A mother whose son’s funeral was picketed by the Westboro Baptist Church had the chance to tell a former member how she felt about the congregation.

Earlier this week, Libby Phelps-Alvarez appeared on Anderson Live to discuss growing up in the gay hate church and why she decided to leave.

The granddaughter of founder Fred Phelps, she said she thought she had been doing the right thing in spreading homophobia and picketing funerals by the age of eight.

‘I honestly thought I was doing the right thing,’ she said. ‘I didn’t think it was offensive while I was there. Now, looking back on it, I hurt people’s feelings, I hurt people and I’m sorry for that.’

When asked by how she must have known it was offensive to gay people and the families of fallen soldiers, she said: ‘I thought I was doing good, I honestly did.

‘I thought the only way to love your neighbor was to tell them that their sins were taking them to hell.’

Sherry Wyatt, the mother of a fallen soldier, expressed her anguish of knowing the Westboro Baptist Church had protested her son’s funeral.

While Phelps-Alvarez had left by that time, she broke down in tears, apologized and said she now understands the pain she and the group caused.

Check out the video below: