Temple Square Salt Lake City

The standoff was averted! The ambulances were sent back to the hospital empty. There will be no repeat of Waco! Law enforcement agents finally got access to an enormous temple on the grounds of the polygamist compound, but by Sunday morning they still had not found a 16-year-old girl whose initial report of abuse led to the raid. “There were some tense moments last night, but everything has remained calm and peaceful and they are continuing their search,” said Allison Palmer, a prosecutor from a nearby county handling the case, early Sunday.

I am continually amazed at the religious things that go on in our so-called “civilized” world. What we do in the “name of God” is mind boggling. And what I’m taking about is not something going on in a remote island somewhere, but here in Texas- the heart of the Bible belt.

Maybe that’s part of the problem, the belt is just too old! The Bible isn’t, but man’s interpretation(s) of it are!

Palmer said it was unclear whether the girl who made the report was among the nearly 200 women and children taken Friday and Saturday from the compound built by polygamist leader Warren Jeffs. A busload of women were seen talking to law enforcement and a lawyer at a civic center early Sunday.

Citing their religious convictions that no nonbeliever should set foot inside the temple, a group of FLDS members had earleir rejected authorities’ requests to search the temple for a 16-year-old girl whose complaint triggered the massive, three-day raid, Palmer said. “Within the religion that we have encountered, their place of worship is very special to them,” she said earlier today. “It appears to be of great concern to them if a person from outside their congregation even attempts to step inside their place of worship.”

In the name of religion? When does religion get to violate basic human rights and civility? Okay, alright, I know that answer. History is repelte with such instances: none are good. Radical religion and racial politics should have no place in at least America today.

This rogue Mormon sect headed up by Warren Steed Jeffs is known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS Church). On November 20, 2007 Jeffs was sentenced to imprisonment for 10 years to life and has begun serving his sentence at the Utah State Prison, but many of his followers still enjoy the lifestyle of forcing their wills upon young teenage girls.

Hopefully we’re close to seeing the end of this madness! We don’t need to be creating more enemies!