Banished: Surviving My Years in the Westboro Baptist Church

( 31 )

Overview

NOW A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

You've likely heard of the Westboro Baptist Church. Perhaps you've seen their pickets on the news, the members holding signs with messages that are too offensive to copy here, protesting at events such as the funerals of soldiers, the 9-year old victim of the recent Tucson shooting, and Elizabeth Edwards, all in front of their grieving families. The WBC is fervently anti-gay, anti-Semitic, and anti- practically everything and everyone. And they ...

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Banished: Surviving My Years in the Westboro Baptist Church

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More About This Book

Overview

NOW A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

You've likely heard of the Westboro Baptist Church. Perhaps you've seen their pickets on the news, the members holding signs with messages that are too offensive to copy here, protesting at events such as the funerals of soldiers, the 9-year old victim of the recent Tucson shooting, and Elizabeth Edwards, all in front of their grieving families. The WBC is fervently anti-gay, anti-Semitic, and anti- practically everything and everyone. And they aren't going anywhere: in March, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of the WBC's right to picket funerals.

Since no organized religion will claim affiliation with the WBC, it's perhaps more accurate to think of them as a cult. Lauren Drain was thrust into that cult at the age of 15, and then spat back out again seven years later. BANISHED is the first look inside the organization, as well as a fascinating story of adaptation and perseverance.

Lauren spent her early years enjoying a normal life with her family in Florida. But when her formerly liberal and secular father set out to produce a documentary about the WBC, his detached interest gradually evolved into fascination, and he moved the entire family to Kansas to join the church and live on their compound. Over the next seven years, Lauren fully assimilated their extreme beliefs, and became a member of the church and an active and vocal picketer. But as she matured and began to challenge some of the church's tenets, she was unceremoniously cast out from the church and permanently cut off from her family and from everyone else she knew and loved. BANISHED is the story of Lauren's fight to find herself amidst dramatic changes in a world of extremists and a life in exile.

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Editorial Reviews

From Barnes & Noble

Topeka's Westboro Baptist Church has a small congregation, but though unaffiliated, it receives more media coverage than any other religious group in the country. There is no mystery why: Led by a fiery pastor, the church has picketed hundreds of events, including funerals of combat victims, to protest their association with gays, Jews, Roman Catholics, and a host of other "sinning" enemies. On the very day that the World Trade Center was attacked, Westboro mounted "Thank God for 9/11" and, according to their damning pronouncements, the Unholy Trinity consists of Satan, Pope Benedict XIV, and Barack Obama. In this heart-rending memoir, the daughter of Westboro members recounts her family's immersion in the belief system of this hate-filled group and her own difficult self-extraction.

Publishers Weekly
A move with her family to Topeka, Kans., in 2001 precipitated years of immersion in a virulently antigay, hate-fueled church, which Drain, now in her late 20s, depicts in this somewhat incongruously matter-of-fact, emotionally one-note memoir. The Drain family moved from Florida at the instigation of her father, a documentary filmmaker whose critical work about the notorious gay rights–picketing Westboro Baptist Church evolved into a highly admiring portrait of this small Calvinistic sect that believed in the imminent end of the world, the frightening wrath of God before the innate sin of mankind, with a slim few chosen for “election.” A small, insular sect started in 1955 by the loud curbside preacher Fred Phelps, the WBC was mostly run by his dozen children and grandchildren, who all lived in a compound around the Topeka church, maintained tight control over communal behavior, and regularly picketed events such as gay pride and AIDS marches with incendiary language and signs designed to provoke outrage (e.g., “God hates fags”). Obedience and conformity were pillars of the church, and increasingly hard to swallow for the then-teenage author whose few forays into adolescent flirting got her branded a “whore.” Her narrative of these horrifying pickets are detailed (“we became almost possessed”) and particularly chilling in her recitation of being absolutely cast out by her own family without any compunction. Agent, Lisa Grubka, Fletcher & Co. (Mar.)
People Magazine
"In gripping detail, [Drain] reflects on her fall from grace, how it opened her eyes and how she's built a new life filled with love, not hate. Three out of four stars."
Library Journal
Drain brings a unique perspective to the study of the Westboro Baptist Church, providing an insider's look into this virulent quasi-religious group. Having spent seven years in the cult, Drain chronicles her assimilation into the church, her maturation and subsequent challenge to the church's tenets, and her ultimate banishment. (LJ 3/1/13)
Kirkus Reviews
The inside story of a small hate group that captured big headlines. The Westboro Baptist Church is infamous for having carried picket signs reading "Thank God for 9/11" on the day it happened. They brought the message "God Hates America" to the funerals of servicemen killed in action and picketed George W. Bush's second inauguration with signs that read, "God Hates Fag Enablers." Considering themselves the messengers of a wrathful, vengeful God, they warn of an upcoming apocalypse in which all but the elect members of their church will be plummeted to hell. With the assistance of former New York Times correspondent Pulitzer (co-author: Stolen Innocence: My Story of Growing Up in a Polygamous Sect, Becoming a Teenage Bride, and Breaking Free of Warren Jeffs, 2010, etc.), Drain describes the life of this pernicious cult and the seven years that she spent in its clutches. Located in Topeka, Kan., the Church's congregation brought together 70 people at most, many of them family members of pastor Fred Phelps, whose belief system was based on a fundamentalism that targeted homosexuals. The author's father converted while filming a documentary about the group. In 2000, he coerced his wife and the author (then 15) to join and accompany him in a move from their Florida home to Topeka. She describes how she struggled to adhere to the group's doctrine, a struggle caused by extreme social pressure (including her father's physical abuse and threats to disown her.)Even so, she was ultimately banished from the group (and any contact with her immediate family) in 2007. Drain describes how her own identity eroded during the time she was a member of the cult, as she sought to quell her doubts in order to gain acceptance, and how the dynamic of an extended family intensified their paranoid delusions. A chilling but illuminating account of the inner workings of a hate group and Drain's ultimately successful struggle to free herself.
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781455512423
  • Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
  • Publication date: 3/5/2013
  • Pages: 295
  • Sales rank: 37,680
  • Product dimensions: 6.20 (w) x 9.10 (h) x 1.20 (d)

