"The Jessops: And FLDS Family in Pictures"

[Fiannan]

Kinda sad thing happened the other day. I was at the airport and I had been discussing our church with a woman who is very interested in the LDS faith. She even asked where there was a ward in our area. She also is a book addict and always buys a bunch of them when traveling. She bought Jessop's book in the bookstore. Wonder if she will still be as interested in the LDS faith as she has been.

People just don't seem to understand the concept of cost-benefit. The cost of allowing the FLDS church, and other polygamists, to live in peace is fairly small. The benefit of allowing a libertarian approach is that they will merely be a blip on the radar screen in regards to news.

The cost of going after these people is that the majority of the public will associate them with the LDS and the missionary effort will suffer. Who knows how many people have been turned off to the Church both for the issue of polygamy as well as the issue of wondering why the LDS public doesn't just say polygamy is okay but it's not something our church supports living at this time?

Yeah, the sate of Utah nailed a fairly decent man (Tom Green) for being a polygamist and reaped a wirlwind of negative publicity for the LDS Church. Just great!

[Just_A_Guy]

I'm conflicted on Warren Jeffs.

We keep getting more and more information that paints him in an unflattering light--the Trib ran an article on him this week that incorporated material from his recent journals that have been made public. The man is no Joseph Smith.

On the other hand, about a year ago I had a chance to meet with a member of Jeffs' Utah legal defense team in the trial involving Elissa Wall-Steed. I came away from the meeting convinced that: a) Wall's testimony was suspect; b) even if what she said was true Jeffs' involvement in the affair was minimal; c) the statutory interpretations under which Jeffs was convicted were a stretch; and d) the jury pool was very probably tainted.

And I wonder why the DA couldn't find a more substantial charge to bring.

[pam]

Yeah, the sate of Utah nailed a fairly decent man (Tom Green) for being a polygamist and reaped a wirlwind of negative publicity for the LDS Church. Just great!

Fairly decent man? He was convicted of non support, also of raping a child who was later to be made his wife. That's called decent?

[Book_of_Mormon_Warrior]

Originally Posted by pam

Fairly decent man? He was convicted of non support, also of raping a child who was later to be made his wife. That's called decent?

Get your facts straight please...

The non-support issue came from welfare they collected after their home burnt down and they lost a child.

The wife he "raped", requested the marriage (insisted, as a matter of fact) and was his biggest supporter throughout the whole trial.

I am no fan of polygamy, but really folks, be decent and learn the whole story about things before condemning people.

[pam]

First of all I didn't say she was forced to be his wife...I said she was made his wife.

Whether she requested it or not..it is still rape of a 13 year old girl. During his trial he was asked to name all of his 30-33 children (depending on what article you read). He got very confused trying to remember the names of all them. I specifically remember that on the news broadcasts during his trial and thought..what?

He was convicted of criminal non support. Does it matter how or why? It was still criminal non support.

So yes I think I have some of my facts straight thank you very much.

[Book_of_Mormon_Warrior]

Originally Posted by pam

First of all I didn't say she was forced to be his wife...I said she was made his wife.

Whether she requested it or not..it is still rape of a 13 year old girl. During his trial he was asked to name all of his 30-33 children (depending on what article you read). He got very confused trying to remember the names of all them. I specifically remember that on the news broadcasts during his trial and thought..what?

He was convicted of criminal non support. Does it matter how or why? It was still criminal non support.

So yes I think I have some of my facts straight thank you very much.

"Does it matter how or why?"???? Yes! Their house burnt down and a child died. What else is welfare for? Do you really hate polygamists so much that you are devoid of mercy?

This is sad. Nothing has caused me more disappointment in members of the LDS church then their completely unfeeling attitudes towards Fundamentalist Mormons. It actually physically hurts my heart to see the hatred and bias.

[Palerider]

Are we now saying he did not rape his wife????....I guess I am confused...

[Book_of_Mormon_Warrior]

Originally Posted by Palerider

Are we now saying he did not rape his wife????....I guess I am confused...

Tom Green didn't rape anybody. Rape is to have sex with someone against their will. As testified to in the trial, the marriage, and consummation of such, was done at the young woman's insistence.

And the time of the trial he had been married to the young woman going on 15 years or so and she is the "Sarah" wife (ie head wife).

The sex act took place in Mexico, so it didn't even fall within Utah jurisdiction, but you can do anything with a LDS jury and a polygamist "criminal".

Once again, I am no believer in polygamy and feel it's practice is against God's perfect will. But I do believe in justice, and Tom Green's conviction was not just.

[john doe]

So, in your book if a 35 year-old man has sex with a 15 year-old girl, it's not rape? Not even statutory rape? News to me. I would imagine that most US states and their citizens would disagree with that view.

[Book_of_Mormon_Warrior]

Originally Posted by john doe

So, in your book if a 35 year-old man has sex with a 15 year-old girl, it's not rape? Not even statutory rape? News to me. I would imagine that most US states and their citizens would disagree with that view.

I guess that makes Joseph a rapist.

You can't have one standard for those you revere and another one for those you despise. If you condemn Tom Green for marrying the girl you must condemn Joseph Smith for marrying several underage girls.

How old was Mary was she was impregnated with the Messiah? Is God a rapist?

Are you all really so blinded by hatred that justice has escaped your reasoning?