Cultist Hand-Picked Children For Loyalty

Officials Say Jeffs Moved Young Members Of Sect Into Seclusion In Tex. To Ensure Obedience

(CBS/AP)  Polygamist sect members who were moved to a Texas compound from their longtime homes along the Utah-Arizona line were hand-picked for their fierce loyalty to leader Warren Jeffs, and that allegiance may be a stumbling block for law enforcement, authorities say.

Jeffs, the imprisoned leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, transferred people to Eldorado, Texas, to escape growing government scrutiny on the sect's base in Colorado City, Ariz., and Hildale, Utah, Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard said.

"This was Warren Jeffs' all-star cast," said Goddard, who has been investigating the sect since 2004. "They had the strongest sense of obedience."

As a result, their extreme devotion could make it hard on Texas authorities as they push for prosecutions, said Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff.

"All these girls are taught from the cradle not to trust anybody from the outside," Shurtleff said. "Especially the government. We're the beast. We're the devil."

Authorities raided the Eldorado ranch April 3 after a girl from the clan made a whispered telephone call for help to a family violence shelter. Texas has since taken legal custody of 416 children on suspicions that they were being sexually and physically abused.

Jeffs, who was convicted last year in Utah of being an accomplice to rape, wanted "to isolate and perhaps purify the sect from any kind of outside influences," Goddard said.

Eldorado "is the most concentrated version of this particular style of life," he said.

Prosecutors in Arizona and Utah struggled for years to gain the trust of witnesses in abuse cases, but many young girls still refused to speak out.

"We've had them come out and make statements, and then they disappear, or they recant," Shurtleff said.

The FLDS split from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints more than a century ago when the mainstream Mormon Church renounced polygamy. The Mormon Church excommunicates members who practice plural marriage.

Until recently, Arizona and Utah authorities had left the FLDS communities in Hildale and Colorado City alone.

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Read Hari Sreenivasan's blog post from San Angelo.

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The last time Arizona officials focused their attention on the FLDS homeland was a notorious raid in 1953. That action turned into a public relations debacle as pictures circulated of children being pulled from their mothers. Afterward, authorities left the FLDS to police themselves.

However, Goddard started talking with Shurtleff about the FLDS in 2002 shortly after he was elected, his spokesman said.

Arizona officials put up a billboard in Colorado City with a toll-free number for young women who felt abused. They got rid of local police officers, who had pledged loyalty to Jeffs, and opened an office in the community manned by Mohave County officers.

The Arizona Board of Education took over the Colorado City school system and Utah officials cut off a major source of assets from the sect's United Effort Plan trust, which was estimated to contain as much as $114 million.

"We were increasing the pressure," Goddard said. "That's when they started this escape to Texas."

In 2005, news started circulating about a new FLDS community that was being built on 1,700 acres in Eldorado.

FLDS leaders said publicly at the time they weren't expecting any apocalyptic event or mass exodus to Texas. But former FLDS member Flora Jessop, 38, said she heard a different story from family members who made it to the Texas compound. Eldorado, Jessop said, was to make up for the failures Jeffs perceived in Colorado City and Hildale.

"Warren thought it was there were too many unfaithful people in Colorado City," Jessop said. "So he started the culling, if you will."

"He started moving all the most faithful to Texas so that God would be able to lift them up while he swept the evil wicked outsiders off the face of the Earth."

Following his Utah conviction, Jeffs is in jail in Arizona while awaiting trial on four counts of incest, four counts of sexual contact with a minor, one of sexual conduct with a minor and one of conspiracy to conduct sexual conduct with a minor. The charges predate the Eldorado raid.


Attorney: Call From Abused Girl May Have Been Hoax

An attorney for polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs says Texas authorities may have been duped by a fake phone tip into raiding a West Texas ranch occupied by Jeffs followers.

Attorney Michael Piccarreta tells The Arizona Republic in Phoenix that he "smelled a rat from the beginning."