Meet the Author

LAUREN DRAIN works as a registered nurse. She lives with her fiancé in Connecticut, where she enjoys outdoor activities including endurance races, hiking, dirt biking, and camping. This is her first book. LISA PULITZER is a former correspondent for The New York Times. She is the author and co-author of more than a dozen non-fiction books, including the bestselling Stolen Innocence.

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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4
( 31 )
Rating Distribution

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(16)

4 Star

(10)

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See All Sort by: Showing 1 – 20 of 31 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted March 6, 2013

    Amazing!

    This a phenomenal book written by a courageous young woman. It is heart breaking and intense but also riveting. I can't say enough good things about this book! It is a true expose into a hate cult, but also a survivors tale. I couldnt put it down!

    6 out of 7 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted March 7, 2013

    honestly im not even halfway through and I don't think im going

    honestly im not even halfway through and I don't think im going to finish it.  it's boring.

    4 out of 9 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 6, 2013

    A truly captivating story of a young women's courage in the face

    A truly captivating story of a young women's courage in the face of adversity. It goes to show how a person's true spirit will always prevail over evil. Well written and captivating! I couldn't put the book down!

    3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted February 18, 2013

    Just WOW! A great read and insight into the WBC world. I felt as

    Just WOW! A great read and insight into the WBC world. I felt as though Lauren was sitting right next to me and telling me the story in person. I cant wait to get the official copy.

    3 out of 6 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 22, 2013

    Amazing read, made my cry a few times. Also make sure to read th

    Amazing read, made my cry a few times. Also make sure to read the epilog and the acknowledgments 

    2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted March 14, 2013

    I just finished Lauren Drain's book BANISHED Surviving My Years

    I just finished Lauren Drain's book BANISHED Surviving My Years in the Westboro Baptist Church. Most people know Westboro as the most hated family in America and that title is well deserved. This book is written by an remember of the church, but who isn't a member of the Phelps family. Its fascinating reading about the family dynamics, hierarchy and other goings on behind the walls. This book won't have you cheering for the church, but rather glad that Lauren is free from them and happily living in Connecticut.

    In addition, since this book was written. Libby Phelps, daughter of Fred Phelps Jr, Grace and Megan, daughters of Shirley Phelps-Roper have left the church. As with the Shakers, It appears that the members of Westboro Baptist Church will either be kicked out, leave on their own, or die off, ending the Churches reign of hatred forever.

    2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 11, 2013

    Great Read

    Banished was a great read. I came away with a new understanding of the doctrines of the WBC. Lauren Drain' s average childhood devolved into family membership in a cultic group. Out of the neccessity to survive, she adopted the group's beliefs and culture as her own. Questioning and thinking for oneself was frowned upon. She endured her clearly abusive father for years. When the congregation decided to dump Lauren Drain, they actually freed her. This book is a testament to the survival of the human spirit. sapphoq reviews

    2 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted May 1, 2013

    Very Interesting!

    Lauren Drain's biography about her growing up in the Westboro Baptist Church is s real eye opener! Long and very depressing in places, it ends up on avery high note. I heard her on talk radio and became fascinated at the fact that she has a loving spirit despite what she went through.
    We need to pray for that church and avoid similar ones scattered throughout this country. "Banished" sure opened my eyes. Her message is very much needed today in America.
    I hope we haven't heard the last from her!

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 7, 2013

    Awful, boring, slow...

    Had to stop after the third chapter. Summary: My dad is so cool. My dad is overbearing. My mom is passive. I love my sister. Repeat. There; I just saved you some cash and a half hour of whining. You're welcome.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 17, 2013

    Great honest read! Makes you feel sorry for the children of this

    Great honest read! Makes you feel sorry for the children of this cult and feel sorry for Lauren.

