More than four hundred children on the Yearning for Zion compound in Texas were removed by police after a sixteen-year-old girl called a family services hotline and complained of being beaten and raped. Here's the AP description of the tipster's call: Her husband sexually assaulted her, and when he was angry, he would beat her while other women held her infant, she told a family violence shelter in a series of secret calls that triggered an investigation of the polygamist sect here.
The girl had looked for opportunities to escape before, but she was warned that outside the double-gates blocking entry to the Yearning For Zion Ranch, in a world completely foreign to her, she would be forced to cut her hair and wear makeup, and to have sex with many men - all damning transgressions in a faith where modesty calls for women to wear long underwear year-round under pioneer-style dresses.
Many of the teenage girls, creepily clad in Little House on the Prairie-style dresses, were pregnant or had young children. One of the reporters on Larry King believes that many of the hundreds of children on the compound were fathered by Warren Jeffs, the cult's prophet. Jeffs is now in jail and the children are being held in barracks.
Every new detail makes the place seem more horrific, and what happened there seem more like ritualized child abuse. Some have called the raid "religious persecution," but if half of what's come out so far is true, it's going to be hard to make the case that this sect should have been left alone.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 4)
1. This is the Warren Jeffs compound, where a similar scandal broke a couple of years ago. Jeffs is now in jail waiting his sentencing. But since Mormons are huge contributors to Bush, and since Bush-Buddy Rupert Murdoch bought the news media back 8 years ago, the fact that these are the same people abusing women as they were a couple of years ago, this is what Pastor Jeffs' multimillion contributions to Second Coming Bush bought him--a media which has been ORDERED to draw no comparisons between the first abuse violations, and this one. Trouble is--we all have memories and we do remember. So now we know that we better get our free press back or risk being treated like morons by this so-called, bought-and-paid-for corporate 'media'.
Val Fitzgerald at 5:52PM on Apr 9th 2008
2. What an awful situation. Let us hope these young women will be OK. The news reports the county was looking for foster homes for the minor girls - let's hope they get to keep their own infants with them.
Val - comment #1 - I am no fan of Bush, believe me, but I don't believe for a second he would condone minors being raped. And please do not paint all Mormons with a broad brush - Warren Jeffs does not speak for all Mormons anymore than that idiot Fred Phelps speaks for all Christians.
David S. at 6:48PM on Apr 9th 2008
3. I think this is horrible and should never be tolerated. I hope these women and children can begin the healing process and that the men will be held responsible.
FYI - This cult group is in no way affiliated with the LDS Church often refered to as the Mormon Church. One reason the LDS church was persecuted originally was because they held women as equals partners and even allowed women to vote before it was adopted throughout the U.S. Women and men are held to the same standards. There is absolutely no polygamy in our church.
James at 7:27PM on Apr 9th 2008
4. Val - comment #1 What does anything in this article have to do with the Mormons? Warren Jeffs is not a Mormon, nor does he claim to be. Perhaps you should look further into Warren Jeffs before making a comment like the one above.
RUkiddingMe at 7:38PM on Apr 9th 2008
5. To all LDS memebers, to all "good" Mormons: here is the question. Why aren't all the Mormon elders and leaders speaking out against these cults/compounds?
Why aren't the Mormons using the vast wealth of the Mormon temple in Salt Lake City and their missionaries to educate these young women and try to rescue them from these compounds? Why isn't the LDS church aiding law enforcement in closing down all these compounds. This is not a religion; it is a cult based on child sexual abuse, period. Them men control the religion for one purpose: to keep the women and young girls in sexual slavery. It is disgusting that the "good" Mormons have not taken the lead in trying to get these men exposed and arrested and the compounds burnt to the ground. Let me say it again: it is not a religion; it is a bunch of pathetic, old men who want to have sex with young girls. Put all the men in jail; they are
commiting crimes; sex with a minor is illegal in the United States, and they live in the United States. It is not enough to rescue the women and children; the men must be tried, convicted, and sent away to jail.
KIM f at 7:55PM on Apr 9th 2008
6. FYI James - This cult group is definitely affiliated with the LDS Church often refered to as the Mormon Church in many ways. One reason the LDS church was persecuted originally was because it's founder, Joseph Smith, believed in the practice of polygamy and held young women as captive wives. It was only around 1900, when the Utah Territory was petitioning to become a state, that polygamy was finally outlawed by the LDS church. There is absolutely polygamy in the Mormon church. The religion was founded upon the practice of polygamy.
