Saundra | 7:48 p.m. Aug. 1, 2008
So Dan Fischer used to be one of THEM - did all the things he accuses THEM of doing - and now hates THEM and all THEY stand for, even though he once believed as THEY do. What a royal hypocrite!
Stinken | 8:23 p.m. Aug. 1, 2008
FLDS come a dime a load. BLAH!
x | 8:31 p.m. Aug. 1, 2008
I always read the news articles about the FLDS and always find it interesting that most of people all have the same last names.It sounds like this mans past is coming back to haunt him.I am not part of the FLDS people, but it seems that they are always on top of things.If someone is messing with them, they are there to defend themselves. Some where along the line,the lies will catch up and the government will have one big mess.This is sad.
Comments continue below
Hey Saundra | 8:41 p.m. Aug. 1, 2008
If it wasn't for the kind of people you call hypocrites, the Nazi elite would never have been charged for their war crimes. Coming to grips with a life lived wrongly and then trying to right it is considered by most to be honorable. No matter, whether he is trying to deal with a guilty conscience, get even, or maybe just trying to do the right thing, he is a witness against an evil. Thank goodness for people like Dan Fischer.
shameful | 8:41 p.m. Aug. 1, 2008
Don't kid yourselves, the Flds men are raised to abuse women and children.
Gal50 | 9:15 p.m. Aug. 1, 2008
Religion is about beliefs, which may or may not end up being true. Families physically exist in all their flesh and blood.

Letting something unproven like religious beliefs come between family members is ridiculous. It's another stupid characteristic of cult behavior. I don't think followers of any mainstream religion cut off family members based strictly on their religious beliefs. Family members may be unhappy about other family members' belief systems especially when they don't line up with their own. But, they aren't going to behave childishly and sever the relationship.

Squabbling inside the Senate building is totally inappropriate. These people need to learn to get along with each other instead of so often disconnecting from one another. Making ex-FLDS non-entities does not serve the FLDS cause because these people will attack.

One sign of a crummy religion is that members continually divide the church because they have cat fights over a difference in beliefs that they can't even prove to be true. Look in the yellow pages - many of these denominations have split numerous times. Aren't there something like five polygamy groups all broken apart from each other after breaking away from the LDS church? This isn't stable.
Gal 50 | 9:43 p.m. Aug. 1, 2008
I agree with much of what you post--however, you are sadly uninformed if you don't think people disown family members over religious differences. I was not allowed to see my sister for eight years after I joined a church my father didn't like. My best friend was a college student who turned 18 and joined a church she had waited to join for 3 years. Her parents cut off all their help in the middle of s semester, leaving her without the next month's rent or any food money. 40 years later they are still angry with her.
My great-uncle didn't marry a girl he loved because the families objected--one was Catholic and one was Episcopalian.
I lived among the Amish and Mennonite communities in Pennsylvania for many years and they shun apostates--you couldn't even eat at the same table with a family member if he or she had been excommunicated.
I don't like the cult word--it's derogatory and unnecessary, since you, yourself say that religious differences are about things we can't prove to be true. Let's call other religions than ours "other religions" or "other sects" and not name call.
Congress is searching for truth? | 9:50 p.m. Aug. 1, 2008
I don't think so. I think if they wanted a fair hearing, they would have taken testimony from both sides, not just from those who have left the FLDS. Certainly their testimony should be included, but so should the testimony of the other side. Interesting that the FLDS couldn't respond to the testimony until they heard what it was--BUT the committee didn't allow them any time to make that response! NO FAIR!
RE: Sandra | 10:22 p.m. Aug. 1, 2008
I agree with "Hey Sandra". So I add my two cents... I don't know anything about Mr. Fischer... at all. But, how on earth can anyone take any stand in your world view? Because he lived a lifestyle he now believes is wrong, he cannot take a stand? Should he crawl up in hole for you? Should he still be there with them, living a life he knows is wrong so he never can appear a hypocrite to someone like you? I'm glad there are a few Mr. Fischers out there as people are glad there are X members of all religions to "shed light" on the beliefs and practices all over the world. We must take what he says with some degree of skepticism no doubt - but I find his philanthropic efforts admirable at least. His true motivations, as yours or mine, will never be truly clear to anyone. But he is a wealthy man who's certainly experienced his share of failure, disappointment, and enemies. I feel satisfied to let him do with his resources what he will, and glean at least some piece of truth regarding the cult known as the FLDS.
MoJules | 10:44 p.m. Aug. 1, 2008
How did his daughter have a phone in hand, I had the understanding that they pretty much keep phones, TV's and computers away from the women and children. Fisher is not denying that he did get physical, but he is saying that it was exaggerated. I tend to believe him over the FLDS, because when they are in the group, they are told what to say and how to say it.

