Feud in Polygamist Town Has Authorities Worried About Violence

[rodbarnett]

C O L O R A D O C I T Y, Ariz. , Jan. 27 — A former member of the nation's largest polygamist church is calling for the ouster of its cult-like leader, as authorities worry a violent standoff may be brewing.

<snip>

Chatwin, who compared Warren Jeffs, the sect leader, to Adolf Hilter in a news conference last week, says he believes Jeffs fears he is losing control over his flock.

"Ultimately, I feel like he thought I was a threat to his power, regardless of what any kind of excuse he uses," Chatwin, 35, said.

Jeffs has ordered 21 top members of the FLDS, including Chatwin, to leave their church-owned homes and their families in what appears to be a play for even more power. Jeffs, who has dozens of wives, is known as "the Prophet." His church members say they believe Jeffs speaks directly to God.

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/GMA/US/Polygamists_feud_040127-1.html

[asjr]

1. Shrub had

better get on to this right away. Someone is trying to ursurp him in conversations with God.

[Whoa_Nelly]

15. Not to worry...

Am sure Pat Robertson is personally taking care of this for Chimpy.

[barbaraann]

2. Polygamy is all about old men getting the teenage girls.

And that means taking them away from other/younger men. And that can lead to violence.

[central scrutinizer]

3. I'm in the middle of Jon Krakauer's new book

"Under the Banner of Heaven". Very disturbing account of the violence and power of these people - the closest analog is the Taliban.

[skippysmom]

10. Just finished it....

scary shit. I'm sure the Mormons are none too pleased with our man Jon.

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[noonwitch]

5. Time for the Arizona National Guard to clean house

The police/feds/atf whoever need to take over the town/church and arrest the lunatic leader. Once the government has the goods on the church, they can confiscatate the houses from the church's ownership and resell them to the people living in them for whatever the title fees and taxes amount to. Not that they would do that, but it would be the right thing to do.

[central scrutinizer]

6. Stockholm syndrome

A similar lunatic was the kidnapper of Elizabeth Smart and she was so brainwashed by her religious upbringing that she didn't even try to escape. If the properties were confiscated, the high bid would be one dollar and then the properties would be ceded back to the "prophet" immediately.

[kclown]

7. There's a piece on this in today's NYT

including the surprising information that virtually all these
people are on welfare.

[hatrack]

8. Yes, it's all part of the program

Marry a couple of 14-year-olds, crank out as many kids as possible and put them all on welfare. The polyganuts refer to it as "bleeding the beast".

[Hamlette]

13. not surprising

to those of us who work in welfare law in Utah.

Read Under the Banner of Heaven. Tom Green, the polygamist prosecuted a few years ago, had 5 current wives (10 total) and 30 children. He received $60,000 a year in public assistance. (As a side note, the prosecutor who prosecuted Green did so after Green went on national television shows saying he received no public assistance. Green was prosecuted for criminal non support, bigamy and statutory rape. The prosecutor is the brother of Utah's former governor, Levitt (now head of EPA). The brother lost his bid as County prosecutor after he prosecuted Green. It is thought he lost because he went after polygamists.)

Nice work if you can get it.

[Voltaire99]

9. Does Jesus really want you to have ten wives and high-powered weapons?

Oh, He. . .does? Gotcha.

I'm no theologist, but could it be that America has a leeeee-tle problem with religious mania? No? Religion is the bedrock of our nation? It's what separates us from the apes? Gotcha.

You'll find me with the apes.

[hatrack]

11. There's only one thing I can say to respond:

OOO! OOO OOO OOO!!! OOO OOO OOO EEE EEE EEE!!!!!

[Whoa_Nelly]

16. Oo! Oo! Ah! Ah! Tooki! Tooki!

Hey, George! Watch out for that tree!

[AngryAmish]

12. Back in the early 80s other Fundamentalist Mormons

went on a killing spree. The ringleader was a guy by the name of Ervil LeBaron. I read a book about it called "Prophet of Blood."

(I have a weakness of weirdos.)

Violence is endemic to certain parts of the Fundamentalist Mormon scene. Everybody wants to lead the schismatics and they all feel the God told them that they are to be boss. So, since God wants you to lead, and a person is in the way of leading, it is good and holy to kill those persons in your way.

edited for spulling

[smallprint]

14. a better headline:

"Feud in Polygamist Town Has Authorities Worried About Polygamy"

not likely to see that one, though.