[Mr Ramsbotham]

Is it Brigham Young, or bring ‘em young?

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

The FLDS broke off from the central authority over 100 years ago.

Well, strictly speaking, the "central authority" broke off from the FLDS over 100 years ago since FLDS' teachings are completely in line with what Joe Smith and Brigham Young taught, especially concerning the "principle" of polygamy.

Apparently there remains strong sympathy for FLDS among the LDS faithful, based upon the FLDS threads on this board.

[Dick Bachert]

No offense to the LDS folks, but when I saw that header, I was certain you meant to write “MORON” and it referred to the “authorities” and “media.”

[JRochelle]

It’s not easy being Mormon. No cursing, no premarital sex, no Mountain Dew.

What an ignorant author. Tell me which religion condones premarital sex and cursing.

[whipitgood]

The real downside is trying to make yourself believe the folly that passes for theology in the LDS church.

[org.whodat]

no premarital sex,

What a side splitter, no,how many have their fake second marriages. Sort of like the thirty minute marriage the moosies have.

[svcw]

According to Kermit its not easy being green either.

I don't think I know of a single religion that condones cursing or pre marital sex, so why is that different than being (f)lds?

The (f)lds says they are the true church and the lds are the ones who left the fold. The (f)lds follow the tenets of Joe Smith so it sorta of looks like the lds did leave the fold.

[Ingtar]

I have a large number of problems with LDS theology. That said, equating FLDS with LDS is about like saying that the snake handlers are representative of all Baptists.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

A brief, objective introduction to the LDS church.

1) Founded by a pair of con artists, not uncommon in religion, during a period of religious experimentation, mostly by immigrants, in the US. Having far more females than males at the time, this explained why they dabbled in polygamy and pseudo-socialism when living in the desolation of Utah. They were just being pragmatic.

2) Their second leader (Young), was an exceptionally good manager. He was ambitious, until he went loggerheads with Abraham Lincoln, and was smart enough to realize that if he didn’t behave, after the war, the Union Army would pay a visit.

3) From that point, they had generally wise doctrines, if a tad racist. Be loyal to the US. Be contemporary, that is, keep up with the times. Go for a healthy lifestyle, and keep religious and social discipline. Don’t make waves.

Now, this being said, despite their early origins, and a few annoying foibles, for the most part they have matured into a respectable religion. Ironically, their “soft sell” approach, staying out of national politics, may have been too tame at times, but that has likely kept them out of some of the nastier fights the US has gone through.

The left generally hates them, because they will not bow to the left’s agenda; and the right is dubious about them for religious reasons, even if in considerable agreement with them as far as social, economic and international policies.

Their problems are that first of all, they sometimes offer too much grace to members who are offensive to the gentiles, and there is a willingness among some to stick it to the gentiles in business. This does not make friends. Nor does retroactively declaring other people’s ancestors Mormons.

Second, for some reason they inspire some kook gentiles to extremes of paranoia. While this is not really caused by the Mormons, it is a problem *for* Mormons.

But, again objectively, their pluses far outweigh their minuses. Even in a position of authority they generally will not try to force their religion on subordinates. However, they do try to keep their children away from gentile influences, for example, and prefer that their children not be taught by gentiles, or have too much exposure to gentile ways.

[conservativeharleyguy]

" When they came for the Jews Mormons, I said nothing because I wasn't a Jew Mormon. When they came for the Homeschoolers, I said nothing because I wasn't a Homeschooler..."

I'm sure I'll be bombarded for this, but here it goes anyway:

Just because you don't personally agree with their theology and marital practices (neither do I, BTW), doesn't mean the State should have done what they did. Particularly on the strength of a specious call from a known mentally disturbed woman with an axe to grind.

If there really were children being abused, then by all means, vigorously investigate and prosecute those as individual cases (as would be done in any other instance). That's just "old-fashioned Police work". But to remove over 450 children from their families on the possibility that maybe a dozen were at risk is preposterous, and just threw us all headlong down the infamous "slippery slope".

Do you think it's better for large groups of children to be forcibly separated from their parents and each other for an indeterminate period, simply because their neighbors might have abused their own children? And placed into the care of the State!? Nothing bad has ever happened to children in foster care, right? No child has ever been abused, molested, or neglected while in foster care, right? I thought this forum was for those who value individual rights.

BTW, try placing 5 or 6 siblings in the same foster home, it just won't happen. Imagine being told the only way you'll ever see your children again is to completely renounce and give up your religion. That's what the mothers are being told. Is that OK w/you? Sounds a bit too Chinese Communist to me.

This thing has now drug on for a month, and not one single criminal charge has been filed against anyone, and children are being quietly returned to their families as we speak.

This will end badly for the State of Texas. It's already cost over 20 million dollars and rising every day. Now their next move is to confiscate the property to "recover their costs". Where's the Freeper outrage over that???

The Supreme Court rules against some guy up North (who was probably "different" too), and lets a municipality take his cheesy little couple of acres, and the Freeper Constitutionalists lit this board up w/righteous indignation like a Christmas tree for a month.

Look at the threads on the "Assault on the Family" in our society on this board. If you don't think it's a real short leap from their "Fundamentalist Christian" families to "regular" mainstream Christian families, you're sadly mistaken.

But let these "weird Mormons" be dispossessed of everything, even their very families, and you are gleeful because they go to a different church than you do? Take a hard look at yourselves. If they get away with this, maybe you're next, maybe you're last. But when they do come for you, will anyone be left to say something???

[TheDon]

If you want to learn more about the Mormons:

[Enosh]

“... no premarital sex...”

The Mormon god boinked someone else’s wife; Mary.

So much for that argument.

[Elsie]

Texas Authorities, Media Ensure It’s Not Easy Being Mormon

No; it's MORMONISM itself that makes it hard!!!

[Domandred]

no Mountain Dew

Only if it's hot...which is fine cause hot Mountain Dew really really sucks