarring mindset is gonna stick and there isn’t really a damned thing they can do about it. They become trapped and have to accept the radical ideas so they can cope.
    Then comes the defense mechanisms they all seemed to have had burned into their brains…it’s like everyone was faxed the same few sentences as an explanation so that no one really needed to make a legitimate original thought. I honsetly don’t know what to think.
    Einstein once said that hatred and evil were not the creation of God, but what resulted in his absence-just as darkness occurs when there is no light. So how can this family’s idea of spreading hatred pain and prejudice in the name of God possibly make sense? I hope one day those kids at least get a chance to see that.

  5. religion must die

  6. I think that when “Gramps” dies, a buch of people should get together and make signs and picket HIS funeral!

  7. God hates fags?, however he must simply love human broodmares like this hate filled breeding creature. Eleven children? I haven’t heard of irresponsible breeding like this since I worked animal rescue at spay/neuter clinics. My God, someone spay this woman before she manufactures more children like herself.

  8. The oldest one who can’t get coffee at the end looks like Owen Wilson.

  9. Honestly, if they’re going to heaven I certainly do not want to be there with them.
    Otherwise I think this is a little outrageous.
    I feel entirely offended by the poster about Princess Diana.
    & so upset.

  10. Excellent, excellent documentary. It really could have used a segment dealing with those who left the church, as it would show that the mindset of Westboro isn’t entirely impregnable. You got the sense from the oldest daughter that there were some deep seeds of doubt within her. There are with all of us. There even was within Jesus himself. To explore that doubt, and how it motivates even those of this odious church, would have been a real value to this documentary. That criticism aside, an outstanding piece of work, this.

  11. I’d love it if one of her children turned out to be gay

  12. I really would have like to have seen interviews with the family members that left the church. I thought that was coming, and that it would be the most interesting part. thumbs up if you agree.

  13. This… was surprisingly good. I didn’t intend to watch more than 5 minutes of it but I watched the entire thing. I really like Lois Theroux.

    I feel like this video should make me angry. I feel like I should be angry at the Phelps’, angry at their message. But… I can’t anymore. I used to hate them before I saw this. Now I just feel sad.

    Lives that are filled with so much empty hate. So many missed chances to feel the love and tenderness that other humans have to offer. It’s… it’s so sad. I always thought that if I ever saw them picketing, I would shout back, or do something so show my contempt for their actions. Now all I feel I could do is walk up to them and say “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for all the hate you’re going to experience in your life. I’m sorry for all the loneliness you’re going to feel. I’m sorry for every second you stand out in the wind, listening to people hate you.”

    Hate begets hate. That church is so pitiful. Those people are so sad, they live under blank smiles and laugh as the precious sand slips through the hourglass and they lose their chances for love.

    The only one I can bear to hate is Fred Phelps himself, he started this. I can never forgive him for that.

    The actions of that church are unforgivable, but so is throwing junk out of your car at a child. No wonder they hate the world, they look into peoples’ eyes and see their reflections, all the hate that they throw at people, and it bounces right back.

    I hope that some day the glass will break, and they see that void streaming ahead and behind them that they’ve made of their lives. Empty words, poorly designed signs, and thousands of dollars just stream off into nothingness, as each of them follows suit. The ones I truly pity are the children.

    I honestly feel like crying at the thought of how truly miserable each one of them has to be inside, and how they will only get worse and worse. And it won’t end when Fred dies, they’ll say he’s gone to heaven to be with their empty god. They’ll keep going, and their children will raise their children and so forth, and there will just be a string of meaningless empty lives.

    I’m so very sorry.

  14. Imagine No Religion

  15. That one 21 year old girl does have some rebel in her you could totally get that out of her hahaha. But anyways I don’t agree with what they are saying although their dedication is phenomenal. People do tell you to stick to what you believe no matter what and they are definitely accomplishing that.

  16. They are the biggest american scam, if you mess with them they will sue you, the city, or the police department. All they want is money.

  17. If those animals ever knew that science can actually determine if the fetus is houmou, theyΒ΄d kill it. ThereΒ΄s houmou blood in medical sirculation too.

    DonΒ΄t let them know.

    • There is no such thing as a gay gene. If there was then there would be a murderer gene, a smoking gene, a drinking gene etc… Gene’s do not determine the choices you make in life, you do.

      • Its not a choice bud. I am not gay, but I don’t need to be to know that being gay is not a decision. Whether it is a gene or environmental or just plain unexplained attraction, homosexuality is the same as heterosexuality. I didn’t choose heterosexuality, no one has chosen their sexuality.

        My thoughts on the movie: Horrible but not astonishing. Ignorance is rampant and they are just one intrusive form of it. open your heart and let the world sweep you into its entity. People love people and that is the truth. Hatred is manufactured

  18. Does god love anyone in particular or does he just hate everybody

    • People condemn; Jesus is 100% God and 100% man. Jesus came not to condemn the World, but to save it. To keep it short, God loves everyone, that means everyone, and wishes for all us to trust Jesus and that what he did was more than enough for whatever we could ever do wrong. By faith in Jesus we are saved though grace. Yes God loves us and that is why.

      • You need to stop preaching to people. You are doing the same thing phelps are doing, telling people they are wrong. It doesn’t matter if god is Jesus or that he came down to save us. The whole damn point is to be a moral person? God or Jesus dont give a crap who died for whos sin! Wasn’t the whole freaking point to be good people and set the guide lines to get into “heaven”. You keep commenting on posts about Jesus, becoming another religious fanatic saying what you believe is true. please stick to the main point

  19. If their picketing is the judgemental word of God through them, then they must also receive his judgements through others and each other. So then why was their child hit with a drink in the head by God, by people in a car with the license plate covered? Couldn’t God have made the license plate be revealed, so they could seek Earthly retribution? (They tried to get the plate number, so they must have wanted to.) In their own logic, maybe the constant onslaught of anger from others is God passing judgement on them, you think?

    Why did the forerunners of their own religion never allow literacy, science, or even bibles? The Christian faith used to murder people for learning to read and write, and for just having a bible. Who knows what texts were destroyed by the churches desire to control the minds of the people? Maybe it was the one you needed. Maybe we need to go back to killing the bible readers, since this documentary proves that some people cannot handle the responsibility of reading the bible anyway. Not to mention, we are a few authors, versions, and translations past the original ‘word of God’, right? Why was that even necessary? Did God forget some stuff or he couldn’t afford to mail it all at the same time?

    Or did God create science, reality, and nature to intentionally deceive us? Where is the love in that? Look, I am no athiest, but I know good logic when I see it, and it’s all around us if you care to look. There is always room for God with science, but there is only one good argument when the facts start rolling in.

    Wonder what the young budding lawyer thinks of that? She owes her life, longevity, and lifestyle to medicine, technology, and other great scientific achievements. But somehow the Christians still can’t get aligned with the evidence and the facts. Otherwise we would all be dying before we are forty, and living with incredibly terrible diseases.

    Unfortunately, they obviously have no sensible child service agencies in the area which would prevent this type of damage to these children. Given the life these kids are forced to endure, and in their own logic, God’s wrath seems squarely upon them, not us.

    It will be a good day for humanity when all of us are given the same opportunities at health, happiness, and freedom. It is only then we will acquire the capability of making decisions for ourselves without corruption, power, and oppression – the very types of decisions God would expect us to make in his image, to save his creation from evil.

    Look around people, it really isn’t that difficult to see it. It’s all money and selfishness. If you believe God contructed us that way to teach us how to not be that way, your smoking the profits.

  20. I love how so many people claim to follow the Bible, but leave out ONE key tenet–
    Judge not, be ye not judged.

  21. For me, as a reasonable Christian, I want nothing more to see the look on Fred Phelps’ face when he meets God and finds out just how much he got wrong. No one gets God’s message perfectly on earth, least of all Phelps. Too bad he’s waaaaay older than I am.

    • I hate being lumped together with people like this when I tell people I’m Christian. The tables are indeed turning and Christians are going to suffer persecution because of people like this family who took it entirely in the wrong direction.

  22. I’m an atheist by the way….

  23. Live and let live….is that not central to your Christen believes? Life is too short to hate, rather focus on the good in the world, see how you can help save our planet, do charity, I am sure there are better things that can occupy your time.
    PS: Never come to Holland – our freedom and equality will shock you.

