Libby Phelps post WBC

[mkitten]

families in this Huffington post video, along with a gay teenager who left his Amish community.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/0 ... 41509.html

 

I think this is wonderful, and I didn't know about the long-term rehabilitation centre for individuals leaving controlling and abusive families, cults, religions, etc. It's good to know that there is a safe place for someone like (Sarah Maxwell, et al.) to go if she ever escapes.

[FireIsCatching89]

The members of the Phelps family/WBC who have come forward about the abuse they've suffered are some of the most incredible people I've seen come out of my home state. Whenever I see interviews with them, I am always very moved. I also think recently Jacob Roper (Shirley Phelps-Roper's eldest son) left, but he's chosen to stay under the radar, which is fine, too (Lord knows, I would want to). Also look up Lauren Drain- her father was a documentarian who brought his family to live at WBC for a year while he filmed them for a project and ended up drinking the Kool-Aid. Lauren was kicked out at the age of twenty-one for basically having a profile on an online dating site and meeting with a boy from the site. She's engaged now, and has a book due to be published in the next year, as well as working as a full-time nurse. She's a woman I really admire. She has no hate for her family, she realizes that they've been brainwashed; she simply misses them, but to them, she's dead.

[mkitten]

The members of the Phelps family/WBC who have come forward about the abuse they've suffered are some of the most incredible people I've seen come out of my home state. Whenever I see interviews with them, I am always very moved. I also think recently Jacob Roper (Shirley Phelps-Roper's eldest son) left, but he's chosen to stay under the radar, which is fine, too (Lord knows, I would want to). Also look up Lauren Drain- her father was a documentarian who brought his family to live at WBC for a year while he filmed them for a project and ended up drinking the Kool-Aid. Lauren was kicked out at the age of twenty-one for basically having a profile on an online dating site and meeting with a boy from the site. She's engaged now, and has a book due to be published in the next year, as well as working as a full-time nurse. She's a woman I really admire. She has no hate for her family, she realizes that they've been brainwashed; she simply misses them, but to them, she's dead.

Wow, I'll have to look out for her book. Fred Phelps is such an evil person (a word I use very rarely) to spew so much hate into the world. I'm happy that Lauren is out of that environment now, but I can't imagine the pain of knowing that your family is drinking the Kool-aid at WBC.

[clover_leigh]

I dont want to use the word enjoy,but I do kind of like when former members of cult,religious or otherwise,give interviews about their struggles with abuse and the like. Sometimes its simply curiosity,because Im an outsider and have never lived that sort of life. But usually its because I feel speaking out on these issues may give others the strength to come forward or just simply leave the situation they're in. These people are very brave. Do Libby and Lauren talk? I think they would make a great team if they chose to do speaking tours or write a book together.

[Emme]

http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/this-is- ... westboro-b

Not breaking the link because it's Buzzfeed. I thought this was interesting. It's a look at how Libby's life has changed since she left the WBC. There's HOPE!

[sea_gale]

Wow, good for her. Is it weird to be proud of a stranger? She gives me hope for all the other young women trapped in fundamentalism.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Its great to hear that she is doing well, the WBC are the worst fundies of all.

[merrily]

It's scary how much hate can prematurely age a person's face! I hope the kids break free after Fred Phelps kicks the bucket.

[longskirtlotsakids]

The Thinking Atheist has a podcast where he interviews Nathan Phelps for an hour. One of the saddest realities is that most of the escaped Phelps kids do not have a relationship with each other because their emotional capabilities are so damaged.

Nathans escape was almost like Cafolyn Jessops..he waited until.a.minute.past midnight on his.eighteenth birthday, because he had seen what happened to his sister when she had fled at age16, and was returned by police.

[Scribber]

Ok, I've always known that the WBC was f'd up, but I really had no idea how much so! Honestly, I never would have compared them to the FLDS or any of the bigger known cults out there - but holy hell!! (See, FJ is good for opening our eyes!) Now I'm even more angry/sick to my stomach if that is even possible!

