The Other "Big Love

Try and imagine HBO’s Big Love but completely twisted and psycho. If you've seen the show you probably have an idea of where I'm going with this. I’m not a religious person. Nor am I an expert in the area. However, when young people are blatantly being exploited against their will – I think it requires some kind of rant.  

Last week Warren Jeffs, Prophet, Seer and Revelator (whoa, that’s a mouth full) of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a religious sect that broke off from the Mormon church, was arrested and charged with "being an accomplice to rape”. The FLDS practices polygamy, even though the Mormon Church has given up polygamy since 1890, the FLDS still holds the tradition.  

Jeffs stands accused of setting up marriages with adult males and underage girls. The 14-year-old victim was forced by Jeffs to wed her 19-year-old cousin. Here’s the rest of the story.  

This is not the only case of unethical actions in the FLDS. Another victim of abuse,Sara Hammon, at the age of 14-year-old left the FLDS community. The sexual abuse was simply too much to bear for such a young girl. What I hate more than anything in the world is when people use scare tactics to justify their beliefs. The 14-year-old girl was told if she did not have sex with her husband she would lose her salvation.

Telling a 14-year-old girl that she will probably go to hell if she doesn’t have sex is the most twisted, mind-warping thing anyone can say. Having grown up and been taught what is supposedly right and wrong it is not hard to imagine her believing that. It is such a crazy, messed up concept. Won’t give it up? You’re going to hell.  

Some of us cling to salvation like it’s a life raft, others have other ways of finding worth in their existence, but some people – like Jeffs – gave up theirs a long time ago. -- Eming Piansay