Maybe this is what being "saved" from "brainwashing" sounds like:
"Girls - this is for your own good. You've been hoodwinked I tell you - everything you believe is a lie and a sham. We're here to save you because that's what we do. Need references? Check with the Iraqis - we're saving the hell out of them.
Anyway, like we were saying, you need some genuine freedom in your lives - everything you've been doing is harmful to you sweet things. We'll start tonight with a bowl full of high fructose corn syrup covered in cows milk that's been loaded with bovine growth hormone. Yum!!! - sure, it might make you throw up and give you the runs, but you'll get used to it. This is America, for God's sake. Besides, we don't really pay our foster families enough to grow or purchase fresh organic food.
And about those families you're going to live with. They're awesome - all of them. CPS is all about protecting children and that's what we do - our record in spotless. I'm sorry you won't be able to go to the same place your sisters are going - y'all just have some BIG families - we're not really set up for that.
And we will have to get you some new clothes. You'll be going to school - that's right you are entitled to an terrific education free of charge paid for by the government - best schools in the world. But like we said, you'll need to get some new clothes if you want to fit it and we hope you will. With new clothes everyone'll be able to see that tramp stamp you're bound to have by the end of the first year! You will be learning SO much. And if you get knocked up, at least it'll be by a boy your own age like God intended (unless it's by a coach or teacher) and not some nasty old man who's your uncle or something.
I'm telling you girls, you've had it all wrong, but we've got it right. I promise you. We are going to give you so much freedom you won't know what to.......huh, what's that? You want to pray and sing before we eat? Now that's just strange, honey - try a little harder to fit in, will you? They're definitely not going to be into that at school tomorrow.....I mean you'll need to learn that some things aren't appropriate."
You know, I really don't mind that the children are raised in a closed society. In some ways, those children are lucky not to be raised constantly exposed to sex on TV, not under pressure to obtain the latest electronics, not exposed to drugs and everything else that is wrong with the American lifestyle.
I could even live with the polygamy lifestyle- even though it is illegal.
Reluctantly I can even live with the subservience of adult women- as long as it is their choice.
The commune lifestyle I could also live with, and in some ways envy. To live in a close community where everyone knows everyone else. Where you raise your own food (I don't know about 'organic' I haven't seen anywhere that the FLDS does or does not raise their food 'organically'.) Where every thing you need you raise yourself or it is provided to you.
I could even live with the arranged marriages. If they were adults, and if they had the right to say no.
But yes, I feel the incest that is forced on them is a problem (their problem, but a societal problem as well.) As well as the fact that I believe that to raise children to believe that everyone else in the world is evil is wrong. And to raise children to believe that while they are still a child that they must be married- that I see as a problem. As I also believe that forcing children to marry is wrong. To not allow women to choose to leave the lifestyle, I believe is wrong. To force children to leave because they are male, I believe is wrong. And if (and at this point, we don't know that they have or haven't) if they prove that there is abuse (either by a parent or a sister wife) in the homes, yes I believe that is wrong.
SCM, I have seen you in threads where children have been alleged to be abused- sometimes physically sometimes neglectfully, sometimes sexually. And you are as passionately against it as anyone else. What makes the difference for you? Is it that the FLDS calls it a religion?
To what extent can a religion be allowed to cover a wrong? If child sacrifice were a part of the religion, would that still be alright? How about cannibalism? Routine public floggings for children? Ritual sex abuse of children?
What you accept in the religion, you also have to accept in public society. So if it is ok in the religion to marry 13 year olds, then you have to accept when a 13 year old is sexually abused in the 'outside' world- married or not. Because you allowed the choice in the religion. If you accept incest in the religion, then you have to accept it in the outside world also. To allow it in the religion, but not allow it in the outside world- you are discriminating against religious beliefs.
I personally believe they will find evidence of much more abuse than what we are aware of. What happens to rebelleious girls who will not submit, then go poof? What happens when wife abuse goes too far? What happens when child abuse goes too far? What happens when incest is carried on for generations? I feel that we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg. Should we quit looking because this is a "religion"?
IMO
ETA The Bible says to "spare the rod, spoils the child." Some churches have taken that to mean that is there is a rebellious child, you beat them. And if that doesn't stop the rebelliousness, you beat them harder. Some preachers have been known to advise parents to do this, some preachers have been known to do it themselves. Some kids have been known to lose their lives over this. And we aren't talking about FLDS churches either. Those parents were still prosecuted, sometimes the preachers were prosecuted. It is not discrimination against the religion, it is protection of the children.
