Posted on 04/15/2008 10:27:22 AM PDT by Snickering Hound
ELDORADO — Mothers separated from their children as part of a wide-ranging abuse investigation within a polygamist retreat accuse state officials of misleading them before taking their offspring into custody.
Authorities raided the sect's ranch more than a week ago in response to allegations that underage girls were forced to marry older men. Women and children from the secretive community were taken to a West Texas fort-turned-museum and a rodeo pavilion, but on Monday officials began separating women and some of their offspring without warning, members of the sect said.
While some women and children were taken from the shelters to the nearby San Angelo Coliseum, other women were allowed to return to the ranch — but only those who were childless or had children under the age of 5.
About three dozen of the women who returned to the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints ranch spoke out Monday, after 11 days in temporary shelters. They said in interviews that police surrounded them Monday and gave them a choice between returning home, or relocating to a women's shelter.
"It just feels like someone is trying to hurt us," said Paula, 38, who like other members of the sect declined to give her full name. "I do not understand how they can do this when they don't have a for sure knowledge that anyone has abused these children."
Marissa Gonzales, a spokeswoman for the Department of Family and Protective Services, said the move was a typical procedure taken by the agency.
"It is not the normal practice to allow parents to accompany the child when an abuse allegation is made," Gonzales said.
Brenda, a 37-year-old mother of two teenage boys, said the women were threatened with arrest if they resisted the court order. Previously, the women had been told they would stay with the children at least until Thursday, when a custody hearing is scheduled, she said.
A call to CPS for comment late Monday on the women's claims was not immediately returned.
CPS's closing of the shelters came a day after three mothers from the ranch petitioned Gov. Rick Perry to inspect the shelters to see firsthand how families were being treated. The women said the living conditions were cramped and that some of the children had become sick.
About 20 children were recovering from a mild case of chicken pox, said Dr. Sandra Guerra-Cantu with the state Health Department.
Perry spokesman Robert Black said the governor did not believe the children were being housed in poor conditions at the West Texas fort.
"Let's be honest here, this is not the Ritz," Black said. But he called the accommodations "clean and neat."
CPS said officials have been planning the move for a week but that the coliseum was unavailable earlier. About two dozen teenage boys were moved to a facility outside San Angelo with the judge's permission, CPS said. The location was not released.
The state is accusing the sect of physically and sexually abusing the youngsters and wants to strip their parents of custody and place the children in foster care or put them up for adoption. The sheer size of the case was an obstacle.
"Quite frankly, I'm not sure what we're going to do," state District Judge Barbara Walther said after a conference that included three to four dozen attorneys either representing or hoping to represent youngsters.
Brenda and others were critical of CPS, saying the agency misled them as to what was to happen Monday, weren't told why the children were removed from the compound and given inaccurate messages about opportunities to meet attorneys.
"We got to where we said, 'We cannot believe a word you say. We cannot trust you,'" she said.
Officials said the investigation began with a call from a young girl who has yet to be located by CPS. The women in the sect said they suspect she may be a bitter ex-member of the church.
The FLDS practice polygamy in arranged marriages, sometimes between underage girls and older men. The group has thousands of followers in two side-by-side towns in Arizona and Utah.
The church has repeatedly fought because of its lifestyle before. Men, women and children have been swept up in raids that took place in 1935, 1944 and 1953.
"It's been all through history, " said Brenda, the mother of two. "We were just here trying to live a peaceful, happy, sweet life. We don't understand why we can't do this freely."
Pillow fights?
Doesn’t fit here.
We are “They”, and We are going after these filthy minded, vile excuses for parents, with Texas guns a blazing.
Maybe you are confusing the Bible with the Doctrine & Covenants. The C&C and not the Bible, plainly states that God commands and condones polygamy. No wonder you LDS Mormons defend it so.
D&C 132:34-40 http://scriptures.lds.org/en/dc/132
34 God commanded Abraham, and Sarah gave Hagar to Abraham to wife. And why did she do it? Because this was the law; and from Hagar sprang many people. This, therefore, was fulfilling, among other things, the promises.
35 Was Abraham, therefore, under condemnation? Verily I say unto you, Nay; for I, the Lord, commanded it.
36 Abraham was commanded to offer his son Isaac; nevertheless, it was written: Thou shalt not kill. Abraham, however, did not refuse, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness.
