Quite nice hearing him have the balls to say how you start to rationalise with this people after a certain amount of time. Most people are just like “no they’re loons through and through, they’re disgusting people all the time.” Well how true can that be? They have families and stuff so I don’t imagine they just spend all day in a darkened room brooding over how much they hate gays and soldiers.
Yeah I think that's what made this family so interesting, there are lots of people out there saying offensive things about gays but the fact that it was being cultivated in a seemingly happy go lucky, community spirited environment was uniquely interesting.
It's the grey area where most things actually are, it's just that a lot of people are still all too eager to see things in black and white just to save time or for whatever reason they do it for.
That's what sets him as a journalist and filmmaker apart. He tries to be empathetic and understand the people rather than being confrontational. Well, he is not really not confrontational, he is not hiding his opinions. He has no intent to talk down or lecture people. He tries rather to have a conversation. That's how he gets the most out of people and more access than most other journalists. Look at Andrew Callahan from Channel 5 on RUclips and his success. He also adopted this mindset and is doing quite well. His approach is a little different, but there some core similarities and he has stated that Louis is one of his idols. He is even less confrontational than Louis, but uses the same type of questioning. He asks very basic questions and tries to understand his subjects and just let them speak. He acts like he doesn't know anything about the topic and let's them explain themselves what they think.
There was an interesting documentary made a few years ago by a Jewish documentarian (whose name escapes me) called The Ayotollah of North London. It was basically this guy going around with a radical hate preacher called Omar Bakri Muhammad and getting his views on the world. The guy was apparently not a fan of the Spice Girls. Anyway, there’s one part where Bakri gets the film maker and his crew a bunch of choc ices because they haven’t eaten all day. It’s actually an incredibly sweet moment and it made me think, if it wasn’t for the radicalism and extreme view points, Bakri would be coming across as a really nice guy. As Christopher Hitchens said “We’re all capable of keeping two sets of books.”
By all accounts, they're very intelligent people who're actually quite loving, which I'm sure was helpful, but also makes it all the more heartbreaking knowing that all it takes is one or two ostensibly sociopathic family members and their enablers to maintain such a hive of outward hate and self-righteousnes.
They are. But they have another side to them. They can be very cruel to each other. If one does something that is deemed a sin. There is a "trial" so to speak and they are punished. Children with a paddle. Adults are stripped of their status within the church and isolated for a period of time. No one is permitted to talk to them. This happened to Shirley and her husband. As for the way Shirley handled her kids. She hit at least one of them every day. She beat two of them to the point of bruising for arguing and not learning their music recital , basically what she considered slacking off. One of them, Becca threatened to tell the school. Shirley found out and dragged her back into the car instead of putting her to school and screamed. "You will not sabotage us" what happened next is unknown. But you can guess. As she did not return to school that day. Shirley reminds me of Carrie's mom. Although not as outwardly insane.
Yes, they are loving people and while their actions and words may seem cruel, they're not intended to be mean. In their eyes, they are loving their neighbor by warning them about their sin and the importance of repentance. They're not going out there with the motive of being mean.
They haven't been relevant since 2013. Other than fred croaking and getting a little press for that they've gone back to being nobodies just like before for a long time now.
It is funny how Louis said he was not crazy about meeting the Phelps and thought it would not be interesting but in fact it turned out that it was the Westboro documentaries that gave Louis a name in North America.
He did go to West Bank in an armored car and got tons of rocks thrown at him. That and those tours he went on with police in Philadelphia and Johannesburg were all pretty close to going into a war zone.
So amusing to hear him grappling with the dichotomy of human beings being able to be both abhorrent and likeable. The narrative of "good" vs "evil" is peddled with almost religious insistence by both the newsmedia and myriad ideological echo chambers across social media and public discourse. People are people. No one is a monster and no one is an angel. No one is pure evil and no one is pure good. People do bad things, and also have bad things done to them. Everyone is a victim in some sense, and so everyone is sympathetic in some sense. Likewise, the potential to do evil is in each one of us. I wonder if we focused less on celebrating our differences and more on celebrating what we have in common whether the world would a less polarised place than it is now.
The WBC are highly educated people, so strange that they still want to hate like that. When that is said, conservative religious Americans are off their rockers!
I feel we are mostly loving caring creatures ,but we are community group orientated and territorial hence we behave negatively towards other groups. And bond easily in poor company or bad situations . . quirky sad humans. Be kind .
@@daliyunnan I mean, how do they make money? You can't make money defending yourself, unless you win every time and get the legal fees paid by the losing party. And even then, you they would have to all defend each other and I doubt they are all attorneys. That doesn't seem plausible at all. They work for someone or people. I would like to know who?
