The state needs to step back and look at themselves now. These children have a completely lifestyle and may I remind all of you out there in the Bible modesty is a factor and the harlots were the ones painted up and jeweled out. Stop condemning these kids and families for their religion and worry about your own lives. Furthermore the ones who came out of this lifestyle can say anything and you would believe it because you have judged these people already and it is wrong. The hair and clothes are just different than modern culture, that doesn't mean God doesn't love them too. He did not make you judge and jury no more than me. Nothing has been with physical evidence to this day yet these people are still in pain including the children.

Next up.

1.) The Protestant guide to the Catholic church.
2.) The Palestinian guide to Judaism.
3.) The Tanner's guide to Mormonism.
4.) Atheist guide to Spirituality.

The FLDS's isolationism has created the perfect opportunity for all the anti-FLDS people out there to "inform" the rest of us on what they REALLY believe. I have a hard time taking seriously the information being provided here. All religions have beliefs which would seem odd to those outside of that religion. It is oh so easy to mock and gasp at the beliefs of others. I hope we all can take a step back and realize a person's beliefs should be treated respectfully ESPECIALLY when they are not our own. To do otherwise only serves to justify the ignorance toward our own beliefs when the time comes.

My son in law used to work at a youth shelter in Southwestern Utah where they sometimes had flds youth. He said the flds youth there also made racial comments about people of color. He also said the girls were quite subservient to the boys. I have seen some transcripts of a Warren Jeff's sermon about blacks. It was quite chilling to hear such things in this day and age. Something you might expect to hear from thr KKK or the Arayan nation people. The flds are apparently not taught tolerance or even civility towards outsiders. Interesting that Warren made some abrupt changes when he took over as "prophet". It looks more to me more like a personality cult than a religion based on consistent principles.

No one should be surprised that they are racists. After all, they are listed as a haet group by the Southern Poverty Law Center for a reason. The clean shaven edict doesn't make sense. The women wear old fashioned dresses, but the men do not emulate their heros of Brigham Young and John Taylor regarding facial hair.

I feel bad for these children, I really do. But the truth is, these people did this to themselves. Closing themselves off and ignoring what is going on in the rest of the world is the most ignorant mistake these people have made. Our world is constantly changing. Society is constantly changing. Most other religions in the world have evolved with society, not against it. They have built colleges and encourage education for both men and women. They remain influential and are a strong source of faith for their followers. The FLDS have turned the clock backwards for their followers. They have indoctrinated prejudice and fear into each new life. It's obvious they give their followers only what is needed for survival in their lifestyle, not the world around them. And now who is suffering? Their children are. While no child will ever be prepared to handle suddenly being thrown into foster care, the average child wouldn't have a problem with people of color, or jewelry, or short sleeves.

I suppose you also believe if it is in the name of religion it is ok to ignore the law. I hate to break it to you but sex between adults and minors, even consenting minors, is a crime. If you disagree, which it seems you do, then you ought to contact your representatives and ask them to change the law. Until then the state of Texas is doing nothing more than enforcing the law. The same goes for illegal immigration. It's the law. If you don't like it, change it. But don't wine about the loss of civil liberties for a group that has instituted as part of its doctrine IGNORING AND BREAKING the law. They would be left alone if not for this minor point.

Come on, CPS haters. You were all quite entertaining the last time I asked you to unload, and you are starting off with a bang with the first two comments. Let us know how you really feel! I need a laugh today.

Amen CONEJO! That is exactly what everyone was "in arms" about when the Media was trying to explain what members of the LDS faith believe during the Mitt Romney campaign. From a bigotted outsie view, anything can seem to be something it is not. We should have learned our lesson not to judge from the past months in the spotlight.

