(Post Transferred from my formerly stand-alone blog, Tiffany Takes On.)
Warren Jeffs was recently given two 5-to-life sentences for his role in setting up a marriage between a 14-year-old girl and her 19-year-old cousin, as a part of marriage practices condoned by the breakaway cultish religion that calls itself the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, a group that still practices polygamy and endorses arranged marriages.
Not sure what's the bigger problem here in my mind: a 14-year old girl getting married; a girl marrying her cousin; a religion that condones arranged marriages; people blindly following cult leadership; the vagueness in the sentencing; the practice of polygamy; or the fact that my opening sentence had 65 words in it!
Ok, folks, the point of this blog is certainly not limited to religion and cults...and I know this is my second post in a week on that topic, but this one really gets my gall.
What the hell is wrong with people? I mean, seriously? I'm a student of history; it's what my minor was granted in when I graduated from college a few years (or so) ago. I understand that historically, 14-years-old may not have been an unusual age to marry. But I also understand that during the time in history when young teen girls were pushed into marriage, the average life expectency was in the 30s - that means that the marrying age was lower in proportion to length of life.
Welcome to the 21st century, people. Most of us will live into our 80s. Marrying at 14? Gross. Ick. Why wasn't this girl in middle school, happily bopping around with her friends? Serious issue here.
And then there's the marrying her cousin part. The news stories never really say what degree of cousin he was, but they ALL refer to him as her cousin. Again, gross and ick. Inbreeding much? Might explain the mentality of these morons.
Let's see, what do I want to attack next? Ok, let's hit arranged marriages. You know, in some parts of this world, arranged marriages are still fairly commonplace. Those same parts of the world are commonly comprised of 2nd and 3rd world countries, however, not highly-advanced industrialized emancipated societies like America. For God's sake (and I mean that literally) let the child grow up, have a life of her own, and choose her own life partner.
I'll only touch polygamy briefly: I could but wish that a man who engages in polygamy would be saddled with enough strong-willed wives that his life is made absolutely miserable. My father had a saying: everyone should be married; no one should be happy. (He'd always say it with a smile, though, and a nod to his own long-lasting marriage to my Mom.) So I'd use that saying in multiplicity to men who want several wives - may they each make you miserable. Women are not chattel and were not put on this earth with the purpose of providing men with sexual pleasure and multitudes of children. What an insulting concept!
I also have a comment on his sentencing. Isn't 5-to-life a bit, er, broad?! I mean, 25-to-life carries some weight...if you're 50 when sentenced, 25 years is a long, long time...most of the rest of your life. Unless you're 80 when sentenced, 5-to-life carries no such weight. Especially considering that with time off for good behavior and various crap like that, he'll be up for parole in just THREE years. What's the punishment in that?!
And now to the cult that is the FLDS. I married into a family where members were or are still a part of the Church of Latter Day Saints. I'm willing to accept that church as a legitimate religion. However, this splinter group that Warren Jeffs heads: not so much. The people who are a part of this cult blindly follow wherever lead, never once stopping to question the lives that their leaders choose for them. I could feel pity for them, but as always, I only feel sorry for the children. For the adults, I only feel contempt.
I also have a piece of advice for people who belong to this cult, and others like it throughout the world: there's a reason that you are shunned by society and undergo criticism at all turns. By pointedly and repeatedly ignoring the laws and practices of the society in which you live, you have chosen to wall yourselves off. If you dislike something about the society in which you live, work constructively to change it, or relocate to a society more accepting of your beliefs and practices. Intentionally subverting the society in which you live is just unacceptable. There are far better ways to work to coexist in this world.
Read more here: Polygamist Leader Jeffs...
Take Care,
Tiffany
(No Comments Transferred; original posting date 11/21/07, 11:20 AM.)
Post a Comment