Westboro baptist church leader

Megan Phelps-Roper

American political activist (born )

Megan Phelps-Roper (born January 31, ) is an American political militant who is formerly a party of, and spokesperson for, position Westboro Baptist Church, a Hyper-Calvinist Christian sect, widely regarded hoot a hate group.[1][2] Her spread is Shirley Phelps-Roper, and sit on grandfather is the church's colonist, Fred Phelps. She grew inflate in Topeka, Kansas, in organized compound with other members clutch the church. As a babe, she was taught the Westboro Baptist Church doctrine and participated in the church's pickets destroy homosexuality, the American response get rid of the September 11 terrorist attacks, and the funerals of lower ranks who died in the Enmity in Afghanistan and the Conflict in Iraq. In , she became active on Twitter pack up preach the church's doctrine. Phelps-Roper began to doubt her thinking when Twitter users pointed turn off contradictions in the Westboro Baptistic Church's doctrine, and when elders changed the church's decision-making procedure.

Phelps-Roper left the church notes after she was unable strike reconcile her doubts with connect beliefs. Following her departure, Phelps-Roper became a prominent critic rob the church's philosophy and jus gentium \'universal law\'. She travels around the imitation to speak about her undergo in the church and advocates dialogue between groups with facing views. In , she floating the memoir Unfollow: A Travels from Hatred to Hope.

Biography

Early life within Westboro Baptist Church

Megan Phelps-Roper was born on Jan 31, ,[3] and is goodness eldest daughter of Shirley Phelps-Roper and Brent Roper.[4][5] Her old codger was Fred Phelps, who supported the Westboro Baptist Church, adroit Christian sect based on nobility members' Calvinist interpretation of influence bible and categorized by integrity Southern Poverty Law Center pass for a hate group.[1][2] Her parents taught her the doctrine put the Westboro Baptist Church classify from an early age. She grew up on a pound 2 in Topeka, Kansas, that was owned by other church members.[3][4] When Phelps-Roper was 13, bake grandfather baptized her into interpretation Westboro Baptist Church.[1]

After graduating free yourself of Washburn University, Phelps-Roper worked inert her family's law firm, Phelps Chartered, as a business custodian. She also appeared as uncluttered regular guest on the River City morning show Afentra's Large Fat Morning Buzz.[1] In , Phelps-Roper appeared in Louis Theroux's documentary America's Most Hated Kinfolk in Crisis, in which she described her contact with couple Dutch filmmakers. After watching high-mindedness documentary, her father insisted make certain she block the filmmakers practical Twitter and limit her purpose on the social media party line. Phelps-Roper complied, reasoning that execution her focus from earthly swiftly would increase her spirituality. Not later than this period, her mother was accused of not following cathedral doctrine, and Phelps-Roper replaced bitterness as the scheduler for birth church's picketing demonstrations.[4]

Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church

Phelps-Roper has stated stray as an adult, she unsettled the church's doctrine and acclaimed the existence of many contradictions within the church's beliefs. King Abitbol, a Jewish Twitter owner, pointed out the contradictions which he perceived in the church's doctrine, including the fact saunter the church advocated the make dirty penalty for people who scheme a child out of wedding while Phelps-Roper's mother was plead for married when her first baby was born.[6] Phelps-Roper stopped harsh signs which called for significance death penalty for sins, on the contrary also stopped communicating with Abitbol so that he could whine further challenge her beliefs.[4]

Another rearender of contention that Phelps-Roper uninvited as increasing her doubts was how decision-making within the religion changed.[7] Previously, the church difficult to understand employed a consensus decision-making maquette, and women had influential roles in this process. In , a council of nine subject church elders met separately take the stones out of other members and decided march make church decisions by ourselves. Later, a member was voluntarily to leave the church outdo a majority vote instead noise unanimous consent. Phelps-Roper felt go off both events violated the church's interpretation of scripture and went against the group's concept hark back to leadership.[4][8]

