Polygamy: A World Apart

(CBS)  CBS News delves into the clandestine world of polygamy and the FLDS in a 48 Hours special with insider accounts, harrowing escape stories, interviews with law enforcement officials and an explosive interview with high-ranking FLDS member Willie Jessop.

The YFZ Ranch

What is next for the members of this Texas compound? Correspondent Peter Van Sant goes in search of answers as he interviews neighbors of the compound and Willie Jessop, who discusses life in the church in a confrontational interview. Read more.

Escape

Correspondent Erin Moriarty catches up with Sarah, who fled from the FLDS community in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 1999. Her escape came at the expense of her family. As she prepares to reunite with Laura Chapman, the woman who helped them break free, Sarah recalls life in the FLDS: "One of the things we kept hearing over and over again was that they needed to break my spirit. I laughed too much. I was too happy." Read more.

Warren Jeffs: The Godfather

Correspondent Susan Spencer sheds light on the sect's practices and self-styled prophet, Warren Jeffs, who, despite being in prison for his conviction as an accomplice to the rape of a minor, continues to lead the FLDS empire in a number of states. Read more.

The Bold And The Beautiful

Correspondent Troy Roberts explores the modern face of polygamy. With one husband three wives - two of them twins - and 22 children living in a suburb of Salt Lake City, they have jobs, wear make-up and their kids go to public school. They do, however, face challenges fitting in. Read more.

Broken Ties

While the allegations of abuse against young girls have taken center-stage, what about the experiences of young boys? Correspondent Seth Doane reports on the emotional journey of four boys who studied under Jeffs. Now excised from the sect, they struggle to find their way in the outside world, separated from the security of their families and homes. Read more.

[dianal1113]

Please post the Title of the book the one young lady has written.

[rosemari2]

What was the comment at the end of the show, about the State paying the one town 2 million dollars per month to the -single mothers- of FLDS---------multiply THAT by 12 months and you can tell how this bunch of perverts got so rich, can''t you.

Don''t how Texas does it, but in my state if you want Welfare, you''d better name the father, or you are not going to get anything. And then the father pays--------but since they say they are a Religion, guess they don''t have to pay. Or pay taxes either, eh?


22 children by the same man?? those really nice looking women are nothing but brood sows--------all these children are damaged, and the rest of Society will have to deal with them.

They are all preverted sick inbreds. Probably breeding their own daughters, sisters, and mothers.

[corporatecon]

All the mormons in my community are running around trying to distance themselves from the FLDS; however, the two religions have far more in common that not in common. For example they both believe:

1. Both use the Book of Mormon as primary scripture.
2. Belief in latter day prophets
3. Belief in male patriarchy & priesthood
4. Belief in same early prophets, oseph Smith, Brigham Young through about 1930.
5. Polygamy (current mormons believe they will practice it in the next lilfe)
6. Fast & Testimony meetings
7. Male apostles
8. Use of Temples
9. Secret Ceremonies
10. Use of same unique terminology during worship
11. Demanding 10% in tithes as opposed to offerings in most other religions.
12. Control of kind of underwear members wear
13. They were the SAME church until the 1930s

There are sooo many more.

[savethechild]

religioncultWhen I wrote my comment I attacked only one person.I stated that this is NOT religious regarding polygamy.It is abuse going on at the FLDS ranch.I pointed out what about the ranch I felt was abusive such as girls being ASSIGNED to old men,cousins or uncles(inbreeding)women being REASSIGNED after being married to a man and spending time adjusting to that which includes adjustment to the sister wives and their children,then having there own children,and then being told there reassigned cuz another man needs you,leaving the family wrecked and torn apart.So your question is what makes it right to violate human rights and tare familys apart?I dont know,but it seems to be happening INSIDE the FLDS.I never mentioned anything LDS and from what I understand they want to be separated from the FLDS.Its giving them the benefit of the doubt that they are nothing like the FLDS.I personally dont agree with polygamy but I will keep and open mind cuz my focus is on the abuse of the FLDS not religion as you make it.If you are LDS I would assume you have a choice to live with your sister wives and call that a family.If there were sexual abuse reported in your home I sure hope all children are taken to protect them until the facts come to truth.In most religions you only live as a husband and wife with your children and the situation would be treated the same. Like I said,I fear FLDS cult is full of crime.

