Why I avoided faith for so long

Because of people like this.  Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Jerks are at it again, and you're not going to believe their next plan.

Rev. Mr. Phelps, you claim to be a Christian.  Perhaps you missed that whole chunk of the Scriptures about "judge not," and "as you forgive others, so Our Heavenly Father will forgive you."  But, since you're a so-called "Reverend," you must at least have a passing familiarity with this:

15 'But, take heed of the false prophets, who come unto you in sheep's clothing, and inwardly are ravening wolves. 16 From their fruits ye shall know them; do men gather from thorns grapes? or from thistles figs? 17 so every good tree doth yield good fruits, but the bad tree doth yield evil fruits. 18 A good tree is not able to yield evil fruits, nor a bad tree to yield good fruits. 19 Every tree not yielding good fruit is cut down and is cast to fire: 20 therefore from their fruits ye shall know them. 21 'Not every one who is saying to me Lord, lord, shall come into the reign of the heavens; but he who is doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, lord, have we not in thy name prophesied? and in thy name cast out demons? and in thy name done many mighty things? 23 and then I will acknowledge to them, that -- I never knew you, depart from me ye who are working lawlessness.

Your actions cause needless suffering to the innocent, and serve only to turn people away from the Lord our God.  That being the case, who are you really working for?  (Hint:  God doesn't have horns and a pointed stick.  FYI.)

You're getting on in years, Mr. Phelps.  If you don't come to your senses soon, I predict you'll have a lot of explaining to do in the hereafter.