  24. i feel sorry for these kids and the hypocritical upbringing they were born in…

  25. This woman just demonstrates how a person can get something so wrong and yet believe with all their heart and soul that they have it so right. But more importantly, isn’t turning your children into social pariahs by teaching them to be hateful, spiteful, mean spirited, judgemental, intolerant and cruel a form of child abuse? The children should be removed from this mentally disturbed woman who is doing nothing more than emotionally abusing them for her own irrational purposes. It is truly a terrible shame that at her age she hasn’t developed a more mature way of dealing with people who think and behave differently from her, other than condemning them and calling them names.

  26. I feel real sorry for the oldest daughter. It seems like she does question her church and wants to live a normal life but is afraid of speaking up for herself. She uses god as an excuse.

    Her parents have made all the decisions in her life for her, and she doesn’t know how to control her own life and destiny. It was sad when she said “who would want to marry me..” I know she wants to find a guy and experience love but knows it can’t happen because of her parents wont let her. So she blames herself.
    I hope she does eventually grow out of it.

  27. the problem with our way of life and what i mean by way of life is there is toooo much hate, why cant we all just get along smoke a fatty and drink a brew??? why so much war, greed, hate, etc? we all know what is right from wrong, we all feel what is necessary to make each others lives complete. we haven’t learned a damn thing since we all were put here, just hate, chaos, greed and lust. I’m not a religious man but we all have one thing in common we absolutely have NO idea when/where we come from, so just enjoy life and respect and love one another!

  28. man what total nonsensical psycho’s… louis should have asked why do soldiers fighting against america die then?… man… if one of their kids doesnt get cancer one day they are happy cos its god will… if their kid gets cancer the next day they are just as happy…. freeeaaakssssss

  29. Why don’t somebody whoooooop there damn asses!!!?I would EFFFFFFFIIIIINNN be so glad to rip them all a new assho!!!!

  30. It never ceazses to amaze me how ignorant people are and how they can’t seem to understand that life is short and theya re wasting their lives away worrying about nonsens.Things that have nothing to do with them at all.This is why I hate religion.I denounce God and have no use for him or the cocnept of any God.God if he existed would not be an egotistical son of a bitch like people obviously think he is and they that is alright.Think for yourselves fools.You have a mind but do not know how to use it.Everybody on this damn planet who beleives they know it all and question nothing are no less smart than an amoeba.Look that up if you don’t know what it is because I doubt most of you idiots in these stupid CULTS,because that is exactly what you are,know what one is.You all are so stupid to just follow another dumbass because your brain cells are strained.I bet you all are queer and that is why you do this.You are too ashamed to admit it because you’re afraid papa iss going to spank you then you will get an erection and he wil dress you up in little schoolgirl outfits cause you look so damn pretty.Enough of fools like you,if you beleive in GOD then you also beleive there is a Satan and he is going to stick your ass with his pitchfork like a fried weeny!!!!Hail Satan!!!

    • Jesus is God. God is love. Jesus said he didn’t come to us to condemn us, he only came to save us. He didn’t point the finger, He took the blame. There is no love greater than to die for the one you love, that is what God did, even in all his power he yet came to die so we can live. I hope this changes your mind at least a little about Christians; what you saw in that video was not the way the Lord told us to be. Jesus would be the one example we should “try” to be like. Bless and do not curse, turn the other cheek, don’t punch them in the gut because your mad, that is not the way God wants us to be. God said the greatest commandment is to love others like you love yourself.

  31. Why does this guy try to change this family? As he stated many times, he’s only a reporter and should not try to intervene, just roll tape.
    It seems contrived in that manner, but this family is just practicing true free speech although I don’t agree with everything, some basic morales are true they do talk on.

    • Yeah, instead of censorship, giving people all of the information and the mental tools to think critically about it would go much further in combating groups like this springing up. I personally don’t believe anything should be censored as everything has the possibility of growing you as a person.

