I just finished reading the book 'Stolen Innocence' by Elissa Wall about growing up in a polygamous sect and her subsequent lawsuit against Warren Jeffs. This book absolutely shook me to the core. Since I was a teenager I remember the family talking about my father's second cousin, Corky Wall, and his conversion to the FLDS religion. Elissa is Corky's 11th child from his second wife. I was floored to see Corky's picture plastered in the book - the same man we saw at various family reunions, the same man who spoke a prayer at my mother's funeral. Even though reading the book seemed to be a complete invasion of his privacy, I continued on, opening doors into a lifestyle that I never fathomed existed - oh, how sheltered I am.
I've always had the belief that people should let others worship as they desired, and I was even a little incensed when I saw the FLDS children taken from their parents in Texas. After reading this book, my mind has shifted. Reading about the absolute control by the religion's patriarchs over all it's members, but in particular the women who are viewed as property and the oppressive rules and regulations they're forced to keep makes me relieved to see these Texas children being uprooted.
I am so proud of Elissa for overcoming her fears and I've learned valuable lessons from this courageous 21-year-old girl. Do you think she may be a Shaman at heart?
3 comments:
Elissa was on Oprah and she has had quite a lot of living in her short years. Pam haven't the FLDS taken the LDS beliefs to the extreme? Don't the LDS believe the man is the head honcho?
Yes, and yes. Actually, though, I believe the FLDS are more in line with the original LDS religion, it's just that the FLDS 'prophets' are setting rules for their people based on their own interpretations. And the FLDS people follow them because the prophet is supposedly God's mouthpiece.
I found out a couple of years ago that my grandmothers parents were into poligamy...It truly is a Patriarch society....no thanks...
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