Mormon Polygamy Effects On Woman And Children Religion Essay

Now imagine a place with your male parent, seven of his married womans, one being your female parent and 20 nine other kids, . Do you believe you would hold grown up the same? That you would hold received the clip, love, aid or attending you needed to turn up to go a productive member of society. Right now all across the United States and Canada polygamous households are thriving, immature misss are being married off and traded like cowss, immature work forces are being cast aside all without prosecution or probe by local, province or federal authorities. Accurate and current statistics on the commonalty of polygamy around the universe are unavailable due to their changeless undermining of authorities functionaries and nose count agency.

Joseph Smith, founded the Church of Mormons in 1830. Church of jesus christ of latter-day saintss and fundamentalists ‘ likewise believe Smith to be the most of import prophesier of all clip. A convicted impostor Smith led his people with the fable of an angel named Moroni, the supposed angel visited his bed side annually. “ He had come to state Joseph of a sacred text inscribed on solid gold home bases that had been buried 14 hundred old ages before under a stone on a nearby hillside ( Krakauer, 2003 ) . ” These home bases would subsequently be translated into the Book of Mormon. One of Joseph Smiths ‘ chief instructions was the pattern of pleural matrimony, many in the Mormon Church have tried to conceal this pattern off as if its lone participants ‘ are its contrary boies, nevertheless it was common cognition that Smith had legion married womans. “ Polygamy was, in fact one of the most sacred creed of Joseph ‘s church- a dogma of import plenty to be canonized for the ages as Section 132 of The Doctrine and Covenants, one of the Mormon ‘s primary biblical texts. The clergyman prophesier described plural matrimony as portion of the most holy and of import philosophy of all time revealed to adult male on Earth, and taught that adult male needed at least three married womans to achieve the comprehensiveness of ecstasy in the hereafter ( Krakauer, 2003 ) . “

Now 180 old ages after the Mormon Church was founded the pattern of polygamy still goes unpunished by local, province or federal authorities. Topographic points like Colorado City and Bountiful seem exempt from the Torahs of the remainder of the universe. Often immature misss are married off to work forces twice or three times their age, they are dragged across province and state lines, put into a new house and told to execute sexual responsibilities on set yearss. Young work forces are used as slave labour on farms and local concerns. Yet jurisprudence enforcement does nothing. “ Children boys, chiefly, but besides misss – are often used as unpaid labourers ‘ in unsafe building and forestry occupations ( Bramham, 2009 ) ” . This is all done in the name of the Lord, the seniors insure this rhythm to go on by pressing the male childs and misss to discontinue school at really immature ages. The misss are told that they will be female parents and that school offers them nil, the male childs are told that they will be lumbermans or fencing shapers and that school is of no benefit to them. Thus they are left nescient and unskilled to work in an any other society.

Like all other species on Earth, work forces and adult female are born at the same rate, there is no manner to foretell a adult male or a adult female, hence with work forces seeking more so three married womans there is frequently a higher per centum of work forces so adult female. Consequently, these improbable male childs are left to happen a new manner of life, they are cast aside and excommunicated. “ They enter an foreigner new universe entirely and frequently bewildered. Jointly, the male childs who are either kicked out or encouraged to go forth hold come to be known as the lost male childs ( Bramham, 2009 ) ” . Normally if a immature kid of 11 goes losing, dismaies are sounded, qui vives are sent, overwrought pleading parents make full the air moving ridges and the state jointly hopes for the kid ‘s safe return. In Bountiful, Canada and Colorado City, United States these immature kids are ne’er mentioned once more, all hints of them are removed from their place and their names ne’er pass their female parents lips once more.

Some of these male childs find their manner, they settle down and go respectable members of their new communities. Others with no resources of instruction or household turn to moo paying occupations, harlotry or live for the idea or redemption. Any figure of grounds can do their expatriate, simple math or work moral principles are some, but the fastest manner to acquire exiled is to inquiry, inquiry anything and you make the seniors radar.

Although the male childs are left to fend for themselves, they are at least given the opportunity at a normal life, even if they do n’t see it that manner. In my sentiment the adult female and misss of polygamous brotherhoods have a much more drab hereafter. Imagine being 13 and surrounded by your household, life in the lone house you ‘ve of all time known. Then being told that your traveling to get married a 40 six twelvemonth old adult male who has six other married womans, 30 two kids and lives 1000s of stat mis off. This happens all the clip with in the United States and Canada. These immature misss are ripped from their places, married and so expected to execute sexual Acts of the Apostless harmonizing to a house agenda. Often these houses are filled with combative feelings and missing in any familial support for the new married woman.

Although polygamy is illegal in both the United States and Canada the wrongdoers are ne’er prosecuted. One cagey manner around the legal system is to merely lawfully marry one time and take on your pleural married womans as religious married womans. This allows polygamists to non be prosecuted for bigamy. Another advantage of this agreement is authorities support. “ These tremendous households qualify for public assistance and other signifiers of authorities aid. Despite the fact that they view the authorities as Satanic forces out to destruct their polygamous community, they receive more than $ 6 million a twelvemonth in public financess ( Krakauer, 2003 ) ” .

