The Most Hated Family in America

This was a wonderful documentary for British television about the Reverend Fred Phelps' family and their crusade to make pretty much everyone outside their sick little cult hate them! I say wonderful because while these are very vile people, the interviewer manages to come off as very decent and caring towards some of the most unlovable and nasty people on Earth! He is able to put a human side on the group and extensively interviews Phelps family members. Fred himself is mostly absent from this documentary (for more of him, try watching FALL FROM GRACE) because he was just so incredibly surly and rude that getting more than a smattering of abuse was all the poor interviewer could arrange!!

The Phelps cult, if you are unaware of them, is from Topeka, Kansas and is world famous for their hateful protests--most notably, at soldiers' funerals but also at churches, synagogues and the like across America. Their protests consist of holding up very hateful signs indicating that God is happy that Americans die because we and the rest of the world tolerate homosexuality (in other words, because gays aren't killed outright by society, God will destroy us). Within their tiny cult of about 60 members, there is no mention of God being a God of love or forgiveness. Instead, He is all wrath and hate--and their signs are full of provocative phrases such as "God Hates America" or "Thank God for IEDs". Lovely sort of people, huh?! But the documentary goes beyond just portraying their sick message by trying to humanize, somewhat, the family and show the emotional and psychological toll this message of hate has upon them--and in particular, the children. Fascinating and a great insight into some scary and thoroughly despicable people. I really commend the crew and especially Louis Theroux for a remarkable and exciting documentary.

I found this film/documentary to be truly disgusting, and the people involved in this so-called "Church," to be just the opposite of what Christianity is supposed to be. Before I go any further, I don't believe in the lifestyle that homosexuals have, but at the same time I don't hate them either. I also was raised in the church although I am no longer active in it, and was taught that homosexuality is wrong. I am mixed on the whole gay debate or whatever it is called. Just as the bible says, "He without sin, cast the first stone." I despise the fact that these people are so pathetic/purposeful-less in their lives that they go to funerals of those that have lost members in their family protesting the U.S.A. and their policies. My feelings are that it is terrible that all these children believe in this crap too, because they don't know any different. My biggest complaint is that this "Church" hates the United States so much, well then they should get the hell out of here! They are an insult to all TRUE Americans and are a big reason why so many hate us! I am glad that none of these people have friends outside of their disturbing Hate group/CULT. I just hope that the children someday think for themselves (it's doubtful) and realize that HATE isn't the answer. This was truly well done, and the interviewer is one of the best in the business, and would like to see more of his work here in the States. An overall truly disturbing look at some of the screwed up people here in the U.S.

The Westborough Baptist Church believe that America is condemned by God because of its acceptance of homosexuality and rejection of His true teaching. The members of the church are overwhelmingly from one family – the Phelps family under the tutelage of Pastor Phelps – father or grandfather to many of the group. In an attempt to understand why they are so hated and try to get a grip on their beliefs, Louis Theroux spends several months with them at their home, talking to them as individuals and joining them on their pickets at the funerals of dead soldiers, whom they believe are dead because God is punishing the US.

Louis Theroux has made a name for himself in seeking out the weird and the wonderful characters and scenes in the world and managing to get close to them, using his affable and harmless manner to often reach the heart of the people and let them show more than they intended. And so it is here with the Phelps family – a group that we start out seeing as a group of religious cracks but gradually become more and more upsetting as the film goes on. The film does a great job of exploring its subjects and Louis effortlessly brings a lot out of some of them.

Of course it is not hard to get them to come over as hatemongers who have fixated on one sin and one teaching from the bible and are seemingly ignoring the rest (regardless of the defence that it is the "elephant in the room") and Louis just lets them preach at him. However he also nudges them to talk with mixed results. Pastor Phelps is a waste of five minute of film but the mother is interesting in her immobility in her position. Where he has much more success is with the children because they are quite normal people despite these views. He gets them talking and his style rewards the viewer by drawing out the slightest touches of doubt and a belief that seems to stem more from repetition and, dare I say, brainwashing than it does from a considered thought process and understanding. It disturbing to see because it is hard to escape the belief that the children genuinely have no chance. I suppose it is no different from those born into violent families, abusive families, overly protective families and so on – but it still doesn't make it easy viewing.

Fans of Theroux will love it and the casual viewer will find that the subjects are difficult to fail to be engaged by. Enjoyable in the way Theroux's films usually are, but also upsetting and a touch disturbing too.

The Phelps family protested across the street from my daughter's high school and the students responded with hundreds of kids on the other side of the street. The Phelps family was restricted by police, the students were respectful and didn't engage in name calling or violence and it all dissipated in the news. This was three years before I saw this documentary. I had been aware of the Phelps family for 15 years before that but this documentary really brought their lunacy front and center. "What's Wrong With Kansas" -- Indeed. These people, and many more like them in the Midwest (my roots) are what is wrong with America. I don't doubt for an instant that they believe in the purity of their cause. But they are dead wrong. From a religious standpoint, an ethical position, a moral position, and a political position. These people and their supporters are what is making America a laughingstock to the rest of the world. I pity them.

Louis Theroux decides to visit "America's Most Hated Family": the Phelps family. The members of the Phelps family started and are part of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. Their central belief contains extreme ideologies, including that God hates America because of their acceptance of homosexuality and the military. They are known to protest with picket signs that are very bold and utterly deplorable. I found this documentary very hard to watch, for every word that came out of the Phelps family sent a chill down my spine. I was never aware that these kind of extremists are out there in this world. It's very ironic how this family believes that they are "obeying God's words", when actually they are doing and showing the opposite of Christian teachings. Whatever they said, they were taking Bible verses and twisting them from what they really mean. What I saw as most disturbing was that they would teach their next generation that God hates America, and that homosexuals are "fags". I simply have one question. Who are they to judge whether or not God hates America? As a Christian, I was very disturbed watching this documentary. The Phelps family says that God hates and condemns all people of America. However, in the Bible, it states 66 times that God loves his children. Yes, we have sinned and yes, we are not perfect, but it does not mean God hates us.

I liked how Louis Theroux went outside his comfort zone to interview many of the people to make a more interesting documentary. However, it seemed as though he was serving into the people's mouths that what they were doing is wrong. I wished he went in with a little more empathy. Then, we could have gotten more information about their views, instead of them just defending themselves over and over. If you want to watch an eyebrow lifting documentary, I recommend this. However, if you do not want to see a disturbing documentary that will most likely want you to punch the screen, then this is not for you. Overall, I would give this documentary a 3.5 out of 5 stars.