Hey FLDS man | 7:18 a.m. April 29, 2008
You clearly are not FLDS, thanks for playing though. The fact is that the bigamy charge will NOT fly. The why is simple. The men were not legally married to any additional wives and were "spiritually married" only. How is that any different then what Hugh Heffner is doing with his three "girlfriends" except that the FLDS are without their own reality show.

And to the person that claimed they were Baptist and were not a cult because they could wear the color red. Get over yourself. I am agnostic and live in the Atlanta area. The baptist women in a class with me, hired people to go to the liquor store for them since their religion didn't permit it. They also damned me to hell complete with brimstone, with love of course, for not understanding the concept of Jesus. So spare me the "I am not a cult bit." You are, but don't recognize it from within.
FLDS Man | 8:49 a.m. April 29, 2008
You have NO right. I am a women and have as many God given rights as you. Get into the 21st century or move away to a third world country. You are not welcome here.
To "Non Baptist" Texan | 8:59 a.m. April 29, 2008
I am a person that has been very outspoken about these beliefs and I can tell you that it doesn't matter as much (or what Christian religion) helps these children...they just need help! Any Christian religion in the nation would help them to get these notions out of their head of women being second class citizens and of them needing to do the things they're told to "get to heaven". It's hurtful, ridiculous and not Democratic!
Comments continue below
To Comment | 1:45 p.m. April 29, 2008
You're welcome to your belief, but it's yours and only yours. Most of the apologists on here appear to be FLDS or worse yet, ex-mo's.

None of what you write can be authenticated.

I'm concerned about this lady. She, for all practical views is sincere but she seems a bit not grounded in what all she is promising to do. No one can do this much, she needs help. Baptists are good people.
Chris | 9:48 p.m. April 29, 2008
I think LDS members need to be honest with themselves. Regardless of your LDS or FLDS ties, both put stock in the Book of Mormon which has been proven to be unreliable, and for the most part, down right historically false. If you are an LDS member, or an FLDS member, you can't criticize someone's faith because your faith feeds people a bill of lies! You claim to be "Christian", but the Jesus you claim to know isn't the Jesus of the Bible! Stop claiming to be something you are not!
investigate | 10:12 p.m. April 29, 2008
After DNA tests, and no apparent fathers step up, tests need to be done on many of the LDS men, from the Salt Lake City area, that often travel to Texas, to find the real fathers of these abused children to prosecute them. This might explain the silence of the church leaders,......hmmm.
Anonymous | 10:56 p.m. April 29, 2008
Chris, I would put my Mormon Jesus being more in line with the Bible than the man-made doctrine of trinity that you believe in. When Jesus was on the cross why did he say Father why has thou forsaken me? Why would he ask himself why he has forsaken himself? There are thousands of scriptures that prove that God and Jesus and the Holy Ghost are three distinct beings. When Jesus was being baptized God spoke from Heaven and said this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased and the Holy Ghost descended as a dove. THREE distinct beings. So I would say that Mormons are the true Christians because we DO worship the true Jesus of the Bible. What does that make you?
true Christians? | 9:32 a.m. April 30, 2008
"...So I would say that Mormons are the true Christians because we DO worship the true Jesus of the Bible. What does that make you?..."

The Bible that you quote also notes that Almighty God many, many times proclaims that He is the only God, and that he knows of none other. How does this square up with LDS belief in many Gods? Note that I said "belief" and not "worship". There is only one God, the God of Abraham, and He exists eternally in three personages. That's pretty easy to figure out from reading the scriptures. He was not once 'a man', and did not have to 'perfect himself' (see John 1:1). What say ye? "True Christians" are not polytheists.
Brady | 10:09 a.m. April 30, 2008
To Anonymous | 10:56 p.m.,

Let's start on some common ground. The Mormons are very fond of C.S. Lewis. Go ahead and take a look at his "Mere Christianity." The entire book is based on C.S. Lewis' belief in the Trinitarian Doctrine, so you need to read it with that in mind. But pay particular attention to "Book IV: Beyond Personality," and specifically Chapter 2 in Book IV: The Three-Personal God. C.S. Lewis makes the Trinitarian doctrine understandable.

In the interim, perhaps you can help make sense of the fact that the LDS "Holy Ghost" is a "Great Spirit without body, parts or passions, who sits on the top of a topless throne, 'beyond the bounds of time and space', whose center is everywhere and circumference nowhere; who fills immensity with His presence and yet is so small He can dwell in your heart." Can you please tell me why, if God, the Father, is who we pray to, why do we need a separate god - Jesus, the Son, or the Holy Ghost god at all? And why did Joseph Smith pray TO JESUS (Jehovah) when he dedicated the Kirtland Temple?

