What is life like inside the Westboro Baptist Church? They are a dangerously crazy organization, known for protesting pretty much everywhere they can to get attention for their hateful message. Lauren Drain was a member of the organization until she was banished from the group after she was caught speaking online to a boy outside of the church.
Drain's father dragged the entire family into the organization after making a documentary about the church, but slowly he started to indoctrinate them into the thinking of the group.
"The first year he started slowly in terms of trying to indoctrinate us. We lived for a year in Florida. He started teaching us things, and basically he took me out of school. He took me a way from my friends. I had no access to my friends and family anymore."
"He did a lot of manipulation tactics with me. Saying I'm a rebellious teenager. I don't make him proud. He was verbally abusive and physically abusive," she said.
Drain said that at some point she was manipulated into thinking she was actually rebellious and she should try and make her father proud.
"They attribute everything to if homosexuals are ruining the country and they attribute everything to that. They therefore make a connection that if the homosexuals are to blame. Acceptance of homosexuals is to blame. Therefore the God is going to punish the country in exhibit A, B, and C," she explained.
Drain wrote in her book that the Westboro Baptist Church even claimed that everyone who died in 9/11 was either a homosexual or a homosexual enabler. (editor's note: Of course, they used much more colorful and hateful language in the sermons.)
During the interview, Glenn asked how a church could completely miss the compassion element of faith that comes with Christianity.
Drain explained that the founding Pastor always wanted to be in the military and worked hard towards that goal his whole life. He ended up even going to West Point for a few days, but ended up leaving the military after a few days and claimed he had a religious experience and would now be preaching against sexual immorality. Ever since then he has always hated the military and homosexuals.
Drain said people could draw their own conclusions, but everyone on radio seemed to think that he had a sexual experience while in the military that caused his hatred.
"So you think he doth protest a little too much?" Pat said.
Drain explained that she was banished from the group because she was chatting to a boy online she had never met, but she believes that she was used as an example for any member who was questioning the church. She said she was brainwashed at the time and it was extremely difficult for her when she was cut off.
Now that she has left WBC, she is doing what she can to get young people out and to break up the church in order to make amends for the hate she spread during her time as a member.
"I'm doing everything I can to help break up the church, and bring people out. And tell people I'm sorry for my horrific actions and say that I'm ashamed of anything I was a part of there. I didn't mean to hurt people," she said.