I have made precious few comments about the scandal surrounding the Yearning For Zion ranch of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. What I can say so far is that just about the whole thing disgusts me.
For starters, if the allegations against the FLDS are true (in whole or even a significant part), the FLDS itself is disgusting. I wouldn’t say disgusting because of its isolation from society. Nor does it disgust me that they have large families in a communal setting. In fact, the polygamy and host of half siblings doesn’t really disgust me. What disgusts me is the alleged institutionalized sexual abuse. Regardless of age, non-consensual sexual relationships are disgusting. If it’s true that many of them are very young, it simply makes it even more disgusting. I do hope none of the allegations are true, but if they are, the real abusers are disgusting and are in need of some serious repentance.
Moreso, the media disgusts me. They have clearly crossed the line from journalism to mud slinging in their linguistic portrayal of the group. There’s no other accurate description for phrases like “renegade Mormon sect.” And it’s simply a matter of perspective as to whether the people at the ranch “lived insulated lives” and we’re a part of “mainstream society” or the other way around. Are we in an insulated world of sin, insulated from God? The obvious media bias against withdrawal from society is totally inappropriate.
Worse yet, they’ve made polygamy and the group’s separation from the rest of the world the main issue, and not sexual abuse which would be the real crime with real victims. A recent AP article mentioned polygamy four times, and used the words insulation, isolation and mainstream five times. That’s nine mentions of characteristics that aren’t, on their own, non-consensual, aggressive, or abusive. In that same article, they mentioned sexual abuse four times and only once mentioned the fact that young children were allegedly forced into marriage. What’s more important here? Is it that a large group of people were systematically and abusively forcing children into non-consensual sexual relationships or is it that they isolated themselves from society and practice multiple marriage?
And no diatribe on disgust would be complete without mentioning government. Where should I start? Would it be with the tipster who hasn’t been found, but whose phone calls resulted in an “emergency order” from a judge affecting a whopping 416 children? Would it be with the fact that those 416 children have been forcibly separated from their families and placed in government custody based on group association and not individual conviction of criminal activity? Or would it be with the apparent impending treatment of most or all the children legally as a group and not as individuals? Maybe we should start with what has all the markings of the presumption of guilt?
Having said all that, I am glad that it appears nobody was killed in the process of destroying whatever good there may have been with those families. Now, I suppose, we should pray that the truth comes out and that the people handling those cases handle them wisely. I pray that all of the abuse stops, and any actual abusers are properly corrected. But I also pray, whether we like it or not, that all of the non-abusive, loving family environments are restored as quickly as possible. And for those families who may become involved in this case via the foster care system, I pray they will have the wisdom to handle the situation with love, care, and respect for everyone involved.
V-
Interesting that this whole thing started soon after I wrote a somewhat similar blog about children and religion . . .
While I agree with you on most parts:
1. The relationships between consenting adults is no one’s business but their own.
2. The media is sensationalizing the whole polygamy thing.
3. The media is damning them for their insular society.
Here is where I don’t agree with you:
1. For the most part, in America at least, when you find a group of people who live in an ‘insulated’ way, while they say it is to avoid religious prosecution, it is because they really don’t want people seeing the illegal acts they are doing in the name of their religion. Locally we had the Papa Pilgrim case, where it turns out good ‘ol Papa was sexually abusing his children in the ‘Pilgrim compound’ in the name of God. Then there were the Rajneeshees in Oregon, but that was more fraud, money laundering and white slavery, than child sexual abuse, if I remember correctly. And now these people. It’s got nothing to do with following the word of God, and everything to do with hiding their dirty deeds. That is why, in general, in society, when a group withdraws it is regarded with doubt. They built their hidden their society to avoid discovery of that which they can’t do in the mainstream society. Because what they are doing is illegal. If it wasn’t then they would gladly open their doors to the world and show them just how holy they were being and why everyone should live that way.
2. Despite the fact that they have yet identify the caller should not be an issue – someone called for help, it was given.
3. The cry for help was based firstly on that particular person and what horrible, illegal things were being done to her – but secondly, the raid on the sect was because what was being done to her was an *ingrained* part of their beliefs, thus putting *all* minors at risk. I thoroughly agree that all minors should have ben removed from that sect.