You mock what you don't understand.
Anonymous | 12:32 p.m. April 30, 2008
return these children to their parents, who love them more then any living soul on earth.
RE: Matt | 4:51 p.m. April 30, 2008
There is a big difference between the FLDS living pologomy now and when the LDS church did it. When the LDS church did it it came from Jesus Christ and there was a reason for it. They never went around kicking all the young men out so that all the older men could have them. Not all LDS men had more than one wife. The reason why they did away with it had nothing to do with the government. It came from Jesus Christ. It just wasn't needed any more. If you want to find out the truth about the LDS church ask members and don't believe everything you read.
Karen Marie | 10:18 p.m. April 30, 2008
If Mormonism had never existed, Utah, Idaho and Arizona would be unlikely to have many, if any, polygamists. True, the Main LDS (Latter Day Saints)Church today is opposed to polygamy so long as it is against Federal & State law. If the LDS had kept practicing polygamy, with the fed. gov't knowing it, Utah would not have been allowed to become a state. Some of the LDS men hope to practice polygamy in the next life. If the law would allow it, many would practice it here now.
Mormonism (LDS) has 4 scriptures. It's their "Doctrine & Covenants" that taught polygamy was acceptable. Polygamists think the mainstream LDS Church has betrayed God's (alleged) Command to become polygamists. They believe that that command is still valid today & that all true believers are to marry polygamously. To stay single is taboo. It prevents them from getting to the highest of 3 kingdoms in the next life, or they get there they become servants to the others. Both the LDS & FLDS teach that.
It depends on your definition | 1:39 p.m. May 1, 2008
Of "Christian". If someone's definition is that of believing in the teachings and life of Christ then anybody that does is Christian. But, in the Christian world, there are many that believe that a person is not Christian if they don't hold to the main teachings of the traditional Christian church. In this respect, Mormons do not have some of those same teachings. Also, in the early church it was stated by Mormonism that Christians did not have a "true" religion...it was not desirable to be "Christian" in Mormonism (there may still be people that feel this way). So why should the main body of Christianity be happy that Mormons want to be "Christian" now? They used to condemn them...some of them still do.
Really? | 1:56 p.m. May 1, 2008
The reasons Mormons gave up polygamy had nothing to do with the government? Read Wilford Woodruffs "manifesto". He never said that he was doing away with it. He said (in essence) that he saw the destruction of the people. He very much did so because of the government! There is no mention of the Lord telling him to do it!
This is an incorrect teaching. The LDS church of the past almost met it's demise from it and now the FLDS are meeting their demise. Face the facts and then learn from them for the future. Polygamy is not "coming back" as some like to think. If you do, you will have the same unpleasant side effects.
Old Joe | 4:58 p.m. May 1, 2008
I think somebody just has to say it, nevermind compassion or understanding, the FLDS are just plain dumb!!!
Congrats to the Deseret News | 8:59 a.m. May 2, 2008
Finally the Deseret News has reported something newsworthy that got the Mormans thinking. With all of the problems we have in this world, we should all be greatful for a loving Father. He lets the rain fall on the spiritual as well as the unspiritual.

I'm glad to be a Christian. The trials and tests that face me daily let me understand more clearly what faith is. This article explains how a non-Morman woman has excepted a calling and is reaching out to Mormans to share her story. She is doing nothing different than the thousands of young men and women around the world telling others about the LDS relligion.

My wife is an non-Morman. However, no matter where we move, her name always appears on the local ward role call. I wonder if Ms. Mackert's name appears on her old ward role call?
Chris Plummer | 1:31 p.m. May 2, 2008
I love reading blogs of Christians who disagree about Jesus. In fact if Jesus were here, I bet that is what he would do.
C. Bonner | 11:51 p.m. May 14, 2008
I read through most of the comments. I know Mary Mackert and have for several years. Several have condemned Mary, when you have only read a story from the blog or from the news. Then refer to her and Baptists as a cult and evil etc.
Sounds like the pot calling the kettle black?
Mary is a compassionate woman who loves the Lord and loves people.
Some have suggested "How much money is she being paid for this?" Answer ... she is on NO ONES pay roll. A church may give her a love offering or gas money. But she survives on very little.

Interesting on how so many - in the name of Christ -condemn others while demanding compassion from the one they are be littling.

By the way, Baptists are NOT protestants and do not baptize for salvation. Faith alone - NO works.
We do not NOT believe that Jesus & devil are borthers either, Hiram.

John | 1:47 p.m. June 10, 2008
Sounds like some LDS people are upset because a Baptist (and a woman at that)is doing the work of God with the FLDS.

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Former FLDS member Mary Mackert, now a Baptist, talks about her life in the FLDS faith Sunday at the Central Faith Baptist Church in San Angelo, Texas.

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