Posted on 12/26/2011 4:04:21 PM PST by Colofornian
Imprisoned polygamist leader Warren Jeffs has reportedly issued an edict to his followers with a deadline -- renew allegiances to the Fundamentalist LDS Church or be excommunicated.
With a Dec. 31 deadline looming, non-profit groups who help those leaving Utah's polygamous communities say an ongoing exodus from the FLDS Church is turning into a "humanitarian crisis," with people walking away with no place to go.
"You've got new control where you have to give everything," James Barlow told FOX 13. "And I mean everything."
Barlow left the FLDS Church last month after refusing to give his allegiance to Jeffs. Barlow, 19, described being called before Jeffs' brother, Lyle, and asked to confess his sins and be re-baptized into the FLDS Church. Tired of the increasing restrictions on people's lives within the church, Barlow left with the clothes on his back.
"I said 'no' and walked out the door," he said. "To come out here and just fall on my head, just not have anything. Nothing... nobody to give me anything, a roof over my head."
He wound up at a home in the Salt Lake City area where his sister, Ruth, has been staying. She left the FLDS Church in September after deciding she no longer believed in the faith under Jeffs.
"I've really enjoyed the family," Ruth Barlow said in an interview with FOX 13. "They've been really good and really fun to be around. It's different than being with my own family, but it's still the same."
The siblings are being "fostered" by the group Holding Out Help, which works with those in Utah's polygamous communities. Since Jeffs went to prison, the group said it has seen a steady stream of people leaving the FLDS Church.
"They leave with absolutely nothing," said Holding Out Help's Tonia Tewell. "The first thing we try to hit is the basic needs: food, clothing and shelter."
Warren Jeffs is serving a life sentence in a Texas prison for child sex assault related to underage marriages. Since he's been imprisoned, he's released a steady stream of "revelations" he claims are from God to lawmakers across the country. They include demands that he be released or the wrath of the Almighty will destroy the earth. The most recent revelations sent to Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff claimed they were a "final warning."
Amongst his followers, Jeffs has reportedly made even more demands. Ex-FLDS members tell FOX 13 he has demanded that children give up toys, and adults sell things like ATVs.
"The demands range from coming up with $5,000 at the end of the month to handing over all the food stamps. I've heard they're no longer allowed to have sexual relations with their wives except to have children," Tewell said.
Tewell said she has heard of as many as 50 people a month leaving the polygamous border towns of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, Ariz. Some are going to a rival polygamous leader. Others, mostly young adults, are trying to find their way in the world. Holding Out Help and Utah's Safety Net Committee (a coalition of government agencies, social service agencies and polygamists) are trying to find shelter for everyone.
"We need the entire community here in the Salt Lake Valley to step up," said Tewell. "We cannot do this alone any longer."
The Safety Net Committee and Holding Out Help are setting up sort-of "foster homes" across the state. The Safety Net Committee has been holding open houses in St. George, asking people to be willing to open up their homes for children, teenagers, adults or entire families.
"Would I encourage other people to do it? Absolutely. It's been, I think, a blessing to our family," said Kristi Gower, who is hosting the Barlow siblings.
The Safety Net Committee said it would conduct background checks and has a few terms for families willing to foster those from the polygamous communities. More information can be found at holdingouthelp.org or by contacting the Safety Net Committee through Utah's Family Support Center (www.familysupportcenter.org).
James Barlow said with a New Year's Eve deadline coming, more people will likely be leaving.
"Family means everything to most of us from there," he said. "I know, to everybody I know, it means everything. That's why a lot of people haven't left. But you have to the end of the year and you're excommunicated."
I'll bet many of the DEAD wish that THEIR name could be removed!
They really don't care about LONG; do they?
Make it EXPENSIVE!
And quite PUBLIC.
And then she dies...
Oh; do I know this feeling as well!
At least I don't have a REAL job; as I just sit back and watch the Royalty Checks come in from the ANTI-Mormons, Inc. publishing house.
Now the WIFE has a different story, as SHE had to go back to the old grind on Tuesday.
She may get to retire real soon though, as these MORMONs running for National Office has REALLY put curiousity about MORMONism at an all time high; creating an unimaginable uptick in sales!
Seems the whole COUNTRY wants to find out about MORMONism; esPECIALLY the parts that SLC seems to want to de-emphasize.
I’ll bet many of the DEAD wish that THEIR name could be removed!
- - — - - -
Seriously. Shame there isn’t a way to keep them from dead dunking someone.
Oh, it would be both of those as well. Guarantee it.
Ha ha - you can't; 'cause it's right there in our Scriptures!!!
--MormonDube(In 2 Nephi, Enos, Omni, Jarom or SOMEWHERE!!)
In one of Smith's translations - and I'm 80% certain it's from the 1830 Book of Mormon - he translated "they came a runnin'", "they come a runnin'" or something very similar.
When I search, all I'm finding are LDS sites about how Smith came running through the woods holding the gold plates under one arm.
My LDS research is catalogued as more of a study from "these things did or didn't take place in American history" than 'aha!', so I don't have a "Smith said they came a runnin'" note.
Anybody? Anybody? Bueller? Bueller?
Saundra? I have another "Ask a Mormon" moment. I thought i would ask you, given that you've promoted both FAIR and MormonVoices. Where ordinary Mormons tell people what Mormons believe?
Resornu says that the LDS never practiced plural marriage. I'd like to find out from another Mormon.
Saundra? Did the LDS ever practice plural marriage? (You know; polygamy or polyandry.) Did the LDS ever practice polygamy or polyandry? Was Joseph Smith, Jr. a polygamist?
I'm asking a Mormon. On behalf of another Mormon.
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