Woman who grew up with controversial Westboro Baptist Church speaks out l GMA

Megan Phelps-Roper’s memoir, “Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church,” describes her experience with the church.
#GMA #WestboroBaptistChurch

[@bryanturnbow8189]

It is very encouraging to go to a westboro baptist protest, not because of them obviously, but the counter protesters. It’s like 4 hateful people being counter protested by 50 nice people.

[@elicapers2446]

Gay.

[@itzystreamingplaylistsonch5471]

@@elicapers2446 Hm?

[@antiturkije4040]

Gay Baptist church

[@whitemailprivilege2830]

GOD HATES YOUR COMMENT

[@melissacorrigan9238]

@@whitemailprivilege2830 GOD 👏🏽ISNT 👏🏽 REAL 👏🏽

[@bookishnymph8533]

I'm glad she got out . . .

[@erwinsmithswife4267]

Eli Capers not before he does it to you honey.... that’s hate speech

[@goji-woji1584]

Eli Capers oh sure, because living your life spreading hate is *way* more better, right?

[@goji-woji1584]

Eli Capers I’m ok with people disagreeing with my sexuality, I’m not gonna force them to accept us. What I do have a problem with is when people try to force their opinions on others.

[@olle12]

@@elicapers2446 God will destroy you! Read the fucking bible, and all the sins are on you!

[@absoluteletdown]

@@elicapers2446 what a sad life you must live

[@rara1800]

Good for her, I honestly didn’t think she was going to change I remember she was on the Tyra Banks show and I thought she would never change. Good for her!!

[@morbidgirl6808]

Yeah, in 2010 I always knew she would leave because she got quieter when WBC was at University than she was in 2009. It means she was challenging her beliefs that time.

[@KimbradleyMasterGardener]

@@morbidgirl6808 I saw the University footage and I noticed her quiet as well.

[@jazzalterio692]

Moral of the story: Never assume people are just lost and things will never change

[@rara1800]

@@jazzalterio692 well glad I was wrong! Lol

[@kellynn739]

@@KimbradleyMasterGardener do you have the link? I'd like to see it.

[@trgoohileshea2820]

Megan screamed at me once on my way to a Heartland Men's Chorus concert in Kansas City. I could see it in her eyes then. She was very young at the time. I knew...The youthful have so much more insight that we did. I knew she would turn away from the church at that moment, so I wasn't too hard on her.

[@mezmerized4lifejay654]

This video just makes me wanna cry. Its so sad how much hate there is in people. God loves everyone

[@StevenStGelais]

He loves everyone enough to punish them for their wrong doings. Like a patent would punish a rebellious kid. Except Gods timeout lasts for eternity.

[@birdie3484]

@Steven St. Gelais Your idea of love is pretty twisted..

[@Clambum]

Steven St. Gelais I don’t wanna pray to a god that’s overly harsh for no reason, he sends you to a lake of fire that melts your skin off again and again for eternity? What a fucking asshole

[@erwinsmithswife4267]

Aerial Productions Charlotte well then why does god make us this way if he’s going to punish us for it? It doesn’t make sense

[@melissacorrigan9238]

Aerial Productions Charlotte wrong, the people who wrote the Bible decided for themselves what god said and wrote it down. God loves all

[@alexisscott8293]

As a local Kansan, I’m incredibly proud of Megan and Grace for leaving.

[@Jman926]

And Nate Phelps, Lauren Drain, and I expect the list is growing. :)

[@admin7715]

She is also brainwashed. Respect to WBC people for thinking by their own heads and saying the truth in spite of the lie of the official brainwashing propaganda.

[@dzonbrodi514]

@@admin7715 OK Shirley

[@deeanderson4164]

@@admin7715 Go join them, fool. But when you have to face God one day....I would not be standing with pride if I were you. I'd be shaking in fear.

