Posted on 04/06/2008 5:27:22 AM PDT by SkyPilot
Local and state officials entered the temple of a secretive polygamist sect late Saturday, said lawmen blockading the road to the YFZ Ranch near Eldorado.
The action comes hours after local prosecutors said officials were preparing for the worst because a group of FLDS members were resisting efforts to search the structure.
The Texas Department of Public Safety trooper and Schleicher County sheriff’s deputy confirmed that officials have entered the temple but said they had no word on whether anything occurred in the effort.
The incursion into the temple caps the three-day saga of the state’s Child Protective Services agency removing at least 183 women and children from the YFZ Ranch since Friday afternoon. Eighteen girls have been placed in state custody since a 16-year-old told authorities she was married to a 50-year-old man and had given birth to his child.
Saturday evening, ambulances were brought in, said Allison Palmer, who as first assistant 51st District attorney, would prosecute any felony crimes uncovered as part of the investigation inside the compound.
“In preparing for entry to the temple, law enforcement is preparing for the worst,” Palmer said Saturday evening. They want to have “medical personnel on hand in case this were to go in a way that no one wants.”
Apparently as a result of action Saturday night at the ranch, about 10:15 p.m. Saturday, a Schleicher County school bus unloaded another group of at least a dozen more women and children from the compound.
Although members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, or FLDS, have provided varying degrees of cooperation to the sheriff’s deputies and Texas Rangers searching the compound, all cooperation stopped once authorities tried to search the gleaming white temple that towers over the West Texas scrub, Palmer said.
“There may be those who would oppose (entry) by placing themselves between law enforcement and the place of worship,” Palmer said Saturday afternoon. “If an agreement cannot be reached … law enforcement will have to — as gently and peaceably as possible — make entry into that place.”
Sect members consider the temple, dedicated by then-leader of the sect Warren Jeffs in January 2005 and finished many months later, off-limits to those who are not FLDS members, said Palmer, who prosecutes felony cases in Schleicher County.
Palmer said she didn’t know the size or makeup of the group inside the temple.
The earlier refusal to provide access was even more disconcerting because CPS investigators have yet to identify the 16-year-old girl or her roughly 8-month-old baby among the dozens removed from the compound, Palmer said.
“Anytime someone says, ‘Don’t look here,’” she said, “it makes you concerned that’s exactly where you need to look.”
The girl told authorities in two separate phone calls a day apart that she was married to a 50-year-old man, Dale Barlow, who had fathered her child, Palmer said.
The joint raid included the Texas Rangers, CPS, Schleicher County and Tom Green County sheriff’s deputies and game wardens from the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife.
Although CPS and Department of Public Safety officials have described the compound’s residents as cooperative, Palmer disagreed.
“Things have been a little tense, a little volatile,” she said.
Authorities removed 52 children Friday afternoon and 131 women and children overnight Friday. About 40 of the children are boys, said CPS spokeswoman Marleigh Meisner.
No further children have been taken into state custody since Friday, when 18 girls were judged to have been abused or be at imminent risk for abuse. CPS has found foster homes for the girls, Meisner said, and will place them after concluding its investigation.
Meisner declined to comment on the fate of the 119 other children and said authorities were still searching the ranch for others Saturday evening.
“They’re in the process of looking,” she said. “They’re literally about halfway through.”
But the Father and the Son did not disagree if you John there so many Places of where Jesus give the glory to his father.
John 17
How the Father and Son are one
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
John 10
He gained power over death from his Father
14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.
15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.
16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
John 7
He teaches his Father’s doctrine and proclaims his divine Sonship
14 ¶ Now about the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and taught.
15 And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?
16 Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.
17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.
19 Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?
20 The people answered and said, Thou hast a devil: who goeth about to kill thee?
21 Jesus answered and said unto them, I have done one work, and ye all marvel.
22 Moses therefore gave unto you circumcision; (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and ye on the sabbath day circumcise a man.
23 If a man on the sabbath day receive circumcision, that the law of Moses should not be broken; are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day?
24 Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.
25 Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?
26 But, lo, he speaketh boldly, and they say nothing unto him. Do the rulers know indeed that this is the very Christ?
27 Howbeit we know this man whence he is: but when Christ cometh, no man knoweth whence he is.
28 Then cried Jesus in the temple as he taught, saying, Ye both know me, and ye know whence I am: and I am not come of myself, but he that sent me is true, whom ye know not.
29 But I know him: for I am from him, and he hath sent me.
30 Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
31 And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?
John 12
To receive Christ is to receive the Father.
44 ¶ Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.