Womans and kids who have runaway from polygamous households have been profoundly impacted in every facet of their lives. Due to the cloak-and-dagger nature that conceals polygamous relationships, information is non readily available, nor easy obtained, particularly to foreigners. States like Utah, Arizona and Colorado are where polygamy has its roots in the United States. “ Salt Lake City, Utah is place of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, as Church of jesus christ of latter-day saintss prefer to be known, with about 10 million followings worldwide ( Beaman, 2009 ) ” .

In the class of my readings for this paper, I have come to recognize that the psychological impact sustained by kids turning up in polygamous households about mirrors the impact kids turning up in opprobrious families face. Between subsisters of polygamy and subsisters of domestic force and spiritual cults, these people struggle the remainder of their lives to happen out the why.

If an foreigner were to speak to a female parent in a polygamist household who did non desire to abandoned her polygamous life style, her description of her experience would be highly different from what escapees study. The studies or histories of adult females who stay in polygamous relationships merely portray positive features to them, and are less uncovering of their more negative experiences. “ A adult female who escapes had reached the bounds of her capacity to go on digesting unbearable conditions for her and her kids ( Narutowicz, 2008 ) ” . The obstructions in their way are impossible. One of the most hard obstructions may be the mental and emotional amendss sustained by both the adult female and kids. These include the feelings of guilt for go forthing, their diffident unsteady new life style and their entire deficiency of household and friends. Then there is the obstruction of being believed. To the powers that be when a adult female reports her experiences, her narratives may sound off the wall or leery in our modern society. The study may besides be inconsistent with studies of booming polygamous household ‘s.

In polygamous communities there is a concatenation of bid which is focused around one cardinal leader. “ This leader is by and large referred to as “ the prophesier ” and is the taking patriarch of the community ( Narutowicz, 2009 ) ” . One of the jobs with this concatenation of bid construction, is that it leads to a absolutism with one power hungry individual in charge. Entire power tends to pervert, it stirs up images of Hitler and Napoleon, and it is non unusual for the prophesier with in the community to go corrupt with power. This corruptness increases the power and control of polygamous hubbies and male parents, who are normally guilty of mistreating their households and could justly be described as domestic force and kid maltreatment wrongdoers. “ This corruptness is besides manifested by kid brides girls 14 or 15 and sometimes younger who are given in matrimony ( Ray,2009 ) ” .

There are outstanding features or naming cards of polygamous cults. The control by and large belongs to one cardinal figure. As I antecedently mentioned, this cardinal figure is referred to as “ the prophesier ” . In the polygamous household and matrimony, the cardinal figure is the hubby. A kid is responsible to his/her male parent and he in bend is responsible to the prophesier. The prophesier, through the male parent, controls when and to whom their kids will get married, the topographic points their kid will work and for how long, how much instruction the kids will have and in what country they will be allowed to analyze. In a polygamous cult, the prophesier can take a kid ‘s male parent or fuss off and transfer him or her to new parents if he chooses. He can besides do a one-sided determination that will consequence the whole society in which his followings live, without account.

“ Disclosure from God dictates the words and Acts of the Apostless of the cardinal figure. This is the footing of the prophesier ‘s power and authorization and in a corollary manner, the polygamist male parent ‘s power and authorization over his married womans and kids ( Ray,2009 ) ” . Church of jesus christ of latter-day saintss are required to idolize the prophesier as a God. If the prophesier imposes a governing it becomes jurisprudence to them. Many of the Prophetss opinions are unreasonable but they are expected to be followed, because they came from God. “ The narrative of the patriarch Abraham and his boy Isaac in the Old Testament frequently is cited to reenforce this control. Abraham was willing to give his boy Isaac because God commanded it ( Ray, 2009 ) ” . With this thought procedure as their footing of logical thinking, a patriarch can so order to a 14 twelvemonth old miss that she is to be his married woman because God said so. For the miss to non follow such a edict would be considered, a rebellion, ensuing in exclusion.

Free thought and outside information are forbidden. The male parents in the polygamous group are figures to be respected but the female parents are merely to be obeyed if they are in understanding with the male parent. Children are ne’er to inquire information other than what is told to them by their leader, and this is to be accepted wholly. Relationships with others outside the cult are purely banned. No relationships outside the cult are allowed. There are no exclusions to this.

Education is purely left up to the prophesier to make up one’s mind who, where and what the kids survey. In fact, some types of instruction can be considered a offense. Most literature is out. “ A bookshop one time carried a book that was deemed un-godly and the prophesier commanded everyone to boycott until it was removed from the book shop shelves ( Bramham, 2009 ) ” . All other races, civilizations and belief systems have no value, hence, there is no demand to larn about them. Mathematics is merely taught every bit far as basic add-on and minus. Science of the organic structure is non taught because the organic structure is an off bounds subject and the work forces and adult female likewise are to ever be covered up. The lone instruction a kid demands and is most likely to have is the instruction that consequences from watching the prophesier in order to go merely like him.

