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945 reviews for:
Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church
Megan Phelps-Roper
4.15 AVERAGE
945 reviews for:
Unfollow: A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church
Megan Phelps-Roper
4.15 AVERAGE
Better than I’d hoped for. I’ve loved her since the day I heard she left Westboro and went public as a vulnerable person navigating the world in the after. The way she talks about reluctantly formulating the decision to leave — the logic of internal consistency and kindness and love and room for doubt making way for a different life — is life giving. Learning more about the internal workings of Westboro, which landed heavy on my 90s Kansas childhood radar, was fascinating. I am so glad she wrote it.
As an agnostic, I found this look into extremist religious views, how they originate and develop and how those entangled in them think, fascinating . This is an inspiring and amazing story which teaches about the differences in human mentality and how to understand one another even when someone's views seem so abhorrent. I've watched all of Louis Theroux's documentaries and loved having a more in depth perspective of the church from someone who was such a believer who managed to then overcome such instilled prejudices.
This is an absolutely stunning read. I’m just...amazed at Megan’s strength of character and her determination and her journey to becoming a more tolerant, accepting, understanding human being. I’d like to say I would have the strength to flee indoctrination and leave my entire family, knowing they would never speak to me again, but I am not sure I would be able to do it. Perhaps.
This book was just incredible. Megan is such a talented writer, and I loved getting to see inside her head, and learn about her experiences and all of the turmoil that came with the decision to leave WBC, both before and after.
I adored the sections with her sister, Grace, and I think that it must have been so valuable for them both to have that support.
This book was just incredible. Megan is such a talented writer, and I loved getting to see inside her head, and learn about her experiences and all of the turmoil that came with the decision to leave WBC, both before and after.
I adored the sections with her sister, Grace, and I think that it must have been so valuable for them both to have that support.
I appreciate Megan's story of strongly believing in a life and a cause that wasn't easy. The resistance she experienced helped her dig in even stronger, yet questions began to surface in her mind and heart leading to a separation from the life and loved ones she held dear. She voiced emotions and confusion that are consistent with making a break from a cult or brainwashing. Those who have had a similar background can hear their own experiences, and those who have not may find understanding: Why would anyone be involved OR stay involved in this type of organization?
Recommended to me by a friend. Listened via audiobook.
Utterly amazing to me - hearing the author describe her journey from 5-year old on the picket lines to leaving her church and her family allowed me a different perspective on the hateful messages coming from Westboro Baptist Church. I do not condone those messages and neither does the author. But I gained a better understanding of what underlies those or similar messages, what circumstances drive individuals to carry any message without questioning it more deeply, and how we all could demonstrate a little more compassion when faced with hate. That may have been my greatest take-away from this book - that so many people were willing to engage with Megan Phelps-Roper so that she felt comfortable asking questions that led her to a changed perspective and changed lifestyle. It is terribly difficult to face hate and fear with love, but I'd rather choose that than to be consumed by hate myself.
Utterly amazing to me - hearing the author describe her journey from 5-year old on the picket lines to leaving her church and her family allowed me a different perspective on the hateful messages coming from Westboro Baptist Church. I do not condone those messages and neither does the author. But I gained a better understanding of what underlies those or similar messages, what circumstances drive individuals to carry any message without questioning it more deeply, and how we all could demonstrate a little more compassion when faced with hate. That may have been my greatest take-away from this book - that so many people were willing to engage with Megan Phelps-Roper so that she felt comfortable asking questions that led her to a changed perspective and changed lifestyle. It is terribly difficult to face hate and fear with love, but I'd rather choose that than to be consumed by hate myself.
Many have compared this to Educated by Tara Westover, and in some ways it’s similar. Both women were raised in a “cult-like environment.” However, Tara’s family was under the rule of a man with a serious mental disease who hated all things government (including doctors) and tried to kill her on multiple occasions (by accident because he didn’t realize the things he was doing would harm her).
Megan’s story is a lot more mainstream. She was raised Westboro Baptist, a church we all know about because they picket things like funerals of soldiers and hold says that say “pray for more dead kids” at Mass shootings. The first 2/3rds of the book is about the church and her experience loving the same teachings. She says something toward the end that the reason they do that is because of love. They believe these people are going to hell, therefore it is their duty to tell them so they convert. “To love is to tell the truth.”
Her conclusion in leaving is that love looks different. Telling the truth can be done in kindness accounting for the humanity and dignity of another. Where does she learn this? Twitter. They help her question her believes and see the hypocrisy in how they’re living and their interpretation of the scriptures.
Her grandfather is the one who started the Church and was “voted out” in the last days of his life. Some men decided that they were now the elders and knew better than everyone else. Before that the politics inside the church were focused on equality of its members. Men and women both had positions of power, including Megan and her mother. Before the founding of the church, her grandfather moved to Topeka to fight civil rights cases (he and most of his children who stayed were lawyers).
I really appreciated the history of the Church, to understand why they do the things they do, and see how different they are from actual Christians. Westboro Baptist Church is what happens when we follow a man (or a woman) who has decided they have their own interpretation of Scripture. Religion isn’t supposed to make us comfortable. Sin makes us comfortable; our church communities are supposed to show us a better, holier way.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Megan’s story is a lot more mainstream. She was raised Westboro Baptist, a church we all know about because they picket things like funerals of soldiers and hold says that say “pray for more dead kids” at Mass shootings. The first 2/3rds of the book is about the church and her experience loving the same teachings. She says something toward the end that the reason they do that is because of love. They believe these people are going to hell, therefore it is their duty to tell them so they convert. “To love is to tell the truth.”
Her conclusion in leaving is that love looks different. Telling the truth can be done in kindness accounting for the humanity and dignity of another. Where does she learn this? Twitter. They help her question her believes and see the hypocrisy in how they’re living and their interpretation of the scriptures.
Her grandfather is the one who started the Church and was “voted out” in the last days of his life. Some men decided that they were now the elders and knew better than everyone else. Before that the politics inside the church were focused on equality of its members. Men and women both had positions of power, including Megan and her mother. Before the founding of the church, her grandfather moved to Topeka to fight civil rights cases (he and most of his children who stayed were lawyers).
I really appreciated the history of the Church, to understand why they do the things they do, and see how different they are from actual Christians. Westboro Baptist Church is what happens when we follow a man (or a woman) who has decided they have their own interpretation of Scripture. Religion isn’t supposed to make us comfortable. Sin makes us comfortable; our church communities are supposed to show us a better, holier way.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This book shows what it’s like on the inside of the Westboro Baptist Church and Megan tells the story of why it’s so difficult to leave, revealing why so many must stay. Her drive to leave and tell her story is inspiring, I hope many from the church read this book and understand how they can better themselves.
I have always been fascinated by cults and religions in general, and I have followed Megan Phelps-Roper’s story for a long time. This book itself is touching and beautiful, and gives me hope in such a divided world.
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
I could feel Phelps-Ropers longing for her family through the pages. The contrast of her relatively normal life (school, tv, playing with siblings) next to the extremes of the westboro baptist church gave me whiplash at times.
This book has really shifted my perception of the church from "crazed sign wavers" to human beings, flawed like the rest of us.
This book has really shifted my perception of the church from "crazed sign wavers" to human beings, flawed like the rest of us.