Comments about ‘Witnesses shed light on life of polygamists’

Pres. Lincoln said "As I would not want to be a slave, so I would not want to be a master". This system is good for neither men nor women. I find the practice of polygamy repugnant now as I would have in the 1800's. If the Lord wanted to have more members of the church, He could have inspired more people to join the church. The idea of being married to one woman and then continuing to court is just plain wrong.

The church should seriously consider dropping D&C 132 or excising verses referring to plural marriage. Many members still find this concept troubling, including the current LDS practice of sealing a second or third wife to one man after death of a first wife.

Pay attention folks. This is exactly how it was in the LDS church in the days of Joseph Smith and Brigham Young. Joseph Smith himself married a 14 year old girl (Helen Mar Kimbell) stealing her youth and changing her life forever.

While no expert on the facts of the case, but in reading the article I get the impression that you could subistute "The Pope" or "Rev Jones" for Jeffs in some of the points made and reported in this article.

Let me try to make a comparison, it seems others could be made too. You could say that the Pope said all good members should eat fish on Friday and that obedience was necessary for salvation. There might have even been some pressure to have resturants or school lunches serve fish on Friday. I don't like fish, or I don't want fish, maybe I am even alergic to fish but I am taught that I should obey. Do we take the Pope to trial for what he believes to be a true tennant of the religion he heads?

It seems to me that this is where we are heading and this trial has possible adverse effect for freedom of religion which is one of the tenants of our United States of America. I am sure this is not the only 14 year old in history that a Pastor has suggested should get married, maybe even for oppossit reasons like she is already with a child outside of marriage.

I am at a total loss as to how this sect is allowed to practice polygamy which is against the law. Is it the sheer numbers that exist? Is the state of Utah
going to continue to turn a blind eye while children are sexually abused, fathers have to ask their chilren's names because there are so many while these people are allowed to practice their "religion" illegally? When is Utah going to step up to the plate and do something?

Times change. Please don't judge the church or its members for something that happened 150 years ago. These people who call themselves FLDS are not LDS and should not be compared to us at all. We may not understand everything that has happened in the past, but please let us worship the way we believe. We are not practicing polygamy, nor are we in favor of those who do.

I totally agree with the above contributions. And I might add that it is so offensive to women that any man would think he can be married (or sealed) to more than one woman here or in heaven! As the above contributor mentioned, the whole thing is just another idea of slavery (but for women). If the LDS church wants to continue to succeed it should take a good look at this. They should also look at other fallible beliefs.

To L:
She is a 14 year old being forced to have sex against her will. What is the matter with you. Your comparison is stupid. I am all for the freedom of religion but what about the freedom of a 14 year old that doesnt want to have sex with her 1st cousin. Seriously, are you for real?!

For every man that has 4 wives there are 3 men that have no wives, unless infanticide is practiced and 3 of 4 boy babies are killed. What is the future for most of the boys born in this society, when homosexuality and masturbation are forbidden? If they are doomed to be celibate, wouldn't it be more merciful to castrate them at birth? The institutionalized inequality of a polygamous society nauseates me. It reminds me of the "Freemen" and their "natural born taxpayers" and "natural born nontaxpayers". What is really distressing is that they don't even see the total unfairness of their society.

I wish that the Utah press would stop making this a big story. Those outside of Utah will keep associating Utah and the LDS religion with polygamy.

HMMMmmmm I am under the impression that having sex with a 14 year old is called child molestation, and they have to register as such. It is where I come, whether the child is male or female, it is still a felony, and whether the molestor is man or woman, it carries the same penalty.
me...:>(

give the past a break, this trial is about a non-Mormon religion that does not feel they have to obey the law, and this young girl was 14 and I feel incest should be charged, Jeff's and others need to be held accountable for this. these children can not even function outside of the twin cities of Hilldale and Colorado city cause they (females) have no education. Consensual no way, she was a child. It is time to stop this rape of young girls, and welfare fraud, and abuse of power.

Dear M - Yes I am for real and I understand there are a lot of places around the world wher marriages are still arranged and preformed at young ages. I do not necessarily agree with them, nor do I agree with some of the other things they might teach. I think this trial, by what I am reading is whether Jeffs was a minister and authorized under the law to teach religion as their Church believed it and to marry individuals as a Church ordinance, just as my Pastor. Yes, he influenced her (and her parents) as many ministers & counselors have done, but the use of "forced her" may be a little strong for me as it implys holding her down forceably.