It is terrible what is done with these young boys, and maybe Fisher has not been perfect, but good heavens, he has literally saved many young lives. I respect him for the good things that he has done.
Tina | 11:20 p.m. Aug. 1, 2008
This FLDS abusive life style needs to stop NOW! This stuff is very evil and wrong.... Enough is enough!!!

I think all the FLDS men need to be neutered. Then they will no longer have an abuse weapon! I'm not kidding either!
re: Congress is searching | 11:56 p.m. Aug. 1, 2008
The FLDS had nearly a week to respond. Parker was able to put together a response in 7 days (timely enough to generate a news story) but couldn't submit his response to the committee within 6 days because they didn't give him enough time.

hmmmm....seems like something is missing here. I'm not a lawyer, but maybe the FLDS didn't want to respond formally because a written response could be used against them in a criminal court. It must be terrifying to be so desperate.
ya buddy | 12:45 a.m. Aug. 2, 2008
Where do you get your information. I am flds and I have never heard of keeping phones and computers a way from women and children. We had access to computers when Atari and Tandy where big before IBM
came out. Look at pics from Texas's terrible raid.
Most of the ladies had cell phones. Just one more lie you have swallowed. It's jacked pill is't it.
saga drags on | 1:17 a.m. Aug. 2, 2008
The FLDS saga rolls on although maybe one or two wheels are off the wagons in the circle? Unless and until the remaining women in this complex family realise they are under attack because of their tolerance of abusive men and the removal of adolescent boys no matter how much legal representation they deploy there is an inevitable crunch coming. Who is leading this pantomime these days? Their property is under threat and "church" was never constituted as such other than in their own minds. Most of humanity sympathises with the position of their children but questions their own morality in accepting the practices now coming out in the dirty laundry. Time for change?
To: ya buddy... | 3:41 a.m. Aug. 2, 2008
I never would have thought and FLDS to have such manners and speak in the way you are speaking. How disrespectful.

It's a shame, the things people | 3:41 a.m. Aug. 2, 2008
say and do in the name of religion.
Sleuth | 6:21 a.m. Aug. 2, 2008
Polygamy isn't intrinsically evil. Cultures practiced polygamy before western civilization demonized it. The same is true of "pubescent's" engaged in arranged marriages and procreation with mature persons. A larger more serious problem, ignored and judged less severely than polygamy, is STD's.

Notice FLDS are STD's free. Compare FLDS with 134M new cases of syphilis, 1.3MM gonorrhea, 24MM HPV occurring each year. 63% of all STD's cases occur among non-polygamous Americans less than 25 years of age. AIDS, not polygamy, is the leading killer of non-polygamous Americans ages 25- 44, It appears that monogamists are simply not "monogying."

Polygamy pales in significance when compared with 68% of men and 59% of women involved with more than one person that their current partner or spouse doesn't know about and 47% of men and 42% of women understating the number of previous and current sex partners in order to convince someone to marry them or to have sex.

The FLDS issue is Law forbids marriage/sex with minors by adults; nothing more. If you know names of persons, the time and place of their offense and can provide evidence of the same, then report the crime; otherwise stop bellyaching.
Emma | 7:32 a.m. Aug. 2, 2008
Many of the supposed "lost boys" were not lost boys at all but adult men including age 23. Odd that in the SL Trib article you find quotes from Dan that include that he would have helped his wife and children "if they asked for help." I don't know about any of you, but my children need food daily and not occasionally and that it is reasonable to assume cost for food and clothing on a regular basis. His wife was rejected from public assistance because he had made investments in the names of his children. When he cashed them out, the money did not return to the children. Odd also that he left with his second wife, the prettiest one. He seems only to have left the FLDS and is in-between polygamist wives, and not that he left the lifestyle. Funny isn't it that one of his wives left the FLDS with his children but he could not muster aid to them.

