A former cult member turned nurse and fitness guru has spoken out about her time within Westboro Baptist Church.
Lauren Drain has opened up about the realities of being a member of the Westboro Baptist Church - first joining at the age of 15 because of her family.
Lauren was banished by the church and disowned by her family after she questioned the religious cult's values.
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The 36-year-old mum has since spoken out about her experiences and journey to becoming a nurse and OnlyFans star.
The Westboro Baptist Church - founded in 1955 by pastor Fred Phelps - is known to many as an extremist, hate group.
With a website titled, 'God hates f**s', the unaffiliated cult is outwardly homophobic.
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It's also publicly racist - having often targeted the Jewish and Muslim communities - and has engaged in hate speech against transgender people and atheists.
In an interview for Chicago's Ideas Week, Lauren reflected on life inside the cult: "Honestly, it was a very polarising feeling. You were holding up bizarre, vulgar and offensive signs to people and I was doing it at a very young age.
"I knew it was a very extreme belief and people would react differently, and would be very offended - but I wasn't really thinking about the consequences and how it would affect anyone.
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"I was trying to be a good Christian in a 'good Christian family' and make my parents proud."
It took Lauren 'a few years' to realise the judgement being promoted by the church didn't 'match up to what [she was] reading in the bible' or what she 'really felt as a Christian'.
It was also the church's picketing response to 9/11 - with signs stating, 'Thank God for September 11th' - and at the funeral of several Amish children who were tragically shot and killed which led to Lauren feeling particularly 'ashamed' and seriously questioning the church.
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She added the 'extreme' judgements also took place within the cult too.
Lauren's questioning led to her becoming 'a target for some of the church humiliations and punishments', she told The Sun.
Her talking to a boy outside of the church was the final straw and resulted in her being kicked out and exiled by her own family too.
Lauren said: "They believed it was reason enough to kick me out, no questions asked, zero apologies and zero forgiveness.
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"The church had a zero tolerance policy for communicating with banished members.
"Getting banished from the church was the absolute most devastating moment of my life and I wouldn't wish the separation of family on my worst enemy."
Despite losing her family as well as nearly losing her sense of identity and relationship with God, Lauren has found some comfort in becoming a nurse and fitness guru, as well as earning a living from OnlyFans content.
She felt a 'calling to nursing to help people,' inspired by a nurse who helped 'save' her younger sister Taylor who had cancer as a baby.
Lauren forgives the church and her family for what they've done, 'doesn't old a grudge' and hopes 'one day they find love and kindness towards [her]'.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this article and wish to speak to someone in confidence, contact Stop Hate UK by visiting their website www.stophateuk.org
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the LGBT Foundation on 0345 3 30 30 30, 10am–6pm Monday to Friday, or email [email protected]
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence contact Mindline Trans+ on 0300 330 5468. The line is open 8pm–midnight Mondays and Fridays and is run by trans volunteers
Poppy Bilderbeck