Fundamental Latter-Day Saints
Posted: Thu Apr 17, 2008 5:38 pm
Distinctive doctrines
Plural marriage and the law of placing
The FLDS Church teaches the doctrine of plural marriage, which states that a man having multiple wives is ordained by God and is a requirement for a man to receive the highest form of salvation. It is generally believed in the church that a man should have a minimum of three wives to fulfill this requirement.[37] Connected with this doctrine is the concept that wives are required to be subordinate to their husbands.
The church currently practices the law of placing, whereby a young woman of marriageable age is assigned a husband by revelation from God to the leader of the church, who is regarded as a prophet.[38] The prophet elects to take and give wives to and from men according to their worthiness. Wives may be taken from one man and reassigned to men that are more worthy.
Dress code
All members of the church are required to abide by a strict dress code. In general, women are forbidden to cut their hair or to wear makeup, trousers or any skirt above the knees. Men are usually seen wearing plain clothing, usually a collared shirt and trousers. Men and women do not have any tattoos or body piercings. Women and girls usually wear solid-color homemade long-sleeved dresses, between ankle and mid-calf, and long stockings, keeping their hair coiffed.[39]
Property ownership
The FLDS Church also prevents its members from owning real estate and other property. The land and houses occupied by the FLDS Church are owned by the United Effort Plan (UEP), a subsidiary organization of the church. The UEP also owns most businesses that are controlled by FLDS Church members. The church views this "United Order" as a means of living the traditional Latter Day Saint doctrine of the "Law of Consecration". The Attorney General of Utah has filed a lawsuit in an attempt to protect the holdings of the UEP for the current residents of Colorado City and Hildale. The Attorney General is seeking to have the assets of the UEP reassigned to the FLDS Church members. The UEP has been frozen by court order pending a resolution of the lawsuit.[citation needed]
Home schooling
In 2000, the Colorado City Unified School District had more than 1200 students. When Jeffs ordered FLDS Church members to pull their children out of public schools, the number declined to around 250.[40]
Temple worship
The FLDS Church is the fifth Latter Day Saint denomination to have built a temple.[41]
Criticisms of the church
Plural marriage
A view of the FLDS ranch in Eldorado, Texas
At the time of his death, church leader Rulon Jeffs was confirmed to have married 22 women and fathered more than 60 children, although some[42] have suggested that he had close to 75 wives. Current estimates also state that Warren Jeffs may have upwards of 60 wives.[42] Critics of this lifestyle say that its practice inevitably leads to bride shortages and likely to child marriages, incest, and child abuse.[citation needed]
It has been reported that the FLDS Church has recently excommunicated over 400 teenage boys, some as young as 13, for offenses such as dating and listening to rock music. Former members claim that the real reason for these excommunications is that there are not enough women for each male to receive three or more wives. Six such teenage boys have filed a conspiracy lawsuit against Jeffs and Sam Barlow, a former Mohave County deputy sheriff and close associate of Jeffs, for a "systematic excommunication" of young men to reduce competition for wives.[43][44]
Critics claim that some members of the church are violating laws (because polygamy is illegal in the United States) when they participate in polygamy.[45] Critics claim that incest and sexual abuse of children are prevalent among church members.[46][47][48]
Race
In its Spring 2005 "Intelligence Report," the Southern Poverty Law Center named the FLDS Church to its "hate group" listing[49] because of the church's teachings on race, which include a fierce condemnation of interracial relationships. Warren Jeffs has said, "the black race is the people through which the devil has always been able to bring evil unto the earth."[50]
Blood atonement
Former FLDS Church member Robert Richter reported to the Phoenix New Times that Warren Jeffs has repeatedly alluded to the nineteenth century Mormon teaching of "blood atonement" in church sermons. Under the doctrine of blood atonement, certain serious sins can only be atoned for by the sinner's death. Richter also claims that he was asked to design a thermostat for a high-temperature furnace that would be capable of destroying DNA evidence if such "atonements" were to take place.[51]
Birth defects
The Colorado City/Hildale area has the world's highest incidence of fumarase deficiency,[52] an extremely rare genetic condition which causes severe mental retardation. Geneticists attribute this to the prevalence of cousin marriage between descendants of two of the town's founders, Joseph Smith Jessup and John Yeates Barlow; one local historian reports that 75–80 percent of the double-communities' roughly 10,000 inhabitants are descended from one or both of these men[citation needed]
LDS vs FLDS
The LDS Church has repeatedly emphasized that it is in no way affiliated with the FLDS Church.[53]
Plural Marriage? Is it freedom of religion or polygamy? Does the Constitutional right to freedom of religion outweigh the federal and state laws outlawing plural marriage? I would say the Constitution outweighs state law. The law would say that Federal is superior to State law, except where state law is stricter. In this case, state law is equally strict to federal law. Illegal still means illegal.
