K, I am going to play devil's advocate here and say that I would like to see cold hard proof that the way of life they are accustomed to is harmful. Again, I am not advocating for it, but I have seen a lot of speculation as to what life is like inside of the compound or the sect itself, but I have not see much that applies to this case, except evidence of underage marriage which I find personally abhorrent...there are lots of cultures outside of the US that function otherwise however.
Waterboarding babies, and the like-of course heinous behavior that needs to be punished severely and if the belief behind it is common, then the belief should be unlearned. Now, my understanding of Scientology is that the children are not to be angered, troubled or challenged-they are to be soothed rather than disciplined etc...and I have read some speculation that this is why Suri continues to carry a bottle at a time most of us would have weaned our children from it.
I am very scared about generalizing the need to de-program beliefs that we don't like...i am not expressing myself well...does anyone understand what I mean?
I understand what you mean.
There are a lot of religions in this country, and while any of us might disagree with their particular beliefs, the members of that religion aren't doing anything illegal or harming other people.
But, when a religion includes grooming young girls to have sex with older men when they reach puberty; physical or emotional abuse of children, and incest, then that's when those outside the religion must take steps to protect the children. Children have rights too, and in most cases parents protect their children. But, the FLDS mothers don't protect their children from abuse because they've been programmed for generations that this abuse is acceptable and an expected part of their life.
To fully understand the concern, it's important to know the background history. Most of the people who live at the Yearning For Zion ranch in Texas, are originally from Colorado City, Arizona and Hilsdale, Utah, two small towns a few miles apart, but with one on the Arizona side of the border and one on the Utah side of the border. Both towns are owned by the FLDS. Warren Jeffs is the president/prophet of the FLDS. He built the Yearning For Zion ranch in Texas in 2003 and started sending people there in 2004. He selected his most loyal followers from Colorado City and Hilsdale to go to the Texas ranch. He also took young children, ages 6 and under from their parents in Colorado City and Hilsdale, and sent them to Texas without their parents, placing them with other families. The FLDS members worship Warren Jeffs, and if he said that their child is to be removed from them and sent to Texas, they comply.
The documented abuses that have been discussed on this forum are from Colorado City and Hilsdale, the very towns and same families that now make up the population of Yearning For Zion ranch in Texas.
Warren Jeffs is the president/prophet of the FLDS. Merrill Jessop is one of several who are second in command, and is the leader of the Yearning For Zion ranch in Texas. It was Merrill Jessop who initially used the water-boarding of infants to instill fear and discipline them not to cry. He did this in Colorado City - does he still do it at the Texas ranch?
The problem with the FLDS is that the women are taught to give total allegiance to the prophet and their community leaders. If a leader decreed that all children are to be beaten by their fathers once a week, the women would accept this and allow it. The de-programming that's spoken of is to teach these women what abuse is, and what's not acceptable, and they have the right to protect their children from abuse.
