Lauren Drain spent years as a member of the Westboro Baptist Church. Now the 27-year-old is speaking out against the controversial group.
In an interview with Glamour magazine, Drain discussed her new book, "Banished: Surviving My Years in the Westboro Baptist Church," which centers on her time in the church and why she eventually broke away.
"They were becoming more extreme. We would unquestionably picket people and judge them right away," Drain said. "I didn’t want to have anything to do with it anymore. One of the things that struck me was when we started to picket small children’s funerals. That greatly upset me."
The interview also detailed Drain's teenage years in the church and the way the group's leaders use the Bible to control members. She said she felt like she had "no voice," especially when challenging the extreme beliefs Westboro is known for.
Drain's exposure of the church follows in the footsteps of Megan and Grace Phelps-Roper, granddaughters of Westboro Baptist Church founder and pastor Fred Phelps, Sr. The Phelps-Roper sisters issued an official statement this month outlining their reasons for leaving the church and the regret they feel for participating in the group's harmful activities.
Since leaving the church, Drain has also received press for participating in the pro-gay rights NOH8 campaign.
Before You Go
