We missed seeing Louis Theroux – The Most Hated Family in America when it was first shown last week, as it went out on Sunday night where we usually watch and tape a number of other programmes. The programme has provoked strong reactions from many of those who saw it, and having missed it first time around, I was glad to find it showing again last night.

The programme focuses on the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, who have been well known for a number of years in particular for their websites condemning homosexuals, but they also condemn Roman Catholics, Muslims, Jews, Sweeden and Canada amongst others. They believe that nearly every tragedy in the world can be linked back to homosexuality, and it’s increasing tolerance and acceptance. They therefore picket various places they believe to be involved with or condoning homosexuality daily in Topeka, and also travel around the US to picket funerals of high-profile victims of hate crimes, or AIDS victims. More recently these protests have extended to the funerals of soldiers killed in action in Iraq, since they believe that deaths of soldiers in Iraq is God’s judgement on America. The programme shows pickets at funerals, and even members of the Church picketing a store for selling Sweedish vacuum cleaners!

In the programme, Louis Theroux spent three weeks with the Church, talking to members, attending their services and following them on protests. Unlike some extreme religious groups they have not withdrawn from society – all the members either attend regular schools, or hold down normal jobs. They do however live together in a group of houses in a block around the house in which Fred Phelps, the founder of the Church lives, and services are held. Phelps is related to the majority of the people in the Church.

Theroux is his usual self, portraying a sense of innocent bemusement, whilst in some ways asking pretty leading questions. As often happens, it doesn’t always work. At one point he innocently asks Phelps how many children he has – Phelps has thirteen, but four have left the Church. Theroux was curious as to whether Phelps would answer thirteen or nine. Phelps refuses to answer the question. However Theroux has more success with some of the younger members. There are quite shocking scenes of the protests where the Church takes really young children along to hold placards, indeed at one point one of the young children is hit by a drinks container hurled from a passing car. Theroux on several occasions asks the children to explain the meaning of the words on the placards – something they cannot do. The older young people seem resigned to being single, as members are not allowed to marry outside the Church, and the Church doesn’t attract new members from outside the family. When older members are asked whether the young people have boyfriends and girlfriends they are told no, as with the modern generation it is just an excuse for fornication, however there are hints from some of the younger members that at times they may have strayed from the path…

To be honest, I could go on about the programme for a lot longer, it was filled with jaw dropping moments, and yet all the time there was this bizarre tension between the seemingly nice, well spoken people and intelligent people shown, who then came out with some incredible statements at the protests, and happily acknowledged some bizarre corruption’s of Christian beliefs. As with any Christian group they are of course picking and choosing particular parts of the Bible on which to focus in order to justify their position. As Theroux points out at one point, they are heavily focused on Old Testament theology in order to underpin what they believe. Certainly the fact that much of what Jesus taught turns their ideas of divine punishment on it’s head is totally ignored. Ironically this is precisely what Jeffrey John was talking about in his radio broadcast earlier in the evening.

I’m sure the programme will be shown again, however you can get a flavour of what goes on through a series of clips available on the BBC2 Website.