Former Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) member Zach Phelps-Roper encouraged Reddit users to participate in the church's recent "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) session with messages of love to combat hate.
WBC is known for protesting military funerals, carrying signs declaring that God hates America and homosexuals, thanking God for natural disasters, and other contentious messages. On Sunday, they invited Redditors to ask them questions via the social networking platform.
"Westboro Baptist Church will use the Reddit platform, which is usually filled with vanity, science falsely so-called, and other sundry lies; to instead preach righteousness & spread the gospel," WBC wrote in a press release.
During his own AMA on Sunday, Phelps-Roper urged Redditors not to respond to hate with hate.
"Instead, create a dialogue of love," he said. "If you truly want the church to dissolve, that is what you need to do. You need to sincerely show them love."
The 23-year-old went on to answer dozens of questions regarding his family's church, what they believe, and what he personally believes.
Phelps-Roper is the grandson of deceased WBC founder Fred Phelps, and the fourth grandchild to leave the controversial church. After denouncing the church in February, the former nurse said he is happier now than he has ever been.
"I feel like I have unconditional love for every person around the world," he told the Topeka Capital-Journal in May. "The Westboro Baptist Church sees things differently than I do now."
Phelps-Roper said he tried to leave the church several times, but felt guilty about leaving his family.
"I didn't want to be there, but at the same time, I did," he explained. "Something just didn't feel right.
"I love my family. But they are not willing, at this point in time, to listen to other perspectives."
Since leaving the WBC compound, Phelps-Roper said he has been overwhelmed by love and support. He has reconnected with over 20 family members that he was banned from speaking to, and strangers have reached out to him online. He also said that instead of just seeing the problems, he can now see solutions to America's issues.
"Now that my mind is free from these mind traps, I can see clearly what needs to be done," he intimated.
"I believe that empathy and unconditional love are what is absolutely necessary for us to free ourselves and each other from mind traps and from the many problems that are plaguing our society."
WBC's AMA session received nearly 6,000 comments and questions, and the church posted hundreds of answers. They plan to protest outside of Reddit's headquarters in San Francisco on Tuesday between 5:15 p.m. and 5:45 p.m. "to warn against the dangers of a life of unrepentant sin."