Subordination of Wives to Husbands? Freedom of religion? If you asked my wife, the response would be in the form of insubordination of my soon-to-be ex-wife. For these purposes, there is no law for or against the religious practice of subordination. If BDSM is acceptable practice, this would seem to be. I, for the record, disagree with the practice but I am also not a member of this "Church."
Placing women of "marriagable age?" Could we get a FLDS definition of marriagable age? I hope it isn't the Jerry Lee Lewis definition. Freedom of religion? Does state law regarding legal marriage age matter? Can parents sign a waiver as they can in several other states?
Dress Code? Freedom of religion and freedom of expression. I can't see much discussion here unless we also want to question the Amish community.
No Right to Property? I think we have a winner. Clear and convincing evidence of the purposeful denial of a Constitutional right.
No right to free enterprise? Another probable winner, although the right to pursuit of property clause was more definitive than is the right to the pursuit of happiness in this particular question.
Excommunication? Let's ask the Catholics. Is being excommunicated from this and then being able to date and listen to rock music such a bad thing?
Excommunication itself is strictly a religious practice. I see no argument.
Racism? It exists regardless of the FLDS. More Arian Brotherhood garbage, only from a different source. I suppose the FLDS overlooked the obvious fact that Jesus could not have been Caucasian. He, in all likelihood, was rather dark-skinned. So, does this mean they consider Jesus inferior and a carrier of the Devil's evil?
Blood Atonement? Freedom of religion or Salem Witch Trails reincarnated?
Killing is wrong by both the religious and the legal definitions. I really have a hard time crediting this practice to freedom of religion.
Incest and Inbreeding? Freedom of religion? The mental retardation seemed rather obvious on the basis of these practices being not only accepted but outright encouraged by the FLDS. While considered disgusting beyond all reason by most people, there is no federal basis for laws against these practices. State law, and the People collectively, have determined these practices have to go. I'm on this bandwagon.
Are these people cultist religious zealots, cultist religious communists, or simply communists? Who thinks what about the FLDS?
Plural marriage and the law of placing
The FLDS Church teaches the doctrine of plural marriage, which states that a man having multiple wives is ordained by God and is a requirement for a man to receive the highest form of salvation. It is generally believed in the church that a man should have a minimum of three wives to fulfill this requirement.[37] Connected with this doctrine is the concept that wives are required to be subordinate to their husbands.
The church currently practices the law of placing, whereby a young woman of marriageable age is assigned a husband by revelation from God to the leader of the church, who is regarded as a prophet.[38] The prophet elects to take and give wives to and from men according to their worthiness. Wives may be taken from one man and reassigned to men that are more worthy.
Dress code
All members of the church are required to abide by a strict dress code. In general, women are forbidden to cut their hair or to wear makeup, trousers or any skirt above the knees. Men are usually seen wearing plain clothing, usually a collared shirt and trousers. Men and women do not have any tattoos or body piercings. Women and girls usually wear solid-color homemade long-sleeved dresses, between ankle and mid-calf, and long stockings, keeping their hair coiffed.[39]
Property ownership
The FLDS Church also prevents its members from owning real estate and other property. The land and houses occupied by the FLDS Church are owned by the United Effort Plan (UEP), a subsidiary organization of the church. The UEP also owns most businesses that are controlled by FLDS Church members. The church views this "United Order" as a means of living the traditional Latter Day Saint doctrine of the "Law of Consecration". The Attorney General of Utah has filed a lawsuit in an attempt to protect the holdings of the UEP for the current residents of Colorado City and Hildale. The Attorney General is seeking to have the assets of the UEP reassigned to the FLDS Church members. The UEP has been frozen by court order pending a resolution of the lawsuit.[citation needed]
Home schooling
In 2000, the Colorado City Unified School District had more than 1200 students. When Jeffs ordered FLDS Church members to pull their children out of public schools, the number declined to around 250.[40]
Temple worship
The FLDS Church is the fifth Latter Day Saint denomination to have built a temple.[41]
Criticisms of the church
Plural marriage
A view of the FLDS ranch in Eldorado, Texas
At the time of his death, church leader Rulon Jeffs was confirmed to have married 22 women and fathered more than 60 children, although some[42] have suggested that he had close to 75 wives. Current estimates also state that Warren Jeffs may have upwards of 60 wives.[42] Critics of this lifestyle say that its practice inevitably leads to bride shortages and likely to child marriages, incest, and child abuse.[citation needed]