He was referring to the call from a 16-year-old girl at the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints commune in Eldorado that prompted the raid. In his words, "I think the Texas authorities need to make a careful analysis of whether they have been part of a ruse."

A spokeswoman for Texas Child Protective Services tells The Associated Press that the agency believes the call was genuine. Spokeswoman Marissa Gonzales says the agency has no "reason to believe that it was a prank or a ruse in any way."

Authorities have said their April 3 raid on the Eldorado ranch came after a girl's whispered telephone call for help to a family violence shelter. Texas has since taken legal custody of 416 children on suspicion that they were being sexually and physically abused.

[portlife2]

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[husein_pasha]

Such an uygly clothes!!

[hungry1968]

Cultist Hand-Picked Children For Loyalty




Yeah they hand picked them all right:

"Let''s see 14 years old, blond hair, blue eyes, kind of cute, nice body - yep, she''s in!"

NEXT!!




Sick, friggin'' religious, ding bat, freaks!!!

[hungry1968]

Such an uygly clothes!!

Posted by Husein_Pasha at 04:03 PM : Apr 12, 2008




These religious scummmbags aren''t worried about the clothes - they''re only going to end up in a pile on the floor in their ultra-bizarre world!!

[marcosis78]

"Hand picked for loyalty - guess they must be Republicans!"

HAHAHAHA

[mustang0072]

I''m wondering how, if all members of the FLDS were completely out of touch with current events, civilation, technology, etc...then how would a 16-yr old girl know about family violence shelters, and how would she know to call an organization like that instead of 911?

[husein_pasha]

If the girls want to live so... there is no problem. However, many of them are forced

[barbaraf4]

There is a solution to this whole polygamy question. If these women were allowed to let their hair down and dress more attractively, then the men wouldn''t have to keep adding to the harem, hoping something might spark their attention. I''m sure that is why the wives get younger and younger. Meanwhile, you just know these women are sleeping in flannel nightgowns, chin to toe, and none of this group has ever seen one another naked.

[shanev137]

Only in Texas.

[husein_pasha]

Here the poligamy is extincting, 4.6% of the urban and 7.7% of the rural men have more than 1 wife.

[jerryspoor]

Separation of Church and State gives more freedom to the Church. But to separate the Church from Society makes for a complicated issue in our court system. We would be judging these people by our standards when they only know the simple and rigid standards that have been confined to. They don''t know what freedom is. Can they handle freedom?

[husein_pasha]

Our secularism is not so to separate the religion from the state than to obey the religion to the state

[denn034]

I just saw the biblical arguments about polygamy. Here''s what I posted on Newsvine about polygamy for everyone''s consideration as appropriate. "Lamach a serial killer is the earliest recorded polygamist which, is a poor precent to follow for sure. Abraham sent his wives "away from Isaac" and Isaac married only Rebekah which, suggests that Abraham repented. Jacob was deceived into marrying Leah so, that marriage wasn''t recognized in God''s eyes. Deuteronomy 17:17 bans any future Israelite king from "multiplying wives unto themselves" like Saul, David, and Solomon did so, they disobeyed Jehovah and that''s definitely not a good precedence. The Isaiah reference that some may refer to earlier referred to "the filth of the daughters of Zion" which, is unquestionably a poor practice to follow. Jesus'' monogamous "cleave unto them and none else" and Paul''s "husband of one wife" statements in the New Testament argue against polygamy as well.
I forgot a few more. Moses'' first wife Miriam''s death isn''t recorded in the Bible at the time it occurred so, there''s no proof she was alive when Moses married the Ethiopian woman. The stipulation that a surviving brother can marry a deceased brother''s wife, I say can because it''s optional, in the Mosaic law is silent as the marital status of the surviving brother so, it''s best to interpret this in the light of Deuteronomy 17:17 and Leviticus 18:18 as referring to single surviving brothers only.

