Former Westboro Member Zach Phelps Answers Reddit's Questions

Zach Phelps, who says he's left the Westboro Baptist Church, opened up to the Internet last month in a Reddit Ask Me Anything post, a forum on which commenters can, well, ask anything.

Here's Phelps' introduction to the forum (using edits, a poster can go back to the introduction and edit it if a he or she has a new thought or insight to offer):

I grew up in the Westboro Baptist Church all my life, before leaving in February of this year.

Proof: http://i.imgur.com/bNd42lU.jpg

EDIT: A lot of you guys want to know if it's true that the objective of the church is to piss people off to the point of violence, sue, and gain profit. the answer is no. :)

edit 2: the most common question I receive is about my current beliefs. I still believe in God, but I believe God loves everyone. :) I attend a Unitarian Universalist church.

edit 3: I encourage EVERYONE to treat the members of the WBC with LOVE! That will make a difference. Saying "fuck you" can easily be forgotten and it doesn't change their beliefs but only makes them feel validated. However, to help you get it out of your system, here is a video of an old woman screaming "GO FUCK YOURSELF" at a WBC member:

http://youtu.be/i0OZ1k77V6c?t=47s

However, I also want you to understand that my family are human beings. This is a GREAT short video (under 20 minutes) made for a college class that really makes you understand them. :)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9kXanMbLXw

SFGN checked out the top voted questions. Here they are in their unedited entirety (and their answers, too):

1. From kizzie77:

What is the most ridiculous thing they asked/made you do in the name of God?

I feel like the most ridiculous thing I was ever required to do in the name of God was pray for others to die.... Since leaving Westboro Baptist Church, I have discovered that I have no malice in my heart... I want everyone to be happy.

From ASmileOnTop:

Pray for whom to die? That's just wrong.

When I was at Westboro, I did pray for these people to die: President Barack Obama; Lady Gaga; Albert Synder (of Synder V. Phelps, the Supreme Court Case); George W. Bush; and many, many other people.

Let me just say this though: I no longer pray for harm to come on ANYONE under any circumstances. I have left behind my former religious convictions.

2. From xSlappy-:

What was leaving like? Who took you in your first days out? How did you get on your feet?

The night I left was perhaps the worst night of my life... I was in horrible back and shoulder pain, and I was emotionally distraught about it.

A few of my cousins, who prefer to remain nameless, took me in... and they helped me get on my feet. I love them a lot for having mercy on me and not leaving me to fend for myself alone.

3. From Team_Realtree:

Are you against the church?

I've even counter protested them here in Topeka. :)

4. From DongleRocker:

How do you feel would be the best way to deal with religious hate groups like the Westboro Baptist Church when they visit your community and attempt to spread their hate?

I thought you would never ask!

I think that we need to approach them with forgiveness and love... otherwise, they will always think that the world universally hates them, and they will NEVER go away with their hateful message. I'm just sayin'... let's make 'em challenge their beliefs a little bit and "kill 'em with kindness" ;-)

5. From bassocontinubow:

Have any of the "higher-ups" in the church explicitly confided in you that their protests are done for publicity? If not, do you think this to be the root of the protests?

No one at Westboro Baptist Church has ever told me that they did their preaching for publicity or for money... It is strictly their religious convictions that drive them to preach their message... They believe that if they don't preach the words that they are preaching, then they will BURN IN HELL when they die for all of eternity... They act out of fear for themselves and their children, and they will ex-communicate anyone, ever their own wife or children, to save their souls.

6. From drugsneverwork:

What are your views towards gay rights now?

I fully and with great pride and thankfulness support the rights of all people, whether gay, lesbian, transgender, etc... They are all humans to me, and they all deserve protection under the law. Who am I to stop love or say, "You can't get married?"

7. From Boornidentity:

Side note, cheers for doing this AMA. Hope you can get on with your life and succeed.

Yes, all members of the Westboro Baptist Church are banned from entering the United Kingdom. I've never tried to enter England, but my sister went to Canada, and we are banned from going there, too. She was initially denied access, but then explained that she left. I don't know how the process went, but she was eventually allowed in Canada. I imagine it'd be the same there, but again, I've never tried.

Well, they literally believe every single word the preach and the goal is to get the most eyes and ears on the message as possible, so you could say the intention is for "fame" in that way. However, understand, they're human beings, and like everyone, they would like to be respected and treated with kindness, but they're not. But they're certainly willing to make that sacrifice to publish the message.

My family absolutely went crazy about how much coverage the Louis Theroux documentaries have gotten; they are so thankful for getting their message out there. They have aired in dozens of countries around the world, at least, on public television... so they thank God for it.

8. From joebob801:

What did it feel like to protest the funerals of the little kids that were killed in a school bus accident?

I don't know if I ever did protest the funerals of anyone in a school bus accident, but if I did at the time, I would have felt that I was doing the right thing. When I was at Westboro, I viewed every tragedy as at the hands of an ANGRY God who HATED most of mankind, and I was scared, in all honesty, when I stood on the streets. My world view was that everyone hated me.

9. From madhousechild:

How do WBC members meet and marry people? Would their spouses have to be church members? How did being in the family affect your dating life? When you were at nursing school and in your job, did everyone know you were WBC?

Yes, everyone works =D I would say that most of my aunts and uncles are lawyers, and they do take the usual cases EXCEPT they will not handle first-marriage divorce cases.

Approximately 70 members, and yes, most of them are related by blood to the Phelps family, but not all. (No in-breeding going on there, I assure you.) Everyone pickets except for a handful of people who only come to the church for the Sunday Service, like a young man named Jack Wu and an older gentleman named Tony Capo.

They can only marry members in the congregation. I never dated when I was in the church, but I once proposed to a member... I got rejected = It was so depressing for a while.... But since I left WBC, I have been dating a LOT =D So far, I haven't tied the knot, but I am always excited to talk to the ladies who I think are sensitive B) Yeah, and everyone I knew from nursing school knew I was WBC... It was quite obvious since Westboro is so infamous here =D

10. From ghansie10:

Why does the wbc go after homosexuality so hard instead of other things the bible forbids?

Two reasons.

Homosexuality is the sin that they interpret to have destroyed Sodom.

There are gay pride parades, but not murderer, stealing, adultery, etc. pride parades. So they feel a commission to tell the world that it is sinful, when mainstream is against that notion.