The FLDS Debacle in Texas and Why We Should Care

© Dr. Gary D. Lemmons, May 18, 2008

Several weeks ago, Texas authorities, acting on the basis of an alleged call from a teenager named “Sarah”, who claimed that she was the victim of child sexual abuse, invaded the religious compound of the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints near Eldorado, Texas.  There they seized 465 minor children from their parents in the religious sect.  The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services took custody and are currently working the issue through Texas courts.

Now it is true that this FLDS sect is a part of the large group (some 10,000), throughout the southwest United States, that believes in and practices polygamy.  As I understand it, this is done by the male marrying a first wife via the normal legal process.  The male then may take “sister wives” via religious ceremonies within the sect that are not recognized by the civil law.

Before some of my friends with less than monogamous tendencies rush off to enroll in the church, this is not some sort of orgy prone group.  Apparently, these folks are hardworking, successful, and (despite what our dirty minds might imagine) family oriented.

Now, don’t get me wrong.  I think these folks are full of blue mud, and there may be a number of cases of where under-aged girls have been forced to marry older men and bear them babies when the girls themselves were but children.  Also, there is some evidence that some of the older men may have banished some of the younger boys in order to preserve the supply of young women for multiple marriages.

What troubles me is that these crimes seem to have been committed by only some of the FLDS sect near Eldorado.  It appears that many of these FLDS parents are not involved in child abuse activities.  Yet, the Texas authorities seized all the children and the parents (the vast majority of whom have been charged with NO crime) are going to have to jump through the hoops of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, a bureaucratic bunch, in order to have a hope of getting their children returned.

I smell a good case of religious intolerance and discrimination, and this scares me to death.  If the Texas Gestapo can wrest FLDS children from their parents based upon supposition that they “might” be the victims of “possible” child abuse, just how long will it be before the Gestapo from some other state decides that your religion or mine may be abusive of children?!?

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services should have to lay out the evidence child by child as to whether or not a crime has been committed.  If there is no evidence, the children should be returned to their parents, on a case by case basis.  Where there is evidence, the adults involved should go to jail!

Incidentally, they never found “Sarah”!  In fact there is some evidence that she is in actuality a middle-aged lady with a psychological problem, who has reported herself as an abused teenager in the FLDS sect several times over the past year to different law enforcement agencies throughout the southwest. She apparently has never been a member of or involved with the FLDS!

I intend to follow this case and report in the weeks ahead.

For the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services go to:

http://www.dfps.state.tx.us/