How do you find out more about this Cult in Utah?

Question

The news here in Australia is very limited to local events. Except for SBS. But there is a program just after the news, which deals with news worthy items from all over the world.

They went over to Utah, to check on this cult, who apparently have their premises located on over two State lines.

The leader has just being arrested and taken into custody. He has 70 wives, and marries young girls off to whomever he chooses. One managed to escape, and they interviewed her.

The reporter and camera crew were threatened, they had cars with tinted windows following them. they did, however, interview one of the old men, and asked him why he thought it was acceptable to have as many wives as he could. His arrogant response, was; he saw nothing wrong with it. If members manage to get out the cult comes after them, using all sorts of abuse and threats to make them come back. I can't find any more news on this .Anyone help?

Answer 1

G'Day!
It's called the Fundamentalist Church of Latter Day Saints. Better known as "FLDS". It's a breakway group from the main Mormon church, whose followers don't believe in the Mormon church giving up the practice of polygamy. Most of the members live and work in an area known as the Arizona Strip. It's a piece of geography that justs westward from the rest of the State of Arizona and bisects the area between Nevada and Utah. To complicate things even more, one of the main towns on that strip of land is Colorado City, Arizona.
There is another group of them in communities closer to Salt Lake City. It's only been in the last few years that state and county prosecutors have bothered to lay charges against these people. However, one of them has just been convicted for being an accesory to rape in forcing the marriage of a 14-year old girl to her male adult cousin. His name is Warren Jeffs. I live about 80 miles southwest of Colorado City and the Arizona Strip, so the events do concern me. The sourcve below will give you more information.

Answer 2

This is like the old testament vs the new testament! The Mormons once embraced polygamy & they decided to abandon the practice of multiple wives in the 1950's (I think). Some church members disagreed & continued this practice of having multiple wives for one man & many children. When the children get to be of a certain age, then are then told who to marry & in essence sold into slavery. The boys, however are experiencing a much different type of abuse. They are actually being "cast out" of the families & this has created an entire new problem of homeless teenage boys in the Utah community. Many women have escaped & they choose not to go public with their identity because of fear from the elders of their church & the man who was in charge of making their lives a living hell...Warren Jeffs is only ONE man in a long line of many who firmly believe in what they are doing as a part of "God's Command". These people have a LOT of money to get away with what they do & their little "cult" is starting to tumble. It's sad that a few bad seeds make the true meaning of multiple wives into a mockery & a sham. That's most likely why the Mormon Church abandoned this practice to begin with. They saw what it was becoming & tried to put an end to it!

Answer 3

I heard about that case, but not enough to report anything new. I used to live in Arizona, which is a western southern
state bordering Utah to it's northern boundary. While we were
living down there we learned of communities along that
border region where Mormon families practiced the forbidden ways of the early days in the 1800's to early 1900's
before they were outlawed by the US government. These
communities are headed by old men usually who have been
taking wives since they were younger men. The wives are
most often related. Where he will marry sisters of other
Mormon families who also practice the same beliefs. These
men do little to contribute to the family finances. The wives
do all of the work. The more wives, the easier it is on them.
But many of their children are all related as well. There must
be dozens of cousins running around in these communities.
They protect their enclaves against tresspassors by shotguns.
And threaten anyone who dares to come close to take
pictures. They live without modern conveniences. They make
their own clothes, grow their own gardens and I don't know
about the rest. The report we saw on TV while living down
there, led to local news reports as the man of the largest
community was taken away eventually and put into prison.
His wives continue on, waiting for his return. There were a
couple who worked out of the community in a regular town.
I forget now, what they did. But the people in general, shy
away from being exposed to worldly things. Keeping the
women and children ignorant of outside living is protected.
It's a sick society, the general concept. It shows how greedy
a person can be, enslaving women to do his bidding and
keeping them happy while doing it. They all were interviewed
and they all said they were happy. And they resented the
intrusion of the press and photographers. I don't remember
how many wives that man had. But I don't think it was as many
as the 70, this last one has. Or maybe I've forgotten. As long
as there are male children to be raised in the old customs
in these communities, there will be no changes. Unless they
are told to by the government, and made to obey. For so
long, the government knew, but ignored them. I guess when
a few girls ran away and spoke out, the government could no
longer look the other way.
I hope this has given you some insight on the situation.

Answer 4

Sorry, but I just had to laugh when I heard that Jeff's had 70 wives! I'm not sure how many he has, but I'm pretty sure it's not 70. They are a cult and they do believe in polygamy. They have their own beliefs and are not too kindly to visitors, especially the press. I know that they are in no way affiliated to the LDS church (Mormon). I live in Utah and have heard so much about them throughout the years. I can offer a couple of local websites where you can find more current information. I don't know how to post links though.

sltrib.com that is the Salt Lake City Tribune - newspaper.
ksl.com that is a local news channel .. TV

Answer 5

The TV series "Big Love" which recently featured on SBS television was a fictional story based on this very cult's beliefs. I found it a fascinating depiction of the life of a polygamous family, and it raised all of the aspects of cult life, the "dumping" of young boys in order to keep the girls available for the older men, and the strange and isolated lives that they lead, kept in compounds away from normal communities. The main characters were living in town, but had many relatives in the commune. If you are interested in this , I'm sure you'd find that getting a DVD of "Big Love " would make riveting viewing.

Answer 6

You must be talking about the Fundamentalist Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS), and it's deposed leader Warren Jeffs. He was arrested in Texas for indecencies with minors, kidnapping and other heinous charges. The FLDS Church is in a state of disarray since his arrest, and is under investigation for tax evasion and other violations.

The FLDS Church broke with the LDS Church (Mormons) when they insisted on continuing the practice of polygamy, after the LDS Church abandoned the practice.

Answer 7

I don't think we really think of them as a cult, but misguided religious fanatics... When you don't know anything except what you are taught by your family and community, thats all you know.. So these people are taught a different way to live then everyone else.. Most of them are happy with the morally safe life they live free of the crazy sex, drug and rock and roll life we live in.. Too bad some jerk leader decides to act as GOD himself and to take his power to a level to marry young girls off to old men and have multiple wifes.. All in the name of God... Seem like the fanatics of the world will be its downfall..

Answer 8

Just men trying to satisfy their own greed for power and sex. Very sad and creepy.