[@Xavier-hc6qs]

Such an incredible woman. To have the strength and courage to walk away from ones entire family is such a difficult thing to do. Nothing but respect for this her and I wish her and her family the best

[@glenncurley680]

She woke up! It's really consuming to hate as much as they do! Hopefully the Church will fall apart completely and everyone will be free!

[@kerrymorris1193]

Goodness me. Good for her for leaving, but I cannot believe that crazy institutions like the Westboro Baptist Church still exist.

[@marissajolie6857]

Holy shit I thought she’d never change

[@morbidgirl6808]

I always knew she would because you can notice how quiet she was in 2010/2011. It means she was challenging her beliefs that time! She left in 2012

[@whitemailprivilege2830]

GOD HATES CHANGE

[@whitescalp420]

She looks likeher inner slut has awoken and left the church, then became bisexual

[@beckettmaffei]

They're all against same-sex marriage, and all because of these so-called "sins". But can they explain being against homoromanticism? As long as I'm not having sex with my husband, I'm fine, right?

[@gabetalks9275]

Look to the scriptures and pray on it hard. Jesus said in Matthew 19 that a man shall leave his father and mother and the two shall become one flesh. That's a quote from Genesis. Sex was made for marriage as a divine expression of love, so romanticism and sexuality are intimately tied together. But I want to encourage you and let you know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made in God's image. The fall made us all born with a fallen nature, but our value and identity is in Jesus alone. Do not make the mistake of making an idol out of your sexuality and gender. God bless you my friend.

[@damiluaer8859]

@@gabetalks9275 Wow, the hypocrisy. Just go to hell.

[@gabetalks9275]

@@damiluaer8859 Care to explain how? Because I just quoted the scriptures. They're not my words.

[@damiluaer8859]

@@gabetalks9275 I’m not talking about the scripture. I don’t care for a Bronze Age book written by desert dwelling, camel riding lunatics. I’m talking about the fact that you at all come here, judging people, when you’re the one spreading hate and making up horrible excuses for it, whilst playing persecuted and a victim. Also, how do you translate becoming one flesh into forbidding romanticism? Because that is a very far reach, and clearly a passage VERY open for interpretation. Also, you quoting scripture is hypocritical in and of itself. Beyond the fact that you just quoted something and presupposed your own interpretation of it to be correct, ignoring passages that say the opposite. To love everyone, wherever that would be mentioned, per se.

[@gabetalks9275]

@@damiluaer8859 Firstly, the prophets and apostles were not "lunatics." Secondly, context and cross comparing. "One flesh" refers to intimacy. Being united as one. That's that term is always used in the context of sex, because God created sex to a deep, divine expression of love and intimacy for married couples. That's not hypocritical or hateful. That's understanding what the Bible says. These aren't my words. They're God's. Idk why you people call us hateful when these aren't even our commands in the first place. Thirdly, love and approval aren't the same thing. If you truly love someone, you will tell them the truth, even if it's uncomfortable because you want the best for them. And Idk about you, but I'd much rather have someone go to Heaven, than go to Hell. If I truly hated them, I would say nothing so that they would end up in Hell. This is a mission to save souls. If God really did hate everyone, He wouldn't have died for the whole world. Jesus said, "I did not come to call the righteous, but the sinners to repentance" (Matthew 9:13). But He died for the world (John 3:16), tearing down the veil covering the Arc of the Covenant, sending His Holy Spirit to all people, and defeating death as a free gift of salvation and eternal life to all of humanity by grace through faith alone (Romans 3:23-24, Ephesians 2:8-9). However, we must live to serve Him. Jesus is a King who took the punishment we deserved, suffering the most brutal execution carried out just to be united with us. That is more than enough of a reason for us to fully submit to Him and give Him our whole lives. The word "repent" is Hebrew for "to turn away." If we don't turn away from our wicked ways, than how is our love for Him genuine? That's like apologizing to your parents, deliberately continuing to disobey them without remorse, and then getting offended when your parents discipline you and calling them "hateful" for it. This is why Jesus said "if you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). And "if anyone wants to be my disciple, let him deny himself, pick up his cross, and follow Me" (Matthew 16:24). Yes, God loves everyone, but God is also a God of justice. He is a King, a judge. And He is also a Father. So we must hold up as a the Godly authority He is in our lives.

