Deseret News | Reader comments: FLDS case may hinge on diaries, dictations

Reader comments
FLDS case may hinge on diaries, dictations

please | 1:18 a.m. July 22, 2008

It seems that these people have been delivered from Jeffs. This is a very unfortunate man and I would dare say a corrupt man. Power handed down from father to son seldom leads to good leadership, it usually ends up in corruption, as power corrupts in most cases. Twelve, thirteen and fourteen year old girls! He has gone too far in his policies and "revelations". He may not have forced anyone to marry, but like a snake charmer, he convinced them to do these things. The worst thing he did was to rob these people of their freedom. The sad part is that in most cases they went along with it. I truly hope that they will not permit girls under 18 to enter into these marriages, and that they will give them the freedom to grow up and that they will allow them the freedom of choice as to whom they will marry.

awesomeron | 4:16 a.m. July 22, 2008

I do not care if the Case is Built with Tinker Toys, Legos, and talking Weabble People. Just build the case and sent this individual to Jail for as long as possible.

Cats | 5:37 a.m. July 22, 2008

What a tragic situation. Now that this evil man is being called to account, I hope the FLDS people will have a chance to escape from the clutches of their evil leadership.

Warren Jeffs has publicly stated that he is NOT a prophet, He NEVER was a prophet and he is one of the most wicked men of this dispensation. Actually since being arrested he has folded up like a cheap little $2 suit. He has attempted suicide and generally behaved in a way that no true prophet would ever behave.

I hope that Texas, Arizona and any other state in which this man has committed crimes against children will be able to bring him to justice.

When the Lord warned us to beware of false prophets, Warren Jeffs was one of those he was warning us about.

GOD WILL NOT BE MOCKED!

Comments continue below

Repent from Afar | 5:49 a.m. July 22, 2008

May Jeffs "Repent from Afar" for many years for the molestation of the FLDS's young women and boys --- I hope that one day the FLDS will realize the dammage that this one man did to their religion and culture through --- underage marriages --- relationships with young boys --- and the breaking up of families.

JrzWrld | 5:55 a.m. July 22, 2008

Interesting. By sealing underage brides to those men, Jeffs ensures that the FBI agent will not come between them. I believe the FLDS culture is seriously disturbing, but I don't believe these underage marriages are common. I do think, though, that Warren Jeffs had to ensure the loyalty of his closest supporters while he was on the run. Nobody seriously wants to prosecute polygamy between consenting adults, but he made them co-conspirators while he was on the run by enlisting them in these arranged marriages to little girls. They can't testify now without implicating themselves. Jeffs is a Machiavellian character all the way.

James J | 8:34 a.m. July 22, 2008

Let him without sin cast the first stone!

dlr | 9:20 a.m. July 22, 2008

Thanks James - I agree.

tigerlily | 9:27 a.m. July 22, 2008

good grief!! can't the court see that the 16 year old wants no part of the court hearings?

Cats | 9:49 a.m. July 22, 2008

To James J and dlr: That is a total misuse and misunderstanding of that scripture.

Sakeneko | 9:54 a.m. July 22, 2008

: Jeffs is a Machiavellian character all the way.

I wouldn't say that; Machiavelli was both sane and had some moral limits. :/ I agree pretty much with all the rest of what you said, though.

: Let him without sin cast the first stone!

Agreed, if you mean we shouldn't attempt to judge what God will have to say to Warren Jeffs about his actions. But most of the evidence that has surfaced about the FLDS suggests that many, if not all, of the crimes this group is accused of committing were the work of Jeffs and his buddies in the last few years.

If they'd simply lived polygamously, but without forced marriages or marriages involving girls under the age of consent, I doubt very much that they'd have had any legal trouble. There's almost no support among the American public for prosecuting polygamy practiced among consenting adults, and any conviction for it that was appealed to the Supreme Court might well result in the laws against it being thrown out as unconstitutional.

Warren Jeffs has been an unmitigated disaster for the FLDS. They need to be shut of him.

Anonymous | 9:52 a.m. July 22, 2008

Thanks- Repent from Afar, I AGREE!

Patricia | 10:11 a.m. July 22, 2008

I agree with JrzWrld--Jeffs knew exactly what he was doing here. His "revelations" always seem to be to his own personal advantage, rather than that of the people he is supposed to lead and protect. The bigger question is WHY do these people not see him for the false prophet he is when it is so obvious?? And give me a break, tigerlily, it is totally irrelevant what a 16 year old thinks she wants--any responsible parent knows that!

Anonymous | 10:11 a.m. July 22, 2008

Those who live in glass houses shall not cast stones. Meaning that to judge even one person or circumstance is to build walls of unreliable materials around you. As you cast stones remember it will come back to you.

It is not our place to judgeï¿½I just wish bad things would not happen and make us question the way things work.

Cats | 10:24 a.m. July 22, 2008

To Sakeneko: Very well put. Very well reasoned and right on target.

As much as I hate polygamy and as much as I consider the FLDS to be pathetically misguided souls, I don't think they would have had any legal trouble if they hadn't followed Jeffs and his disastrous policies and behavior.

I hope these poor people, especially the women, can now have a chance at a real life. I applaud Flora Jessop, Elissa Wall, Carolyn Jessop and others who are trying to help these women get free of this evil leadership and have a chance.

Anonymous | 11:28 a.m. July 22, 2008

Amen to Cats. We are to judge righteously...if you read the scripture correctly.

