The Polygamy Scandal

[marcofthebeast]

I agree with StorminNorman and Superferret.

Polygamy is not the problem here, child abuse is. A man/woman should be able to have as many partners, husbands or wives they want. I see no harm as long as everyone is in agreement of the type of relationship they are involved in.

 

[Marx]

Not at all. If the women consent, and the man consents - more power to them. How is it any different than single parent homes?

Its not a choice I would make, but I wouldn't chose to have a man stick his thingy in my pooper.

I've never thought of it that way Norm. I just find it disturbing that people will try anything and it's in the name of God. Or it's in God's law.

 

[StorminNorman]

I've never thought of it that way Norm. I just find it disturbing that people will try anything and it's in the name of God. Or it's in God's law.

See, I don;t look at it as a religious thing. Some will see it that way, but its not for me to judge how one practices and lives out their religion. As long as it is not messing with others - more power to them.

 

[Marx]

Proliferation of the species, man. As long as it's between consenting adults, whatever happens behind closed doors is none of anyone's business.

I mean you guys do have a point. I guess I've never thought of it this way. My main problem lies in the child abuse accusations.

Oh, I'm sorry. Thought that was a message posted on a public board that anyone can respond to. I didn't know suddenly I have the power to read PMs...



But you did ask a loaded question that pushed your opinion of polygamy. You used the word disturbing in your question, implying that it was.

I don't appreciate your trying to pick a fight. How about we stick to the topic at hand and stop throwing pointless comments out that have nothing whatsoever to do with this conversation?

 

[Marx]

See, I don;t look at it as a religious thing. Some will see it that way, but its not for me to judge how one practices and lives out their religion. As long as it is not messing with others - more power to them.

I'm not trying to judge. I'm really not. I just find it disgusting how some people twist religion and faith into ways that it was not intended. You know?

 

[StorminNorman]

I'm not trying to judge. I'm really not. I just find it disgusting how some people twist religion and faith into ways that it was not intended. You know?

Always, but Monogamy does not hold a monopoly on that. Sadly.

 

[The Senator]

That being said - polygamy should be made legal. Marrying 15 year old girls away should not.

At the very least, laws which make polygamy illegal should be removed from the record. As long as all parties involved consent to the arrangement, the government doesn't have any business telling two or more adults who they can love and how they can love them.

 

[Marx]

Hearing for children at polygamist retreat grinds to a halt
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080417/ap_on_re_us/polygamist_retreat

 

[The Lizard]

The thing that I find amusing about this situation is how the mainstream Mormon church distances itself from the activities of these people as if there is no link whatsoever.

While it's true that the main LDS church gave up polygamy in the 1890s, would there honestly be these issues still going on today if they had never done it in the first place?

 

[Marx]

The thing that I find amusing about this situation is how the mainstream Mormon church distances itself from the activities of these people as if there is no link whatsoever.

While it's true that the main LDS church gave up polygamy in the 1890s, would there honestly be these issues still going on today if they had never done it in the first place?

The thing that bothers me is also the fact that these people twist faith and religion into this mess. They believe that it's only through polygamy that you can get to the "highest levels of heaven." So they manipulate these women and children.

I also find it laughable that mainstream Mormonism is trying so desperately to act as if this is a foreign concept to them. Ultimately, I think this religion cost Mitt Romney the nomination. People just weren't comfortable with it.

 

[Marx]

Here are several articles about the case in Texas, as well as a story about a former sect member who escaped.


Throughout all of this, we have yet to hear FROM THE MEN involved in this. They instead, seem to be hiding behind the women.



Ex-sect members escape polygamy, but not pain
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/04/16/polygamy.escapes/index.html

State "now a danger" to children, sect mothers say
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/04/15/sect.mothers/index.html?iref=newssearch

Rangers talk with polygamist ranch suspect
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/04/12/polygamy.suspect/index.html

Women return to Texas polygamist ranch
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/04/14/polygamy.retreat/index.html?iref=newssearch

 

[EdRyder]

The government was said to be contacted by a girl that was about 15 and was being forced to get married. (Which then led to the investigation and raid.)

That part bugged me from the jump.The police receive a phone call from a 15 y/o girl who alleges that she was forced into this lifestyle.And that prompts tptb to take 400 children into custody?And even after they have them, they cannot identify the caller?
And now they're discussing what to do with these children?As if returning the children wasnt the first thing that jumped in their heads when they have no case to speak of...
Its beyond odd,its totally suspect.

 

[Marx]

That part bugged me from the jump.The police receive a phone call from a 15 y/o girl who alleges that she was forced into this lifestyle.And that prompts tptb to take 400 children into custody?And even after they have them, they cannot identify the caller?
And now they're discussing what to do with these children?As if returning the children wasnt the first thing that jumped in their heads when they have no case to speak of...
Its beyond odd,its totally suspect.