    1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted May 7, 2013

    more from this reviewer

    Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite I first heard of

    Reviewed by Anne Boling for Readers' Favorite

    I first heard of the Westboro Baptist Church when they picketed Matthew Shepard’s funeral in Laramie, Wyoming. Mr. Shepard was beaten to death by two men because of his homosexuality. As I listened to “Banished: Surviving My Years in the Westboro Baptist Church” by Lauren Drain, I was horrified by the way the church treated her and especially by the way her parents treated her. Lauren’s father showed signs of instability before he became tied up with the WBC. Like most young girls she sought her father’s approval and attention. While filming a documentary on the WBC, Lauren’s father became caught up in their beliefs. He began to turn to them for guidance in parenting Lauren. No matter how hard Lauren tried she was labeled a trouble maker. Often she asked questions of the conflicting doctrine, angering the leaders of the church. After eight years of methodical emotional and psychological abuse, as well as some physical abuse, she was banished from the congregation. Lauren has turned her life around; she no longer serves a god of hatred; she now serves the God of love.

    Lauren Drain shares the details of her life with the WBC. I should state that the WBC is not affiliated with any known Baptist Church. Without apology I label the Westboro Baptist Church a cult. “Banished” is written from Lauren’s perspective. My review is on the audio format which was narrated by the author. I was mesmerized by the content of this tale; however, there was much repetition. At times the content sounded childlike but this did not disturb me or detract from the text; as she has undergone great suffering, it is understandable that she would tell her story as she remembers it … through the eyes of her earlier years. Lauren is lucky that they banished her when they did.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 28, 2013

    So many emotions all rolled up into one! After reading this boo

    So many emotions all rolled up into one! After reading this book I came to the conclusion that the Westboro Baptist Church should be synomous with the American Taliban if there was such a group. They are obviously an extremist Baptist organization. The courage to leave your family and expose this group should be praised! Buy your copy now and band together against this hate group.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 26, 2013

    Easy read-humanizes Westboro

    This book was an excellent quick read- Lauren's life before and in the church are covered extensively. Her depictions of the other members of the church are riveting and greatly humanize all of the negative actions associated with the organization. My only wish is that Lauren had given us a longer description of how she built her life back up after being banned from the church, because she's a very strong woman with a great story to tell.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 23, 2013

    Powerful, shocking, and loving.

    Banished is one of the best books I have ever read. I read it within 5 days. I just didn't want to put it down. It's a must-read!! I have been exposed to the WBC protests when I lived in Kansas and this book increased my understanding of this restrictive religious sect. It is awe-inspiring to hear Lauren's journey from a more playful childhood, to obedience and brainwashing, to freedom that came at a cost. Yet despite that journey the love and positive attitude that Lauren exudes is breathtaking; while still holding those who breed hate accountable for their harm. A true story of the strength of the human spirit.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 12, 2013

    What do homosexuals, fallen heroes adn Joel Osteen have is commo

    What do homosexuals, fallen heroes adn Joel Osteen have is common? All protested by that crazy Westboro Baptist Church. I'm glad I read this eye-opening book written by a likeable young lady. I wish her well on her healing journey.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 12, 2013

    Very good read!

    Thoroughly enjoyed this book and read it very quickly as I could not put it down.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted April 8, 2013

    Should have been an article.

    It was interesting to see the inside of this pathetic hate group.
    I was amazed at the level of education family members had. I thought that this writer was plain and repetitive. She descibed her group of teenage members as being brilliant, beautiful, hard-working and amazingly knowledgeable about public affairs and world news. Really? They outdebated their professors with their awsome biblical knowledge. Spare me. She did not escape this group but was thrown out. Thank the powers that be. It took her years to start thinking on her own. I'll never go back - no kidding. However, the family has been very clear about not allowing you back. I guess I just don't think this group or this writers story is enough to carry a book.
    An article would have been sufficient.

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Posted March 31, 2013

    I just finished reading Banished. It was interesting and she's c

    I just finished reading Banished. It was interesting and she's courageously shared enlightening details of her journey with her family and Westboro Baptist Church. A weaker person would likely not have come through this in one piece. It's hard to imagine those in the grip of WBC being freed from their fears and narrow focus apart from the love and mercy of the hateful God they promote. A book worth every penny!

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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  • Anonymous

    Posted March 29, 2013

    Interesting but not great

    Interesting inside information about WBC. Her parents' stupidity really pissed me off. The book can't escape the 'co-authored by Lisa Pulitzer' tone. Deborah Feldman's Unorthidox was much better.

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  • Posted March 29, 2013

    Intesting, informative.

    This was a pretty interesting book about the inside workings of the Westboro Baptist Church. I never understood their rationale for doing what they do. Now I understand better. What a crazy lot of brainwashing they undergo!

    0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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