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Polygamous sect... polyga-mess!
Apr 19, 2008 | 12:03 AM
Category: News
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Could the polyga-mess get any messier?

The headline tonight reads: "Polygamous-sect children ordered to stay in Texas custody."

 WHAT A MESS for the state of Texas. Children's services will continue to care for 416 children. Foster parents may be needed ASAP! I can imagine the head of my Wednesday's Child adoption program banging his ahead against the wall and wondering where in the world he might find 416 foster homes if one day needed.

WHAT A MESS, WHAT A SHAME! A former sect member is saying jailed leader Warren Jeffs was marrying the girls as young as FOURTEEN years old. Another report said THIRTEEN. In a televised interview, a mother from the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints said she never saw that.

WHAT'S NEXT?
DNA tests are scheduled for next week to try and determine who is mom and who is dad. And, if any moms are underage!!! A young man claiming to be a relative of Jeffs says he was molested by Jeffs as a young boy. Any doubts that could be reality? Talk to the Catholic Church and THANK YOU Pope Benedict for acknowledging the molestation and victims during your U.S. visit this week.

WHAT A TWIST!!!??!!!
 Here's where the mess gets messier. Now there are questions as to whether the caller who prompted the raid... is a FRAUD... a prank! Officials never have found this 16 year old Sarah who claimed she was abused and raped by her 50-year old husband. Police have arrested a 33 woman on a charge of false reporting to authorities. They're giving few details on this one right. now. But the question is raised... was the raid even necessary?  The state believes there has been abuse. Individual hearings will be set for the children over the next several weeks.

WHAT A TRAGEDY
My heart breaks for the children. They must be so frightened and confused. They must long for the warm hug of mom. The familiarity of home. That is true is so many cases I deal with in the foster care system. Even when there's been abuse or neglect. The children want to be with their mothers.

FLDS mothers are suffering their own heartbreak. However, I anger when I see a saddened mother hold up her toddler's sock and baby photo album. The alleged crime that caused this raid paints a much different picture. That's the picture of a teenage girl being forced to have sex with a 50 year old man. Imagine that 13 or 14 or 16 year old being your daughter, your sister, or you! DISGUSTING!  And ILLEGAL.  We can only pray it is not true, we can only pray the initial call was a prank. We can only pray that past members who've left or escaped the sect have no basis for their allegations of abuse.

A Fox News poll said about 20-plus percent of the people they polled said the government raid with guns drawn was wrong. I have a colleague in that same boat... I mean vote. Police work is often not a pretty picture. My colleague seeing another side when I again painted the picture of the allegation at hand: forced sex between a 16 year old girl and a 50 year old man. I'm all for freedom of religion. But you don't RAPE the children.  You don't condone it or turn a blind eye... whether you're clergy, or wife.

For the state of Texas this will be one long, drawn out mess.  At best, this polyga-mess is a case of polygamy, which is in itself illegal.  Oh.... and the storyline for an HBO show, Big Love.   Did I miss the episode about the 14 year old marrying her 50 year old father???  Here's hoping that's only a Hollywood storyline.
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Member Comments Total Comments: 16
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Media read my blog view my photos
Apr 19, 2008 | 1:55 PM

Christine You have explained this mess very well. I feel for the children who have been victomized.The State has a responsibility to protect children.But here is a religious sect who it is said practices polygamy with minors.
That's gross disregard for children and the laws of our land.Parents seemly afraid to do anything as maybe they would face danger but that's really not an excuse.
I feel that the State of Texas even if they did violate rights may prove a more weightier violation against the religious group than their argument will probably not prevail.
But that's all legal stuff.I rewally do feel for the children most of all.
I pray that this will be resolved and that other groups like this will be called to accountibilty.
statueman read my blog view my photos
Apr 21, 2008 | 11:17 AM

I think that you make a good point, Christine_Devine, when you talk about the adult victims of the child molesting Catholic priests... it impressed me even as a protestant that this Pope spoke honestly and openly about this most serious problem. I see a parallel between that and the wifes and children who grow up in the FLDS. A life of mental molestation of sorts...

Does anyone else think it strange that nothing is mentioned of the fact that the FLDS beliefs fall in line with the original Mormon teachings that have evolved over the years. Africans are the seed of satan through Cain and the Mormon history cannot deny that such places like FLDS exsist to secure a "white and delightsome" people.

I'm sorry... it boggles my mind that folks are a part of a religion that is based on being white and everyones so suprised that people with such beliefs would seperate themselves since that's what racist polygamist do. The main Mormon church cannot deny their own racist history in believing that black people have no souls and are the seed of satan. Is it any wonder that the FLDS has such practices?
mystere read my blog view my photos
Apr 21, 2008 | 11:24 AM

Christine,

You couldn't have presented this any better! This is one big reason to vote in a defense of marriage act on a federal level...marriage is to be between 1 man and 1 woman only. I feel awful for those children who are victims in this raid. This is one extremely sad and heartbreaking situation. Media has said some brilliant things too! I recently blogged on Arnold Schwartzenegger caving in to gay marriage, which is a serious mistake too, and some of those responding to it don't realize just how bad it is if marriage doesn't get protected. I get sickened when people have no regards for marriage, period!

I wish you the best for your future; hopefully, I'll meet some nice Christ-Centered woman in the future and get married. Cheers!

"Mr. E." from Cypress!
sebar read my blog view my photos
Apr 21, 2008 | 2:56 PM

It gets even worse Christine. Add to the fraud caller, the marrying at 13, a government in total collapse from top to bottom (rushing headlong into (totalitarian Marxism) and you have a lot of great news stories to report...good luck!