@@daliyunnan I would assume that with another "church", but I doubt they get outside donations. I could be wrong in that assumption. If that assumption is correct, the active members would have to work to support themselves and the church including the costs of what they do.
Well, Louis said in one of the documentaries that every working member had to give 10% of their salary to the church. I don't think that's the only way they get money, but it's definitely an important factor.
I remember talking to members of the Phelps family and they lied some of my interesting comments and said that I’m not going to hell for believing in god and living to serve him in a better light that was Megan and jael
I especially don’t get the picketing military funerals for soldiers killed in war…. What about marines who were drafted into war and didn’t have a choice & end up dying for something they were against morally?? Why do they go way out of their way to upset people I find it hard to believe they are trying to “save” people from going to hell when the dead soldiers are already gone
The dead soldier picketing is definitely the most bizarre behavior of all. I think it was just a more controversial and attention-grabbing [also horrific] method of saying "Thank God for the war". These are people who literally believe that all bad things happen as punishment for not following the Bible, from natural disasters to war. Just like "the reason all these people are dying is because God was unhappy with them, and God also wants to punish their loved ones". Also that it's sinful to "fight for a country" that "allows f**s to roam around freely" (like to what end? Are they mad that america doesnt genocide all the gay people?) It's such a weirdass stretch of logic that they put SO MUCH emphasis on the war, but it was obviously the hot issue at the time and got them alot of attention. Kind of wild to see a Baptist church disrespecting the shit out of the American flag tho lol. Definitely helped cement them as a hate group / domestic terrorists.
the further we get from thr Doco, the more sane westboro sound than him.. if you listen to his talk on his recent docos, they had his number early on. its quite ironic really.
Jordan Peterson covers this subject by asking what sort of people operated the death camps in WW2, and the answer is "people just like you and me". We are all a product of the situation we're surrounded by and these people would be different entirely had they been born into a different family.
@Nate Cross You must feel insecure, this wasnt a serious comment. Its the first thing you notice when the video starts. Its not because hes a man. Is it manly to point your feet outwards?
He’s a middle-aged, middle-class straight, white man… of course he felt oddly at peace with Westboro Baptist. If he’d brought his boyfriend ‘Jamal’ to church with him, not sure how many potluck dinners he’d be invited to…
@@melburnian If you watch the interview, Louis (a Straight White Cys Non-Intersectional Male Patriarchal Oppressor) says that the family said he was going to hell, and wouldn´t allow him to have dinner with them.
damn, Louis holding that mic like the rapper he is
6foot2 in a compact.
@Marc Carran what are those quotation marks for?
Riding in my Fiat, you know you can't see it.
@@allovdem ?
@Marc Carran no its not?
Quite nice hearing him have the balls to say how you start to rationalise with this people after a certain amount of time. Most people are just like “no they’re loons through and through, they’re disgusting people all the time.” Well how true can that be? They have families and stuff so I don’t imagine they just spend all day in a darkened room brooding over how much they hate gays and soldiers.
Yeah I think that's what made this family so interesting, there are lots of people out there saying offensive things about gays but the fact that it was being cultivated in a seemingly happy go lucky, community spirited environment was uniquely interesting.
Many of the family make money as lawyers. But all their spare time is spent spreading "God's hate"
It's the grey area where most things actually are, it's just that a lot of people are still all too eager to see things in black and white just to save time or for whatever reason they do it for.
That's what sets him as a journalist and filmmaker apart. He tries to be empathetic and understand the people rather than being confrontational. Well, he is not really not confrontational, he is not hiding his opinions. He has no intent to talk down or lecture people. He tries rather to have a conversation. That's how he gets the most out of people and more access than most other journalists. Look at Andrew Callahan from Channel 5 on RUclips and his success. He also adopted this mindset and is doing quite well. His approach is a little different, but there some core similarities and he has stated that Louis is one of his idols. He is even less confrontational than Louis, but uses the same type of questioning. He asks very basic questions and tries to understand his subjects and just let them speak. He acts like he doesn't know anything about the topic and let's them explain themselves what they think.
There was an interesting documentary made a few years ago by a Jewish documentarian (whose name escapes me) called The Ayotollah of North London. It was basically this guy going around with a radical hate preacher called Omar Bakri Muhammad and getting his views on the world. The guy was apparently not a fan of the Spice Girls.
Anyway, there’s one part where Bakri gets the film maker and his crew a bunch of choc ices because they haven’t eaten all day. It’s actually an incredibly sweet moment and it made me think, if it wasn’t for the radicalism and extreme view points, Bakri would be coming across as a really nice guy.
As Christopher Hitchens said “We’re all capable of keeping two sets of books.”
The scariest things about human beings is the fact that we are only ever inches away from being intelligent caring people or monstrous.
Yup, and the switch is so often flicked by that person having even a little bit of power.