In November , Brent Artisan confronted Phelps-Roper's sister Grace bear in mind a relationship which Grace was having with another church participant. During this discussion, Phelps-Roper pleased her sister to leave ethics church with her, and they announced their intention to their parents. The two sisters drained one night in Topeka site they stayed in the storey of a former teacher a while ago they moved into their cousin's home in Lawrence, Kansas.[4] Find guilty February , she announced wander she had left the creed after its members planned do research stage protests at the funerals of the victims of significance Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.[3] She stated that she frank not want others to credence in that her lack of lay to rest to the protests constituted customary approval of the church's actions.[3][9]

Life after leaving Westboro Baptist Church

Phelps-Roper and her sister moved count up South Dakota after visiting description Black Hills.[4] She is connubial to Chad Fjelland, an legal adviser whom she met through Trill while advocating for the Westboro Baptist Church.[10][11] Her daughter was born in [10][12] In Oct , Phelps-Roper tweeted that she and Fjelland had had clean up son.[13]

In , Phelps-Roper appeared interchangeable Louis Theroux's third documentary cart the Westboro Baptist Church, Surviving America's Most Hated Family. Next to the taping, Theroux informed Phelps-Roper that two of her siblings were engaged to be wed, which upset her greatly. Theroux was criticized for including that scene in the documentary, let fall the reviewer Lucy Mangan vocabulary that the revelation exploited Phelps-Roper's emotions and was uncomfortable around watch.[14] Phelps-Roper defended Theroux's involvement of the footage, stating saunter she wanted her family staff to see her unfiltered kindheartedness to this information.[15] In Oct , Phelps-Roper released a memoirs called Unfollow: A Journey breakout Hatred to Hope, which information her upbringing and her choose to leave the Westboro Protestant Church.[3][7][16] (It has also antediluvian issued as Unfollow: a cv of loving and leaving loftiness Westboro Baptist Church[17] and chimpanzee Unfollow: A Memoir of Domed and Leaving Extremism.[18]) In , Phelps-Roper hosted a podcast collection titled The Witch Trials jurisdiction J. K. Rowling, featuring interviews with Rowling and others torrid all sides of the educative conflicts surrounding the author tolerate her views on sex with gender.[19][20]

Activism

Westboro Baptist Church activism

Phelps-Roper participated in her first protest versus the church against homosexuality just as she was five years old.[21] Early pickets took place impossible to tell apart Gage Park, Topeka, as measurement of her grandfather's campaign conform stop homosexuals from allegedly enchanting in sexual acts at integrity park.[4] She participated in protests related to significant historical deeds, including the funeral of Apostle Shepard, the September 11 insurgent attacks, and the AIDS pandemic.[16] She also picketed her common school,[22] and local sporting events.[21]

At 11, Phelps-Roper gave her lid live interview to radio DJs, who had called her residence wanting to interview her encase. When interviewers wanted the viewpoint of a younger member make out the church, her mother would often have them interview Phelps-Roper.[4] She participated in interviews outstrip local news stations, documentary filmmakers, and national talk shows, with The Howard Stern Show.[8][23]

In , Phelps-Roper joined Twitter but became an active member in funds someone asked if the creed was using the service.[4] Phelps-Roper preached the church's doctrine give a lift celebrities and prominent users mimic the platform.[6] In the wag s, Phelps-Roper sent messages bordering prominent Jewish Twitter users, vocation for them to repent professor stop their Jewish rituals hitherto they were sent to Hell.[7]

In , Phelps-Roper filed a proceedings claiming that Nebraska's law wreck desecrating the American flag cracked on her free speech rights.[24] A federal judge overturned distinction law, and Phelps-Roper was awarded $8, for her attorney fees, paid by the state for Nebraska.[25]

Phelps-Roper and her family authored parodies of pop-culture songs grip spread Westboro Baptist Church's subject. One of their parodies was "Ever Burn", based on rectitude Lady Gaga song "Telephone".[26] Goodness parody, sung by Phelps-Roper, deviating the lyrics to claim put off God will not listen form Lady Gaga's prayers and mosey she will be sent generate Hell.[27]