FINN at 8:03PM on Apr 9th 2008
7. Wow, I can't believe this story. I've seen it all over but still can't believe it...
This is happening in the 21st-century. I can only see this happening in, maybe, the 19th-century, or better yet, NOT AT ALL!!!
marizzlezoshizzle at 8:05PM on Apr 9th 2008
8. Mormons do get rather touchy about their religion's brand of fundamentalism, particularly when it causes stories like this. Warren Jeffs and his church aren't affilated with the LDS church in any way, though; in fact, most of these fundamentalist Mormons have been excommunicated from the LDS church for continuing to practice polygamy. That said, though, these fundamentalists follow the same religious texts as Mormons - they just refuse to accept that the church has struck out the doctrine supporting polygamy.
These fundamentalists are certainly very, very twisted people. No outside news (evil government deceptions), marrying girls as young as 14, 15 to men in their 50s or older.... It's pretty bad. Even worse, the government only recognizes the first marriage. All the others are counted as single mothers with children for purposes of welfare payments. The government has paid disproportionate sums of money to these people.
Mormons, on the whole, are a perfectly fine religion. They have had a bit of a checkered past, but most religions have. These people are to the Mormons what Fred Phelps and Osama bin Laden are to the Christians and Muslims.
Raigon at 8:21PM on Apr 9th 2008
9. I had a feeling this story would not go away, ever since Warren Jeffs was arrested. I do not see the need to round up all of these people and take them away from their home and life. I'm sure many of these women are content, happy, and choose this way of life. It's no one else's business if people choose to live a life different from the mainstream. Just because they dress different, worship different, and run household different, does not mean they are wrong. It seems, today, that any group choosing to live differently either gets investigated, dis-banned, infiltrated, or discouraged. It's freedom of religion and choice, and if the State allows it, than it should be recognized. On the other hand, if some young adults don't want to stay, they should not be forced to, but those who do, need to be left alone.
Emma at 8:45PM on Apr 9th 2008
10. Why would you add that comment "creepily clad in little house on the prarie style dresses" ? Modesty is creepy? Are the amish people creepy? Any woman with a skirt below the knee? I don't understand this comment of yours Ada.
You might also want to mention that the allegations made by the girl have yet to be proven.
I'm not defending this cult, but at least try to be fair in case people haven't read the real news on this situation.
Strados at 8:47PM on Apr 9th 2008
11. Strados I agree. MSM is making a big deal out of the way these Women dress to stress division. That's all it is. They want people to look at them as crackpots. I also agree that these are allegations..have not been proven at all. Why does everyone have to dress the same here, what a boring ideology!
Emma at 8:52PM on Apr 9th 2008
12. I laughed when I read the comment that breaking up this cult is religious persecution. What a joke to refer to child molesting and sexual slavery as religion. Not to mention the mind control. I am very very glad to see the law moving in and hopefully returning these young women to a real life, not the pet of a man with an uncontrolled appetite. And where are all the rest of the Mormons, anyhow?
Diane Springate at 8:52PM on Apr 9th 2008
13. Some have made the comment that these people should be left to worship the way they please. It just so happens that "marrying" and having sex with girls as young as 14 is a part of their religion. So, what if Warren Jeffs decided that it was now ok to take girls as young as 10? 8? How about 5? Would it be pedophelia if they made it part of their religion? Let's go one step further. All those people out there who sexually abuse children...just become a fundamentalist mormon!!! Then it will be ok! Honestly, if your religion states you can marry 15 women...fine. Just make sure they are all 18, and that you can support your 30 children instead of having us do it.
JEAN at 9:54PM on Apr 9th 2008
14. And may I add one more thing...these are not mere allegations. The world has known about these practices for an eternity. For those of you that do not know....it is VERY common for a man to take say, 15 wives and end up marrying a daughter from one of those unions. Which is INCEST. They also have a high rate of deformities as a result of this. There are many books on this. The reason people have gotten away with such behavior for so long is because there are many powerful people in high places that are a result of this religion. You would be SHOCKED to learn of how many judges, police, and politicians come from poligamist unions. Even members of the morman groups who now claim to shun multiple marraiges can be linked to polygamy in their family tree.
jean at 10:05PM on Apr 9th 2008
15. Our Constitution guarantees us freedom from to worship in our own way. Too many people think they means this gives churches a right to enslave people and people's minds. So they say "hands off" to government as if our constitution should allow slavery and thought police in the name of religion. The only difference with Mormons is that they have better and more effective thought police than the Baptists and Methodists. The problem will only be solved when people understand that all children should be protected from wicked elders.
Edwin B Ballantyne at 10:07PM on Apr 9th 2008