[@user-tg5xq4fp2j]

Jesus was Jewish. He was well liked among the people 2000 years ago.

[@jewlicious]

David ABITBOL - not Abitol, but it's all good. Still an awesome segment.

[@Rick_Cavallaro]

I just sent you a message on Facebook. I hope it gets through.

[@justthatgirl-ct4jo]

People don't understand how far kindness can take you.

[@pamelamorrison4086]

What an incredibly brave young woman. My heart goes out to her. It's not easy to break free of the chains of lifelong brainwashing - especially having to leave the people she loved.

[@Inescapeium]

Alhamdulillah. As a muslim, I wish the best for her. May the Westboro Baptist Church be cursed.

[@bipsomma2483]

I’m so so glad she has changed her ways. Holy crap I couldn’t imagine thinking the way this family does. Can’t imagine saying God hates anyone.

[@hungvuong3417]

how the heck these people know God hate or love someone !!!!

[@LordVader066]

read the bible

[@Ivan-xk4uy]

@@LordVader066 you read the Bible, God is love not hate, if you hate you’re a soldier of Evil

[@romanticandperky]

I am a Phelps and I used to live in Westport, Ct. with Linda Blair. I was still living there when I met Judy Garland. Repeat after me, Megan, one Phelps to another: "Toto, I have a feeling we are not in Kansas any longer." The Phelps', before they found themselves in places like Topeka, Ks., were originally from New England and actually founded a couple of towns in Connecticut. I met Judy Garland a few months before she died at an ABC-TV daytime talkshow hosted by Dick Cavett (1969). I remember that he asked her a question about the E.Y.Harburg lyrics to 'The Wizard', and "If I Only Had A Brain". The following year, I found myself at a boarding school in New Hampshire with singer Judy Collins' kid sister. There was a large cornfield behind the girls' dorm.

[@americanmade-1]

Can you imagine how hard that must've been to leave everything you knew? I understand to an extent . God bless all those who have to deal with abusive religion.

[@andybub45]

We can debate Trump vs Biden, Republican vs Democrat, etc. But we can all agree that we hate the Westboro cult.

[@Idk-zg7dt]

Acceptance and kindness looks good on her🤍

[@americanmade-1]

I used to go back and forth with her. I'm so amazed by her!

[@mollybrown8361]

Good for Megan and Grace❤️ very proud of you for leaving

[@BlogofTheW3st]

She must be just rollin’ in the dough.

[@phil3924]

Congratulations Megan to your conversion to being a secular Jew. I didn’t know that was possible.

[@scottymitchell6708]

I feel so sorry for the poor children of that crazy church😢

[@Olo5.3.4.2]

Her family disowned her!?

[@marissajolie6857]

There last tweet was in 2016

[@Carmelmen1]

God bless her!

[@dartmoordave]

As soon as you hear its all one family you just know there's a problem or 2.

[@iiiwxnwoo459]

As a Catholic person, people should not hate on people just because they are part of a community that we can’t accept/support. But I’m glad that Megan left the church!

[@lizguz5195]

We love Magan. God bless you and your today's new fam. stay safe.

[@delanieseals1830]

Why did they hate the military ???

[@ivantheterriblepart3]

They think that the military is wrong for defending America which they think is sinful

[@LordVader066]

because the military is garbage and serves a tyrannical government

[@testtalk8917]

@@LordVader066 Definitely not. At least compared to those who believe in fairytales and sky daddy “God”.

[@user-ml5tn3en1y]

Because they think the military is fighting for the country that accepts homosexuality

[@jeezuschrist9887]

Your cover photo is not Megan, that’s her sister 🙄

[@edgardaniels1402]

Media: “80 members, mostly family” Also media: “One of the most influential churches” 🙄

[@simonsays3063]

It's a cult, not a church.