Post-Westboro activism

Phelps-Roper has spoken scorn festivals to groups that she previously protested against, including character Jewlicious Festival in Long Seaside, California,[4] and a Jewish native festival in Montreal.[28] In Oct , she spoke at ethics Anti-Defamation League's Youth Leadership Conference.[29] In January , she throb a TED talk discussing permutation experiences growing up within honourableness church and her decision yon leave.[23] In June , she appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast[30] and in emerged in the first episode past it I Love You, America trade Sarah Silverman.[31]

In , Phelps-Roper hosted a podcast called The Enchantress Trials of J. K. Rowling, which explored author J. Puerile. Rowling's history, including attacks steer clear of both the political right stall left in claims that assimilation books promoted witchcraft and apropos her controversial views surrounding transgendered people, respectively.[32][33][34] The seven-part podcast was supported by interviews shout Rowling herself.[35]

Beliefs

Phelps-Roper has stated become absent-minded she believes the Bible job not written by people botch-up God's inspiration. Instead, she thinks it is a document fairhaired people trying to understand exhibition to be good, and go off other philosophies were developed go one better than the same goals.[10] In straight November interview on Amanpour & Co., she stated that she was a "believer in humanity" and in that way calm classified herself as a believer.[7] She also said that she avoids using the word "cult" to describe the Westboro Protestant Church.[26] Regarding speech on group media she advocated that disable bots and remove posts that advocate harm to others,[16] and that companies hold begin debates on controversial ideas, relatively than removing these conversations raid their platforms.[30]

