polygamy---? I don't get it...

[Lachesis00]

*Why* would people want to live this life style? I am too insecure myself... to share my husband with anyone... muchless another wife.

I read an interesting and sad article about 2 girls who wanted out of the life style and ran away only to have the AZ authorities to bring them back several times (as they were 12 or 13 at the time). Eventually a brother who got out of the life style took them in... but it took 3 or 4 years.

Anyways, this article is interesting. It makes me wonder why women would want to live this life style... I guess I could see why the men might dig it (although I think it is sick to marry young girls... who may be biological sisters or even cousins).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ELDORADO, Tex. - David Doran, the Schleicher County sheriff, drives his truck almost every week to the outskirts of town and gazes at the 1,700-acre compound through a pair of binoculars. On most of his stakeouts, Sheriff Doran receives a call on his cellphone from a guard in the compound's watchtower asking if anything is amiss.

"I just tell him I'm on business, just checking things out," Sheriff Doran said recently. "I tell them they have a right to be here and that their rights will be respected, but that doesn't mean I won't be vigilant."

Eldorado's vigilance regarding its new neighbors, however, is bordering on obsession these days. Nearly everyone in this town of 1,900 people on the arid West Texas plains 125 miles southeast of Odessa is wondering about the community that has been established by the members of an Arizona-based offshoot of the Mormon Church, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.


More....

 

[grinningghost]

This to me, is one of those "whatever you're into" things. It's not for me though.

What I'm not afraid to say bugs me about it is how they manage to support themselves. They have oodles of wives and kids and turn to welfare to live. That's just abuse of the system if you ask me.

 

[Lachesis00]

The article I read in a Phoenix Magazine said they bilked MILLIONS from the government from the welfare system.

 

[grinningghost]

Originally posted by Lachesis00
The article I read in a Phoenix Magazine said they bilked MILLIONS from the government from the welfare system.

It's really a shame that they're able to get away with it.

 

[sha_lyn]

I can't believe you posted this today of all days. I had really considered posting something about a similar lifestyle today but got distracted by the gun thread.

I have an on line acquaintance who is friend of a good friend of mine. I've know about her and her lifestyle before I ever ran across her on line. I had always assumed her preteen DD did not know she was polyamerous. Now that we on a few of the same local yahoo groups I've learned that not only does her DD know but she and her 2 partners all share the same bed (it is her, another girl and one guy). They have been reported to family services several times and their lifestyle has been "cleared". I've been told by our mutual friend that she and her partners routinely have partner swapping parties. My friends husband refuses to associate with them anymore because while visiting the home of the polyamerous partners, a guest came on to my friends husband.

Anyway my "problem" is that this person was the head (and is still very much in control behind the scenes) of a home school group I want to join. I can not imagine myself socializing with her, nor would I ever let my DD attend an event in her home.
She has now joined another HS group we are in and I really do not want to leave the group, but I can not imagine being comfortable around her.

 

[disykat]

IMO they choose to be part of this lifestyle for the same reasons anyone chooses to live in any other kind of cult. They believe they are doing God's will. They are led by someone who is nuts (IMO), but charismatic enough to pull in followers. It is my understanding that the Mormon church (of which they are an offshoot) does not accept or condone their behavior, nor claim them as part of their church.

I think one of the reasons this cult is so prevalent is that it is so closely related to a church that is an accepted religion to many. I find myself incredibly sympathetic to the women and children who are trapped in this lifestyle. Living in a guarded compound makes me wonder if they are keeping people in or out!

 

[Lachesis00]

I have a friend who is no longer married but he and his girlfriend "swing" (and he was a swinger when he was married) and as much as I try to understand, disease comes to mind first and secondly he must be awful secure in his relationship to be able to do this.
I asked if he uses protection and he said it depends. Like you can tell if someone has a disease by looking at them. That just wigs me out.

Funny I know another gal online who lives a "poly" lifestyle. It's her, her husband and another female. Her kids know about it as well. (Thats another thing... how can you be so open about this around children?). They are in it for the long haul...
Still She is with either her girl friend or her husband. Never the 3 of them and never her husband and g/f. The three of them do sleep in the same bed... I know it bothers her teenage daughter terribly. But she says it is none of her daughter's business what goes on behind the closed bedroom door...

I realize people in this religion it's a whole other story... it stays within their little community... but still. I know I am not secure enough to even comprehend how they live this lifestyle.

 

[binny]

I dont get it either...


I used to have an online aquaintance that was a polygamist and I just got the creeps when she would talk about her partners. Then one started posting there and he was a really nice guy, I know it isnt a reflection of the person being a "nice person" the lifestyle is just not one I can understand.

 

[grinningghost]

It is a very "cultish" environment. The women must keep their hair long and wear dresses. They aren't allowed to work outside the home, etc., etc....

That's kind of scary to me. There's no way anyone is telling me how to dress or how to wear my hair, AND expect me to share my husband with countless other women.

 

[Serena]

I don't get it either. And I question the brainwashing that must go on for those women to put up with it. It must start when they are little, how else would those poor excuse for men get by with it.

umm, sorry if I stepped on any toes.

 

[Lachesis00]

I don't wanna step on toes either. I was just trying to understand it myself. I, myself could never see myself in this lifestyle... and feel really bad for those who are trapped with no way out.

 

[tiggersmom2]

I don't care if I step on toes......it is a sick, sick lifestyle. I pray for these 12 year old children that are forced into "marriage" with a sick old pervert.

I just wanted to add that I am NOT knocking the Mormon religions AT ALL.....just the offshoots that condone the "marriage" of children.

 

[Jcricket Fan]

On News World International last week there was a show on polygamist groups in Canada who move their members in & out of the United States (AZ, UT & TX) There is great division among the sects over which man will be in charge of the members.

Very interesting...they say that the women are told that the way they will enter heaven is by their husbands saying they can get in or not. So hard to understand this goes on in 2004. There are girls who are 12 & 13 who are having children for their "husbands". One of the husbands had over 40 children! This particular group lives in their own town that have all their services provided for by other polygamists...government, police services, stores etc.

The Canadian gov. is investigating the group that was was focus of the tv show.

I feel so bad for these women/girls who are made to think they can't live in this life or the next for that matter without every move planned by their "husbands".

 

[luvsTink]

An interesting book I recently read is "Under the Banner of Heaven" by John Krakauer. It deals with the off shoots of the Mormon tradition. It is very compelling.

Anne

 

[MelessaG]

Originally posted by disykat
It is my understanding that the Mormon church (of which they are an offshoot) does not accept or condone their behavior, nor claim them as part of their church.

Thank you for pointing this out. I get so tired of explaining that we don't practice it. I was getting ready to jump in and defend my religion yet again, only to see someone else had politely explained it.
Oh, and if I were to rely on my DH's behavior to get myself into heaven, I would be in big trouble.

 

[Trish5768]

I already have a husband, why would a want another?

 

[NMAmy]

Originally posted by luvsTink
An interesting book I recently read is "Under the Banner of Heaven" by John Krakauer. It deals with the off shoots of the Mormon tradition. It is very compelling.

Anne

I was going to recommend the same book, Anne. If you want to learn more about one of the groups that have branched off from the LDS, then you should read this one. It's a very interesting book.

I used to live in the Four Corners area and I was amazed that this was going on so near to me. I had many friends who were LDS but obviously not this very cultish off shoot.