37 Abraham received concubines, and they bore him children; and it was accounted unto him for righteousness, because they were given unto him, and he bode in my law; as Isaac also and Jacob did none other things than that which they were commanded; and because they did none other things than that which they were commanded, they have entered into their exaltation, according to the promises, and sit upon thrones, and are not angels but are gods.
38 David also received many wives and concubines, and also Solomon and Moses my servants, as also many others of my servants, from the beginning of creation until this time; and in nothing did they sin save in those things which they received not of me.
39 David’s wives and concubines were given unto him of me, by the hand of Nathan, my servant, and others of the prophets who had the keys of this power; and in none of these things did he sin against me save in the case of eUriah and his wife; and, therefore he hath fallen from his exaltation, and received his portion; and he shall not inherit them out of the world, for I gave them unto another, saith the Lord.
40 I am the Lord thy God, and I gave unto thee, my servant Joseph, an appointment, and restore all things. Ask what ye will, and it shall be given unto you according to my word.
No comparison.
Children bred generation after generation to feed the lusts of vile, filthy old men [themselves bred to believe that might makes right]is not in the Bible.
There is a comparison of sorts, though, to Sodom and Gomorrah and the cities of the plain, in this behavior. If you go read about their framing iniquity by law, as found in the Book of Jasher, before YHWH nuked ‘em.
http://www.ccel.org/a/anonymous/jasher/home.html
Infighting over who is the real mormon?
FLDS follow the founding fathers of Mormonism.
Abraham didn’t HAVE a polygamous marriage. He had a concubine, because of Sarah’s lack of faith. That situation ended in disaster that is still having repercussions today.
Isaac was not polygamous.
I asked for one Biblical scripture condemning Abraham or Israel for practicing polygamy. No one can quote me one, because there isn’t one. So you change the subject.
These poor children. I hope this man is never released. This whole thing makes me sooo sad for all these children.
Are you saying that parents don’t have the right to determine how their children will be brought up?
For someone who so loudly declared that these "people" are not Mormons, you sure sound like you are defending them in your susequent posts. Hmmmm.... very odd
Abraham’s wives had different legal status, that is true, but he was still polygamous.
And, you can’t deny that Jacob/Israel was polygamous. So was Moses. We know of at least two wives, Zipporah and the Ethiopian woman.
Look LL, you have been given scriptures showing God’s plan for marriage is one man, one woman. You have seen scriptures showing the ravages of the sin of “adding wives,” and yet you can’t accept them. Is it because of your “new” scriptures like those found in the D&C?
Give me one Biblical scripture condemning slavery. Yes, I am changing the subject.
The subject NOW is, “if the Bible doesn’t outrightly condemn something, does that mean it is God’s commandment?”
I don’t agree with their practice of polygamy. But that doesn’t mean I think families should be torn apart, and little children taken away from their mothers, on a phony search warrant, backed up by allegations that no one can corroborate.
It doesn't. However, like divorce which was legal under the Mosaic Law, Jesus raised the standard; forbidding divorce and affirming the proper marriage of one man & one woman.
The Bible describes what were probably monogamous marriages. The Bible also describes holy men — prophets and patriarchs — engaging in polygamous marriages without condemnation.
The Bible mentions slavery. The Bible does not, to my knowledge, describe holy men being slavemasters.
The Bible never says that Abraham having Hagar for a (second tier) wife was a sin. That is pure interpretation. The Bible never says that Israel having (at least) four wives was a sin. That is gloss placed on the Bible by others, whom you apparently agree with, as is your right.
Paul said that a bishop should be the husband of one wife. That’s the only thing that I can think of in the New Testament that speaks directly to the issue.
I just love it when Mormons defend polygamy. Thanks for being so honest and forthright in your beliefs!
Classical misdirection technique.
It wasn’t misdirection. We have people on this and other threads hollering that polygamy is a sin, and unbiblical. I’ve simply asked them to show me where the Bible says so. They can’t.
They can provide plenty of interpretation by their preachers that it must be a sin. But they can’t find anything in the Bible that says so. This is particularly true where men that are supposedly revered by Bible-believing people as prophets were unquestionably practicing polygamy. Where do you think the Twelve Tribes came from?
It is not “misdirection” to ask a person who believes that all they need is the Bible to point out something in the Bible that actually supports what they are saying.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.