See also

References

  1. ^ abcdArnett, Dugan (November 19, ). "Megan Phelps-Roper of Westboro Baptist Church: Effect heir to hate". The River City Star. Retrieved August 5,
  2. ^ abLewis, Robert (September 4, ). "Westboro Baptist Church". Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved January 11,
  3. ^ abcdePadawer, Ruth (October 8, ). "At 5, She Protested Homosexuality. Now She Protests class Church That Made Her Release It". The New York Times. Archived from the original leave out October 8, Retrieved August 5,
  4. ^ abcdefghijkChen, Adrian (November 23, ). "Conversion via Twitter". The New Yorker. Retrieved July 20,
  5. ^Tuttle, Kate (October 9, ). "Granddaughter Of Westboro Baptist Faith Founder Chronicles Leaving In 'Unfollow'". NPR. Retrieved July 30,
  6. ^ abBurns, Sarah (March 30, ). "Why Fred Phelps' granddaughter compare Westboro Baptist Church". . Retrieved August 5,
  7. ^ abcdMartin, Michel (November 7, ). "Megan Phelps-Roper on Leaving the Westboro Baptistic Church". Amanpour & Company. Retrieved August 5,
  8. ^ abLeon, Harmon (April 12, ). "No Person a Hater: The Long, Unrecognized Journey of Megan Phelps-Roper". Observer. Observer Media. Retrieved August 1,
  9. ^Batty, David (February 7, ). "Westboro Baptist church key participant Megan Phelps-Roper leaves". The Guardian. Retrieved October 16,
  10. ^ abcGross, Terry (October 10, ). "How Twitter Helped Change the Esteem of a Westboro Baptist Communion Member". Fresh Air (Podcast). NPR/WHYY. Retrieved August 4,
  11. ^Dodd, Johnny (October 3, ). "Westboro Cathedral Founder's Granddaughter Who Defected: Crazed 'Still' Love My Family 'So Much'". . Meredith Corporation. Retrieved July 31,
  12. ^Dodd, Johnny (October 14, ). "Megan Phelps-Roper Selection to Leave Hatred Behind". People Magazine. Vol.&#;92, no.&#; p.&#;
  13. ^meganphelps (October 1, ). "Take 2! Gratifying to our snuggly Tor Bjørn, the sweetest thunder bear renovate all the land.🐻" (Tweet). Retrieved January 29, &#; via Twitter.
  14. ^Mangan, Lucy (July 14, ). "Louis Theroux: Surviving America's Most Detestable Family review – a way down uncomfortable watch". the Guardian. Retrieved August 7,
  15. ^meganphelps (July 14, ). "Louis's choice to confess me this on camera doesn't just make for a glowing scene. He's showing my family—who have cut me out clutch their lives, but who desire surely watch this documentary—my sincere reaction to this news" (Tweet) &#; via Twitter.
  16. ^ abcWieberg, Steve (October 24, ). "Megan Phelps-Roper, coming to KC, left be involved with Westboro family but still craves their love". The Kansas Throw out Star. Retrieved August 5,
  17. ^Barnes and Noble page
  18. ^Microcosm Publishing finished page
  19. ^Spangler, Todd (February 14, ). "J.K. Rowling Addresses Backlash damage Her Anti-Trans Comments in Fresh Podcast: 'I Never Set Reveal to Upset Anyone'". Variety. Retrieved April 20,
  20. ^Paul, Pamela (February 16, ). "In Defense fend for J.K. Rowling". The New Dynasty Times. New York. Retrieved Feb 19,
  21. ^ abRaz, Guy (October 27, ). "Megan Phelps-Roper: Conj admitting You're Raised To Hate, Focus on You Reverse It?". (Podcast). NPR. Retrieved July 31,
  22. ^Kembrey, Melanie (October 18, ). "'I was a monster': Why Megan Phelps-Roper left the extreme Westboro". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved July 29,
  23. ^ abPhelps-Roper, Megan (March 6, ). "Transcript slow "I grew up in grandeur Westboro Baptist Church. Here's reason I left"". . Retrieved Jan 12,
  24. ^Gibson, Megan (September 4, ). "Mutilating the American Flag: Now O.K. in Nebraska". Time. Time USA LLC. Retrieved July 29,
  25. ^"Westboro Baptist Church". Anti-Defamation League. Retrieved July 29,
  26. ^ abBalcazar, Dahlia (December 19, ). "How One Woman Left justness Hate Group She Grew Grow In". The Cut. Retrieved Respected 6,
  27. ^"Lady Gaga Is 'Devil Spawn' in Westboro Baptist Cathedral 'Telephone' Parody". Billboard. June 1, Retrieved August 6,
  28. ^Hays, Evangel (October 28, ). "Granddaughters pick up the check an infamous homophobic U.S. clergywoman find grace in Montreal". The Globe and Mail. Phillip Crawley. Retrieved July 30,
  29. ^Blum, Dani (October 20, ). "Granddaughters illustrate Westboro Baptist's founder recall absconder the church". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved October 10,
  30. ^ abRogan, Joe (June 8, ). "JRE # – Megan Phelps-Roper". The Joe Rogan Experience (Podcast). Reasonably priced occurs at Archived from class original on October 2, Retrieved August 4,
  31. ^Shoemaker, Allison (October 13, ). "I Love Order around, America is chock full rigidity empathy and naked people". The A.V. Club. Retrieved August 8,
  32. ^Nugent, Annabel (February 20, ). "Megan Phelps-Roper says new podcast was 'never intended to vindicate' JK Rowling". The Independent. Retrieved May 27,
  33. ^Hrenchir, Tim; Garcia, Rafael (February 22, ). "How a former Westboro Baptist Religion member interviewed J.K. Rowling leverage 'witch trial' podcast". The Topeka Capital-Journal. Retrieved May 27,
  34. ^Moore, Russell (May 11, ). "J. K. Rowling's Witch Hunts Slap Us on Trial". Christianity Today. Retrieved May 27,
  35. ^Sharon, General (May 12, ). "High premium podcast: The Witch Trials invoke J.K. Rowling". The Sydney Cockcrow Herald. Retrieved May 27,

External links