[@Goodiesfanful]

Interesting the ex-WBC believed she was preaching love of God and was being persecuted. She did not realise the church was expressing hatred and persecution and receiving it back as per the law of attraction.

[@Stooch]

they don't even know their own bible, love thy neighbors (you don't want anyone to go to hell)

[@issac-j3m]

Interesting

[@AaronSaltzer]

I will give The WBC one thing. They have courage.

[@LatashaNaturalgirlJones]

She really just didn't know any better at the time! Being brought up taught to follow christ in that manner was really all she knew. I'm so happy that she hearkened to the voice of the lord and decided to leave the church🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾

[@Multiversetraveler93]

Also interested to see how open she actually is...

[@uf9309]

Warrantedspeaker Giggity.

[@Rick_Cavallaro]

I've heard her in a couple of interviews with Sam Harris. You should check them out. I think you'd be impressed.

[@PhoenixRising87]

She did a TED talk; that's worth looking up.

[@morbidgirl6808]

She's an atheist now.

[@llarmstrong783]

Are they still around? I haven't seen anything on them in a long time. I'm surprised they're not thanking God for wildfires and COVID

[@murdermuseum8280]

My brother cussed her out years ago!

[@alexajones2331]

Glad she escaped that cult..freaks

[@Ann71987]

It's funny that they think all those things..... Funny thing is in the BIBLE says ONLY GOD CAN JUDGE

[@Movnhorses]

This is why you should test the spirits and the only way you can know how to tests these evil spirits is to know the word of God. To know the word of God, you must read His word and not listen to someone.

[@detectordegados5292]

I still think the Westboro Baptist Church is a great joke put up by God and someday he will appear and say "lmao TROLLED lol"

[@BobRoss-yr7ui]

no

[@detectordegados5292]

@@BobRoss-yr7ui yes

[@fluffymajestic8656]

No. She clearly deeply enjoyed upsetting people. She was laughing, dancing, and beaming at these protests-as an adult college graduate. Her “church” used literal pornography imagery on their signs. They rushed to the funerals of people, murdered, and soldiers that have died, and they enjoyed it. There are countless images and videos of them having the time of their lives because they got to see other peoples upset reaction. This ability to deeply enjoy and relish the suffering of others is sadism. It is not automatic in every cult. It’s not automatic in every ideology. Even soldiers in the Hitler youth were not forced to always kill Jews. But someone run to the front and do it. Westborough Baptist is the equivalent of that. I believe she has been deliberately changing her affect since she went on the Tyra Banks show. Watch it. You will see this is a person who had years and countless opportunities to consider the other side. She went to a public school. She went to college. She was never the less still in her 20s enjoying rushing to the funeral to throw up some filthy sign in order to upset other people. There was no consideration on the efficacy of what they did. These are Calvinists believe that everything is preordained. They don’t even believe that they can necessarily change people. What they did was just pure narcissistic sociopathic attacks. It has nothing to do with believing being gay is a sin or anything like that. These are sociopaths and I don’t think you can easily change that.

[@neferarilaveau7557]

I’m glad she left of that Toxic

[@KimbradleyMasterGardener]

I followed her upbringing and yes, Megan did, by choice, very evils things. While I praise her new life, the damage she left behind can't be healed or fixed😢

[@ThePlataf]

You mean that the people she harmed are all totally incapable of understanding and forgiving?

[@abimorrisonpossibleplantba9783]

So the lord can’t forgive her wow and she can’t choose to go back and try to apologize to people she directly heard yes she can and it can be healed. That’s very close minded of you

[@mollybrown8361]

I don’t know if you can say she did those things by choice. She grew up inside the congregation and from what I can tell it was very abusive. Yes she made choices but how free were those choices. If she hadn’t have made them then she would have forced out into a world she’d only had hostile contact with

[@1234eldibu]

She has publicly acknowledged everything you said. Given all of that, what would you rather she be doing in the present?