[sarahbrownie]

How did she come by leaving?

Anyway, she looks amazing! She just radiates happiness.

[IceTwinkie]

I agree with merrily, what a drastic change. She looks like a completely different person.

[Soldier of the One]

So nice to see her happy, radiant, exploring and growing! I wish her all the very best!

[Buba]

For those who haven't seen it, this documentary explains why Libby decided to leave:

(09:00)

[xReems]

How did she come by leaving?

Anyway, she looks amazing! She just radiates happiness.

According to her fan fb page, it was a picture of her and her sister in a bikini that made her leave. Her family went on vacation and some members did not approve of the girls wearing a bikini because of the "4 B's rule" (no showing of butt, breasts, back and belly). Her sister apologized for it but Libby started questioning whether WBC was right for her. While she was at work, she had the sudden urge to leave and so she left.

What's interesting is that there was an argument that broke out between Libby and Lauren Drain (the girl who got kicked out of WBC) on facebook a few months back. I messaged Libby (I can post the response here if you want) regarding the fight. In a nutshell, she called Lauren a liar and how she snuck off a lot and stole her mother's credit card to buy a plane ticket for her boyfriend. It's a bunch of "she said, she said" type of thing. If you go through Lauren's and Libby's fan fb page, you can find the arguments. I asked her who I thought might be the next one to leave and she said Grace Phelps (Megan Phelps' little sister). If you watched "Most Hated Family in America", she was the photographer.

[notablesquid]

Wow! It's great to see her gain freedom and independence from that tyrannical nightmare of a family. May all of Fred Phelps' vile works blow up in his face and may all his kids find the freedom to love themselves, each other, and all of the world's others without all the hate they were bred to hold.

[salex]

His kids that are still there are pretty well entrenched and likely to take over where he leaves off, however, maybe more of the grandkids will go. Fred himself may have been the evil glue that held them together at one point, but he is getting very old. Shirley, his daughter seems to be the heir apparent, but their current dogma says no to women leading, so she will either have to have a revelation OR have a husband or brother as the puppet, with her as the power behind the throne.

[kolga]

Good for her. I'm glad she's happy and I hope she is able to come to terms with the damage that has been done to her.

This comment on that buzzfeed link:

"I am glad she left so that we could have Michael Phelps win us some swimming championships. She must be a proud momma!"

SURELY that's someone taking the piss. Yes? Please reassure me.

http://www.troll.me/2011/06/07/futurama-fry/not-sure-if-trolling-or-just-stupid/

[Dev83]

This reminds me of the story core segment on NPR this morning. They were talking to two brothers that grew up in a fundy household, one of whom is gay. The gay brother escaped first, then gradual all of his siblings became estranged from their parents. It took them YEARS to reconnect as siblings because of the abuse and lack of emotional growth that they grew up with. They are all close now, so there is hope for the Phelps kids to connect in the future.

[Emme]

This reminds me of the story core segment on NPR this morning. They were talking to two brothers that grew up in a fundy household, one of whom is gay. The gay brother escaped first, then gradual all of his siblings became estranged from their parents. It took them YEARS to reconnect as siblings because of the abuse and lack of emotional growth that they grew up with. They are all close now, so there is hope for the Phelps kids to connect in the future.

I do hope they are able to reconnect. It makes me so sad that these siblings and families get torn apart because the parents are total whackjobs. I just can't fathom doing this much damage to my kids and being able to look at myself in the mirror OR get up in the morning.

[Ex 2x2]

So happy for Libby!

[Abi]

Fantastic. I agree with the other posters who have said she looks like a completely different person.

I hope more and more now have the courage to leave that hate filled environment :(

[alysee]

She does look great. The best part is she truly looks happy, it does wonders for peoples appearance.

I do wonder what will happen when Fred Phelps dies. From the documentaries and other things I've seen it looks like the two oldest females Shirley and Marge? seem to be the most in charge. Not the men, there was Libby's dad who may take over. It's all speculation of course, maybe no one will want to take over. I really wonder how many years Fred Phelps has left.