Ok, I have mixed feelings about this. Foster care is not perfect, either. The head of the Texas Psychological Association was on the Dr. Phil show yesterday and proposed a solution that to me sounds like, well, maybe a good option.

The ideal theory?

Re-educate the parents at the YFZ Ranch. Teach them the laws of the United States regarding

  • academic education
  • sexual boundaries
  • discipline boundaries and limits

Then return the kids to them and monitor.

Why? The foster care system is already overburdened. There is room for the children at the ranch, there are people there that they love and who love them.

The downside? It’s hard to de-program cult members, especially when they’re still all living together in isolation and the cult leaders are still there with them. For a great and very brief description of cults and how they work, check out the University of San Francisco’s page on cults. Here are a couple more links: http://www.csj.org/ and http://www.tolc.org/bmnet.htm

The leaders have to be removed from the group and from having any influence over them. But how possible is that when there is an extensive group of men who are totally invested in this way of life? Even the subjugated women are heavily invested in the system. It’s very much like early 20th century Germany. The people as a whole are not necessarily bad, but they were vulnerable, insecure, stressed, and looking for guidance. Along came Hitler, someone who didn’t make sense but did make alot of promises the people wanted to hear, and off they all went together committing some really horrendous crimes. Same thing with Bosnia, Serbia, and Milosevic. It’s amazing how one person can rally a group to do so much harm.

It’s odd that Mormons/Latter Day (non) Saints can distort their thinking so drastically as to believe they are following God’s word with taking multiple wives and swapping wives, or just plain taking other peoples’ wives. They believe this is the same God who said “don’t commit adultery.”

Some of the YFZ women may be ready and wanting to leave their compound. They may be able to make it. They may be able to change their thinking and their patterns. It will be very difficult for the others. They need alot of healing, and many prayers.

Peacock & Paisley Blog