[denn034]

Some may insist that the Bible wasn''t correctly translated but, that ignores Jesus'' "not one jot or tittle shall pass from the law til all be fulfilled" and Peter''s "God preserveth his word" statements which, makes the Bible mistranslated argument a calling of God a liar and that''s nonsensical. Some may make the non-literalism argument but, Hal Lindsey''s Road to Holocaust book forcefully argues that Hitler had to use non-literalism to get around the biblical protections for the Jews like in Genesis 12:13 (those that bless Jews get blessed and those who curse Jews get cursed like verses) and Jesus and the Apostles interpreted Old Testament verses, including dual prophetic reference and dual meaning verses, literally (see Lindsey''s book for details).

[denn034]

The Book of Mormon condemns polygamy, the one verse in Jacob 2 that Mormons and the FLDS use to show an exception for polygamy actually condemns it because it says God has to command polygamy or mankind will practice the "these things" of polygamy and pride as per the anti-polygamist RLDS Community Christians whose interpretation I prefer. The polygamy of the Muslims contradicts Jesus'' Matthew monogamous "none else" and Paul''s 1 Timothy and Titus "husband of one wife" statesments contrary to their acknowledgment of Jesus as a prophet only. Therefore, there''s no legitimate support for polygamy in the Bible. Period! If you have anymore questions go to the Church of God, the Eternal web site and request their Polygamy: Blessing or Curse? literature. READ MY FIRST POST FIRST, SECOND ONE SECOND, AND THE LAST ONE LAST TO UNDERSTAND.

[denn034]

Let me finish by saying that religion should never be allowed to be a cover for crime. The FLDS are clearly a cover for crime and thereby shouldn''t be given the religious protections of the First Amendment. Besides, the Supreme Court recently upheld the polygamy ban.

[denn034]

One more comment. Jeffs resigned as President of the FLDS, a fact that needs to be repeatedly stated due to the media, nationally and foreign, continually failing to point that out shows. Also, the way the media is covering this story leads to misunderstandings among Americans that the FLDS are Mormons when most were never Mormons. This story seems to try to distinguish between Mormons and FLDS but, it''s the exception generally.

[denn034]

"And yer credibility is wear''''n thin."
Posted by huronian1

Please explain.

[mustang0072]

I''m pretty sure the alter boys in the Roman Catholic church would agree too that religion shouldn''t be a cover for crime too...seems all religions at one time or another are prone to corruption.

[andor3]

just humans... any group who tries to act like they are more good than everyone else is always being more evil in secret. just humanity and balance.

self-righteousness is the most evil thing there is.

[cpaide]

"Therefore, there''s no legitimate support for polygamy in the Bible. Period!"
Posted by denn034

really? what about that tiny little problem with the multiple wives of prophet abraham (Genesis 25)--not to mention his racism toward the cannanites (Genesis 24)? and how about prophet jacob (Genesis 29) and his wives? all the jewish people are children of polygamists.

[denn034]

"really? what about that tiny little problem with the multiple wives of prophet abraham (Genesis 25)--not to mention his racism toward the cannanites (Genesis 24)? and how about prophet jacob (Genesis 29) and his wives? all the jewish people are children of polygamists."
Posted by cpaide

Abraham''s and Jacob''s polygamies were dealt with in my earlier postings to this story. Not marrying unbelievers to protect oneself from being lulled into unbelief isn''t racism, 1 Corinthians 7:14 and 16 demand the view.

[andor3]

the bible quoting is pointless. it is a false argument, known in debating as trying to rely on the authority of a source that is not agreed by all parties to be authoritative. In other words, a lot of people do not care what the bible says or does not say or might say if you interpret it standing on your head and holding your breath.

I am sure this cult had folks who could spend hours explaining the biblical basis for their actions, they always do.

[denn034]

"How many more people''''s faiths are you gonna condemn, atheist?"
Posted by huronian1

Jesus condemned the Pharisees and Sadducees, Jewish religious sects of his day, and the Nicolaitans (saying he hated their deeds) in Revelation later on. Besides, Galatians 5:20 makes "heresies" a sin!