Now imagine your trial which could only include those people that have issues against you. Would you consider that fair? I certainly don't and I'm neither LDS nor FLDS.
Cats | 7:46 a.m. Aug. 2, 2008
Everyone knows that I am no defender of the FLDS Church. It is a sick, abusive cult. However, as a fair-minded person and someone with a lot of experience on Capitol Hill, I think that the FLDS should have been allowed to testify. Actually, that might be the best way to expose them for what they are. These people clearly have no problem lying to protect themselves. But, by staying out of the hearings, they are able to claim, with some justification, that they are being unfairly treated. That's not what their victims, need.

I admire Dan Fischer for his work and the fact that he had the courage and honesty to see the light. It isn't easy to face the fact that you have been duped all your life and have been living something that is damaging to yourself and others.

I sincerely admire Dan, Flora Jessop, Carolyn Jessop, Elissa Wall and all the others who have had the courage and faith to escape. Many of these people are trying to help others do the same. They deserve our admiration and support.

As a committed Republican and say, "GO HARRY REID."
Sleuth | 1:36 p.m. Aug. 2, 2008
If FLDS were allowed to testify then it wouldn't be a "railroad job," now would it? The last thing FLDS foes want is a fair and level playing field to fight on.

In the final analysis, this dog and pony show won't prove a thing. A few mwn might be in jail, but thats all. If the FLDS simply knock-off even the appearance of impropriety regarding the underage sex routine, their adult-age spiritual marriage show can go on and there isn't a thing anyone can do abou it, at that point. They will then be consenting adults having sexual relations just like the people who are out to get them, So then what?
felonous lds | 11:27 a.m. Aug. 3, 2008
now let me get this right, we have people committing felonies and all the while want to be taken serious?
BV | 3:49 p.m. Aug. 3, 2008
With all these comments being said, FINE! Any woman or teenage girl who wants to leave now, GO! If there is someone you love and desire to marry, GO FOR IT! Supposedly you are free to choose who you will mary and when you will marry, so GO FOR IT! NO ONE HAS A RIGHT TO STOP YOU FROM MARRYING WHOM YOU PLEASE!
zxcvbnm | 5:31 p.m. Aug. 3, 2008

Great...an admitted polygamist .......no charges.
An admitted bigamist......no charges. Accused of abuse of wives and children.......no investigation. Does not provide child support to his children............
Where are the police?
MoJules | 9:23 p.m. Aug. 3, 2008
I do not doubt that Fisher was abusive, since this is the pattern of the FLDS society. What is wrong and sick is that the men do abuse, sexually and physically these women, at all ages, and then they turn around and tell them to go to the law and say, "I was abused". Of course you were abused lady, and you accepted it and you felt that was what you were suppose to do, I would not be surprised if you were abused into making these claims. But do you have proof, did you call and report it when it was done? I know it has been quite a while since Fisher left this group, cause I was aware of the lost boys when I was still in Utah, so that means, this abuse has been a few years ago, kind of a day late and a dollar short. But what can you expect from the FLDS, they know how to play the games, so maybe they do have computers.
Anonymous | 10:21 a.m. Aug. 4, 2008
If he left in 1996...wouldn't the kids he "abandoned" be adults?
son of perdition | 1:01 p.m. Aug. 4, 2008
here we go again with the old FLDS response..." oh yeah? ya think thats bad? well so and so did this"


these people are taught to lie from the cradle.
the FLDS danced for a long time, time to pay the band
zxcvbnm | 11:14 a.m. Aug. 5, 2008

Yep...........annonymous.....still owes back child support. Charges for evading support of his children.
He left with his "second wife"........polygamist. Did he divorce his first wife? Did he support the children from his first or third wives?
Has he answered the charges of abuse or the allegations that he bribed children to testify against their parents. Are his homes for boys regulated by the state.
One set of standards for the FLDS......another set of nonstandards for ex-flds.
Investigate the accusers and establish credibility before everyone believes their accusations. Dozens of allegations proved false in the Texas raid..........other accusations proved false at "shortcreek".
GOOD LUCK H. REID | 10:48 a.m. Aug. 13, 2008
MY HAT IS OFF TO CAROLYN, AND WALLS, AND HARRY REID, I'M SURE YOU WON'T WIN EVERY ROUND, BUT YOUR ALL IN THERE TRYING!! THANKS..

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