Megan Phelps-Roper has escaped from the Phelps clan that is the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka. They're the ones famous for the "God Hates Fags" protests. Phelps-Roper, granddaughter of Fred Phelps and in her late 20s, had been a key part of the organization, scheduling the protests around the country. She was quite sure of her place in life, fully believing in the family cause. Even if that cause is based on the belief that "continually protesting the lives, deaths, and daily activities of The World is the only genuine statement of compassion that a God-loving human can sincerely make." My head doesn't wrap around that one.
Several months ago Phelps-Roper began discussions of religion with David Abitbol, an Israeli web developer. She began to realize that demanding the death of gay people prevented them the opportunity to repent and that her church didn't demand the death of other groups that Leviticus calls an abomination. After a while, she could no longer accept that conflict and left. Her sister Grace decided to leave with her. The family has essentially cut them off.
Once away from the family's influence she began to read books on philosophy and religion. She discovered that the issue of right and wrong had been studied for as long as people could write. That only Westboro had the correct answers became crazy and impossible. "I don't believe anymore that WBC has a monopoly on truth."
Phelps-Roper is now examining all the beliefs fed to her throughout her life and working out what to keep and what to reject. She doesn't know what she believes now. She is quite aware her actions in the past caused pain to others and that her departure has caused pain at home. Her goal now is to treat people right, though what that means has changed.
Welcome to the real world.
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