We’ve made observation in the past that our ministry is helping not just polygamists, which is our primary audience, but also helping many folks from the mainline LDS church who are curious about their own history. The email above is just one example of many former members of the Mother church who thank us for proclaiming the truth about Mormonism’s polygamous history. When a member, with an open heart and an honest desire to know the truth begins to study and investigate, inevitably they will discover that their church has been lying to them all their lives.
It is our joy to see the impact that the truth can make upon these individuals. And it is our joy to see how the truth affects those who leave polygamy and discover that everyone in the outside world are not as dangerous and evil as they are taught they are. In fact, many escapees remark that people in the outside world treat them with more compassion, care, and kindness than they ever received inside the polygamy group.
Jesus explained what knowing the truth does to us:
John 8:31-32 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
We have been privileged and blessed to watch these verses actually take hold in lives of former polygamy group members. We thank all who support us through prayer and contributions that help make changed lives changing eternal destinations.
God has rescued us, may He use us as POWER TOOLS to help rescue them. We are available to speak to your group about Mormon polygamy. Just call Doris at 801-649-3103
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Happy Easter... This Easter morning I am so grateful to you ...for helping me have the courage to leave the LDS Church this year. It has been just a few months but I am so happy and relieved after watching several episodes of your program. I am proudly wearing my cross husband gave me for our 59th Anniversary in February. I have also been in touch with Lynn Wilder and added her as friend on my Facebook page. Hearing several of your episodes I came across Lynn and her book which I ordered immediately on Amazon. The book and googled online to find letter I could just print off and sign and mail to LDS Church. Replied just a few weeks later telling me my name was removed. ... Thank you again and know many, many polygamists (isn't the guy on TV with his 4 wives a real hoot) and LDS members such as I are watching your program with great interest and can hardly wait for your latest episode to be available. Back to Kody [Brown], I thought of another word but not very nice so won't say it. He is so full of himself. I have watched just to see what they have to say about God. Not VERY MUCH just themselves and how "happy" they are. That is why the 1st wife Meri was online looking for male friend and was actually "catfished" by a lady pretending to be a man. Well so be it if that is what they believe. I
really doubt it deep inside if they believe polygamy is their "way to heaven". Hugs and blessings.
When the reality-TV programSister Wives went public, the featured family--Kody, Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn Brown--were living in Lehi, Utah. They claimed that they had to move out of state because of threats of prosecution for bigamy, so they went to Las Vegas. Although Kody is legally married to only one woman, Utah state code asserts that bigamy is identified through cohabitation and conversation about it, not legal marriage contracts. In 2011 the Browns filed a complaint against the Utah governor, Attorney General, and Utah County attorney, stating that they only wanted to live their private lives according to their beliefs.
In December 2013, US District Judge Waddoups ruled that while Utah may continue to ban multiple marriage licenses, its anti-polygamy law prohibiting multiple cohabitation was unconstitutional. The Browns were ecstatic but it was short-lived victory. Utah appealed the ruling to the US Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals and a panel of three judges cited "standing grounds". In April 2016 the court ordered that Judge Waddoups ruling be dismissed.
Their plea was submitted to the United States Supreme court, and in January 2017, the Browns were shocked when they were informed that the U S Supreme Court would not hear the Brown Family’s appeal. We are grateful that despite so much work that is being put into legalizing polygamy, to date, God has heard our prayers and has not allowed polygamy to be accepted as a legal union between husband and wife.
In this space are stories of some of the people and families that A Shield and Refuge Ministry have helped escape from polygamy. Real names places and dates are changed to keep the privacy, confidentiality and safety of those we’ve helped.
The story of Rachel cont’d …
As Rachel and I made plans to secretly move her and her belongings out of her apartment, we were very careful not to talk about it over the telephone or email. The Kingston group monitors the members’ cell phone calls, incoming and outgoing. So we found ways to communicate by phone that they would never be able to discover. I called the police in the vicinity of where she lived and explained the situation and asked for their presence in case trouble arose. I was able to get help from folks with pick-up trucks, and others who would help physically move her belongings from house to truck. Everything was planned. We were aiming at a Saturday morning when there was little chance he would be there. Friday night I got a phone call from Rachel, she had just received a restraining order, and legal notice that her husband had the children and she could not go near them until they went to court. The reason stated was that he discovered she was making plans to kidnap their children and take them to an unknown destination out of state. Rachel of course would never leave without her children. We were forced to cancel all plans, as we both reeled with disappointment and unanswered questions. How had he found out about our plans? Where were the children now? How would Rachel ever survive after this situation unraveled?
