The Hope organization
The HOPE Organization is a group dedicated to assisting survivors of abuse within polygamous relationships Learn More
Recent Cause Activity
By Joseph A. Reaves
The Arizona Republic
SALT LAKE CITY-Dozens of young males, many of them timid teenagers, gathered on the steps of the Utah Capitol on Saturday in an unprecedented effort to tell the world the horrors they suffered growing up in the nation's largest polygamous community.
The young men and boys were raised in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which has its headquarters in the twin cloistered communities of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, along the remote Arizona Strip 120 miles northwest of the Grand Canyon.
All said they either were excommunicated from the church or pressured into leaving by Warren Jeffs, the self-proclaimed prophet and unchallenged ruler of the FLDS.
They stressed they were but a fraction of more than 400 males ages 13 and older who have been banished from the communities since Jeffs gained supreme power. All have little education and no preparation to survive in the outside world.
"We just want everyone to become aware this is really happening in the United States," Richard Gilbert, 19, said.
"I was excommunicated by the prophet Warren Jeffs at the age of 16 because I decided I wanted to go to public school."
In July 2000, while controlling the church for his dying father, Jeffs ordered all FLDS disciples to pull their children out of the Colorado City Unified District schools and educate them at home.
Gilbert's desire to attend public school was sin enough to get him kicked out of church and community. But it could have been a million other things: from playing games to watching TV or ogling girls.
"I was excommunicated by the prophet Warren S. Jeffs approximately two years ago (for) associating with non-members of the church and watching three different movies," Tommy Steed, 19, said.
The worst sin, though - the one for which most are banned - is simply becoming a mature young man in a society where older married men are seeking younger brides.
"People from outside this region are amazed that this has gone on for so long," said Jonathan Krakauer, author of Under the Banner of Heaven, a book that brought national attention to the FLDS lifestyle.
"This is a pocket of an absolute tyrant who rules the lives of 10,000 people and seems to take pleasure in destroying families."
Not only are families ripped apart by the shock expulsions, but the young men and boys have little chance of ever getting their lives back on track.
Hardly anyone in Colorado City-Hildale, male or female, has more than eighth-grade education. Everyone is taught from early childhood that the outside world is evil, the prophet is God's representative on Earth, and his decisions and decrees are beyond reproach.
Anyone who leaves the church is damned not only in the afterlife but will be ground to dust in this life.
The combination of isolation, indoctrination and little education leaves young men and boys virtually incapable of surviving in the outside world.
Several have committed suicide. Scores turned to drugs and alcohol, and many are homeless, they said.
"When I was excommunicated, my hope for salvation vanished," said Steed, who still has the shy, high-pitched voice of a much younger boy.
"It took me a year to get over contemplating suicide."
By Joseph A. Reaves
The Arizona Republic
SALT LAKE CITY-Dozens of young males, many of them timid teenagers, gathered on the steps of the Utah Capitol on Saturday in an unprecedented effort to tell the world the horrors they suffered growing up in the nation's largest polygamous community.
The young men and boys were raised in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, which has its headquarters in the twin cloistered communities of Hildale, Utah, and Colorado City, along the remote Arizona Strip 120 miles northwest of the Grand Canyon.
All said they either were excommunicated from the church or pressured into leaving by Warren Jeffs, the self-proclaimed prophet and unchallenged ruler of the FLDS.
They stressed they were but a fraction of more than 400 males ages 13 and older who have been banished from the communities since Jeffs gained supreme power. All have little education and no preparation to survive in the outside world.
"We just want everyone to become aware this is really happening in the United States," Richard Gilbert, 19, said.
"I was excommunicated by the prophet Warren Jeffs at the age of 16 because I decided I wanted to go to public school."
In July 2000, while controlling the church for his dying father, Jeffs ordered all FLDS disciples to pull their children out of the Colorado City Unified District schools and educate them at home.
Gilbert's desire to attend public school was sin enough to get him kicked out of church and community. But it could have been a million other things: from playing games to watching TV or ogling girls.
"I was excommunicated by the prophet Warren S. Jeffs approximately two years ago (for) associating with non-members of the church and watching three different movies," Tommy Steed, 19, said.
The worst sin, though - the one for which most are banned - is simply becoming a mature young man in a society where older married men are seeking younger brides.
"People from outside this region are amazed that this has gone on for so long," said Jonathan Krakauer, author of Under the Banner of Heaven, a book that brought national attention to the FLDS lifestyle.
"This is a pocket of an absolute tyrant who rules the lives of 10,000 people and seems to take pleasure in destroying families."
Not only are families ripped apart by the shock expulsions, but the young men and boys have little chance of ever getting their lives back on track.
Hardly anyone in Colorado City-Hildale, male or female, has more than eighth-grade education. Everyone is taught from early childhood that the outside world is evil, the prophet is God's representative on Earth, and his decisions and decrees are beyond reproach.
Anyone who leaves the church is damned not only in the afterlife but will be ground to dust in this life.
The combination of isolation, indoctrination and little education leaves young men and boys virtually incapable of surviving in the outside world.
Several have committed suicide. Scores turned to drugs and alcohol, and many are homeless, they said.
"When I was excommunicated, my hope for salvation vanished," said Steed, who still has the shy, high-pitched voice of a much younger boy.
"It took me a year to get over contemplating suicide."
Teressa Wall Blackmore testified against Warren Jeffs on behalf of her sister, Elissa Wall.
Because Teressa's ex-husband is still a member of the FLDS, she is now facing a legal battle for custody of her children in retaliation for her testimony against Warren Jeffs.
Childbrides.org
Teressa Wall Blackmore testified against Warren Jeffs on behalf of her sister, Elissa Wall.
Because Teressa's ex-husband is still a member of the FLDS, she is now facing a legal battle for custody of her children in retaliation for her testimony against Warren Jeffs.
Childbrides.org
In December 2005, Elissa Wall filed a lawsuit against Warren Jeffs because he had forced her into an underage marriage when she was only 14 years old. In 2001, Warren told Elissa that she had to marry her 19-year-old FIRST COUSIN, although she begged Warren not to make her do it. Since marriage to a first cousin at age 14 is illegal in Utah, theirs was not a legally recognized marriage. However, to Elissa it felt like a legal marriage. In this lawsuit, Warren was accused of using his influence as a church leader to coerce this little girl to enter this illegal religious union and have sex with her first cousin, over her objections. Warren had told her that she risked her salvation if she refused to have sexual relations with her husband. It was this civil lawsuit that later became the basis for Warren's charge of being an accomplice to rape.
Childbrides.org
In December 2005, Elissa Wall filed a lawsuit against Warren Jeffs because he had forced her into an underage marriage when she was only 14 years old. In 2001, Warren told Elissa that she had to marry her 19-year-old FIRST COUSIN, although she begged Warren not to make her do it. Since marriage to a first cousin at age 14 is illegal in Utah, theirs was not a legally recognized marriage. However, to Elissa it felt like a legal marriage. In this lawsuit, Warren was accused of using his influence as a church leader to coerce this little girl to enter this illegal religious union and have sex with her first cousin, over her objections. Warren had told her that she risked her salvation if she refused to have sexual relations with her husband. It was this civil lawsuit that later became the basis for Warren's charge of being an accomplice to rape.
Childbrides.org
