Fall from Grace

I really wanted to like this film for educational value, but the filmmaker only presented both sides without asking any of the hard questions. One reviewer said that the Phelps Clan was allowed much unedited time to talk and was allowed to "hang themselves". I doubt if the Phelps's or their sympathizers feel that way, more on that below in the hard questions section. Frankly they didn't sound as nutty in the film as they have in the past on other TV shows and radio programs I have heard. For example, I can't remember the DVD, but Fred Phelps said without any qualifiers "this country is doomed." Well, he was much more precise but I remember clearly thinking "ok, if there is nothing we can do, why don't you sit down , shut up and wait for the end?" Perhaps in fairness, the producer wasn't able to ask pointed questions, but if he spent a month with them and felt comfortable, seems like he could have or at least explained why he didn't in the bonus features. For example - do the Phelps clan all agree, all 13 children? If so, that is amazing. I suspect some don't, interview them too! Does he feel his ministry is a success if they don't attract any new members? Is there any value at all in loving your neighbor as yourself or does that only apply to people you agree with? Do soldiers protect their rights too, not just "fags?" Or are soldiers completely unnecessary? What about the Good Samaritan? The reason that story is so powerful, which is often lost today is because Jews and Samaritans hated each other. At the very least, doesn't Christian charity at least mean being courteous enough not to shout over someone else during a debate? In essence ask these people why they believe as they do. Best yet, and so far unexplored in the debates I have seen - most of the clan are lawyers. Someone should mention that the free speech they cling to strongly is also constitutionally matched with the idea that people are free to believe in any religion they want or none at all. No one seems to have ever mentioned this that I'm aware of. As an aside, I wish the Phelps clan felt as strongly about dishonest politicians and big business. Not charging interest is in the Bible too! There's much more, but I would say the opposition in the film was way too tepid and this film does not really give most people any new information despite being well done.

Even though the Westboro Baptist Church is such a disgraceful, ugly, and inhumane group of hatemongers, the documentary Fall From Grace needed to be made. It touches on a sensitive topic, like many documentaries about politics or religion, but its filmmaker, University of Kansas student K. Ryan Jones, refuses to share his political side and conducts this documentary in a mature and non-biased manner. A respectable, rare occurrence in self-made films.

The Westboro Baptist Church is a church located in Topeka, Kansas that has been spreading the "true" words of God for over fifty years. They have protested soldier's funerals, held assemblies in public, and have went as far as creating numerous websites with hateful names. The Pastor of the church is Fred Phelps, an eighty-one year old man who is filled with so much rage and hate he'll probably make your grandfather look like he follows the way of grace.

Phelps is hate-filled and unapologetic as he arranges his church, mostly members of his immediate family, to protest certain homosexual events and funerals. They proudly hoist signs saying "God Hates You," "God Hates Fags," and even going as far as saying "Thank God for Dead Soldiers." His messages are clear, but his ways are atrocious. Unlike most churches, he looks to hatred from peers as a measure of accomplishment.

As claimed by one of his sons named Timothy Phelps, the church's goal is to "Put the cup of God's fury to the lips of this nation and make them drink." Because of their messages and their ways the town of Topeka is called "scum," and an interview with Mayor Bill Bunten says that he gets numerous calls and emails every day claiming they do something about the church.

Why haven't we done anything to the church? Because we'd be hypocrites. The first amendment gives American citizens the right to freedom of speech, press, religion, and assembly. While their views are unpopular and radical, they are truly in their guidelines as far as respecting the amendment goes. Is it morally right to do such an act? That's a personal opinion.

Clips of Pastor Phelps play frequently during the film. There he is in his brown-walled church, shouting at the top of his lungs in front of about a dozen people while his chilling voice echoes throughout the room. He tells us how homosexuals are "beasts" and are "willingly ignorant" towards the country. He states the homosexuals and the homosexual-enablers will be dismissed into hell after their life is complete. It's as bigoted and as hateful as it gets.

Phelps claims the church is a branch off of Christianity, when really, it is the furthest thing from it. Christianity was founded on forgiveness, love, compassion, honor, and loyalty. Phelps' church, I don't know what else to call it, was founded on bigotry, impulse, hatred, cruelty, and arrogance. They have zero respect for people who are just as human as they are.

Many protests are shown, and while anger from it all emerges inside of us, we get a look at the children. Let's call them the victims. The victims are brought up on a biased view on the world, and their parents prevent them from seeking out other beliefs and learning about others ways of life. They can see that other people disapprove of what they are doing, but those children don't know what those people are thinking. But what they personally were brought up on.