Inches?
By all accounts, they're very intelligent people who're actually quite loving, which I'm sure was helpful, but also makes it all the more heartbreaking knowing that all it takes is one or two ostensibly sociopathic family members and their enablers to maintain such a hive of outward hate and self-righteousnes.
They are. But they have another side to them. They can be very cruel to each other. If one does something that is deemed a sin. There is a "trial" so to speak and they are punished. Children with a paddle. Adults are stripped of their status within the church and isolated for a period of time. No one is permitted to talk to them. This happened to Shirley and her husband. As for the way Shirley handled her kids. She hit at least one of them every day. She beat two of them to the point of bruising for arguing and not learning their music recital , basically what she considered slacking off. One of them, Becca threatened to tell the school. Shirley found out and dragged her back into the car instead of putting her to school and screamed. "You will not sabotage us" what happened next is unknown. But you can guess. As she did not return to school that day.
Shirley reminds me of Carrie's mom. Although not as outwardly insane.
@@louwinters508 Where did you learn that Shirley beat them?
@@federica9090 In the book by her daughter who left the church. Unfollow. By Meghan phelps Roper.
@@louwinters508 thanks! I'll see if it's on audiobook
Yes, they are loving people and while their actions and words may seem cruel, they're not intended to be mean. In their eyes, they are loving their neighbor by warning them about their sin and the importance of repentance. They're not going out there with the motive of being mean.
I think it's lovely that he can see the humanity of those with abhorrent ideas. They are After All Humans just broken humans
It's really comforting to know that Noah has since left the church... Hope he's having a great life
They haven't been relevant since 2013. Other than fred croaking and getting a little press for that they've gone back to being nobodies just like before for a long time now.
And supposedly Louis’ friend Steve Drain and his family left too.
Sadly, he’s dead. He committed suicide last month. The trauma of growing up in such a toxic environment never goes away.
@@TheAlmacias Oh my God that's horrible... How did you find out?
@@tatianaelhage1529 his brother, Zach, posted about it on Facebook, and I saw posts about it on Reddit.
It is funny how Louis said he was not crazy about meeting the Phelps and thought it would not be interesting but in fact it turned out that it was the Westboro documentaries that gave Louis a name in North America.
That's how I was introduced to Louis
I'm so glad louis didn't go to Iraq in a tank. The Louis Theroux documentaries are legendary! Great stuff
We have Ross Kemp anyway
He did go to West Bank in an armored car and got tons of rocks thrown at him. That and those tours he went on with police in Philadelphia and Johannesburg were all pretty close to going into a war zone.
Thank you Louis for your work, else many things would never be revealed, and mids be opened!
So amusing to hear him grappling with the dichotomy of human beings being able to be both abhorrent and likeable.
The narrative of "good" vs "evil" is peddled with almost religious insistence by both the newsmedia and myriad ideological echo chambers across social media and public discourse.
People are people. No one is a monster and no one is an angel. No one is pure evil and no one is pure good. People do bad things, and also have bad things done to them. Everyone is a victim in some sense, and so everyone is sympathetic in some sense. Likewise, the potential to do evil is in each one of us.
I wonder if we focused less on celebrating our differences and more on celebrating what we have in common whether the world would a less polarised place than it is now.
Majority of the cults starts of being respectful and welcoming, until you're part of them and you cross a line.
The WBC are highly educated people, so strange that they still want to hate like that. When that is said, conservative religious Americans are off their rockers!
I feel we are mostly loving caring creatures ,but we are community group orientated and territorial hence we behave negatively towards other groups. And bond easily in poor company or bad situations . . quirky sad humans. Be kind .
There a psychological term for that by the name of out-group prejudice
Not the least interested in lying Morons
@@zyunilovesbali216 does your comment fit here !?
@@zyunilovesbali216 Lying morons? what do you mean, like the theory is about lying morons or me and/or mamma Dingo are lying morons?
@@mayacave2457 You are both a sandwich or 2 short of a picnic !
@3:37 Louis' midwestern accent impersonation was eerily spot-on. That was creepy 😅
I've always wondered who they work for. I believe a lot of them are attorneys, if I remember correctly. Who would hire people like this?
They receive a lot of lawsuits. I imagine that's why.
@@daliyunnan I mean, how do they make money? You can't make money defending yourself, unless you win every time and get the legal fees paid by the losing party. And even then, you they would have to all defend each other and I doubt they are all attorneys. That doesn't seem plausible at all. They work for someone or people. I would like to know who?
@@mmcmann9539 Ah I see. Yep, no idea! Religious donations perhaps? Good luck in your search!
@@daliyunnan I would assume that with another "church", but I doubt they get outside donations. I could be wrong in that assumption. If that assumption is correct, the active members would have to work to support themselves and the church including the costs of what they do.