Of course, his legal document was based on lies and misinformation. We had never planned on taking the children of state nor keeping them hidden from him. We had merely wanted to get her into a safe living arrangement, then go through the separation, divorce and custody details legally. Many months later, after many painful and difficult times working through her husband's lies, she finally left without the cloak of secrecy, and was able to take her children with her. However, they had been given joint custody, meaning he would have full access to those little girls. I would remind our readers that little girls in polygamy groups almost always grow up to become polygamous wives. They are groomed from childhood for that purpose, and in the Kingston group are even required to begin "marriage classes" as early as 11 years of age.
Rachel worked hard after she left to try and make a life for herself and her children. She took education classes, got a job outside the polygamy groups businesses, was a good mother to the growing girls, and for several months kept her side of the court’s requirements for the visitation of their father. But, she soon got caught in a trap he had set. He would manipulate the times that Rachel was to bring the girls to him. He’d be late, then later show up, with a purchase receipt from a nearby store to prove he was there at the stated time. But he wasn’t there at that time, and Rachel would wait for him to come, then go home with the children when he didn’t show. This happened many times, along with other deceitful manipulations by him, until he had a timeline to take to court to “prove” she wasn’t complying with the court order. It worked! And Rachel did not have an attorney who would defend her, and the female judge gave full legal custody of those little girls to the abusive ex-husband fully knowing of his polygamy and his past abuse!
Everyone was stunned, especially the Guardian Ad Litem who had advised the court that Rachel maintain custody of the children.
Since that day several years ago, until this very day, Rachel continues to petition the court to get the custody of her girls back. They are growing up fast, the oldest is now approaching puberty, a dangerous age for females in polygamy groups. We will continue with Rachel’s story next month.
The following are some unbelievable quotes made by early and present-day leaders of the Mormon religion concerning polygamy or, as it is also called, Celestial Marriage.
“Consider this fact: Your marriage is a laboratory for godhood”. Achieving a Celestial Marriage, 1976, p. 65
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“The opposers of Celestial Marriage sometimes quote a passage in the seventh chapter of Romans, second and third verses, to show that a plurality of wives is wrong; but when we come to read the passage it shows that a plurality of husbands is wrong”.
George A. Smith, October 8, 1869, Journal of Discourses 13:40-41.
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“Polygamy, in the sense of plurality of husbands and of wives never was practiced in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Utah or elsewhere; but Celestial marriage — including a plurality of wives — was introduced by the Prophet Joseph Smith and was practiced more generally by the saints under the administration of President Brigham Young”.
Joseph Fielding Smith, Blood Atonement and the Origin of Plural Marriage, 1905, p. 48
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NOTE: Odd that they condemned plural husbands, yet both Joseph Smith AND Brigham Young took married women as plural wives—women who were married to and living with other husbands making them plural husbands!
Psalm 36:1-2 An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin.
We are always interested in what our readers and supporters find interesting regarding the topic of polygamy.
If you have a particular question, or would like information on a news event or topic relating to polygamy, or have a concern, we invite you to send your request to us via email: doris@shieldandrefuge.org
We also like to receive suggestions for topics to cover on our weekly internet and Roku broadcasts. Feel free to let us know what’s on your mind.
Also, if you know anyone who is in polygamy who has questions or may want to escape, they can contact us at: Toll free: 1-877-425-9993
This April marked the 10th anniversary of the 2008 raid on the FLDS polygamy group YFZ Ranch compound in Eldorado Texas. Next newsletter we will re-live some of those events, from an eyewitness viewpoint as well as little known or forgotten details of the raid, the child abuse that was discovered and the eventual blind eye that the court adopted when they ordered the children returned to their polygamous culture.
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