What is polygamy and the FLDS?

     In the Webster Dictionary polygamy is defined as, "a marriage in which a spouse of either sex may have more than one mate at the same time." Contrary to popular belief females may also have two or more husbands, but it is most common for men to have more than one wife. Polygamy has been practiced throughout history and the world. It has even been traced back to the ancient Iraelites of the Old Testament who were thought to have had over 100 wives at a time.

     Although people today associate polgamy with Middle Eastern and African countries it is happening within U.S. borders. The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, also known as the FLDS, is a radical offshoot of the Mormon Church that practices polygamy today. The mainstream Mormon Church used to allow polygamy but stopped in the 1930s to fit into the ever changing American society. Anyone that continued to practice polygamy was excommunicated from the mainstream church. These excommunicated members joined together to create the FLDS.

     Today the self proclaimed prophet of the group, Warren Jeffs, is currently being sentenced for two counts of first-degree rape as an accomplice and has been known to marry off young girls in their teens to much older men. These polygamist men have been raised and taught by their community that women are to obey and not question their husband’s authority.  Many husbands in the FLDS have been known to rape and abuse their many wives and children. Woman and young girls are then told to always “keep sweet for the Lord” by obeying all men. The FLDS has many small communities located in both the US and Canada. The largest these communities, with about 6,000 members, is called Short Creek and includes the cities of Hildale, Utah and Colorado City, Arizona (Anderson).

Sources:

Anderson, Scott. "The Polygamists." National Geographic 1 Feb. 2010: 34. SIRS0 Researcher. Web. 10. Nov. 2010.

 "Who Practices Polygny?" The Muslim Woman. Web. 03 Jan. 2011.http://www.themuslimwoman.com/marriage/whopracticespolygyny.htm.

"Polygamy - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary." Dictionary and Thesaurus -Merriam-Webster Online. Web. 03 Jan. 2011. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polygamy.

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