[cpaide]

as for the mormans (sic), both "mainstream" and "fundamentalist", all believe that the practice of polygamy is essential to obtaining the highest degree (or level) of the celestial kingdom (the place where heavenly father and jesus reside).

section 132 of the doctrine and covenants is a revelation received by prophet joseph smith in 1831, recorded July 12, 1843, published 1876 and "suspended" by president wilford woodruff''s "manifesto" dated september 24, 1890.

it is a revelation relating to the "new and everlasting covenant", including 1) the eternity of the marriage covenant (paragraphs 15-21)and also 2) the "plurality of wives" (paragraphs 29-66). BOTH of these parts of the new and everlasting covenant are essential to exaltation (dwelling in the highest level of the celestial kingdom).

if this was not so, the 132nd section of the doctrine and covenants (or at least paragraphs 29-66 relating to the plurality of wives) would have been repealed in 1890 or subsequently. that not being the case, the plurality of wives is still a valid doctrine of mormonism, essential to salvation in the celestial kingdom.

[denn034]

"Fer all I know, Warran Jeffs is Jesus Christ!"
Posted by huronian1

First, Jeffs never claimed to be Jesus. Lastly, Jeffs forbad his followers wearing red because, Jesus will wear red when he returns as Jeffs saw it.

[cpaide]

"Not marrying unbelievers to protect oneself from being lulled into unbelief isn''t racism, 1 Corinthians 7:14 and 16 demand the view."

Posted by denn034

it''s still racism. don''t make the assumption that the author of 1 cor was not racist, or that a person reading it today isn''t filtering it through a racist filter so that it appears to be ok.

[cpaide]

"Texas authorities may have been duped by a fake phone tip into raiding a West Texas ranch occupied by Jeffs followers."

they weren''t duped. a couple of lesbians made the whole thing up, along with that unsubstantiated affidavit some perverted catholic judge signed.

[denn034]

"it''''s still racism. don''''t make the assumption that the author of 1 cor was not racist, or that a person reading it today isn''''t filtering it through a racist filter so that it appears to be ok."
Posted by cpaide

I accidentally cited the wrong verse but, whatever, you''re free to your view.

[fibonacci_]

Typical line of a cult leader, including Jesus: "They will say that I am a false prophet."

[fibonacci_]

cneron, right on. We fight for rational thinking - religion has done enough damage.

[edward1975-2009]

You cannot condemn religion because of the fault of man. If someone chooses to twist something they read into a perverted lifestyle, that is no fault of the writings. It is the fault of a flawed personality.

[fibonacci_]

Edward1975, I suppose you are one of those people who says that the 9/11 terrorists "were not true muslims". I fault religion - it is like a disease that infests the minds of people and gets passed on - destructive memes.

[prinzowhales]

Bush Department of Justice....Cultists picked US Attorneys for their loyalty...

[edward1975-2009]

fibonacci: You can''t lump all, with the reckless acts of the few. Not every Muslim is bad, not every Catholic is a child abuser and not every Mormon believes in plural marriages. If you allow the acts of the few to form your opinions, your gonna be one frustrated individual. But either way, good luck with that.

[voltaire333]

Typical line of a cult leader, including Jesus: "They will say that I am a false prophet."
Posted by fibonacci_ at 06:02 PM : Apr 12, 2008

Yep, blessed are you when they persecute you and call you names because you follow me like a blind and stupid sheep! The Kingdom of Heaven is yours! And their persecution of you is proof positive that I am god! LOL

[fibonacci_]

"Not every Muslim is bad, not every Catholic is a child abuser and not every Mormon believes in plural marriages."

- Fully agreed - there are people who are benign - but religion itself causes great harm in the world today. It is like HIV.

[fibonacci_]

Exactly, Voltaire333. What geniuses huh? And idiot Christians always think it is somehow so profound when they say "Jesus told us that people like you would come" - what absolute idiots.