  32. The gay lifestyle is wrong, hating people is wrong too. A person’s a person no matter how gay. And you don’t convert anyone like this. It’s not a courtesy to shout insults at people, it’s a courtesy to offer help to them. And the Bible is not solely focused on homosexuality, in fact it’s focused on loving and accepting everyone and that preaching the Gospel is most effective without the use of words. Remember that Jesus ate with sinners. That the first man to enter into eternal glory other than Jesus, was the sinner that died on the cross next to him. Jesus said that he who is sinless should throw the stone to condemn someone else. If people were perfect and sinless then Jesus would have had no need to die. The Jews are not responsible for his death. Christ came to die for sinners, so that we have a chance to be in communion with him even though we make mistakes. Saying that the Jews are responsible for the death of Christ is saying that they are the only people who sin, therefore being the only people that Christ needed to die for, making them responsible. But I sin, and his death applies to me too. And a person is more than their sexual orientation. These people are too judgmental for their own good, they are aggressive, and unfortunately with something that is not truth, but a dangerous distortion of it. They make people very sad, turn them off, and they take away from God’s love for his good- his ‘very good’ creation, us.

  33. I don’t hate this family. I don’t agree with them, but they have their own belief and there is nothing we can do about it. Getting on here and posting stuff like ” I hate these mo fo’s” and all that makes you sound almost just like them. If people would ignore them, it would die down. – Amanda K

  34. all of these people are going to hell. it may be against what the bible says to be gay, but who the fuck cares. thats not you. dont worry about what other people are doing. they all deserve to be cut off at the knees and made to crawl around in salt for eternity. i cant believe people are so ignorant and rude that they feel the need to be this way. i hope i meet that lady one day so i can punch her straight in the jaw. im suprised no one has sniped all these people already. they surely deserve it for being so damn ignorant

    • do you realize how stupid you sound? I don’t want to defend these nutjobs, but you’re trying to fight hate with hate and that will never work.

  35. That eldest daughter has no idea how awesome it would feel for me to tongue her pink little arsehole.

  36. Best documentary ever, i managed to fall asleep like 3 times, but i like the idea πŸ™‚
    Can someone explain to me the whole “gay pride” thing, how can one be proud of taking it up the a** and sucking dic* πŸ™‚

    • Its not about the sex part (well… mostly) but having the freedom to love whoever the hell you want. As for being proud of ‘taking it up the a**’ as you say, that is an acheivement in and of itself not to mention it feels really good (you should try it sometime… you might just enjoy it), and the other part is optional.

  37. I just found out that the Westboro Baptist Church will be picketing at a high school and Coast Guard recruiting station near where I live, and at first I was very angered. Angry because of all the sacrifices our servicemen and women have made so that these people could have the right to do their ridiculous protests. My father honorably served 24 years in the Army, as well as other family members in other branches and my fiancΓ© who is in the Marines. I am also a strong Christian who is well aware that the Bible tells us that God is the only person (being) with the authority to pass judgement on others. I will not bring up my position on homosexuality as it is irrelevant. The only comment I can make concerning that issue is what I have just said; we have no authority to pass judgement on others.

    I found after watching this documentary, however, I am no longer angered but saddened. It is sad to think people with such hateful thoughts are able to manipulate those that should be closest to them, their family, into following their scornful message. It is sad to see that the children are being brainwashed into spreading their message as well. It’s shocking and downright depressing.

    I agree that Theroux should have attempted to interview the former members of the church, those who left, but it was still a very effective documentary.

    Now, anyone with a legal background correct me if I’m mistaken here.
    To those that feel “something should be done” about their behavior….. Unfortunately, nothing can be. Not anything legal, at least. They are exercising their constitutional rights of free speech, assembly, and religion. Were someone to attempt to stop them, they could take their case to the Supreme Court and win.
    It’s very unfortunate that these people abuse their constitutional rights in this manner. I can only pray that there is still hope for these people to realize what they are doing.

  38. these people make me want to go gay! but, first i think i’ll go blow my nose in a bible.

    By the way i’m really starting to hope we really are going to hell. just try to imagine spending eternity in a nice and warm place without all those religious nutcases…

  39. if a hell exists they are sure going down, auto brainwashed fucks!

  40. The 21-yr old had the serious hots for Louis.

  41. A thoughtful opinion and ideas I will use on my blog. You’ve obviously spent some time on this. Well done!

  42. well its just insanity really, any of the christians i know do not preach this kind of bull. god loves us all right? well if i were christian i wouldnt want these people spreading christian words when they got the message so clearly wrong. it doesnt matter anyway, theres only 70 of them and all the kids are too busy spreading hate that they dont want families or to get married, so this ridiculous cult will die with them. they arent physically hurting anybody yet, and untill that happens we should just egnore them!

