Glenden BrownTo the Mothers of the FLDS Children:
You are not the victims here. I know this is difficult for you to grasp as you deal with the pain of being separated from your children and having your life turned upside down. I cannot fathom the emotions you are feeling at this time, and most of you were probably child brides raped by much older men, but at this point, you are not the victims here. Once you pass 18 you are an adult. I realize most you think you have no way out of polygamy and you may not want out at this time, but you are accomplices in the rape of your daughters and the emotional abuse of all your children at the hands of your husbands and your spiritual leaders.Â
Every day you stay in the polygamist community, you are aiding and abetting the abuse of your children. It’s time to decide if your faith or your children are your priority.
April 19th, 2008 at 11:18 am
“You are not the victims here”.
But wait, aren’t we the nubiles that were deflowered by old men, and gave birth to our children?
We are following our traditions and sacred honor, our religion. I guess victimhood has a statute of limitations.
Are not we just older versions of the children? It had to start somewhere didn’t it, we weren’t all just hatched?
*Oh, we so wish we would be so concerned about the children before we dropped 2000 pounders on their neighborhoods. Those people are unimportant.
April 19th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
Kofi…pretty much took the words right off my keyboard.
April 19th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
The FLDS is badly in need of some professional PR help. Whose idea was it to allow these women to be interviewed? Every time they appear on camera, it drives home the point that they are members of a cult, repeating the same talking points over and over, word for word in a strange tone of voice. They would do better if a lawyer did the talking.
April 19th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
It isn’t illegal to be a member of a cult. Billions of Christians and Muslims can’t be wrong, can they?
In fact, these women, if “victims” of the dirty old men, are now getting abused again, this time by the statists, in the form of CPS. Separated from the only family and life they know, it could be called cruel and unusual. 8th amendment violation, considering that there are likely to be absolutely no charges to be brought against them. They have been arrested, separated from their treasure, and are now waiting for justice from the geniuses that perpetrated the act. All with no proof in hand.
This is going to cost the taxpayer billions before it is over.
Have you listened to any of the CPS spokespeople and how truly stupid they sound?
Yeah I know Richard, the truth when stated over and over again can have an unsettling effect on those that don’t believe it. Replace the wives and the situation with our administration and their spokes people and the repetitive phrases about Iraq. What the hell? It worked!!
April 19th, 2008 at 5:00 pm
I don’t think that polygamy in of itself constitutes child abuse, but the way the FLDS goes about it marrying young teen age girls certainly does. However I do not like the idea of punishing everyone in a group for the actions of some of its members. I think Texas has breached the line by taking all children away regardless of actual evidence of abuse on individual children. I do think that if or when they do return the children their should be DNA testing of anyone claiming to be a mother because there are reports (could be true or false) that children have been “reassigned” to other women if their mothers left the FLDS or fell out of favor with the leadership. This practice should be investigated regardless of the Texas situation because no church or organization has any right or authority to “reassign” children.
April 19th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
kofi– I’m not without sympathy for these women. My point was they are not presenting their case well, by coming across as stereotypical cultists. The “Utah claw” hairstyle alone is enough to scare most Americans.
April 19th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
FLDS is very similar to many Islamic societies where women are treated like property. Instead of Burkas the women must dress in clothes that cover everything from the neck down. their beliefs may be different but the results are the same. They both use the name of God to subjugate their followers.
The women are victimized because many of them were married at a very young age, given away by their own fathers. They are impregnated early and their children are taken from them if they leave the FLDS or lose favor with the leaders. The women that do escape lose everything and find they are ill-prepared for the real modern world.
Younger men are victimized because the girls their age are given to older men. Many younger men leave because of this and they too find themselves unable to assimilate into mainstream society.
There are lots of victims here including the children. The villains are the older men and church leaders that prey on young women and exercise unrighteous dominion over them just like radical Islam.
Saying the FLDS women are not victims is just like saying the women under the Talaban where not victims.
If were going to round up all the FLDS for the actions of some members, then why didn’t we round up all the Muslims after 911?
April 20th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Ken:
Your attempt to distance the LDS Church from the FLDS Church by comparing the latter to Taliban provides me great humor today. Hehe. But, as we all know, the only real factor distinguishing the two is inclusion of the “F” in front of LDS. Kinda like frosting on the cake, if you will.
April 20th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Albert O:
I wish there was a nicer way to say this. Mormons are guilty of willful ignorance in relation to their welcoming acceptance of corrupt Republican leaders and warmongering radio personalities, but you know better then to directly link mainstream Mormons with polygamist organizations like the FLDS.
Come on!
April 20th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Albert
It’s your own ignorance and bigotry that associates the LDS Church from
FLDS.
April 20th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
By any righteous religious measure the bend over mormons should have persecuted the real mormons out of existence by now.
April 20th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
This is going to be confusing for my followers, and should cause the controversy I desire.
April 20th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Sorry, I posted that in your name to get a rise out of you, but really, by the RLDS should have had an Inquisition by now, over these child fornicating bastards.
April 20th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
Ken:
One question: Do the FLDS follow the original teachings of Joseph Smith?
April 20th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Albert
No, because during Joseph Smith’s time up to today the Church has always been a missionary (proselytizing) church. Joseph Smith sent his people far and wide to bring in converts. The FLDS is a closed society that does not actively seek to grow the church. They mainly grow thier church through baring children, and in many cases they marry and impregnate thier own relatives. If you were to go down to Colorado city and anounce you want to join them, instead of fellowship they will view you with suspition and probably reject you. Joseph Smith welcomed all and was happy to greet new people.
Not only that but Polygamy during Joseph Smith’s time was very limited. It didn’t really take off until Brigham Young’s time. Very few who crossed the plains to Utah were polygamists, and even at its hight it is estimated that only about 30% of the church ever practiced it. In fact there are more polygamists in Utah today than there was back then.
April 20th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Ken
You have convinced me. You are right about everything and I have been wrong all along. Liberalism is evil, global warming is a lie, George Bush is the greatest President ever, and right now I am on the phone with the missionaries setting up my baptism date. Thank you bro for helping me to see the light.
April 20th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Cliff, time to adjust yer meds!
April 20th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Caveat
That was actually me, I was getting back at Cliff for impersonating me.
April 20th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
A coupla real comediens.
April 21st, 2008 at 10:33 am
Ken:
You answered a different question - e.g., how do the FLDS differ from the LDS.
The original question, on the other hand, was do the FLDS follow (or believe in) the original teachings of J. Smith?
Here’s another way of looking at the picture. If LDS claim to be Christians based on certain similarities in beliefs with Christianity (notwithstanding, however, substantial differences in practice and procedure), why is it so far off to likewise claim FLDS are Mormons, based on certain similarities in beliefs with Mormonism (notwithstanding, however, substantial differences in practice and procedure)?
April 22nd, 2008 at 5:17 pm
Oh my!! Can you say lawsuit?
April 29th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Mormonism by it’s very nature holds women in contempt. You are scary people. I worked for a large automotive company and had a Mormon boss for 3 years - he loved his sons and despised his wife and daughter. It bled into the workplace. I got the drift real quick. He left a very lasting impression.
April 29th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
jbk
One person does not make a representation of all. I have a wife and a daughter and do not hold either in contempt in fact they are both the world to me. If I had a son I would love him just as much as my daughter, no more no less. Tarring a whole group of people with the same brush is the very definition of bigotry.
Albert. To me the whole argument about whether Mormons are Christians is just silly. I don’t really care if a bunch of self righteous “born agains” think I’m a Christian or not. Most of them wouldn’t know Christ if he stood right if front of them.