To examine another's beliefs is not the same as mocking them. The "revelations" about what Jeffs was teaching his flock make me realize that we all must be careful not to let leaders have too much influence. Some of us are too willing to let others do our thinking for us. Is it really a sin to have a little yellow butterfly tattooed on a leg? Will I go to hell for drinking a diet Coke? Should I let a group of Hollywood types (the movie ratings board) decide what is appropriate for me to watch? If I skip church while on vacation, will I burn in hell? If I decline to go home teaching to a family that has asked to be left alone, will I get a black mark on my record? If I play with face cards, am I breaking a commandment because a prophet 70 or 80 years ago advised against it? Should I feel guilty about believing that dinosaurs lived 65 million years ago when a long-dead prophet said the theory of evolution was false? My advice is to live the 10 commandments, abide by the 13 articles of faith, and you'll be fine.

The law should prevail but in the meantime these kids should be back in the safety of their mothers arms. Don't let the prejudice driving this human tragedy drag this out for years through the courts. These people will get justice eventually but stop making the kids suffer in the meantime.

Sandy, do you really think that racists and pedophiles are "just different." Sure God loves them, but God would not expect us to do nothing when crimes of this nature are committed. The "state" or as we say in our constitution "we the people" have a responsibility to these young children. The state of Texas has every right and even a responsibility to stop this kind of ugly philosophy being taught and practiced.

These FLDS people are the worst bigots on earth.

Warren Jeffs teaches that black people are responsible for all the ills on the face of the earth.

It's about time these kids entered the real world and got a dose of real life. If they live in America and call themselves free then they can just learn how it is out in the Big World. If the FLDS kids' religious belief manifests itself in any type of what we recognize as "hate crimes", these kids are in for an even ruder awakening than they've had so far.

And you know how teenage boys are.... they just MIGHT commit a hate crime.

This hateful cult NEEDS to be mainstreamed.

Hating in the name of religion isn't very religious now, is it?? Oh, but that's okay because they're free to believe what they want?

The FLDS is a religion? Hardly.

SO you people are advocating that it's okay to hate black people, and to teach your kids it's okay to hate black people?

How very ironic that Rozita Swinton, a person of color, was the one who was ultimately pulled the trigger on this nasty cult.

The Lord Works in Mysterious Ways.

In some ways I admire the FLDS. They live simply, and "live in the world, but not of the world". Many of their ways I feel we all should me more actively living. Our bodies are temples, and should be cared for as such! Living off the land, and being more self sufficent instead of depending on stores and such. There are other ways I admire them as well.

However, the fact still remains, there are young girls who are actually still children, being married and bearing children at an alarming young age!!

They believe they are living a higher law by submitting to marriage at 13,14,15 years if age and by living pologamy.

This must stop!

Read their articles of faith.. You'll find one that believes in being subject to kings, rulers and magistrates.. and obeying the laws of the land... Polygamy is against the law....

I don't believe that hating black people is a "belief" I should respect. Sorry.

I don't respect the FLDS and their hateful beliefs in any way, shape or form.

They are getting what they deserve.

Look at Youtube. There ample examples of Warrn Jeffs' gross racism. Why do you continue to defend these people?

WOW, who would guess that someone who had left their church, on bad terms, disagrees with pretty much everything that they believe in. Jessup should get out of the media and leave these kids alone!

Over 70 percent of the kids are under the age of 10. Texas should return them emediately.

Oh the pain, that the FLDS children have not bought
into the "Cult of Empire", those Cretins, how dare
they not worship at the Alter of Diversity".
I fully agree with what Conejo stated above. The "Texas CPS" spin machine, continues to muddy the
waters, with inneundo, and half truths.

Those poor kids.

God Bless Texas.

The children are not vaccinated so I have a question; what is their rate of autism so we can put that question to rest.

What I want to also know is why, when a FLDS woman asked an officer to a warrant, he said that the main guy and the attorney had it. She responded "that was a different house." The FLDS produced a website and there is video contained within the site. I am not FLDS and this government action frightens me. It sounds like one subdivision can have a warrant for every house contained within. YIKES!

"Double Cousin" is not a term unique to the FLDS. I grew up in Indiana and there were plenty of double cousins (and no FDLS!) around, and that was the term that was used. All it means is that the mom's sibling is married to the dad's sibling, a fairly normal occurrence in any small town, anywhere.

The ignorance of the CPS and their media war against their victims, especially when they hide facts they don't want known under the cloak of "the child's right to privacy", is truly frightening. They reveal what they want to reveal, whether it's true or not, and hide the truths they don't want seen.