It has been reported that the FLDS Church has recently excommunicated over 400 teenage boys, some as young as 13, for offenses such as dating and listening to rock music. Former members claim that the real reason for these excommunications is that there are not enough women for each male to receive three or more wives. Six such teenage boys have filed a conspiracy lawsuit against Jeffs and Sam Barlow, a former Mohave County deputy sheriff and close associate of Jeffs, for a "systematic excommunication" of young men to reduce competition for wives.[43][44]
Critics claim that some members of the church are violating laws (because polygamy is illegal in the United States) when they participate in polygamy.[45] Critics claim that incest and sexual abuse of children are prevalent among church members.[46][47][48]
Race
In its Spring 2005 "Intelligence Report," the Southern Poverty Law Center named the FLDS Church to its "hate group" listing[49] because of the church's teachings on race, which include a fierce condemnation of interracial relationships. Warren Jeffs has said, "the black race is the people through which the devil has always been able to bring evil unto the earth."[50]
Blood atonement
Former FLDS Church member Robert Richter reported to the Phoenix New Times that Warren Jeffs has repeatedly alluded to the nineteenth century Mormon teaching of "blood atonement" in church sermons. Under the doctrine of blood atonement, certain serious sins can only be atoned for by the sinner's death. Richter also claims that he was asked to design a thermostat for a high-temperature furnace that would be capable of destroying DNA evidence if such "atonements" were to take place.[51]
Birth defects
The Colorado City/Hildale area has the world's highest incidence of fumarase deficiency,[52] an extremely rare genetic condition which causes severe mental retardation. Geneticists attribute this to the prevalence of cousin marriage between descendants of two of the town's founders, Joseph Smith Jessup and John Yeates Barlow; one local historian reports that 75–80 percent of the double-communities' roughly 10,000 inhabitants are descended from one or both of these men[citation needed]
LDS vs FLDS
The LDS Church has repeatedly emphasized that it is in no way affiliated with the FLDS Church.[53]
Plural Marriage? Is it freedom of religion or polygamy? Does the Constitutional right to freedom of religion outweigh the federal and state laws outlawing plural marriage? I would say the Constitution outweighs state law. The law would say that Federal is superior to State law, except where state law is stricter. In this case, state law is equally strict to federal law. Illegal still means illegal.
Subordination of Wives to Husbands? Freedom of religion? If you asked my wife, the response would be in the form of insubordination of my soon-to-be ex-wife. For these purposes, there is no law for or against the religious practice of subordination. If BDSM is acceptable practice, this would seem to be. I, for the record, disagree with the practice but I am also not a member of this "Church."
Placing women of "marriagable age?" Could we get a FLDS definition of marriagable age? I hope it isn't the Jerry Lee Lewis definition. Freedom of religion? Does state law regarding legal marriage age matter? Can parents sign a waiver as they can in several other states?
Dress Code? Freedom of religion and freedom of expression. I can't see much discussion here unless we also want to question the Amish community.
No Right to Property? I think we have a winner. Clear and convincing evidence of the purposeful denial of a Constitutional right.
No right to free enterprise? Another probable winner, although the right to pursuit of property clause was more definitive than is the right to the pursuit of happiness in this particular question.
Excommunication? Let's ask the Catholics. Is being excommunicated from this and then being able to date and listen to rock music such a bad thing?
Excommunication itself is strictly a religious practice. I see no argument.
Racism? It exists regardless of the FLDS. More Arian Brotherhood garbage, only from a different source. I suppose the FLDS overlooked the obvious fact that Jesus could not have been Caucasian. He, in all likelihood, was rather dark-skinned. So, does this mean they consider Jesus inferior and a carrier of the Devil's evil?
Blood Atonement? Freedom of religion or Salem Witch Trails reincarnated?
Killing is wrong by both the religious and the legal definitions. I really have a hard time crediting this practice to freedom of religion.
Incest and Inbreeding? Freedom of religion? The mental retardation seemed rather obvious on the basis of these practices being not only accepted but outright encouraged by the FLDS. While considered disgusting beyond all reason by most people, there is no federal basis for laws against these practices. State law, and the People collectively, have determined these practices have to go. I'm on this bandwagon.
Are these people cultist religious zealots, cultist religious communists, or simply communists? Who thinks what about the FLDS?