Judge Not | 12:00 p.m. July 22, 2008

For you will be Judged as well
I suggest you let the law take care of this
and no I do not trust the Judge

To Cats | 12:28 p.m. July 22, 2008

Who said Flora, Elissa and Carolyn are trying to HELP? The only thing they're interested in HELPING with, is trying to ruin as many people's lives that they were onece associated with as possible! They have to blame the reasons of why they are so miserable on them.

Oh, and I'm sure they do care about their book sales
that's about it!

Cammy | 12:30 p.m. July 22, 2008

Oh! brother, you people are EL-NUTSO!

realitycheck | 12:38 p.m. July 22, 2008

The FLDS has brought all of this on themselves. If you put all your trust in one man, and blindly follow even when he's obviously off-track, then you get what you get.

There is little hope for these people. They all still have Jeffs' picture on their walls, and still consider him to be their prophet. As long as they are willing to follow an obviously deranged person, they will have trouble follow them.

And those of you throwing out scripture and talk about judging - if nothing is done, crimes and abuse will continue. It is our duty to protect innocent children from the likes of Jeffs. What exactly do you not understand about that? Isn't that in a scripture somewhere? If it's not, then the author missed it, since it's blatantly obvious we should do all we can to help children.. Perhaps a re-write or edit job is in order.

Are there qualified people to re-write/edit now, or did it all have to be done back in the early ages? Not sure how that works... Anyone know?

L | 12:59 p.m. July 22, 2008

AND SO IS i

Re: L | 1:12 p.m. July 22, 2008

Yes you are.

honestly | 2:41 p.m. July 22, 2008

Carolyn and Flora and others like them are heroes! They had the intelligence to see through this farce of a prophet and all of his friends, and they had the intelligence to do something about it! It took great courage and was a very difficult thing to do! These old men can't really support the extra wives, they leave young widows when they die and they rob young girls of their growing up years. There is a lot of poverty going on among these people. I don't begrudge them one bit the money they make from the books. They are trying to get the story out and if you listen to them, they are not trying to get back and they seem very reasonable, and I believe they are saddened to be apart from their relatives and people.

E | 2:50 p.m. July 22, 2008

To Cats - Why would you trash anyone from leaving the FLDS community? How is Carolyn, Flora, or Elissa ruining peoples lives??? I personally think that their story should be shared for everyone to know the truth about the FLDS and its so called prophet. Shame on you!!!!

Civil Liberties | 3:20 p.m. July 22, 2008

Why do so many of us rant if the Government wants to use information gained from monitoring oversees phone-calls from known terrorists... Yet we have no problem with the Government using personal diaries, etc, seized in an obvious case of illegal search and seizure?

Our liberal politicians push to close Guantanimo and for the release of terrorists being held in Guantanimo, but we have No-Problem with the government holding 400+ US citizens without charges?

It seems like Terrorists have more rights and public support than the FLDS do, and they are American citizens!

It seems we have less tolerance for members of a mis-guided religion that poses no threat to you and me than we do for terrorists who have pledged their life to our distruction.

James J | 4:16 p.m. July 22, 2008

Where did I once say that he should not stand trial and go to prison for what he has done??? Never.
what I am saying is that just because someone is messed up, we don't need to judge him, maybe he is thinking he is correct. There are a lot of things in the lds church that seem weird to the world, but we still follow because we believe in the truth of it. Maybe jeffs and his followers believe their in the right? Looking inward i bet we see a lot in common with our FLDS brothers and sisters, maybe just maybe we should focus on that, not our differences.

common sense | 5:06 p.m. July 22, 2008

All the perverts who would listen to this whack warren jeffs, has got to be mentally challenged. Children being brides at 12 yrs old, is SICK!

Anonymous | 6:37 p.m. July 22, 2008

To James J. No there is not much in common between the LDS and FLDS, because the FLDS are apostate and are bearing the fruits of being built on a rocky foundation. They are a false copy of the real deal and this is often how the adversary deceives.

Tina | 7:52 p.m. July 22, 2008

Geeze, every time I see a picture of Warren Jeffs it gives me the HEE-BEE-GEE-BEES!

Woodyu | 9:39 p.m. July 22, 2008

Where are all the young men between 18 and 25. Do any of them have or share the same wife. Just, where are they?

Mitch | 11:49 p.m. July 22, 2008

Whoa, boys...those excerpts of Jeffï¿½s writings are pretty bizarre. Jesus tells him who to marry off? Are you kidding? And you FLDS bought into this hook, line and sinker? Seriously disturbing. Just once, try living life WITHOUT ANYONE to lead you around. Recommended by millions of happy people.

Nan | 8:02 a.m. July 23, 2008

It is good that they have dealt with this problem. Now they need to go into any hospital where underage girls are giving birth, take them into care, start arresting their rapists, and charging their parents with neglect as well. The FLDS is certainly a freak show and needed to be dealt with, but they aren't the only problem like this out there. It is past time for society to address the larger problem.

MysteryRenee | 10:59 a.m. July 23, 2008

kudos, thumbs up, and horay! to Texas for not backing down.
Way to go Texas!!!!!

The Truth (to realitycheck) | 10:00 p.m. July 23, 2008

Scripture very clearly speaks to the response government should take towards child molestation.
First see Matthew 18:6-
But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
Also see Romans 13:4
For he [the ruler] is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

God gives government the authority to judge and to exact punishment. I pray that the truth about who is guilty of what will come to light, and that any child molesters will get their just deserts. Jeffs should have listened to Romans 13:14 which says,
"But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof."

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