Crushing a culture
The resettlement of the children of the Yearning for Zion Ranch near Eldorado to foster homes across Texas may — even without prosecution — destroy the once-thriving colony of polygamist FLDS culture.The Houston Chronicle reports that the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints are packing up to leave the 1,700-acre ranch simply to be close to their children in state custody pending the investigation into sexual abuse.
FLDS member Willie Jessop says:Who wants to be here on the weekend and not have their families? I'm not aware of anyone who has not made a move or not trying to ... go be with their children."
The adult followers, many with no work history, are trying to find jobs in the world they once shunned. As they leave, Jessop says their way of life is also disappearing: How do you describe a life that you no longer know?
Texas Child Protective Services officials are working out supervised visitation.
4 Comments:
"When asked to describe life back at the ranch, Jessop said: "How do you describe a life that you no longer know?"
Oh, brother... Has it been that long since the experienced life as it was on the ranch?
How dramatic.
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And as far as living off the ranch, that hasn't been so long either. The ranch is not so old, (what 4 to 5 years?) that these adults do not know how to live off the ranch.
The people are poor, but the church is rich. (That is the norm with cults.) Let their church help out with the finances. These people have laid down their lives for that church. Now it is time for the church to return some of that love and sacrifice.
It is bad enough that was church doctrine that got them into this mess. Their leader Warren Jeffs lowered the marrying age and arranges the marriages.
Tell me, how much cash did they say Jeffs had with him when he was caught?
Found it:http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=455038
*The photos are worth a visit to the link.
"The red Cadillac Escalade he was found in contained the trappings of a fugitive life, a well-heeled fugitive. Steve Martinez, FBI, Las Vegas: "Everything from a large number of cellular telephones, laptop computers, three wigs, quite a bit of cash-in EXCESS of 50
Thousand IN CASH."
When they found Jeffs’ brother aiding and abetting him:
Police developed a break when they arrested Jeffs' brother, Seth Jeffs, in Pueblo, Colo., in October 2005. Stopped during a traffic stop, police discovered more than $142,000 in CASH, pre-paid credit cards, cell phone cards, cell phones and documents related to the FLDS Church. Letters addressed to "The Prophet" were there as well as a change jar with Warren Jeffs' picture and a label reading "Pennies for the Prophet."
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,645197023,00.html
All this whining about the poor FLDS cultists.
Forget the child brides, the cult leader's greed, th cult's drain on public welfare, etc.
Oh, no. Trot out a few polyg wives looking sad and it's all a big tragedy.
Tell you what the FLDS has in abundance is an understanding of PR and how to manipulate the press.
I'm trying to figure out what would be the great loss from losing the culture of polygamy. Hmmm. Women might be free to marry whom they choose, after the become adults? Or--here's a concept--not even marry and not have children at all if they want? Children might have all the books they want to read, and not be forced to lie and keep secrets about their families?
You know, it's not like losing polgyamy is like losing the last Inuit language or something.
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