Recommended Reading-"His Favorite Wife-Trapped in Polygamy" by Susan Ray Schmidt

I have just finished this book & highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in the workings of the FLDS. This story is of the LeBaron family & their compounds in Mexico & is written by a woman who left the group after a 10 year plural marriage. Conflicts & relationships with "sister-wives" are covered in depth. Unlike the El Dorado group, these people wore normal clothing (with the exception of the strange underwear of the men), danced, had parties, played cards, had stage plays, & went to movies. They did have underage marriages, but the girl's were not forced & they were expected to choose their own husbands when ready for marriage. The author readily & eagerly entered into marriage at age 15 to a 40 year old man.

From reading this book, I get the idea that any actions of one particular group is in large part determined by the "revelations" sent from God to their "prophet". And I also get the idea that anyone can declare that they had a "revelation" & declare themselves a prophet. Of course, there are central beliefs such as plural marriages, Book of Mormon, & the writings of Joseph Smith & Brigham Young.

Although this book is highly informative, it is also a sad story of living in abject poverty (no welfare in Mexico). Of course, it has it's share of vile, evil men who even commit many murders, but I think the saddest part is that many of the people totally & honestly believed that they were living as God commanded & were living a life that they believed would take them to the Celestial Kingdom. Surely, there is a special place in hell for religious leaders who use religion for their own personal purposes.

Barnes Noble & Amazon have this book & accompanying reviews, if anyone is interested.

Thanks for the post faw, I read the reviews on Amazon and decided to order this and a film documentary "Banking on Heaven." Should be interesting.

"God's Brothel" By Andrea Moore-Emmett

"The extortion of sex for salvation in contemporary Mormon and Christian Fundamentalist polygamy - the stories of 18 women who escaped"

A chilling indictment of contemporary Mormon and Christian fundamentalist polygamy. "God's Brothel" reveals gruesome facts about Bible based polygamy. Told by 18 women who escaped from 10 of the 11 main religious groups as well as independent families. Their stories include rape, incest, orgies and violence making this form of polygamy more akin to sexual slavery than any quaint religious or lifestyle choice.

Sally said:

Thanks for the post faw, I read the reviews on Amazon and decided to order this and a film documentary "Banking on Heaven." Should be interesting.

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Heh! I ordered "Escape" and "Banking on Heaven"! "Escape" came yesterday, and am waiting for the DVD.

http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_8917512

Rebecca Kimbel - Shattered Dreams: My Life as a Polygamist's Wife, a New York Times Best Seller

The article has photos of her and talks about her life and her book.

Another good book is:
Stolen Innocence by Elissa Wall

I just bought it tonight at Target. Elissa is the one who testified against Warren Jeffs. She was 14 yrs old & Warren married her to her 1st cousin & he went to prison over her testimony. I've read 2 chapters so far & it is awesome.....

cheko she was on Oprah today, they showed pictures taken of her and her husband who was her cousin, in 1 he was kissing her and she had her arms in front of her trying to push him away. They were married the same day as many other couples and then sent on a honeymoon as a group.

VB

Vegas Bride said:

cheko she was on Oprah today, they showed pictures taken of her and her husband who was her cousin, in 1 he was kissing her and she had her arms in front of her trying to push him away. They were married the same day as many other couples and then sent on a honeymoon as a group.

VB

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A group honeymoon, eh?

Ca-Sun said:

A group honeymoon, eh?

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I think the flds keeps their members together in groups as much as possible, that way they can all keep on eye on each other to make sure no one is showing signs of rebellion or independent thinking and others will go tattling if something is done wrong. I wonder what the punishment is if a young bride does not fix her hair the way her husband wants?
I would so not work out living with this group!

VB

Vegas Bride said:

I think the flds keeps their members together in groups as much as possible, that way they can all keep on eye on each other to make sure no one is showing signs of rebellion or independent thinking and others will go tattling if something is done wrong. I wonder what the punishment is if a young bride does not fix her hair the way her husband wants?
I would so not work out living with this group!

VB

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That seems to be the prevailing attitude. They'll send someone with them when they travel, go shopping or in speaking to the media, one will speak for the other many times when the questions were clearly asked of the other. They're not going to take the risk that the other will say something they don't want us to hear, or they're trying to curry favor by acting exactly how they're told to.

One of the "signs" in their school in Canada says:
"Obey Sweetly and Promptly"

And that pretty much says it all...the group mentality is to obey the most Sr member there (preferably a man) "sweetly and promptly".

Every book I have read so far says there is constant tattling and spying.... the idea is to turn everyone into "police" for the Prophet. Carolyn Jessop said she she spent her life in the FLDS watching every word she said and every action because someone was always watching/listening for her to do or say something "bad" that they could report to gain favor with her husband or Warren Jeffs (and get Carolyn or her children punished). When she finally got "out" Carolyn said it was very transformative to realize that she no longer had to fear the other wives or that someone was going to "report" her every word and action. That she was really FREE!

The FLDS rules by brainwashing, intimidation and FEAR! They turn members against each other and punish one to keep the rest in line. It's a lifestyle that encourages abuse, tyranny and even torture. Some people turn into little Hitlers when they get power over other people and it's as ugly as it sounds.

My Opinion

Vegas Bride said:

cheko she was on Oprah today, they showed pictures taken of her and her husband who was her cousin, in 1 he was kissing her and she had her arms in front of her trying to push him away. They were married the same day as many other couples and then sent on a honeymoon as a group.

VB

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I seen most of the Oprah segment......she is hitting the circuit promoting the book. She'll be on either Dateline or 20/20 tomorrow night. Sorry can't remember which it is.

The book is really good. I plan on ordering some of the others once I finish this one.

Flowerchild, although Carolyn and the others talk about life under Jeffs, many of these things existed before he took over, they just don't seem to realize it or want to. They've talked lovingly of "Uncle" Leroy Johnson and although he wasn't as rabid as Rulon or WJ, he's the same because he promoted the very same tenents of men ruling women etc.

But it most certainly appears that the seeds of the destruction of this sect were sowed by the constant promotion of rule by fear.