I tend to think there was a little more behind it than that too Ed. There had to be something more for the raid to take place and the following removal of over 400 children.

 

[danoyse]

That part bugged me from the jump.The police receive a phone call from a 15 y/o girl who alleges that she was forced into this lifestyle.And that prompts tptb to take 400 children into custody?And even after they have them, they cannot identify the caller?
And now they're discussing what to do with these children?As if returning the children wasnt the first thing that jumped in their heads when they have no case to speak of...
Its beyond odd,its totally suspect.

It was a 16-year-old girl, and she allegedly called a family violence center to report that she was being beaten by her 50-year-old husband. She had one child and was pregnant with a second, and said that one of the man's 6 wives would hold her baby while she was being beaten.

I'm not sure how many times she called, but by the end she apparently started denying it all and told them not to come. They used probable cause to raid the compound. The girl had used the name Sarah Barlow, which is apparently the name a lot of women go by, and since she's not coming forward, they can't find her.

I thinks she exists, but she's too scared to turn herself in.

The fact is that among the 416 children, they have a number of teenage pregnant girls. Their mothers immediately change the subject whenever they are asked how young they marry, which to me says that it's true they're getting married as young as 13.

I don't care about the polygamy. If it's their way, they should be allowed to marry as many times as they want. But I can't stand looking at these little girls and thinking how they'll be used as teenage baby machines in a few years, and I can't stand thinking that the boys are going to be raised thinking something like that is OK to do.

That is abuse, and these kids shouldn't be condemned to it.

 

[Addendum]

Throughout all of this, we have yet to hear FROM THE MEN involved in this. They instead, seem to be hiding behind the women.

That would require something called balls

 

[Marx]

That would require something called balls

They have no problem manipulating and controlling the women and children in their community. I guess they can't actually stand up for themselves once they are painted in a negative light outside the community. It's sickening.

 

[The Senator]

Again, I thought sexually molesting children was illegal as well. Why hasn't the federal government raided every Catholic church in the country to hunt down and capture those priests who have sexually abused their altar boys? Why wasn't Pope Benedict XVI arrested and charged with hundreds of counts of endangering the welfare of a child, when he told the Catholic church to remain silent on the sexual abuse scandal back when he was working under John Paul II?

The Mormons are freaky and weird because a few of them like multiple wives. But, hey, the Catholics have tens of millions of followers worldwide, so I guess its acceptable.

 

[danoyse]

Again, I thought sexually molesting children was illegal as well. Why hasn't the federal government raided every Catholic church in the country to hunt down and capture those priests who have sexually abused their altar boys? Why wasn't Pope Benedict XVI arrested and charged with hundreds of counts of endangering the welfare of a child, when he told the Catholic church to remain silent on the sexual abuse scandal back when he was working under John Paul II?

The Mormons are freaky and weird because a few of them like multiple wives. But, hey, the Catholics have tens of millions of followers worldwide, so I guess its acceptable.

Well, they're all too busy being angry at Bill Maher for saying the exact same thing on his show last week.

And you're absolutely right.

 

[The Senator]

Well, they're all too busy being angry at Bill Maher for saying the exact same thing on his show last week.

And you're absolutely right.

I thought I cited him, which obviously isn't the case now that I look back, but yes, Bill Maher is the one who presented the argument first, and I agree with it wholeheartedly as you can tell.

 

[Marx]

Investigator found polygamist ranch "scary"
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/04/17/polygamy.custody/index.html

 

[Lightning Strykez!]

These women look gross. Especially their "Little House On The Prairie" hair-dos.

One of them has a uni-brow. Seeing it makes me feel sad inside my heart.

 

[The Senator]

These women look gross. Especially their "Little House On The Prairie" hair-dos.

One of them has a uni-brow. Seeing it makes me feel sad inside my heart.

I can't be too sure of this, but in an article I read about Warren Jeffs and his Fundamentalist Church, many children in these polygamist compounds are the result of incestuous relationships. That may explain the ugliness.

 

[YsoSerious]

It's freaky-reminds me of The Village.

 

[tzarinna]

Apparently the living conditions were pretty poor and the kids were suffering health problems due to it.

 

[Arkady Rossovich]

I'm sitting here watching Larry King Live, as I often do, and they are disussing the polygamy scandal. As you may or may not know, a few hundred children have been removed from a polygamy compound due to abuse accusations in Texas and the state is currently seeking custody of those children.

I feel so bad for all of the kids involved in this mess. Watching this group of women from the sect speak on tv...they are dressed like they live in the 1800's, are very soft spoken, and generally seem brainwashed, spacey, and withdrawn. They continue to avoid questions like "where is your husband" and keep repeating "our focus is on the children."

I just don't understand how people can think this is normal!?!?!?!

It is normal to some. There is a reason why people still live like that,they think things are now corrupt so they go back to a more simple life style. It's not just the 1800's they dress and act like people from 1920's and before.