  43. I actually found the ‘interview’ with Fred Phelps gratifying, because he sounded so completely stupid, his equivocations so transparent. I would have liked to see Louis challenge Shirley to rejoice when her son was hit in the head by the drink, or to ask Jael(? the nurse-in-training) why she didn’t rejoice at the ‘mean’ treatment she was given by other students. Not that I think it would make an iota of difference to either of them, but I really wanted to see it. I was also hoping Louis would talk to at least one of the family members who had ‘fallen away’, to perhaps get a little insight into the history of the cult, and some idea what could be motivating some of the joiners (as opposed to the brainwashed). Plus–why hasn’t the Baptist church repudiated this group publicly? Again, I don’t think it would really matter to them, but as a matter of ethics for the Baptists?

  44. Louis really has a way with words.

    He pauses at exactly the right time, to provoke a better response.

    Born for journalism.

  45. Part of me wants to hate them but a part of me can’t. I don’t know why. I’m part of the thing they hate so I should hate them back. I used to but after seeing this, I just can’t hate them. I don’t know why. I respect their opinions and beliefs. We have the freedom to do that in this country. They aren’t physically harming anyone, that’s one thing they won’t do. I think that’s why I can’t bring myself fully against them because I know they won’t do anything drastic to hurt me or anyone else like me.

    • Yeah, they stick out as some sort of testament for true freedom of speech. They are putting what they believe out there, and we all can make a decision of how we will interpret them and their information. And part of the reason you can’t hate them is because you saw that they are just as human as anyone else and just as prone to suffering (not the unfeeling monsters we’d like to believe).

  46. I bet in 20 years we’ll find out that the nasty old preacher got dumped by his boyfriend and now spreads this shit. Or he purposely wants all the girls to stay single so he can have them for himself. (sick shit, i know. but there have been things like that found concerning other cults) Seriously none of these people can actually state strait out exactly what their beliefs are. They all do a round-about for each question and say “you’re being silly, you’re stupid.” If they believe that by making people hate them means they’re doing the right thing, they’re freakin stupid. One of God’s requests is that you spread his LOVE for his children and tell how he gave up his son because he LOVED his children so much even though they were sinners. Through his LOVE (not hate!) you are supposed to help people find him so they can become better people. Like Louis said, Jesus was a very kind and gentle person (don’t believe me WBC? Actually READ the bible) and he sacrificed himself so sinners could have a chance at heaven. The “meanest” thing I ever remember reading that Jesus said was “Forgive them Lord, for they know not what they do.” Yeah,people nailed him to the cross yet he loves them enough to ask God for their forgiveness. He doesn’t use derogatory words for people, disrespect them, or spread words of hate. I don’t think the preacher gets his message from the Bible. He gets it from the giant pole up his ass.

    ‘nough said.

  47. More proof of what I have said and believed for years..

    Man’s twisted self serving view and vision of god’s word, Is the Biggest Evil on this Earth..

    Judgement Day should be a Pay-per-view event!!!!

  48. Religious F**KS

  49. Few things are as shocking as the rhetoric the senior members of this church preach, to me this is as dificult to understand as quantum physics. Almost like my mind refuses to believe that these people actually picket funerals and truly feel deep inside that what they are doing is good and the right way to spread the word of god. What happens when their pastor does not live as long as other “prophets”, was he struck down by God? or when someone who has never sinned gets cancer? I am truly baffled.
    Couldn’t social services be called on these parents who endanger their children by allowing them to picket, in a sense exposing innocents to the ridicule and violence of the public? As clearly depicted in the film? Aside from physical harm any lawyer could argue in court that these people are mentally abusing their small children.
    Food for thought, does anyone out there think Shirly likes it doggie style? Bet she does.

    • Even if social services could be called, that would be a horrible approach to dealing with issues like this. Since people have many different backgrounds and types of issues to deal with, the best thing is probably just put ideal or seemingly truthful information out there and let people decide for themselves what they want and how they’d like to live.

  50. If they hate USA so much why are they living there?Why are they being paid with american dollars, why are they supporting american schools, brands and so?Why are those people such DUCHEBAGS!?

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