Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Introduction their to beliefs and practices

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Terminology:

There are approximately 100 faith groups in the U.S. that consider themselves to be the true spiritual descendents from Joseph Smith's original church founded in 1830: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They are often referred to as part of the LDS Restorationist movement. Many of the denominations regard themselves as the only "true" successor to Joseph Smith's church. Two high-profile denominations are:

Overview:

Prior to the year 1890, plural marriages in which one male Mormon married multiple wives was a treasured component of the culture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). That year, the fourth president of the Church, Wilford Woodruff, issued a manifesto which suspended the solemnization of Mormon plural marriages for an indefinite interval. This resulted from what Mormons believe was a revelation from God that became known as the "Great Accommodation." Utah was admitted as a state shortly thereafter.

The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) was formed in 1935 by two polygynist Mormons who had been excommunicated by the LDS. (Polygyny is one variety of polygamy in which one man marries more than one woman.) The group was, and remains, committed to plural marriages as a foundational teaching of their founder Joseph Smith.

There are an estimated 6,000 to 11,000 thousand members of the FLDS in the U.S. The group also has a single colony of about 1,000 members in Canada. Together, they form a significant percentage of the estimated 30,000 Mormon polygynists in Utah, and the estimated 60,000 in the U.S. ₂

About the FLDS organization:

The FLDS was founded in 1935 by two ex-LDS Mormons: John Y. Barlow and Joseph White Musser. Barlow subsequently became the group's first leader. Roulon T Jeffs suceeded him. When Roulton Jeffs died in 2002 at the age of 92, his son, Warren Jeffs, (1956 -) took over control. Warren was previously the principal of Alta Academy, a FLDS religious high school which is now closed. ₃

The FLDS' U.S. organization is centered in the twin cities of Colorado City, AZ and Hildale, UT.

Wikipedia reports that:

"According to FLDS accounts, Brigham Young visited the site of Hildale and Colorado City and stated that 'this is the right place [and it] will someday be the head and not the tail of the church [and]...the granaries of the Saints'." ₄

In 2004-MAY, the FLDS announced that a new base for the church would be established at their YFZ (Yearning for Zion) ranch in Schleiser County, TX, about four miles northeast of Eldorado. By 2008, they had erected 35 buildings on the ranch, including a large temple. The state of Texas has no history of widespread polygyny and marriage of child brides as does Utah. This may have contributed to their decision to seize 416 children at the ranch during 2008-APR. ₃

A separate colony of about 1,000 FLDS members live in Bountiful, British Columbia, Canada. There has been a high level of inbreeding in that group; almost everyone in that colony are descendents of six men.

Unfortunately there is little precise information about the FLDS available to outsiders. By all accounts, the FLDS is run as a dictatorship under Jeffs and has not given interviews to non-FLDS members. He allegedly even refused a request to meet with Mark Surtleff, the Attorney General of Utah. As a result, most of the information comes from critics of the FLDS or from ex-FLDS members who have left the group. These can be unreliable sources.

Jeffs has allegedly:

About polygyny in the FLDS:

There are many North American laws on the books which criminalize group or plural marriages. However there has been an apparent lack of will on the part of state and provincial governments to actually prosecute offenders. There are some indications that this situation may change soon in British Columbia, Canada.

According to Fact-Index.com:

"The [FLDS] church teaches plurality of wives as a general requirement for the highest eternal salvation of men. It is generally believed in the church that a man should have [a minimum of] three wives to fulfill this requirement. Critics of this belief say that its practice leads unavoidably to bride shortages and likely to child marriages, incest, and child abuse. The church currently practices 'The Law of Placing' under which all marriages are assigned by the prophet of the church. Many outside of the church, and some inside, view this practice as unduly authoritarian though it helps address by edict the problem of wife shortages. Under the Law of Placing, the prophet elects to give or take wives to or from men according to their worthiness." ₅

Typically, the husband will have only his first marriage registered with the state. Subsequent wives receive only a religious marriage that are not registered. These "sister wives" present themselves as single women and apply for welfare. This is known as "bleeding the beast" -- the beast being the government.

Wikipedia reports that Roulon T Jeffs, the second leader of the group, is alleged to have had 22 wives and more than 60 children. ₄ Adams wrote that the current leader, Warren Jeffs:

"...is estimated to have around 40 wives, at least a dozen of whom were formerly married to his father, and about 56 children. Most of his time is spent managing church affairs, but he also is described as an accomplished singer/songwriter."

Under "The Law of Placing," Jeffs decides which woman marries which man in the FLDS community; he also has power to forcibly divorce a couple at any time.

Marrying so many wives of his late father would produce some complex family relationships. A person can be one's half-brother one day and one's step-father on the next day. ₃

Women living under Muslim laws (WLUML) have discussed the implications of patriarchal polygyny on women within a number of excommunicated Mormon denominations which have broken away from the LDS church:

"Women and girls who have fled polygamous families report that religious teachings emphasize their duty to submit to the authority of their fathers, husbands, and male religious leaders, and make spiritual salvation contingent on polygamy. The religious teachings of these polygamous groups and the closed nature of their communities create conditions in which women and girls are especially vulnerable to violence, coercion, and abuse."

"Reported cases indicate a pattern of child marriage, sexual abuse and trafficking, in which girls from the ages of 13 to 16 have been married to older men and girls are being trafficked to Canada for marriage to polygamous men in British Columbia. Adult women have also described battering, intimidation and sexual abuse within polygamous families. Young women inside these communities are vulnerable to coercion by family members and religious leaders to enter polygamous marriages.  Trained to obey religious teachings and denied any other education, they may see no real alternative."