American Author, Poet, Songwriter and Filmwriter
"Mark Paul" Sebar
The Power To Write The Best!
craftyguy read my blog
Apr 21, 2008 | 3:01 PM

dose anyone else remember the ray Stevens song IM my own grand paw?..dont understand polygamy one wife nagging is enough..
Twilight88 read my blog
Apr 21, 2008 | 3:45 PM

I suggest everyone read Secret Ceremonies by Deborah Laake. She was excommunicated by the church when it was published in the early 90's. She revealed the secret rituals of the temple and wrote about her struggle with the Mormon religion as a woman. She left Utah and worked for the New Times in Phoenix. Sadly, she committed suicide in 2000. These women are deeply troubled and only know this one way to live. They should not be punished this way. The only comfort they have now is in their children.
DfDeportation read my blog view my photos
Apr 21, 2008 | 8:38 PM

statueman,

Sorry, this Bishop of Rome didn't speak openly and honestly about the Child Sex Rings the Catholic Church has been running here in the United States. Then Cardinal Ratzinger and Roger Mahony worked their asses off to cover-up everything they could since the news broke back in 2002. This visit to the States was ALL political!! Nothing else! BTW - Roger Mahony wants ALL local parishes to give the Archdiocese $400,000 of their money to him..ha ha ha ha..I wonder what that's for??? ha ha ha The Catholic Church in America....IS DYING!!! Benedict is only here to add to the base of the Catholic Church by pushing for Illegal Aliens from Mexico and Central America to be given AMNESTY here in America! That's ALL he's here for!!
DfDeportation read my blog view my photos
Apr 21, 2008 | 8:47 PM

As for the FLDS? I'm not shocked at all! They ARE the original Mormon Church...

The two most pertinent questions that have NOT been asked or researched by ANY of the "so-called" journalists are:

1. How many people in the Compound are in this country, LEGALLY?

2. How many taxpayer funds were flowing into the Compound in the form of WELFARE and SOCIAL SECURITY checks?
Twilight88 read my blog
Apr 21, 2008 | 9:55 PM

Trust me. Everyone in the compound was legal.
Paul_D read my blog
Apr 21, 2008 | 10:21 PM

how many wives do the shieks in arabia have?
Twilight88 read my blog
Apr 21, 2008 | 11:22 PM

"was" meaning it is coming political.
Christine_Devine read my blog view my photos
Apr 28, 2008 | 9:02 PM

Unfortunately, it seems my fears are reality.
This is the latest... and first official word from children's services on suspected sexual misconduct.

From Associated Press: "More than half the teenage girls taken have children or are pregnant, state officials said Monday.
A total of 53 girls between the ages of 14 and 17 are in state custody. Of those girls, 31 either have children or are pregnant, said Child Protective Services spokesman Darrell Azar.
"It shows you a pretty distinct pattern of teen girls forced into underage "spiritual" marriages and sex with much older men.
FLDS spokesman Rod Parker said he does not believe the CPS count is accurate. He said that from talking to ranch residents, he believes at least 17 of the girls may actually be adults.
mystere read my blog view my photos
May 3, 2008 | 1:41 AM

Christine,

Please keep us up to date on this matter. You are doing a great job! The reason I'm asking you to keep us up to date is the fact that there are a number of people who are reading your blog, and staying diligent about praying for these women and children. We're all looking forward to your next blog; I stopped by to see if you had it yet...Don't worry; it will be worth the wait.
mrskiwi
May 20, 2008 | 3:36 PM

I have just finished reading "Escape" written by Carolyn Jessop. She was the fourth wife of Merrill Jessop, who is now running the FLDS after Warren Jeffs was arrested and put in jail. The story is horrific -- an absolutely chilling classic example of power corrupting others. The "funny" bit in the story is that she was married to Jessop because he said her name, when who he really wanted was her sister who was several years younger. The story of how the other wives treated each other and the others' children is chilling. It makes me so glad that someone, somewhere finally decided to take action to save the kids.
Christine_Devine read my blog view my photos
Jun 2, 2008 | 8:54 PM

6/2/08 from AP wire

The Third Court of Appeals ruled that the state failed to show that any more than five of the teenage girls were being sexually abused, and had offered no evidence of sexual or physical abuse against the other children.
All the children, including any underage mothers, will be allowed to go back to their parents, though it's possible some children's attorneys or child-protection officials could pursue further action in individual cases.
Christine_Devine read my blog view my photos
Jun 2, 2008 | 10:27 PM

The church's response: Amid the joy, a church elder announced a shift in sect policy aimed at keeping such a seizure from ever happening again: Future marriages would only involve sect members who were of legal age.
"The church will counsel families that they neither request nor consent to any underage marriages," said elder Willie Jessop, reading from a statement at the ranch in Eldorado.
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Christine_Devine

It has been my honor to work(anchor 10pm news) at Fox 11 news since 1990(yes, I started when I was 2!) Jokes aside, Fox 11 has allowed me to continue my passion for knowledge and education. My parents were both educators and stressed "knowing about our world." They were aid workers in Brazil(my heritage) and Africa and emphasized a caring for community. I love coming to work each day and being a part of "what's new." Fox 11 has allowed me to serve through our Wednesday's Child program. Our goal, to help children in foster care... who will end up on the streets at 18... find permanent safe homes. Through WC we are using the power and outreach of TV to find adoptive homes for children in GREAT need. My parents were foster parents and adopted one boy. I was adopted by my step-dad, which gave me the name "Devine." At home, I enjoying cooking and fitness. I have a new puppy for the first time since high school and am completely in love. (and with my fiance too!)

Member Since: 7/4/2006


 

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