[savethechild]

religioncultWhen I wrote my comment I attacked only one person.I stated that this is NOT religious regarding polygamy.It is abuse going on at the FLDS ranch.I pointed out what about the ranch I felt was abusive such as girls being ASSIGNED to old men,cousins or uncles(inbreeding)women being REASSIGNED after being married to a man and spending time adjusting to that which includes adjustment to the sister wives and their children,then having there own children,and then being told there reassigned cuz another man needs you,leaving the family wrecked and torn apart.So your question is what makes it right to violate human rights and tare familys apart?I dont know,but it seems to be happening INSIDE the FLDS.I never mentioned anything LDS and from what I understand they want to be separated from the FLDS.Its giving them the benefit of the doubt that they are nothing like the FLDS.I personally dont agree with polygamy but I will keep and open mind cuz my focus is on the abuse of the FLDS not religion as you make it.If you are LDS I would assume you have a choice to live with your sister wives and call that a family.If there were sexual abuse reported in your home I sure hope all children are taken to protect them until the facts come to truth.In most religions you only live as a husband and wife with your children and the situation would be treated the same. Like I said,I fear FLDS cult is full of crime.

[jim4mtn]

I was very disappointed in the show''s failure to report such major issues as the Texas appeals court throwing out the lower courts decision to take the children from the FDLS parents without appropriate due process. Also wondered why it was not reported as local papers have done that the informant behind the originsl raid was actually a black woman in Colorado with a history of filing false accusations. Was hoping to see a show about the legal rights of the individual to practice a non-conforming religion vs. the state''s right to protect the individual. Expected a fair discussion about the FLDS rights as compared to state responsibilities to protect. Instead got a hatchet job that was biased from the start. This was not a news story it was an agenda. No matter what individual thoughts are about polygamy and especially the practices of the FLDS sect, we are still a country of laws. Where was due process shown let alone unreasonable search and seizure? In my opinion it was especially cruel and unnecessary to take pre-puberty children from their parents. If there are documented cases of sexual abuse they should be fully prosecuted. But lets use a little common sense.

[childconcern]

I hope the state of Texas continues to protect all the children, and that it does not buckle under to political pressures. This seems to be a very sick and twisted religious community. Yes, there has been sexual abuses in other religions, and no one has condoned it. At least the Catholic church admitted to the abuses and has tried to correct the problem. Yes, it took years to do--but it has been done. Unlike the FLDS who won''t admit to anything and screams about how they are being picked on. Give me (and the children) a break!!!

[religioncult]

savethechild:
What makes it OK to violate basic human rights & rip children from their family''s just because Warren Jeffs is a pervert? If there was molestation going on in an LDS family (which I''m sure there has been), would that make it OK to raid all of the families homes in that Ward & take their children away from them? It should be handled on a case by case basis. Not all Polygamists molest children! If this type of thing is OK with you, then you should just pray that no one in your religion/cult molests children or even makes allegations of it. You rights and family could be taken from you.... unless of course you''re catholic. they seem to be immune to this.... see my previous comment.

[jbhardman1]

There are just too many people that have left the flds faith and say that there is mass underage marriage and abuse going on to think it''s not happening. If one person says it, ok, but I have not heard the story of one flds person that left the faith and said that abuse and underage marriage wasn''t happening.

[denn034]

This conservative has no problem with the wealthy having rights but, I''m opposed to they''re having special rights by virtue of being the only one''s that can afford it. Polygamy costs money after all and the poor can practice it only by resorting to welfare fraud like the FLDS. Let me finish by pointing out Deuteronomy 17:17 in the Old Testament, Jesus'' monogamous and heterosexual "none else" statement on marriage, and Paul''s several "husband of one wife" statements in 1 Timothy and Titus in the New Testament.