Poligamy families battle for custody

[Asmodean]

Custody hearings begin in polygamist sect cases

SAN ANTONIO - A 6-year-old son of polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs did not suffer physical or sexual abuse while living with his mother at the group's Texas ranch, a child welfare case worker testified Monday.

Child Protective Services case worker Joni Manske testified during one of several hearings in which more than 400 individual cases are being considered.

The massive custody cases got under way Monday in all five Tom Green County courtrooms, with parents learning what they must do to regain custody of the children. The hearings are expected to last three weeks.

Texas authorities have 463 children in foster care, taken because of allegations that members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints were forcing underage girls into marriage and sex at the sect's compound.

Members of the renegade Mormon sect, which teaches that polygamy brings glorification in heaven, have denied any abuse and said they are being persecuted for their religious beliefs.

(continued at source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24695122/ )

This one is a few days old still it makes for some pretty interesting reading... Apparently, a bit of pedophilia and treesome every now and then is ok by Jesus  

[myleviathan]

Has anybody else noticed the women from the sect have the same style of hair? It's like a big wave in the front. They also speak the same way. My favorite quote from one of the interviews I saw is "We are human persons, we are human persons."

[karadan]

They should all be put in a room (excluding the kids ofc) and told, shed your beliefs or die. Hopefully they'll all say no and someone can euthenise them without hesitation.

I fear that is the only course of action to rid this world of such people. This includes ANY fundamentalist from any other religion.

[Asmodean]

I just can't understand their need and/or desire to believe in and worship something greater than themselves. I suppose the answer lies somewhere between hope and fear. Fear of death, pain, you-name-it and hope that it can be avoided or that something "good" will come out of it, or that all the crap is a part of a larger than life masterplan ultimately ending in supreme happiness for the devout... Though why the need to base your life on that hope and cling to it when working with facts at hand is a far safer bet?

[myleviathan]

They should all be put in a room (excluding the kids ofc) and told, shed your beliefs or die. Hopefully they'll all say no and someone can euthenise them without hesitation.

I fear that is the only course of action to rid this world of such people. This includes ANY fundamentalist from any other religion.

No, that's definitely NOT the answer. I think a family being stripped of their children and punishment for any acts of underage sex is plenty. Fundamentalists will always exist. But you can't kill people for their faith. You can punish them for crime, but not for faith. That's the kind of behavior that we're trying to never have happen EVER again. Violence only breeds more violence. It opens pandora's box of violence. Let's keep it shut.

[Asmodean]

Let's keep it shut.

Yeah... I agree, except that box has long since been opened. That does not mean, however, that each and every one of us can not contribute to lessening the amount of violence in the world.

Personally, I would not make one sound in protest if, say, any sect/cult activity became outlawed but then again... That would be breaching basic freedom of religion, would it not?

[karadan]

They should all be put in a room (excluding the kids ofc) and told, shed your beliefs or die. Hopefully they'll all say no and someone can euthenise them without hesitation.

I fear that is the only course of action to rid this world of such people. This includes ANY fundamentalist from any other religion.

No, that's definitely NOT the answer. I think a family being stripped of their children and punishment for any acts of underage sex is plenty. Fundamentalists will always exist. But you can't kill people for their faith. You can punish them for crime, but not for faith. That's the kind of behavior that we're trying to never have happen EVER again. Violence only breeds more violence. It opens pandora's box of violence. Let's keep it shut.

It was more a hypothetical rant than an actual wish. Of course i don't actually think they should all die.

However, if all the worst fundies did actually dissappear tomorrow, i wouldn't shed a tear.

[myleviathan]

Personally, I would not make one sound in protest if, say, any sect/cult activity became outlawed but then again... That would be breaching basic freedom of religion, would it not?

I don't think you can outlaw a belief in anything. But you can outlaw animal or human sacrifice, rape, etc. I think polygamy itself is a lifestyle choice, so it can't be outlawed any more than any other consensual relationship can be.

[Asmodean]

I don't think you can outlaw a belief in anything. But you can outlaw animal or human sacrifice, rape, etc. I think polygamy itself is a lifestyle choice, so it can't be outlawed any more than any other consensual relationship can be.

No no, not "outlaw a belief," or polygamy for that matter, but outlaw an organised system of worship.

[myleviathan]

but outlaw an organised system of worship.

I get very edgy about the government or anybody else saying who can organise and who can't. People have a right to assemble peacefully, at least in the US and other Western nations. As long as people aren't hurting anyone or doing anything blatantly illegal, I think anybody should be able to organise for any reason.

[Asmodean]

Yeah. I suppose. I'm just saying that if someone was to outlaw cult activity and the like, I'd shed no tears over it.

[karadan]

but outlaw an organised system of worship.

I get very edgy about the government or anybody else saying who can organise and who can't. People have a right to assemble peacefully, at least in the US and other Western nations. As long as people aren't hurting anyone or doing anything blatantly illegal, I think anybody should be able to organise for any reason.

Try organising something other than a tribute to allah in Saudi Arabia and you'll be killed. Our freedoms as a society allow people like the above to use others for their own twisted needs. It is an unfortunate by-product of freedom i guess.