[@jradjj2988]

She can definitely apologize and ask for forgiveness of the people she’s hurt, does the person have to accept it and forgive her? No they don’t but it would still ease your conscience and you’d be able to let go and move on easier with your life knowing that you made an effort to mend things and make things right.

[@kittypride1815]

It's not her fault for what her parents taught her , im glad she escaped

[@Jonathan-uc7do]

I want them to protest at my funeral

[@Shawouin]

3:36 There is absolutely no nuances in Westboro!! haha

[@martharamirez5152]

Damn she looks like her Mama.

[@AaronSaltzer]

Grace looks like her too. Not as much though.

[@Little_stud93]

Good for her I’m not religious at all because I don’t believe in something that’s not real and these people are crazy

[@robertcolebrook7196]

Just how the police need to learn how to execute their role of policing the church need to learn how to win souls to Christ and his church.There is a right way and there is a wrong way.

[@gillowens24]

Horrible church i am delighted she left

[@delvingeorge2807]

Catholic Doctrines are very clear about these issues...

[@ljones436]

@Angel c Actually the only Christians are those who affirm the doctrine of the Trinity. Those who deny it are not Christian at all.

[@ljones436]

@Angel c You deny the deity of Jesus Christ?

[@ljones436]

@Angel c So you believe in the unity of God the Father and God the Son or are you claiming that God the Father and God the Son are separate deities, which would make you polytheistic? If you do not worship the Triune God, you are not a Christian. Are you a Muslim?

[@ljones436]

@Angel c I've assumed nothing which is why I have asked you questions, which you have not answered. I am giving you the benefit of the doubt. I am also giving you the benefit of the doubt right now in falsely accusing me of assuming things about you since your English is very poor. I try to be patient with people who are communicating in a language that is not their native tongue. Speaking of which, " I did this my face so if I give you my phone number to have a conversation about Jesus would you use it" I have no idea what your are attempting to say here, but it makes no sense in English. Perhaps you would care to rephrase.

[@ljones436]

@Angel c No because I don't think it a good idea for you to be giving out your phone number on a public forum like this. It's potentially dangerous for you and I would advise against it.

[@bigbawlzlebowski8886]

All of the hot members left

[@shanefrance7446]

Well done Megan 😂

[@user-tg5xq4fp2j]

My church is better.

[@tarahjicheatham]

God loves all his children he does not hate them I respect this woman for leaving That Satanic church

[@TheFinalJigsaw]

???

[@MrRobVision]

Megan: God hates you. David Abitol: Not only am I gonna end this woman's whole career, I'm gonna make her family disown her, make her sever her faith from Westboro, and shake the foundation of this devil woman's reason for breathing. Megan: love, tolerance, acceptance.

[@thejattlord]

Will her family accept her for marrying a jew?

[@noahremnek3615]

No Westboro Baptist church hates Jews

[@jitterball]

Quit all of them, say no to all ideologies and tribal bullshit.

[@MissTia777]

Atheism is the religion of no religion

[@jesuschristisking5986]

Not even close to being one of the most influential.

[@larryinacatsuit1895]

WESTBORO BASED CHURCH

[@Bojan_V]

I don't believe she really changed. And now selling books about her hate... No thanks!

[@rolandtomassi3486]

She still believes in god, lol. Did a little deeper

[@christophercolumbus8944]

traitor

[@stanbily9416]

Go back to the 1930’s.

[@prophet9240]

She left GOD for a rich man --- HOW JUDAS!!!!!

[@prophet9240]

@@joewalker8063 Relationship with money...

[@Multiversetraveler93]

Don’t be ignorant. This is basically the anti-sjw/pc movement we’re currently in too. Baseless, boring and stupid.

[@jol0973]

So she abandoned her beliefs when she met someone handsome, then started preaching another kind of nonsense. What a fantastic woman.

[@patrickdwts]

Where do you see that?