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An Unusual Prosecution of a Way of Life (FLDS Polygamy)
Washington Post ^ | April 27, 2008 | David Farenthold

Posted on 04/27/2008 4:39:12 AM PDT by Zakeet

Texas Will Attempt to Show That Polygamist Culture Itself Harms Children

ELDORADO, Tex. -- The ironic thing is that before the big sheriff's department armored personnel carrier appeared outside the Yearning for Zion Ranch, it was starting to seem as though America had finally figured out how to live with its polygamists.

For more than a century, authorities had alternately persecuted and ignored the groups practicing plural marriage around the West -- splinters from mainstream Mormonism, splinters of splinters. Mostly, they ignored them.

But, in the past few years, officials in some states have begun trying to bring these groups out of the shadows. They offered a deal: Marry however often you want, but don't marry children. A Supreme Court case on gay sex also provided unlikely help.

Then came Eldorado.

On April 3, Texas authorities raided the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' compound here, then removed more than 450 children. Now, Texas seems headed for exactly the kind of wrenching, head-on fight that other states have tried to avoid.

Their case will ask: Does this polygamous group deserve a place -- and the right to raise children -- in modern society?

[Snip]

Now comes a legal fight with a twist. The state will argue that the sect's children are at risk at the compound, but not because every one of them has been physically or sexually abused.

Instead, they will say that the culture of the church, which encouraged girls to marry and bear children in their early teens, was a danger to any child immersed in it.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: antimormons; childabuse; flds; mormon; mormonbashing; mormonism; polygamy
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To: Colofornian; svcw; aMorePerfectUnion; greyfoxx39; colorcountry; Tennessee Nana
What completely baffles me, is that there are people on these threads who are howling for EVIDENCE to be shown that crimes were committed in this FLDS matter; but care less that there is no EVIDENCE of what was SO wrong with PRESBYTERIANISM that Joseph Smith claimed to have LEARNED!

HOW on earth can an entire religion get started this way?

Talk about BLIND faith!

Talk about a CRANK phone call!


121 posted on 04/27/2008 7:00:14 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: MHGinTN

Shhh...


122 posted on 04/27/2008 7:01:12 PM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: blu

Apparently you are not reading the same string of posts that I am reading. No one said anything about any Amish. In fact I dont think that word has been mentioned until you brought it up. Perhaps you should go back to the beginning and follow the conversation, because you just took a radical turn off into left field.


123 posted on 04/27/2008 7:48:53 PM PDT by Concho (IRS--Americas real terrorist organization.)
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To: Concho

Apparently, you have some sort of reading problem. What I was saying was that one could say that Amish girls are ALSO undereducated and whatever else of yours that I was quoting. What I was saying that it’s ok for some people to NOT be mainstreamed. Clear enough for ya?


124 posted on 04/27/2008 8:00:59 PM PDT by blu (Last one out of Michigan, please turn off the lights.)
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To: metmom
They can disguise it all they want by saying that they're just opposed to government tyranny, but essentially, they think the government shouldn't have gotten involved, which means they find nothing wrong with this group.

I agree. This is WAY too important to be concerned about our Constitution.

125 posted on 04/27/2008 8:10:12 PM PDT by Balding_Eagle (OVERPRODUCTION......... one of the top five worries for American farmers.)
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To: Desron13

I think that’s a good solution. Separating the children from their mothers is cruel and the foster care system is lousy. My heart goes out to these children. I pray they can find a decent solution.


126 posted on 04/28/2008 6:03:33 AM PDT by Marysecretary (.GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL)
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To: najida

Yeah, screwing 12 year olds takes real courage doesn’t it?


127 posted on 04/28/2008 6:13:55 AM PDT by Marysecretary (.GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL)
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To: HereInTheHeartland

Yup, you got that right.


128 posted on 04/28/2008 6:24:30 AM PDT by Marysecretary (.GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL)
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To: HereInTheHeartland

The trend I’m noting is the total lack of comprehension that women/girls have the right to consent to marriage and consent to sex.

Screaming constitutional meemies seem to be missing that this most basic act, the right to choose spouse and/or sexual partner is being denied these women and girls. A whole group, the largest % of a pop is enslaved by a minority.

Even creepier are those who keep acting like “whats the big deal, they were married”—— at 14, with no say so....Too many one handed typers around.

Kinda makes you wonder what their mindset towards the world in general might be.


129 posted on 04/28/2008 7:02:21 AM PDT by najida (On FR- Most guys see themselves is Brad Pitt, and think every woman here is Aunt Bea)
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To: Zakeet

So the sexual assault on a child and rampant welfare fraud is just a “way of life”. Oh, maybe killing people in the streets over drugs is also a “way of life” in the ghetto, does that mean that we should ignore rampant criminality and conspiracy to commit child rape and welfare fraud; just because it is a “way of life”?


130 posted on 04/28/2008 7:04:32 AM PDT by allmendream (Life begins at the moment of contraception. ;))
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To: Zakeet

BTTT


131 posted on 04/28/2008 7:29:14 PM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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