Their communities are run with an about Gestapo outlook. Due to their highly close life style and ideals as a society it is necessary to “ patrol ” group members to guarantee conformity. “ Even as there is secretiveness to forestall foreigners from detecting the ways of the cult there is patroling internally to forestall followings from going disloyal ( Beaman, 2006 ) ” . Children are taught that it is non merely their responsibility to describe something that if they do n’t their traveling against the prophesier and merely as guilty. Childs are to describe on anyone and everyone including parents, brothers, sisters, or friends.

Violence is a serious job in polygamous societies and seems to be the

de-facto regulation to acquiring things done, the personal narratives I have read in my research all have terrible maltreatment as a factor. “ An extension of the control and dictatorship exercised by the polygamous male parent is force ( Narutowicz, 2008 ) ” . It is common for female parents who have fled the polygamous relationship to describe instances of the utmost force they and their kids endured at the manus of their hubbies that were approved and permitted by the prophesier. The patriarch uses force to command his many kids and many married womans. “ There are so many kids to take attention of and such limited resources to acquire the occupation done, physical penalty is a direct manner to implement regulations and guarantee obeisance ( Narutowicz, 2008 ) ” . Another facet of force within polygamous cults has to make with perceptual experience. A violent male parent is perceived as a strong male parent whose strength exhibits control and authorization over his household. A major jobs with this outlook is that force strains force. As with abused kids they tend to turn into the maltreater it ‘s the monkey see monkey make construct. Open shows of violent effusions are non uncommon and are frequently used as an illustration of what will go on to other household members who are disobedient.

Polygamous cults besides seemed to be ruled by the old universe caste system. “ The households belonging to a polygamous hubby are portion of a caste system established by the male parent. Merely he can delegate the kid ‘s value or the value of the kid ‘s female parent. Likewise, the prophesier can delegate the value of the patriarchs in the community giving comparative community value to his households ( Krakauer, 2003 ) ” . A households value is determined by those over you. To add farther abuse to injury in a house full of adult female, every adult male has a favourite married woman. The favourite married woman is frequently rewarded with the better room, a higher vesture allowance and more entree to her hubby so the others. She is besides granted one really of import favour her hubby protects her from the other married womans. This horribly takes topographic point with the kids as good, a boy may be allowed farther instruction if his is the favourite boy, a girl may be allowed to remain single longer if she is the favourite girl.

Families with more value have nicer places and are allowed better occupations. Peoples revered to be higher up in the community do really small work and bask wagess for their place. Peoples perceived to be lesser so do the hardest work and are frequently denied even basic necessities. It is tantamount to modern twenty-four hours bondage, merely the slaves have volunteered.

As with their female parents, kids born into polygamy are brought up in an environment that discourages any sense of individualism. “ As a consequence this causes insecurity, paranoia and anxiousness upsets. The kid is left with a delicate sense of worth, uneducated and incognizant of any other manner of life ( Krakauer, 2003 ) ” .

As indicated antecedently, secretiveness is the lifeblood of the polygamous household. Populating a life of secretiveness is non contributing for anyone, allow entirely a kid. “ Secrets can harbour a via media of unity, an us against them orientation, a high quality attitude, an terminal justifies the agencies modus operandi, justification of unlawful behaviour, and a failure to have feedback from others as to the rightness or rightness of what one is making ( Bramham, 2009 ) ” . Secrecy becomes the manner of life for these kids, one that is strongly reinforced by the force at their male parents custodies.

The effects of the polygamous cult on adult females and kids who are victims of its maltreatments are widespread, making into every country of their lives, from mental to societal to physical. “ They lose of control of their lives, the cult secretiveness produces feelings of insecurity and idea upsets ; inflicted maltreatment can lend to a whole array of jobs, including Posttraumatic Stress Disorder ( Bramham, 2009 ) ” .

Woman and kids quashing their feelings seems to take to anger ; and the loss of self worth and personal apprehension can do individuality loss and personality upsets. It is no hyperbole to province that polygamous cults lay the foundation for kids to expose major mental and emotional issues throughout their lives. For the adult females and kids who are victims of polygamous cult maltreatment, their quality of life is destroyed, their personal freedoms are lost and hope for their hereafter is limited at best. Polygamy is a existent phenomenon doing existent social jobs in the lives of its victims. I find it extremely upseting that our authorities has non stepped into to assist these adult female and kids and that people with parking tickets pay higher mulcts so statutory rapers and kid maltreaters. Personally I am disgusted that there is a new harvest of Television shows lauding this damaging life style. Reading these articles and books felt like I was reading about some far off underprivileged, uneducated lost land. I am proud to populate in a state that allows spiritual freedom, but I am disgusted to populate in a state that looks off while rapers and maltreaters hide behind their antediluvian faith. These adult female and kids are being abused even if they are incognizant of it, the authorities needs to step in provide guidance and aid. Education is power and power is strength and that is what in my sentiment they need.