When Jones interviews some of the Phelps' children, he asked one who they specifically preach their messages to. The boy states "We preach to fags that the lord will kill them if they don't abide by The Ten Commandments." Another child says "When people mock us I'm mad enough to kill them, but I'll leave that to God." If any other child said such words at that age they'd be severely punished. If a Phelps child says that they are rewarded.

More interviews are conducted with Phelps' attorney and many children of the Pastor. Out of the thirteen children Phelps and his wife had, four left the family and are completely distant from the church. Two of the children, Dortha and Nate Phelps, are given over-the-phone interviews during the documentary. Nate claims that his father has the equal immaturity of a fourth grader, and that if any of his brothers or sisters ever questioned his ways of teaching they were whipped with a mattock handle. Sometimes, even if their father was just angry he would take violence out on the children.

Fall From Grace is a documentary that is seriously disturbing, and it comes with a eerie, unidentified presence. Maybe it's just because of the subject matter, or the fact this was in the hands of first time filmmaker, still in school. At only seventy-one minutes, it just scratches the large surface of such a checkered family and their beliefs. Despite this documentary being very informative, a mainstream documentary needs to be considered and made as soon as possible. The fact that people still are unaware of the Westboro Church and their ways demands a wake up call. And not a pleasant one.

This documentary will anger, frustrate, infuriate, and sadden any patriot or someone who just has respect for America and its well-being. Everyone's reaction will be different, but everyone will be informed and educated on such a movement that threatens the very limits of our first amendment.

Starring: The Phelps Family. Directed by: K. Ryan Jones.

The shocking story of Reverend Fred Phelps, the Westboro Baptist Church, those who oppose it, and those who chose to leave it all behind.

This documentary was released in 2007, and as I write this it is 2013. The church has not gone away, but has actually grown more well-known. Fred Phelps still lives and the family still preaches its message.

I liked that this film tried to be fair. I think it is likely the director is opposed to the Westboro gang, as most people are. They are a church opposed by both left and right-leaning people, which makes them rather unique. Even those who oppose gay rights want nothing to do with these guys.

What I personally find even more interesting than their beliefs (which seem half-baked and not well-anchored) is the First Amendment issue. As awful as it is to protest a military funeral or say things like God loves 9/11, this is not a crime. And we should all be thankful it is not a crime. Do they abuse their rights? I think they do. But it is a right we are lucky to have.

I have never experience such a range of emotions while watching a film, from anger and rage to down right disappointment and sadness. Something has gone terribly wrong in the mind of the Phelps family. They are the reason that Christians around the world are stereotyped into these kind of hate mongers. I am dumb founded by these people, in the ultimate act of love and sacrifice their God sent his only son to die for their and all of our sins. Sins that in Gods mind are all equally horrible yet Jesus at no time held up signs or preached that God hated anyone be it any kind of sinner. So from such an act of love these people have choose to express nothing but hate. I simply don't understand, I am so imperfect that to damn anyone for there sins would make me feel like the worlds biggest hypocrite, the only one qualified for that is God. A pastor in this film I thought said it best when he said he preaches what Jesus preached and chooses to stay silent on the issues Jesus chose to stay silent on. I would assume that if God felt that homo-sexuality was this huge issue then his son would have made a more clear stance in the Bible so it would not be open to interpretation by individuals. Personally I have my beliefs and I stand strongly behind them but I do not force those beliefs onto anyone else and my goal isn't to force anyone to believe what I believe but for the LOVE of Jesus to shine through me, the LOVE. That's what it's all about, that's the very cornerstone of Christianity, how do you loose that? So to the Phelps family I don't have words of anger or hate for you even though I disagree so completely with what you do, to the Phelps I have just one question, where is the love?

Fred Phelps has run the Westboro Baptist Church for over 50 years, but the church only grew famous after it picketed the funeral of hate crime victim Matthew Shepard. Since then, it has staged protests at the funerals of soldiers killed in Iraq, alleging that the troops got killed because America tolerates homosexuality.

Ryan Jones's documentary "Fall from Grace" is a look at Phelps and his congregation, which consists largely of his family. It features interviews with people who consider Phelps evil, but there are also interviews with Phelps and his family, who all make themselves look psychotic.

The point is that Phelps has twisted the gospel to fit his narrow-minded views, as have numerous other clergymen. Even so, the price of free speech is that we have to allow even the most repulsive speech. This is a documentary that everyone should see.

In the past year, the WBC picketed the funerals of Christina-Taylor Green (a nine-year-old girl killed in the attack on Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords) and stunt performer Ryan Dunn. The WBC had planned to picket the funerals of Elizabeth Taylor and Steve Jobs, but then canceled their plans.