Unfollow

A Memoir of Loving and Leaving the Westboro Baptist Church

By: Megan Phelps-Roper

Narrated by: Megan Phelps-Roper

The activist and TED speaker Megan Phelps-Roper reveals her life growing up in the most hated family in America

At the age of five, Megan Phelps-Roper began protesting homosexuality and other alleged vices alongside fellow members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas. Founded by her grandfather and consisting almost entirely of her extended family, the tiny group would gain worldwide notoriety for its pickets at military funerals and celebrations of death and tragedy. As Phelps-Roper grew up, she saw that church members were close companions and accomplished debaters, applying the logic of predestination and the language of the King James Bible to everyday life with aplomb - which, as the church’s Twitter spokeswoman, she learned to do with great skill. Soon, however, dialogue on Twitter caused her to begin doubting the church’s leaders and message: If humans were sinful and fallible, how could the church itself be so confident about its beliefs? As she digitally jousted with critics, she started to wonder if sometimes they had a point - and then she began exchanging messages with a man who would help change her life.

A gripping memoir of escaping extremism and falling in love, Unfollow relates Phelps-Roper’s moral awakening, her departure from the church, and how she exchanged the absolutes she grew up with for new forms of warmth and community. Rich with suspense and thoughtful reflection, Phelps-Roper’s life story exposes the dangers of black-and-white thinking and the need for true humility in a time of angry polarization.

©2019 Megan Phelps-Roper (P)2019 Audible, Inc.

Just amazing. Redemption and love and grace.

What a wonderful listen. I loved everything about it. Megan brings us into her typical day and life as part of the Westboro Baptist Church. More importantly she brings us into her everyday life of a family full of love, hugs, fun bedtime rituals, meals and everyday life. That everyday life shows us why she mourned as she left her family.

The book shows sides of nature vs nurture and how brave she was to question and think about what she was taught and believed. It’s amazing. All the while she was a special person.

I love the story of redemption and grace especially from those she showed no mercy.

Please take the time to listen and think. Think about both sides of the coin. She was brave and those she hated showed her mercy and kindness.

Thank you Megan!

Pretty good

I thought the book was pretty good. I’m glad I read it. I know many authors who write memoirs prefer to record the audiobook versions themselves. However everyone cannot record like Michelle Obama and when they can’t, they shouldn’t. Educated is one of the best examples I can think of whereby the book was absolutely fantastic but Tara Westover had someone else record the audiobook and it worked out so well! I can say the same thing for Unorthodox. Excellent book recorded by someone other than Deborah Feldman. This book, Unfollow, is a worthwhile read. I just think Megan wasn’t the best choice to deliver the passion of it.

Full of courage and love

Recorded much too fast to contemplate a worthy topic such as this. This story offers us all deep food for thought, especially in these days of polarized thinking. We need to beware in our in both our spiritual and political leanings.

Wow

This book will change you if you let it. Question your beliefs and find truth wherever it lays

listen to Joe Rogan podcast, follow up with book

I'm real glad she decided to do this, esp that she was the narrator lol but only bc I find her voice to be awesome, I noticed that listening to her on podcasts