I don't happen to agree with what was done, but until we make a law that applies to all religions (and non-religions) that a group cannot teach or advocate marriage (or sex) before 21 or some age I can't see that he has not done what I know other ministers have done . Told people to get married and love your spouse.

I do know that in some areas there are laws to protect children from exploitation (labor laws are an example to prevent "child labor"). Maybe what we should be doing is encouraging the lawmakers to debate things like legal ages for marriage (for the good of society) and punish any pastor, judge etc. who violates the law. Until that time ministers or counselors are free to teach whatever their religious convictions indicate.

Sorry my comparison didn't strike you the same as it did me when I was told my salvation was at stake if I didn't eat my fish!

To the moden LDS they are probaly not aware that they belong to the sanitized version of the LDS church. All that is now repulsive practices, has its roots in the so called prophets of their church.

There are consequences for using God's name in vain or one breadth you say you know God and in another say that we don't really understand these obnoxious practices that God has directed our prophets to institute.

God Blesses and if your life is meant to be a TEST so it shall be granted to you.

It's apparently evident that the FLDS groups are stuck in the 1800s, for the sake of religion.
Separation of church & state certainly allows for we Americans to practice freedom of religion.

Religion is fine; however, when the religion involves minors to perform sexually all in the name of "obedience". Who's obedience law is being spoken of?? Is it that of God, or is it the law of Warren Jeffs?

Scaring, controlling, ordering, even suggesting that minors (which are controlled with a limited mindset to begin with) perform sexually is absolutely wrong. When these children have no formal education, no tv, no radio, no media allowed lifestyles. That is control beyond my comprehension. But apparently not for Warren Jeffs.
Forcing a child to do something that is supposedly being done in the name of God does not justify our religious freedoms granted within the USA. I feel that WJs is now where he should be. On trial.
"Innocent until proven guilty", but with the witness giving their own personal accounts of what happened and the facts-as they know it, should be enough for anyone to see that this isn't right...
While the youth do NOT get a fair shake in compound settings, and it's more about control and power by this proclaimed prophet. The youths that endure this kind of treatment are left traumatized for the rest of their life. Not to mention the physical handicaps that some of them incur, due to incest.

May God be with these children, that seem to have no one else to look out for them. Even the mother bird takes care of her offspring-better than this!!

As a member of the Church I struggle with the comment often made that "it was 150 years ago" or "we now excommunicate those who practice polygamy" etc. As far as institutional change, it is great that the Church abandoned polygamy. But as a member, polygamy (along with other things of course) is central for me to the question of the truthfullness of the Gospel as restored by Joseph Smith.

There is no getting around the fact that polygamy was considered central to the gospel and to salvation. Many general conference talks made that clear. It was not about numbers of children or anything other than a revealed gospel principle - and one that was widely accepted as being practiced by the Savior and others throughout time. I believe members must accept the doctrine of polygamy as part and parcell to the gospel. No picking and choosing here no matter your feelings about it.

So many condemn the church for past polygamy, call it slavery or whatever you will. I wonder what you call abortion? Do you feel that is a choice? I call it downright murder. If you have problems with polygany, but not abortion, I think you have a serious problem.

I've got 10 bucks that says "L" is a polygamist. Any takers?

To L: And you are sitting there splitting hairs because the 14 year old CHILD wasn't "forced" - she somehow agreed to marry someone old enough to be her grandfather? As M said, get REAL and see it for what it is .... anywhere else these men would be considered predators. And YES, I am LDS and I will never understand why these people are not arrested and punished!! Sounds like a pretty good set-up to me if you happened to be perverted!

to 1337,

I have not heard ANY reference that FLDS is also LDS.

This is a big story that has to do with the wrongful advice and implications of sexuality regarding that of a 14. yr old.

We are not discussing the labels such as FLDS/LDS. There is a MORE IMPORTANT topic on hand. That of the FFFFFFLDSers and their way of controlling our youths of America into a wrongful act that traumatizes them for life.

If one cannot help the problem, then MAYBE they are part of the problem??!!!!!!

to 1337,

I have not heard ANY reference that FLDS is also LDS.

This is a big story that has to do with the wrongful advice and implications of sexuality regarding that of a 14. yr old.

We are not discussing the labels such as FLDS/LDS. There is a MORE IMPORTANT topic on hand. That of the FFFFFFLDSers and their way of controlling our youths of America into a wrongful act that traumatizes them for life.

If one cannot help the problem, then MAYBE they are part of the problem??!!!!!!