Westboro Baptist Church by maxim ryazansky

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The refrigerator in the Phelps-Roper kitchen is covered with family photos taken over the years.

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Grace Phelps, 12, stands on flag during Billy Graham protest.

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Organization is essential in managing the activities of the Westboro Baptist Church and of her family, so Shirley Phelps-Roper, 50, has many tools to help her, including this office supply organizer featuring photos of her two youngest sons, Noah, 9, and Luke, 6

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Brent Roper, 45, goes out to eat at Grover’s Smokehouse with loved ones, including Noah Phelps-Roper, 9, one of his eight sons.

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Shirley Phelps-Roper, 50, makes notes in her Bible during the weekly sermon of Westboro Baptist Church pastor Fred Phelps.

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Shirley Phelps-Roper, 50, listens to the weekly sermon of Westboro Baptist Church pastor Fred Phelps. The women of WBC wear head coverings during church services, in accordance with the admonition in 1 Corinthians 11: "every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoreth her head".

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Zion Phelps-Roper, 2, looks through a book during the weekly sermon at Westboro Baptist Church.

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Bekah Phelps-Roper, 21, excels at playing the drums on the video game Rock Band.

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With a sign reading "The World is Doomed", Faith Drain, 4, joins her father Steve, 43, at a picket of The Laramie Project at Kansas State University.

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Shirley Phelps, 9, enjoys a protest on a sunny day at a busy intersection in Topeka, KS.

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Shirley Phelps-Roper, 50, addresses the crowds flooding into the homecoming game at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

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A counter-protestor at the homecoming game at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln unsuccessfully uses a makeshift megaphone to get the attention of the picketers.

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Grace Phelps-Roper, 15, sends text messages in her bedroom.

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Jael Phelps, 23, painted her bedroom walls with murals representing Bible verses.

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Luke Phelps-Roper, 6, and his brother Jonah, 11, watch television at home while dinner is made.

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The family sits down for a family photo in their game room. Front row: Jonah Phelps-Roper, 11, Gabriel, 13, Luke, 6, Shirley, 50, Grace, 15, Bekah, 21, and Megan 22. Back row: Noah, 9, Zach, 17, Brent Roper, 45, and Isaiah, 19.

I was sitting in the back of Megan's Pontiac driving through downtown Topeka, Kansas. We passed by every suburban fast food chain and mega store you've ever seen. Her cousin Jacob was next to me pounding a store brand version of Mountain Dew explaining how he's tired of paying the big bucks for the name brands, and amusing us with anecdotes about his job at the local Target distribution center.

Megan's younger sister, Rebekah, was in the front passenger seat asking me if I listen to Akon, Young Jeezy and T.I.

"It's such a shame that their music is so good, but they're going to hell because they don't use their talents to serve God", Megan chimed in.

Rebekah turned around to show me some funny videos on her cell phone. Past the glow of her Motorola I saw the courthouse on the corner. Their grandmother stood on the sidewalk waiting for us as she clutched her brightly colored sign that read, "Thank God For IEDs".