Pedophelia is pedophelia regardless of religious orientation. Grooming children and perpetuating a culture which sets children up as objects of sexual interest and ultimately as breeders for their society is tragic. Polygamy was outlawed long ago-Felony sexual abuse of a child is not a religious right. It is incomprehensible that the practice continues in blatant violation of the law and non-FLDS adults aware of these practices are culpable for the ongoing rape/abuse of the FLDS children.

Expoiting FLDS beliefs to manipulate public opinion seems rather cheap. For instance, if an LDS child was grabbed by CPS in November, would we sensationalize the fact that they don't wear Halloween masks? None of our business IMHO.
Their modesty in dress norms is like a breath of fresh air after the secular fashion industry has young children dressing like prostitutes and gang-bangers.
Their pride in their own race really opens up a can of politically correct worms but suffice it to say that people have the right to live in whatever community that they choose...as isolated from secular society as they choose. Once again...none of our business.
Thanks to Deseret News for allowing these forums on the FLDS. It is very informative.

A hit piece. Pure and simple.

I’m sick of the now many stories about the FLDS people and their strange and mysterious ways. Often, with an ominous tone that is clearly biased. Even without noticing that the majority of the information comes from former members with an obvious bone to pick. This is NOT good journalism!

There are many groups who, for a variety of reasons, live in ways very different from the "mainstream". One of my most cherished aspects of our American “mainstream” is the supposed tolerance for those lawful differences. Including strange clothing practices and hairdos. Articles like this, and many others since the highly controversial raid by Texas officials on the FLDS ranch, have, at the very least, violated that cherished tolerance. In each case, I think they have also violated clear rules of objective journalism.

Any individual who violate the laws of the land should be subject to the policing and justice processes of that land. That includes people in the FLDS ranch, authorities in the Texas justice and child protection system and even journalists. I wouldn’t be the least surprised to find people from all those sectors prosecuted by the time this is over.

I have often wondered that there are no handicapped children in HIlldale, Utah or Colorado City. What do they do with them? Also how does the state of Utah look they other way when child labor from these border cities work in some very dangerous job sites with little supervision.
How do they receive welfare without birth certificates?
Love your program.

You know what.

Any closed society, or for that matter, any culture or society that is not your own, has differences.

That's at least one of the reasons we live in America, home of the free.

Closed societies, whether they be Omish, Yidish (punn), Quaker, Hudderite... are all part of the American experience.

We allow these, because we believe in freedom of religious expression.

Do I agree with their culture for me and my own. No. However, I do believe you can have your own society within the U.S.

Heck, Texas is a culture in an of itself. So is Massachussetts, or Arkansas (you, Hillary's home) or even South Carolina and West Virginia.

It's kind of like a Children of the Corn thing going on, but you know what. It's their right.

You cannot shut down a culture because they don't agree with yours. Oh, well, we try to shut down the "bust a cap" cultures in West Valley, or East L.A., for good reason, cause' they try to kill you.

But, they exist, and these other religious societies exist, but their abuses towards citizens of our nation in violating state laws needs to be curtailed.

Can your Society exist?

This is scary. Texas is spewing out propaganda to support their unconstitutional behavior.
They are way over the line. This reminds me of Hitler's Germany and the way the Germans justified killing the Jews.

Living in Utah and seeing baptist come to our state every little while with the design that they are going to convert Mormons?
FLDS are not Mormons. It is unfortunately that their is any association. However, that said. They have a right to their beliefs, and if someone has brokern the law, they have a right to at lease a hearing. I heard Bill Reilly's talk about this on his show with no thought of th consequences of how this type of knee jerk reaction can eventually effect all americans. There is no end to it. Who ever is the biggest will take away the rights of any other religion if it is not like theirs.

Move this whole mess out of Texas. Return the children to their mothers.

The physical evidence against the people lies in the number of girls pregnant before age 18. While it may not be for us to judge their beliefs, it is up to us to enforce the law and protect the innocent children.

