Cult members' appearances don't help their cause


Teams of women from the alleged child abusing, fundamentalist, polygamist cult known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints took to the cable news networks Wednesday morning, claiming they were the victims of overreaching authority by state officials.

The appearances by the women amounted to a public relations disaster. They appeared to have been brainwashed into meek submission by their religious leaders, among whom is convicted rape accomplice Warren Jeffs, who was busted for incest and sexual conduct with minors. The women evaded questions surrounding the age of consent and conveyed an aura of shame and guilt.

The church scandal unfolded two weeks ago when its Yearning for Zion Ranch in Eldorado, Texas, was raided by authorities. Police said they acted on a tip from a 16-year-old girl inside the church who claimed she was being sexually abused. Children of the church, 416 in all, were removed from the ranch and placed into protective custody.

The elder women, appearing on the "Today Show", Fox News and other networks, said girls from the church are "allowed" to marry "when they choose." The mothers filibustered with TV commentators over central questions about the church’s practices, including just how young a girl can be when she gets "married" and how many unwilling teens have been impregnated by older men.

The women "normally" would not air their concerns on national television, attorneys said, because of their fierce sense of privacy. Apparently that dedication to privacy does not apply to their children. Playing the victims on the morning talk shows, the mothers called for authorities to release the youths, who range in age from 3 to 17. A judge was expected to rule on the case Thursday.

Despite the claims of church members, it is obvious that pedophiles continue to use religion as a cover for their sexual urges. Brainwashed parishioners allow the abuse to continue across the country and the practice is rarely halted by authorities. No matter what happens, the children of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints will be left with lasting scars from this tragedy.

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