Doris Hanson Director, A Shield and Refuge Ministry

Another year is now history. This next year will pass by as quickly if not faster. God has told us in Ephesians 5:16 “ .. making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”

   I suspect we all fail in using “every” opportunity God gives us, I admit that is true for myself. As the season of Christ’s birth is upon us again, I think of the blasphemy about the birth of Jesus Christ that I was taught as a child, and that children in polygamy as well as the Mormon church are still taught.

God’s plan for redemption of humans is a simple and beautiful plan: God Himself would pay the price for our rebellion against Him. He would “become” a human, live the perfect life Adam failed to do, and then willingly die, paying the price for our sins against Him. The Creator became the Babe in the manger—who became our Savior on the Cross! 

Our message to this culture is the simplicity of the Biblical Gospel—not obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Mormon gospel or the practice of plural marriage.

We pray God will continue to give us many opportunities to lift up Jesus as Lord, Creator and Savior and that we will “make the most of every opportunity” He graces us with. Thank you for your prayers.

FROM OUR INBOX:

Hi, I recently transitioned out of Mormonism (at a great cost - losing my husband, best friends, family-in-law, etc). I left because the doctrine does NOT align with the Bible. My friend who left Mormonism years ago introduced me to your channel on YouTube and it has been a huge, huge blessing in my life. I love how detailed your show is as far as giving scripture and covering necessary tough topics.
   It's so important to know and understand what the Bible actually teaches, and you are a huge help to me and others in doing that! I will pray for you and the show to continue helping people like myself realize how wrong Mormonism is - both in its foundation and in the terrible fruits it brings today in the form of polygamy. The world needs more dedicated organizations like PWLIT bring truth and light to people in need of it! I hope God blesses your ministry wonderfully!  Thank you for all you do!