[fibonacci_]

huronian1, congratulations, your IQ is 83.

[voltaire333]

And idiot Christians always think it is somehow so profound when they say "Jesus told us that people like you would come" - what absolute idiots.
Posted by fibonacci_ at 06:36 PM : Apr 12, 2008

Oops, you just proved them right again! LOL

[fibonacci_]

LMAO Voltaire333, my intellect is vastly superior to yours. You have no chance against me in debate. Dumb-*** Christian.

[fibonacci_]

Oh, sorry. LOL. Didnt mean that. My IQ has just dropped 20 points.

[fibonacci_]

That is what happens when I drink too much beer. huronian1 iss aktally smarter then mee now.

[voltaire333]

Oh, sorry. LOL. Didnt mean that. My IQ has just dropped 20 points.
Posted by fibonacci_ at 06:48 PM : Apr 12, 2008

No problem, Jesus knew you would insult me, that''s why he died on a cross. Your insult actually proves that you are already forgiven! Gotta run, I''m going out to rob a bank. We''ve got lots of credits because of that whole crucifixion thing! Forgiveness is so much fun!

[michellem99-2009]

Barbara yep ye right..The lds dress code and byu dress code are the same..I know I was lds years ago. There aee styles of dress barred..their temple garmeant are next to the body then under ware then the the clothes..I wear what I want,,But not things that make me uncomfortable. Ye know they don''t dress baggy..I hate skirts and I will not wear one..Haven''t for years..Remember the mini skirt days..I worn mine below thw knee..Then they told it was unbecoimig so next day I walked into class in pants and a blouse..I did wear a dress at my grad frrm high school.
singingrick what happened ye were in to Jesus I hope ye didn''t walk away on my account.
People I know the D+C talks about the 3 kingdoms and etc..Sure ye find some that disobey the the rluing that Pres Wilson handed down in Sept.1820..Ya live in America..

[jankebenz]

Fully agreed - there are people who are benign - but religion itself causes great harm in the world today. It is like HIV.

Posted by fibonacci_ at 06:34 PM : Apr 12, 2008

Funny you should mention HIV,I''ll give you 3 guesses as to which group of people have the highest rate of hiv,s. Clue, Its the lowest in christians by far!

[adasher1]

I am so tired of religion. WAKE UP PEEPS, ITS ALL FAKE.

[messiahx4eve]

You people still don''t get it do you? ORGANIZED religions are flock tending tricks to instill fear of the UNKNOWN or to make it so scary that you believe thru totally BLIND faith that heaven or hell actually exists. LOOK for TRUTH within, not with out. There is a Spirit, a God, for lack of better words, but it is NOT male, nor female, it is BOTH. Humans have been INGRAINED with this kind of thinking since the end of the Agrarian Age and the beginning of the Industrial Age, your life is your own, God gave it to you, we try so hard to control others that we lose control of OURSELVES. Just let people BE people. A change is coming and its coming soon, sooner than big business or the bush regime would like but it IS on the horizon, the dynastic cycle of change is about to take a HUGE chunk outta our behinds and teach us all over again where the power truly lies.

[adasher1]

messiahx4eve, if there were a god, male, female, trans, whatever, would he, she, it need this clown to hand-pick these children for brain washing? I would like to think that if I were an all knowing, omnipotent god that I would not need anyone to gather children up for me, I could simply do it myself.

And why children? Why would this god allow his, her, it%u2019s followers to harm children? It seems to me that is this god allowed it because this god knew it was going to happen, then this god is culpable as well.

Instead of this god allowing clowns to rape children in her, his, it%u2019s name, this god SHOULD be freeing Children%u2019s Hospitals across the world of clients.

[beehive21-2009]

Someones constitutional rights are being stomped upon.reminds me of Navoo,IL. or Kirkland Ohio.Lets hope the neighbors kid don''t start a long tall tale about you and yours.How much you think is going to cost the Texas taxpayers over this BS ?