45 And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.
46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
47 And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.
I am so shocked and disgusted to find people on this thread DEFENDING this sicko cult’s practices (I am NOT bashing mainstream Mormons by the way) and trying to compare this to WACO.
This is human trafficking right here is the US. Its child abuse. Why are there so many here trying to make it out as a witch hunt by Law Enforcement and trying to paint these people as some kind of wronged religous martyrs? Unbelievable.
I am totally disgusted with the attitude of some of these posters.
I believe I read somewhere that Carolyn’s oldest daughter went back to the cult after she turned 18.
She was 13 when they left and she didn’t want to leave even then.
Already brainwashed.
Vile and evil. Everytime someone tries to justify this evil it’s only because they don’t believe there is anything wrong. They live among us too which scares me even MORE!
You wrote: “... the Unites States ... specifically Texas, have a huge honking problem with polygamy. We have one view for it: it is against THE law. The ONLY law. The one we all voted on and MADE the law. So all you LDS or FLDS or Fee-Fie-Foe LDS, listen up: we don’t need your stinking rationalizations. One wife. It’s the LAW. The ONLY law. Deal with it.”
As a LDS High Priest I’d like to personally apologize for the arrogant behavior of my church’s top leadership on Polygamy for the past many decades. We’ve winked at the abuse that was systematically taking place in Southern Utah and Northern Arizona because it put a big spotlight on an embarassing chapter of Mormon history that frankly we’d rather have go away. And in order to have a better public image, to bring in more tithepaying converts and to keep current members as tithepayers the church has purposely made sure through the Correlation program that the membership is ill-informed on the church’s history with polygamy and thus the missionaries go out spreading whatever stories they feel will help their investigators swallow the polygamy story best with total disregard by the top hierarchy over whether or not they tell the truth or not.
If ever there is a church in serious need of reform its mine.
Because she was property, not a human being.
The position of Mormonism on woman (and yes, both fLDS and LDS hold the same view), is that when women oppose men, it is tantamount to arguing with God.
There are other reasons women are treated this way.
So you see, unlike Christianity that equates male souls and female souls as equal in God's eyes and precious to Him, Mormonism teaches that a woman will be damned to hell without a celestial marriage to someone of the "preisthood."
If that isn't hellish propaganda, I don't know what is.
It a violation the the thirteenth amendment. If the money is followed I’d imagine also RICO acts.
I’m thankful Texas is handling this, and I believe they are doing a fine job.
If they CHOSE to dress this way, no problem. Something tells me they have never had a independent thought in their head or the ability to choose anything in their entire life. Big difference.
Disclosure on me: I won’t give another red cent to the LDS church leadership until they come clean completely on their history of Mormon Polygamy. I’m talking about the organization that claims 13 million members whose President is Thomas Spencer Monson of Salt Lake City, Utah.
You are not a "High Priest" sir.
Jesus is the only High Priest.
Hebrews 3:1 Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and High Priest whom we confess.
Hebrews 4:14 We have a great High Priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God.
I appreciate the rest of your post sir. There is a need for reform, but what really needs to happen is for people to turn to the real Christ.
I don't need an apology. An apology is needed by those who have deceived countless souls and lied to them about the truth. The same truth that Christ told Pilate.
WYLER: This is a fanatical religion. I mean, if you go back and look in Mormon history and see some of the things that’s been done in the name of religion. It’s not different now.
I don’t think you need to apologize for your church’s leadership. Unless you are in the leadership.:)
I am so glad that Texas is doing this. I think these people also live in the Dakotas. I can see that compound being investigated too.
As I have said before, Jeffs make a huge mistake thinking that this would be tolerated like it has been in Utah.
Horrible, and so sad.
Wow. I respect your candor and thoughtful post. Thank you for your insight on this.
(Hope you have thick skin...you know some of the wing nuts here will coming at you@)
Kudos to you.
I am glad to see an LDS freeper who isn’t going to defend polygamy and all the imorality it leads to.
To even speak out about it (even here on FR) will open you up to threats, ridicule, name calling, Freep hatemail, deleted posts, threats of banning, and the like.
That's fine with me. I consider it persecution for Christ's sake.
By the way sir - thank you for your post. I do appreciate it.
I think Texas is doing a great job as well.
Sad situation. The ONLY good thing is hopefully some of these women can escape this life and the media can shine a nice big bright spotlight on the abuses of this cult and make it more difficult to operate. Their “leadership” are dangerous and deranged.
Shep is covering this in one minute! (FOX)
Were you aware that when Joseph Smith took his second wife he violated the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants prohibiting polygamy, in violated of the 12th article of faith, and was contrary to Jacob 2:27-30?
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