Jenna Bookish
asked
Megan Phelps-Roper:
Hi, Megan. You've talked a lot about how social media was a big swaying factor for you when it comes to leaving WBC. Is there any one particular thing someone said to you that still stands out as something that started to change your thinking?
Megan Phelps-Roper
Hi Jenna,
There are many! I write about quite a few of them in UNFOLLOW. They fell into two general categories: (1) internal inconsistencies within Westboro’s doctrines, and (2) emotional arguments about how our protests were affecting people. I feel strongly that because of the way I was raised, the latter had very little chance of changing my mind until I could grasp the former. For more than two decades, many people (both on and off social media) had used emotional arguments, but I had been taught that any feelings we had that contradicted Westboro doctrines were evil—quite literally (“God Hates Your Feelings”). There are a lot more details in the book, tracking how my mind was changed over time, but this is the general idea!
Thanks so much for your question, Jenna, and I hope this helps clarify a bit!
Megan
There are many! I write about quite a few of them in UNFOLLOW. They fell into two general categories: (1) internal inconsistencies within Westboro’s doctrines, and (2) emotional arguments about how our protests were affecting people. I feel strongly that because of the way I was raised, the latter had very little chance of changing my mind until I could grasp the former. For more than two decades, many people (both on and off social media) had used emotional arguments, but I had been taught that any feelings we had that contradicted Westboro doctrines were evil—quite literally (“God Hates Your Feelings”). There are a lot more details in the book, tracking how my mind was changed over time, but this is the general idea!
Thanks so much for your question, Jenna, and I hope this helps clarify a bit!
Megan
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