Comments about ‘Aug. 22 hearing is set for Jeffs’

Why aren't they forcing the alleged victim to testify, like they're doing in Texas?

Forcing someone to talk is like forcing someone to get married. It can't happen. You can't force someone to talk. You can't force someone to say "I do" at a marriage. This whole force thing is a lie. How do you force marriage? Have you ever thought about it?

re - force is wrong 9:16am

How do you force marriage? Just do whay the FLDS does.

Raise your child from birth telling them every day that their lot in life is to marry and have children with whomever the prophet assigns to them. Preach to them 10 hours a day about all the evil in the world and how your only salvation is to do whatever the prophet says or you will be damned to hell. Make them TRULY believe that their entire fate, forever, is determined by the success of an arranged marriage and how "sweetly" they treat their husband because only he can get you into heaven.

In other words, you brainwash them from birth to do exactly what you tell them to do. Since the entire outside world is evil, they only get an 8th grade education, and EVERYONE they know is doing exactly what they are told to do, they do it too.

And since the people that they trust the most to look out for their wellbeing (their parents) are telling them to do it, and since the child trusts these people unconditionally, they say "I do".

What don't you get?

Have you heard what Willie Jessop has been hinting? Two of the alleged victims are in fact virgins. That would be Teresa Jeffs and that girl being kissed by Warren Jeffs in the world's most infamous photograph. I knew the Texas authorites were dishonest. I didnt know they were stupid.

Subpoenaed witnesses are compelled to testify or face contempt of court charges, meaning jail time, and possibly losing their kids if they have any. That's apparently how they got the two women/girls to testify in Texas at the Grand Jury.

Isn't the FLDS calling Texas dishonest and stupid pretty much the pot calling the kettle black?

Jeffs marrying a 12 year old is sick. Did he have sex with her? Don't know. Just the fact that he married her and kissed her like that makes him a pedophile. That ok with you, Tommy? Cuz it certainly isn't ok with me, or with Texas, or with most of America.

Is the FLDS dishonest? Some, for sure, and probably most. They are raised that way. Is Texas dishonest? Some, to be sure, but probably not most. Most are honest, law-abiding citizens.

Is the FLDS stupid? Obviously, or they wouldn't have let someone like Jeffs take a fairly benign practice like polygamy and turn it into the sick mess that is today's FLDS. Is Texas stupid? No - although the CPS has plenty to learn.

The thing that makes the FLDS the most foolish (hate the word stupid - only used it because you did) is that they are true religious extremeists.

We see religious extremeism around the world, and it's always bad for the followers, especially women and children. (Oh, well - at least they aren't blowing things up.... yet.)

RC,
If it's a belief held sacred from birth, I wouldn't call it force. I know we will disagree on this, but I don't care. You would have to force me to choose my own marriage partner. I honestly believe that God can inspire my marriage, and you'll just have to tough it out if you don't like it.

Most of us get a lot more education than merely 8th grade. Those who don't bother to properly educate their children are the ones NOT living our religion. I know it boggles your mind, but the most faithful and stalwart people among us (and I'm talking about women here, too) are those who are the most highly educated and skilled.

You cannot "brainwash" someone from birth. Brainwashing is defined as "a non-violent method that uses mind control techniques to convince a person to abandon some of their basic beliefs and adopt the beliefs of the indoctrinator." Who's trying to do the "brainwashing" here?

Of course it's force. There is NO other way to look at it. And you are doing the brainwashing. You are forcing your children to adopt your (the indoctrinator's) beliefs.

Normally that wouldn't be an issue, and everyone does it to some extent. It's a parent's right. The problem is, and you will hate that I said this - you are a religious extremist. You may not realize it, but you are. Your ENTIRE EXISTENCE revolves around religion. And you are forcing that on your children.

There is nothing wrong with religion. But nothing good ever came out of taking things to extremes, and you take it to the limit and beyond.

By doing this, you are in fact removing most of your children's freedoms - especially future freedoms.

Now I understand you have your beliefs, and that's fine for you - it's your life. But I would spend a lifetime trying to convince your children that they have a CHOICE. That they are free to pick their own path. And your endless indoctrination and isolation removes free will and choice. In my mind, that's abuse. In your mind, you are saving them.

That's where we disagree.

by the way, From the Creek - I agree with you 100% that God can and does inspire your marriage. It's that flutter of your heart when you find your soul mate and fall in love. No one can tell you who that is - it just happens.

So if some elder tells you who to marry and you do it, you are actually just listening to some guy, not your heart. God works through your heart and your conscience, not through some elder.

Let your daughters and sons fall in love and marry their soulmate. Don't force someone else on them. That's not fair to them, and certainly isn't what God wants. He wants them to be happy - and no one is happier than a couple truly in love.....

sorry for all the mushiness, but there's nothing like true love. It makes life worth living. A forced marriage can make life a nightmare.