Well, Louis said in one of the documentaries that every working member had to give 10% of their salary to the church. I don't think that's the only way they get money, but it's definitely an important factor.
I can hear the 'aw no darling he's going to heeull..' in that deep southern accent 😂
Just browsing the title I was thinking "most hated family in America... the Sacklers?" ... then I read the rest.
Maybe they can stay in touch now that Noah has left the church.
No sh*t! Noah left the church really???
This is correct. Noah left the church. He's now in law school.
I remember talking to members of the Phelps family and they lied some of my interesting comments and said that I’m not going to hell for believing in god and living to serve him in a better light that was Megan and jael
I especially don’t get the picketing military funerals for soldiers killed in war…. What about marines who were drafted into war and didn’t have a choice & end up dying for something they were against morally?? Why do they go way out of their way to upset people I find it hard to believe they are trying to “save” people from going to hell when the dead soldiers are already gone
People haven't been drafted in the US since 1973.
@@dontlookspins so you’re agreeing with picketing funerals?
The dead soldier picketing is definitely the most bizarre behavior of all.
I think it was just a more controversial and attention-grabbing [also horrific] method of saying "Thank God for the war". These are people who literally believe that all bad things happen as punishment for not following the Bible, from natural disasters to war. Just like "the reason all these people are dying is because God was unhappy with them, and God also wants to punish their loved ones". Also that it's sinful to "fight for a country" that "allows f**s to roam around freely" (like to what end? Are they mad that america doesnt genocide all the gay people?)
It's such a weirdass stretch of logic that they put SO MUCH emphasis on the war, but it was obviously the hot issue at the time and got them alot of attention.
Kind of wild to see a Baptist church disrespecting the shit out of the American flag tho lol. Definitely helped cement them as a hate group / domestic terrorists.
You always have a choice. One choice isn't always preferred over the other.
Who knew he’d be the rap artist of the year
the further we get from thr Doco, the more sane westboro sound than him.. if you listen to his talk on his recent docos, they had his number early on. its quite ironic really.
Couldn't disagree more 👍
@@joemorris1282 had you listened to the comments made by the pastor in the hidden recording? and Louies reply...
@@aaronstately No admittedly I hadn't. Care enlighten me?
@@joemorris1282 Louie Theroux, Living on the Edge, "Family Ties" episode.
He seemed quite fond of Jimmy saville
"It's very sad but Louis's going to Hell"...Well then.
Omg, Noah! Haha. He recently defected, actually.
Edit: I am heartbroken to update that Noah died by suicide.
What do u mean?
@@mahbubanazmul4411 I've seen him on Instagram stories hanging out with his sister Grace and with Lauren Drain and I think Megan too.
Jordan Peterson covers this subject by asking what sort of people operated the death camps in WW2, and the answer is "people just like you and me". We are all a product of the situation we're surrounded by and these people would be different entirely had they been born into a different family.
rehashing Hannah Arendt
making excuses
@@TheBiggestMoronYouKnow Where do you live Andrew?
why is louis pointing man spreading his feet
@Nate Cross You must feel insecure, this wasnt a serious comment. Its the first thing you notice when the video starts. Its not because hes a man. Is it manly to point your feet outwards?
Because he's Louis and he's entitled, dammit! 🤣
Louis you find your Kongo!
Not everybody is happy to go HELL
perhaps he can shed some light on whats happening to gay people in the CONGO !!!!! let me give you the hot tip ...its not pretty!...
@@tylersmalebox I feel for every unjust in the World, I make a bad joke!
@@tylersmalebox Good lol
I always thought that the WBC were like some of the few christians who take the book by the letter.
Just shows how crazy the believe system is.
Can you not afford a couple of $200 lapel mics that won't pop and need to be handheld?
handheld or go home, that’s the rules
12:45
Louie in 10 more years will look like bigfoot.
Who did he stay with? The Gacys? The Dalmers? The Bundys? OH! He stay with the Pelosis!!
Westboro Baptist Church I think.
Lol this is literally just a liberal barely able to come terms that people can disagree and still get along.
💀🤣
The Westboro Baptist church is based on homosexuality and Israel 👌
He’s a middle-aged, middle-class straight, white man… of course he felt oddly at peace with Westboro Baptist. If he’d brought his boyfriend ‘Jamal’ to church with him, not sure how many potluck dinners he’d be invited to…
Congrats, you found a way to bring Race and Identity into the conversation. Pat yourself on the back for your progressiveness.
@@melburnian If you watch the interview, Louis (a Straight White Cys Non-Intersectional Male Patriarchal Oppressor) says that the family said he was going to hell, and wouldn´t allow him to have dinner with them.
found the homosexual