[There are] "...reports indicating that girls in polygamous groups are frequently removed from the public school system by age 11 or 12.   Utah and Arizona officials say they lack the legal authority to monitor whether children removed from schools are being taught in their communities or the qualifications of people who may be providing instruction.  Access to books, magazines, radio, television and other information from the outside world is cut off.  In addition, many polygamous families live in conditions of poverty, and lack adequate health care and nutrition." ₆

In an article on Islamic and Christian fundamentalism, the United Methodist Women quote part of the WLUML report and conclude that:

"This practice creates conditions for women where they are vulnerable to violence, coercion and abuse." ₇

Author Monte Paulsen, writing in Mother Jones magazine, estimates that, in the FLDS: "Women reportedly bear an average of 10 children each." Jenny Larson is a former member of the FLDS but has since left the group and helps other women escape. She is reported as saying:

"It's a cult is what it is. They tell you who to marry, what to wear. People there are so brainwashed, they're like puppets. The leader says 'frog,' and they jump. It's unreal."

Referring to young women who have escaped the group, she is reported as saying:

"It's hard not to help when they come knocking on your door. They don't know how to cope. They have no money and no skills." ₈

Benjamin Bistline spent part of his childhood among polygynists in Short Creek, AZ -- now called Colorado City. He has written a book about his experiences. ₉ He has observed that:

Polygyny in the FLDS from a child's perspective:

"Kathy" published her story in Today's Christian Woman magazine:

"I was one of 13 children raised by our father and three mothers in a polygamist community in Utah. We were fundamentalist Mormons who practiced the original teachings of Mormonism from its founder Joseph Smith. This teaching includes following the Principle, which states a man must practice polygamy -- marrying at least three wives -- to enter the Celestial Kingdom." ₁₀

"Even though I knew which woman was my biological mother, we were encouraged to treat all the wives the same. Outwardly, our family seemed content, but beneath the surface lay jealousy and pain. We never acknowledged these feelings because we were supposed to sacrifice our emotions. Even laughter was discouraged."

"We [children] were constantly told to 'keep sweet' and that 'perfect obedience produces perfect faith.' Behind these sugary slogans lay the impossible duty of living in complete obedience to the Prophet.

In Fundamental [Church of Jesus Christ of] Latter Day Saints (FLDS), the Prophet is the earthly leader and mediator between God and man. Women are on this earth to serve their husband and obey the Prophet. If a woman does this faithfully, her husband may invite her to join him in the Celestial Kingdom. A woman's eternal fate depends on keeping this Principle. ...

The Prophet is in charge of the Placement of young girls in marriage. The quality of her Placement depends on her level of sweetness. Knowing this, I tried very hard to live in obedience. At age 14, I began sewing my wedding dress in anticipation of my Placement. I hoped I'd like my future husband, but I feared my fate would be like those who never knew love. ₁₁

Membership purge:

Brooke Adams, a reporter for the Salt Lake Tribune, reported on a purge of the membership during 2004:

"A trickle of expulsions turned into a stream in January when Jeffs ousted some of the community's most prominent and long-standing members, calling into question their standing here and in the afterlife. Ever the school principal, Jeffs has told men he has cast out to provide a list of their spiritual failings to see if they match up with transgressions revealed to him by the Lord. Wives and children have been separated from husbands and fathers; parents and children, brothers and sisters have ended up on different sides of this theological divide. Many are accepting these familial rearrangements in perfect obedience, believing their salvation depends on it. ' There has been so much conflict and needless turmoil and sorrow that has been put on families in the name of religion,' said a woman associated with the Canadian branch of the FLDS church. 'Kids who used to play with their next-door neighbors aren't allowed to do that and are saying nasty things to each other when they meet across the fence, like, "Your father is going to Hell".' " ₃

Wikipedia reports that about 20 men were excommunicated in the 2004-JAN purge. Their marriages were cancelled, and their wives and children were redistributed among other FLDS men. ₄

References:

The following information sources were used to prepare and update the above essay. The hyperlinks are not necessarily still active today.

1. Suzan Mazur, "Seven brides for one brother: Plural marriage is rife in the western United States," Financial Times, 2000, at: http://www.childpro.org/
2. "Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," Adherents, at: http://www.adherents.com/
3. Brooke Adams, "Thou Shalt Obey," Salt Lake Tribune, 2004-MAR-14, in the archives at: http://www.sltrib.com  Reprinted by RelgionNewsBlog at: http://www.religionnewsblog.com/
4. "Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints," Wikipedia, at: http://en.wikipedia.org/
5. "Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints," Fact-Index, at:  http://www.fact-index.com
6. "Calls for action: USA: Polygamy related abuses in Utah," Women living under Muslim laws (WLUML), 2002-FEB-15, at: http://wluml.org/
7. "UMW Action Alert - Fundamentalism: A Barrier to Peace and Justice," United Methodist Women, 2004-JAN-30, at: http://gbgm-umc.org/
8. Monte Paulsen, "Hellraiser!," Mother Jones magazine, 1994-JUL/AUG, at: http://www.motherjones.com/
9. Benjamin Bistline, "The Polygamists: A History of Colorado City, Arizona," Agreka Books, (2004). Read reviews or order this book safely from Amazon.com online book store
10. Mormons believe that there are three levels of Heaven. The highest level is the Celestial Kingdom. Fundamentalist Mormons who follow "The Principle" believe that a man must have at least three wives and many children in order to be considered for entry.
11. "Kathy," "I Grew Up in a Polygamist Family," Today's Christian Woman, 2006-NOV/DEC, at: http://www.christianitytoday.com/

Copyright © 2004 to 2008 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Originally written: 2004-JUL-25
Latest update: 2008-APR-26
Author: B.A. Robinson