Have the Texans made any effort to understand the FLDS culture themselves? It seems they have had a slanderous and 'guilty until proven innocent' attitude for the whole ordeal. Now a 'Cultural guide' to show Texans how FLDS children different. That's ridiculous. They don't understand them, so how are they going to make a guide.

Well said, smz.
Yes, those children have much to overcome to adjust to the outside world. So far, CPS is trying to be sensitive to their needs. I just wonder, do they consider Mexican born people, people of color? Hard to avoid in the State of Texas. Hitler tried to have the 'Lebensborn' to breed true Aryian children, as to his ideals.The more I read about Warren Jeffs and his doctrines, he reminds me of Hitler.A Dictator is a Dictator, never mind under what disguise.

Some observations:

I noticed a media photo of a ranch baby with bright red fire engines printed on his jump suit. The "color police" don't seem to have caught that.

"FLDS children in Texas state custody have made derogatory comments to "staff of color" and women wearing jewelry."

So which children said this? How many - one, two, a dozen or more? How old were they? What exactly did they say, and to whom? Did they say it voluntarily and spontaneously or were they encouraged by the CPS staff to "spill the beans?"

I find it incredibly distasteful that the Texas authorities find it necessary to publish undocumented statements about the supposed cultural values of the children. This is totally unprofessional behavior. They should be putting all of their energy and efforts into prosecuting criminal behaviors of the FLDS. My only conclusion is that they must be running scared and are attempting to lead a preemptive strike against a perceived public backlash.

The Texas Department of Childen's and Family services has a lot of info posted. Look it up.

"There are 27 girls who have indicated that they are 14 to 17 years old. There are an additional 26 girls who have provided conflicting information about their ages, at some points indicating they are minors and at other times saying they are adults. Of these 53 girls, more than 30 have children, are pregnant, or both. Six of these girls have two children, and two have three children."

And..

And "The women who left the ranch with the children have given multiple names and ages for themselves and the children. In addition, information provided by the women about which children were theirs and other family relationships changed frequently. "

I guess the FLDS are skipping that "don't tell lies" part of the Bible.

Also, two boys have already "aged out" and are free to go home, but have chosen not to. Perhaps they chose to stay and look after the other 43 boys (again, where are all the boys?) in their group, or perhaps they like freedom.

And..

" The women who left the ranch with the children have given multiple names and ages for themselves and the children. In addition, information provided by the women about which children were theirs and other family relationships changed frequently.

The stories about family relationships continued to change as we loaded buses to move children around the state. We placed the children according to the latest information the women had provided about sibling groups and mother-child relationships. As the buses were loaded, there were instances where women came forward with different information. In one case, a minor who previously had said she didn’t have children begged not to be separated from her baby. We were able to place the girl with her child. "

...are the politicans that feed the inner city blacks just enough to keep them hungry and voting for more freestuff.

It's amazing that some of you think dressing modestly is "backwards". It might do you good to remember that when you stand before God, he will see your bare naked soul, not your glittering jewelry while you drive up to the pearly gates in your Escalade.

There are plenty of other people who have left the FLDS who have said the same thing. You FLDS defenders don't get that there are many victims.

To those worried about the racist angle obviously have never heard Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton or Obama's preacher preach.

The present FLDS situation at the YFZ Ranch is well
into a permanent 'deconstruction', brought on by the
inept actions of this sects leadership and intractable sect actions when confronted by governmental authorities. The now court seized assets of the FLDS/United Effort Plan Trust, the relocation to the YFZ Ranch into Texas and the conviction of Warren Jeffs is not simply religious persecution but rather a sect 'run-amuck' by their misguided leaders and in open defiance of lawful authorities! This situation now holds national attention and soon a Federal authorities directed task force formation. Humpty Dumpty has fallen off
his wall and the polygamous sects of Greater Utah
are soon to be in the focus of the U.S. Justice Department.
When you 'Bleed the Beast'someday he may wake-up and expect you to pay for all of the fraudulently acquired services and re-pay your rightful share of child support, spousal support and other services,
while you cool your heels in a Federal Prison.

