I just finished reading Escape and am now in the process of reading Stolen Innocence both are stories of girls/women who were raised in the FLDS church and left, they each played a part in convicting Warren Jeffs, their "prophet" I grew up very aware of this church as it has its headquarters in Southern Utah and I grew up in Northern Utah and I also knew two girls who joined that church and left my hometown to relocate to Southern Utah.
I have always been against religious persecution, and when we received news in Mancos (Colorado) that the FDLS church had purchased property there I was one of the first to defend their choice to live with out being persecuted, I also felt strongly for the children and mothers of the children who were taken away by Child Services in Texas, now I do not now or never have condoned the behavior of this church, but I felt if they believed they should be free to practice their religion, now however having read first hand accounts as to what goes on within this religion in the name of the Priesthood and God I am appalled. The fact that children are forced into marriages they do not want and these same children have never been taught what will be expected of them once they are married as far as intimate relationships with their husbands horrifies me, the girl in Stolen innocence was married to her cousin at the age of 14, barely older than Cheyenne, I think of the long term psycological problems that these children will experience and it just breaks my heart. I find myself filled with sympothy for the people of this religion many of who I believe truly believe they must do as they are told even if they feel it is wrong for fear of being damed to hell if they do not blindly follow, at the same time I find myself angry at the leaders of this church who use the fear of not making it to heaven if you do not do as they say, even to the extent of removing wives and children from fathers and assigning them to new ones, telling women they have no say in their own lives or the lives of their children, I have always tried to teach my own children to research religion, pray,ask questions and make their choices based on what they feel in their hearts are right for them.
I also find myself angry at how closly people asociate the LDS church with the FLDS church, I know for a fact that The LDS religion belives in families, mothers and fathers are expected to protect and teach their children never to force them into unsafe situations, they are taught that families are forver, they do not condon child abuse, insest or basicaly giving your daughters into slavery.
If you have not read these books, they are very interesting reading, and were certainly an eye opener for me as to what goes on still in this day and age in the name of religion.
I too have read stolen innocence. It was rather shocking. I felt so badly for the young woman. I too believe that people can believe what they want, and if they want polygamy - let them have it. If they believe in those things fine, they should not be persecuted for it. I didn't agree with the rounding up of the children in Texas and thought the state overstepped its boundaries. If they had actual evidence of abuse then I would have been okay with it in a few instances but to take all of them was not right. I still believe that. I don't agree however with people teaching their kids that they have no free choices and obedience is all there is. So many of these people have been forced into situations that they truly need help to get out. The tricky part is how do you help those that want it, without overstepping the bounds of those that don't and are actually able to make an informed decision. I'll have to pick up the other book.
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