There are several good books that have been written by observers of and escapees from Mormon polygamy that reveal the horror of life in these groups. For those who have a deeper interest in their stories and the difficulties leaving and adjusting to society outside of polygamy, we recommend you read their stories. 

~~~~~~~~

   The book I most recently read but was published several years ago, is entitled, “Secrets and Wives. The Hidden World of Mormon Polygamy.” The author Sanjiv Bhattacharya is not affiliated with the Mormon church or with any polygamy group.  Yet he pretty much nailed it for what it is. He writes about the primary polygamy groups in Utah and was more successful interviewing people from some groups than from others. In fact, he covers the Kingston polygamy group in depth, it is accurate and ugly.  Part of the book’s description on the back cover says this about the book:

“Polygamy’s dark underbelly is laid bare—details of incest, forced marriages and hideous abuse.”

The author does not write from a Christian or Biblical perspective, so we disagree with some of his conclusions about faith, but he is diligent in presenting information about various groups.  This is a quote from the preface of the book:

"...there are plenty of Mormon polygamists, and even more Mormon fundamentalists, another category that the LDS church denies.

"Similarly, most fundamentalists will take offense to the word "cult."  And I admit it has a negative connotation. But "cult" just happens to be the best word going for a fringe religious group of fanatical devotion, and that's the sense I intend. I've always thought it unsporting for big religions to denigrate smaller ones as cults, when the big boys - Mormons, for example - often started out as cults themselves."

One polygamist man invited him to attend a Sunday worship service—about that experience he wrote:

"The service begins with the Brethren sitting in a row on stage, seven grave man in dark suits, facing down their flock. They wait for silence ... and then a man in the center stands and clears his throat. He doesn't smile or offer a reading or a homily. He merely mutters some community announcements.… Then he calls on someone to "bear their testimony." After which he calls upon someone else, and then another. And so on it goes until your brain slips into a semicoma and your will to live has drained into a puddle on the floor."  (pg 78)

He met with female “propaganda ministers” as it were from the Kingston polygamy group and also spoke with members of other groups to gather information. One of them told him this:

“"Everyone wants to be a leader… Leaders always seem to get more wives. And the more wives you have on Earth, the more exalted you are - they all tried to say that's not the case. But it is. The nature of the devil is greed." (pg 85)

This book is accurate and brings shocking information into the discussion of Mormon polygamy, and is well worth the read. 

POLYGAMY IN THE NEWS

Several months ago we wrote about a multi-million dollar lawsuit that has been filed against Warren Jeffs and the FLDS church. It was filed by a former FLDS female who alleges that they forced her (and other female children) into “ritualistic sex abuse” beginning when she was eight years old. She alleges she was taken from her home with a bag over her head to an unknown location and sexually abused by FLDS leaders.

Just recently a motion was filed by attorneys for the FLDS to dismiss the lawsuit, a 3rd District Court judge refused their motion to dismiss. An attorney for the unidentified woman said this is an important case, important for everybody, this kind of conduct cannot be tolerated.

The accuser is identified only by R.H. FLDS attorneys have asked to have her identity revealed, but the judge has refused that request as well. One attorney said he can't comment on the validity of R.H.'s allegations since her identity has not been disclosed. The trial was moved from Salt Lake City to St. George, Utah, but no date has yet been set for the trial to begin.

Please pray the truth will be uncovered in this and other cases, and the guilty will receive justice for their crimes.

MORMON POLYGAMY HISTORY

“Though I hated Polygamy, I did not dare to question the divinity of its origin. I only pitied myself and my sex for the burden which God had seen fit to place upon us. I never for a moment supposed that any man would have been so wicked as to fabricate a "Revelation," or so blasphemous as to palm it off in the name of the Lord. Oh yes, I hated Polygamy in my heart. And my efforts in teaching it only increased my hatred ; for when I was gravely told by the Elders that woman had been cursed in the Garden of Eden, and that Polygamy was one of the results of that curse — " her desire shall be unto her husband, and he shall rule over her ! " — I must confess that my heart within me was rebellious. From my earliest childhood I had thought of God as a father and a friend, to whom I might go and tell all my griefs and cares; but now* He was presented to me as a hard taskmaster, not as a father or a friend...

“It is the grossest of frauds for men claiming to be the representatives of Jesus Christ to play upon the credulity of an honest people, trifling with the most sacred subjects, and telling them that God answers by special revelation and declares whether or not it is His will that each of these plural marriages should take place. The Apostles and Elders themselves are not deceived. They know well enough that there is no truth in all this mockery they know that the only source of all their revelations is the man Brigham Young...

“The" Prophet of the Lord " sometimes finds it necessary ... to try experiments like other men before he can feel sure that his plans are likely to succeed. The only difference between him and other men is, that he — knowing himself that his plans are his own inventions, or the inventions of the leaders — gives out that they come direct from God, thereby deceiving the ignorant, innocent, and confiding people; and when his plans fail, as they often do, he never confesses that he is wrong or mistaken, but lays all the blame on some other person, or, failing that, on " the Lord " or the devil.”  
Tell It All by Fanny Stenhouse, pgs 155-156, 189-190,192

PRAYER REQUESTS:

Please pray for a young woman who escaped the Kingston group a few years ago, but faces daily depression. She believes her value is determined by her relationships with males. She hates God, despises any religion or mention of the Bible. This is a normal reaction for those leaving polygamy who have suffered intense indoctrination and mental/physical abuse growing up. Pray that God will deeply touch her heart with His love, and turn her heart towards Him.

Many times through the past few years, we have requested prayer for Rachel Kingston as she fights continuing court battles to regain custody of her three daughters whom a judge had given custody to her polygamist ex-husband. Another court hearing is upcoming and we’re hoping this is the final battle for custody. No court date has been set yet but in the meantime, we ask for your prayers for the entire situation. Her oldest girl is ALREADY being groomed to become a plural wife. Pray for their release in Rachel’s care.

Most who are born and raised in Mormon polygamy groups go to their graves believing that their loyalty to their polygamy group has indebted God to them. They look forward to waking up in heaven and be rewarded with the promotion to godhood. They believe that God is a polygamist who begat millions of spirit babies each with the potential of becoming a god in their own right through righteous living and polygamy.  They need the truth!

Donate via PayPal