Have you seen the interviews with the adult women of this sect? It is a very scary thing to watch. Stepford Wives came straight to mind when I saw them speak. They are either being drugged, have been emotionally or physically beaten to submission or, they’ve been lobotomized. Something is terribly wrong with them and they need serious help. They refuse to answer questions regarding the minors and illegal activities against them, let alone how old *they* were when they got ‘spiritually married’ (and raped on the bed in the church right after). When that issue comes up they can’t even look the reporter in the eye. They are hiding the truth and protecting the men, and, I’m sure, themselves. And of course they all went back – where else were they to go, the shelter? I’ve read of former members being threatened to be hunted down . . .so without their children, what else are they going to do?
By all accounts this sect promotes their belief in these illegal acts, therefore no minor should be returned to them, ever. I think, all adults returning to the sect should be surgically ‘fixed’ so no child will be born within their walls again. What these people are *forcing* upon young minds is an abomination. Insulating them from the outside world, telling them that it is evil, etc. is emotional and mental slavery. If they want to preach this to adults, fine – leave the kids out of it.
I think what needs to happen, and it may well go there – is a full DNA mapping of the sect. This will prove once and for all about minors bearing children(let alone the pregnant minors already removed form the compound), and, I have a pretty good hunch, they’ll find some incest in there, too.
For the men who get convicted of this . . . sexual predators (of both adults and minors) have among the highest rates of recidivism. They should go to jail for life. The women who sat back and let this happen . . . them, too. Perhaps the best thing to do is build a 50 ft wall around their compound, no doors, fix them so this vicious cycle will end immediately, throw them in and let them live out their lives amongst themselves, never to set foot in this ‘evil’ world again.
Regarding point #1, there are certainly many cases like you state. I would make two observations there, though. First, it it important to distinguish between illegal and non-consensual or aggressive. The examples you cite involve non-consensual or aggressive behavior (which is also illegal). There have been other cases where the reason for isolation is not to hurt others, but to avoid being hurt (by government). They may want to do something illegal, but not harmful to anyone else (stockpiling weapons for their own defense, for example). Second, while I’m not certain of all the legal details, there are some examples of groups that have largely withdrawn from society who have not engaged in aggressive behavior (Quakers, who at one time had a whole state, Amish, Shakers, etc.). So while isolationism does, sometimes, indicate a desire to get away with non-consensual, aggressive, or abusive behavior, that is not universally true.
Regarding #2, the media has reported that someone called and has yet to be identified. I suspect it’s likely that someone did call. I’ve not seen much information, though, to persuade me that a specific person within that compound who has actually been abused called. The paranoid conspiracy theory crowd has no difficulty imagining that the call was actually a government plant. While that, alone, isn’t so alarming, the fact that it is, as far as I’ve seen so far (and I haven’t followed the last few days, mind you), the *only* piece of evidence used to separate 416 kids from their families is quite alarming.
Regarding #3, if the abuse is, indeed, true, and if it is institutional, I would tend to agree with you. I haven’t seen video of any of this (I’ve just been reading an occasional article here and there), so I haven’t seen the actual reactions or mannerisms of any of the people involved.
While I agree that those who participated in sexual predation should be removed from this situation, appropriately punished, and not be enabled to repeat their crimes, I’m not sure either the real status of the acts are as easily discernible as you portray.
For starters, the question that needs to be answered is whether or not any of the minors who are bearing children are doing so consensually. The law can be very specific, however I do not believe that’s the very best guideline. There may well be non-minors who are bearing children non-consensually who should be treated as minors due to their mental state. It might also be possible that there are minors (under 18 or some other legal age) who are competent to make such a decision and did so consensually. I don’t know the details of this case, and apparently neither does anyone else. What concerns me is that the people involved will be treated as a group, not as individuals, and likely based on some legislated law, not based on what’s really appropriate for each person.
And as for the punishment, on its face, your idea seems appealing. Even if they required some outside assistance for survival, that might be cheaper than the traditional jail alternative. The very best thing would be for them to change their hearts…
V-
Wow, those are some fun coincidences. And just FYI – you got it wrong already 🙂 The day you were hired was the day *before* son was born (not after), and then daughter was born on your 1 year anniversary. 😀