FLDS have the right to teach any racial messages to their children they wish. If the FLDS racial teachings are used as cause to remove these children, then its time to round up the jews and condemn the talmud, round up the hmong for their plural marriages, round up apostolics for their modesty in dress.
This is a disaster, not only for FLDS, but more for the incompentants in the texas judicial system.
Watch - it backfire. This will backfire. Just stay tuned.

I fully agree with you. I cannot respect this racist, xenophobic group. Madnuker Did not God make all of us? How can I not respect a black, hispanic, asian, etc. God made many more of them then he did caucasians.

@ To Sandy and Conejo

Why would you think I want the law to not be enforced? Did I say something to that effect? I think this situation has been mishandled by the Texas authorities. Not in finding fault with the practices of people who are FLDS but rather assuming the faults belong to all members of the group simply by virtue of sharing a belief system with those who have been at fault. I am also tired of hearing from the former FLDS people about how horrible the FLDS group is. I don't think people should base their opinion of a group on what someone who is clearly antagonistic toward that group says. Would you seek answers about African Americans from the KKK? I should hope not!

Kids who never before saw differences when thrust into seeing them are going to be honest. Telling someone they are black, because they are isn't trying to be hurtful. It is expressing their own surprise at seeing something different.

As a small child I apparently told many smokers they were going to die early. Children lack tact, but we should forgive them. In these kids case, they should be taken at of the child protective service as soon as possible.

Joseph Smith was born on December 23rd. My birthday. I hope Texas gets it's dates right.

Providng us with hearsay is not enough to convince me that there is justification for taking children away from their parents.

-Pregnant teens
-10% of the kids have had broken bones
-Kids made racist remarks

If I were to go take a random sample of 450 kids in a community in the part of Texas where the FLDS reside, I wonder what the data would show? Would there be pregnant teenagers with older men? YES! Would there be kids with broken bones? YES! Would there be kids who make racist remarks? YES!

I keep seeing references to "pedophelia" on many different sites. "Pedophelia" has to do with pre-puberty children. That has nothing to do with what FLDS has been accused of.
Our secular culture grooms children as objects of sexual interest and ultimately breeders for our society.
The difference is that our secular culture does not encourage the clean morals that FLDS does.

The clothing the women wear is an indication that they are not treated as individuals, but as property to be dominated. What a spin you put on their racism - "pride in their own race"? Say what?!

Sorry, Bruce. You have outed yourself as FLDS. And it is our business when children are sexually abused. Duh.

I hope the FLDS church goes down HARD! Makes me sick!

If there are 10-20,000 FLDS they are much less a force for wrong racial teaching than a protestant religion we are always having to hear "spouting off". I used to live in Texas and have lived in Michigan, California, Georgia, Kansas, and Missouri. In the states where there were large numbers of Southern Baptists around, I was and am now constantly treated to derogatory, nasty, insulting remarks about "people of color". I am white, this just comes oozing up in their conversation as part of their philosophy of life. Here in this town, in north central Missouri there is the usual First Baptist Church for the whites and a little 2nd Baptist Church where the Baptist "people of color" attend. One of the socially prominent women --an 80 year old twinkly blue-eyed great-grandma--from the FBC recently said a really typical remark about how "there were some blacks here in town but they know how to keep their place". In Lewistown, the black man who keeps the large, well endowed cemetery so lovely and immaculately manicured is "boy", but "he's a good boy". Let's keep it clear which philosophies of life most harm on topic. Post!!

Why aren't you posting people's on topic, non offensive comments again?

Wouldn't that be the perfect thing, to have Warren Jeff's and Rev Wright sharing a jail cell. Both are mental cases, or narcissists, and they could cook up some wonderful sermons to each other.

In all seriousness, actually I would love to see that happen, but adult sex with a child is against the law and it is also morally wrong. What ran chills through my back was the term "poofers" where girls were all of a sudden gone to be put in a "spiritual marriage".

These kids are going to be like any older child placed in a foster home, they are going to have some attitude and going to hold on to their values and traditions. I do not think that people should wear long clothes, shave, take off jewelry or bleach their skin in order to compensate these kids, they need to learn what the other 99% of the world is really about, they will.