Does that really happen in Texas ? That's so freaking crazy ...

Weren't children (14 year old girls) in this case being forced into marriages with much older men? Or do I have this confused with something else? And on a side note: If my religion required my 14 year old daughter to be "married off" to a 40 year old man (pedophile) I would drop it like a hot potato. And if I allowed it...I would NEED my children taken away. Just my opinion.

I have no fear of being singled out. I don't participate in a religion similar to the one in Texas. I do find it odd that the so-called religion in Texas advocates marriage between young girls and older men as acceptable. They really brought it on themselves.

It wasn't decided on religious grounds. It was decided because it was against child protection laws for grown adult men to marry and have sex with 14 year old girls. Although there was plenty of verbal evidence the Texas Supreme Court ordered the children returned because the evidence needed for prosecution wasn't found. This is what you in child protection situations all over the US. You move the kids and make them safe and then prove the evidence is real or just. Which is better safe kids or a careful Court?

While I agree it's a scary thought to think that our government has that kind of power it also has an obligation to investigate any reports, however absurd or unfounded, to ensure the safety and well being of it's citizens. Especially our children. I would hope they would err on the side of caution.

If my religion called for me to abuse my children I would hope someone would have the good sense to take my kids away from me. When it comes to children you err on the side of caution and remove them so the next time you show up with the proof you're not faced with the kids having been moved or dead. This wasn't about weather or not anyone liked the religion. It wasn't even over polygammy. It was over girls being sexually abused as part of the religious pratices. As for false alligations what everyone must remember is that the only reason these kids are being returned is lack of evidence for now. The investagation is still going on. I'm betting that so called disgrunteled ex-memeber might even be one of those girls this was done too. And there's more then just one who's now coming forward who had to run away who are telling the exact same story as the caller. Don't forget the leader of this very sect of FLDS, Warren Jeffs, is right now sitting in a jail cell for forcing other girls as young as 12 to marry older men. Some of them close relatives or men they had never even met. Shoot, we have pictures of him at high school functions with two of his wives who were students at the school. Both weren't even seniors yet. We have documents in the church leaders' own hand writting list girls as young as 12, 12,14, and 15 being married and to who. We also know that since most of the children are born there using midwives falsifing a birth certificate would be nothing for them. They've also done it before. Plus dealing with how brain washed they are is going to be hell in a hand basket.

12 year old girls were being married off to old men. That is the reason these children were seized. It would not have mattered who the group was. If there is the possibility of hundreds of children being mistreated and abused, the government MUST step in.

Exactly. Thats the feeling I would like to avoid. That feeling I had when I discovered a plot to cover-up and move priests around to different parishes instead of addressing the issue head-on. I don't know that removing the children would have been the right answer then just as removing the children in Texas now was obiously the wrong answer. What I think shoud have been done (IMHO) is that in both cases the children should have been interviewed by professionals that deal with these kinds of problems and delt with on a case by case basis.

There are a number of factors that led up to this. First of all, keep in mind that Warren Jeffs, their leader, is in prison because he did force an underaged girl into marriage with an adult. Second, there have been rumors of other such marriages floating around for many years, but the very insular nature of their communities made investigating the allegations almost impossible. (This is a problem with which Utah and Arizona have been dealing for decades, but is only recently that they got enough evidence to go after Jeffs.) Finally the Texas authorities get a phone call from someone alleging to be a young girl who is being forced into one of these marriages. Did the Texas authorities over react? Quite possibly. However, given the circumstances, I can understand why they did what they did. There is credible evidence of inappropriate relationships within this group. The problem has always been getting the specific evidence needed for prosecution.

it wasnt about religion. it was about child abuse.

Now, THERE'S a touchy question for you! Combine religion with politics! Whew! As for the incident cited, the actions taken were WAY out of hand. I mean, on the basis of ONE phone call from ONE ANONYMOUS individual complaining about ONE case of abuse (her own), the authorities came in and removed 400+ children from their families? Personally, that is OBSCENE to me! There is NO justification for this! A similar example would be someone calling the authorities complaining about being abused and only saying "I live on Main Street" and then the authorities swoop down on all the families on Main Street and round up all the children living there! As is coming out in the courts now, the fact that this is a polygamist community (as opposed to a polygamist 'compound', a term which deliberately throws those refered to in a bad light) makes absolutely NO difference! I hope the backlash from this serves to put the smack down on authorities who would consider such actions in the future. Personally, I don't agree with polygamy (More than one wife? I've got all I can do to handle the one I've got now!), but in this day and age where our society is legalizing homosexual behavior and marriage, where do we come across as being the all-mighty judges of moral behavior in cases like this? Polygamy is a SEPARATE issue from CHILD ABUSE. One does NOT cause the other!

What happened in Texas isn't over yet and if those accused play it smart, they will win in court, and so far they are. Texas authorities really stepped on their dick this time, the authorities realy need to be slapped by the supreme court. On the other hand I don't agree with cults although they have their rights, I also think this cult isn't squeaky clean either.