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Sect member loses appeal By Matthew Waller Updated Friday, August 26, 2011 SAN ANGELO, Texas — The latest round in the legal fight over the imprisonment of polygamist sect members went to the state, but the fight may not be over. The Texas Third Court of Appeals in an opinion issued Friday upheld the conviction of Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints member Michael Emack on a charge of child sexual assault that came from evidence from the Yearning for Zion Ranch raid in April 2008. In the next few weeks, the case could go to the...

During the early 1830s, Emma Smith was beginning to have some strong suspicions that her husband, Joseph (Mormon prophet) might be involved in infidelity. While these were only suspicions, Oliver Cowdery (one of the three “witnesses” to the Book of Mormon) had proof of Smith’s adultery and confronted him on it. Smith denied to Cowdery that he was in any such activity. Cowdery would be excommunicated from the Mormon church on several counts including, “by falsely insinuating that he [Smith] was guilty of adultery.” 1 Emma’s suspicions were confirmed when she caught Joseph and 19-year-old Eliza Partridge locked in a...

Prosecutors seeking life in prison for convicted polygamist leader Warren Jeffs closed their case with a final barrage of graphic audiotapes, records of 24 alleged underage brides and writings that ordered followers to "fight to the death" when police eventually came for him. The same jury that convicted Jeffs last week of sexually assaulting two of his child "brides" could now hand down their punishment early as Tuesday. Even in prison, he could continue to lead the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Among the final pieces of evidence was an audiotape of Jeffs having sex and...

Polygamy Meets Big Brother The West Texas jury deciding the fate of polygamy cult leader Warren Jeffs listened through headphones to 21 minutes of heavy breathing yesterday. Some in the room wept. Others held their hands over their mouths. The X-rated recording, a cornerstone of the state’s child-sex-assault case, allegedly chronicled Jeffs’ encounter with a 12-year-old girl, an episode that ended with the self-proclaimed prophet declaring, “In Jesus Christ, amen.” The jurors heard an almost inaudible voice. “Amen,” echoed the child. It got worse. According to prosecutors, Jeffs and his new “celestial wife” were not alone. A dozen of his...

Prosecution close to resting case against Jeffs AP By WILL WEISSERT - Associated Press SAN ANGELO, Texas (AP) — Prosecutors are still questioning their final witness in the Texas trial of a polygamist leader accused of sexually assaulting two girls he took as brides during so-called spiritual marriages. Texas Ranger Nick Hanna was on the stand for a second day Wednesday, and prosecutors were close to resting their case against Warren Jeffs. The 55-year-old leads the Fundamental Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, which believes polygamy brings exaltation in heaven.

In a single dramatic hour Friday, the course of the San Angelo, Texas, trial against polygamous sect leader Warren Jeffs might have changed course. With a rambling outburst that included a malediction against the prosecutors, a defense of polygamy, and direct quotes from "the Lord God," Jeffs broke his prolonged silence in the trial, then continued to interrupt proceedings throughout the rest of the day. The outbursts could merely be a continuation of Mr. Jeffs's apparent legal tactic: delay. But they also have also effectively turned the courtroom into a pulpit for the leader of the breakaway Fundamentalist Church of...

Anti-Mormon literature tends to recycle the same themes. Some ministries are using a series of fifty questions, which they believe will help "cultists" like the Mormons. One ministry seems to suggest that such questions are a good way to deceive Latter-day Saints, since the questions "give...them hope that you are genuinely interested in learning more about their religion." This ministry tells its readers what their real intent should be with their Mormon friend: "to get them thinking about things they may have never thought about and researching into the false teachings of their church." Thus, the questions are not sincere...

Polls show there's an anti-Mormon bias among voters - especially Democrats, more than a quarter of whom say they wouldn't vote for a Mormon. But this video of a Memphis Fox affiliate ridiculing Mitt Romney about his religion is a real wake-up call [video]. The whole news segment appears to be about Mormonism and the 2012 election, but skip ahead to the 3:20 mark for the worst of it [video].

MITT ROMNEY has said he plans to see “The Book of Mormon,’’ the hilarious Broadway musical from the creators of “South Park’’ and “Avenue Q.’’ And there’s a moment in the show when you can practically imagine him onstage. It comes in the second act, when a group of Ugandan converts puts on a pageant for visiting Mormon leaders: a bawdy, profane, and very incorrect retelling of the story of the Mormon faith. (It involves appearances from certain “Star Wars’’ characters, plus a song-and-dance depiction of how dysentery happens.) As the Mormon leaders watch in shock and disbelief, it’s hard...

(To see Cal Grondahl’s cartoon that goes with this post, click here) I spent some time re-reading the late Richard S. Van Wagoner’s excellent book, “Mormon Polygamy: A History.” The 19th century tales of harems and never-ending teenage-girl hunting were, of course, lies to excite Eastern U.S. readers. Polygamy was a contradictory doctrine, and extremely dysfunctional. Brigham Young once said that he wished it wasn’t a doctrine, but later also raged that those who disbelieved in polygamy — and even monogomous LDS men — were in danger of damnation. And polygamy led to divorce among LDS elite leaders in numbers...

Ever since Mitt Romney's unsuccessful run for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, there has been much discussion of whether GOP voters would accept a Mormon candidate. Would evangelical conservatives, in particular, look past the former Massachusetts governor's faith to vote for him? The underlying assumption was that the more conservative the views, the more intolerant the voter. Now, it turns out a better question might be whether Democratic voters would accept a Mormon candidate. In a survey that cuts against the media stereotype, a new Gallup Poll has found that more Democrats than Republicans say they would not vote for...

The profane and hysterical "The Book of Mormon" took home nine Tony Awards on Sunday including the prize for best musical, a considerable achievement for a pair of first-time Broadway playwrights known more for their raunchy cartoons featuring potty-mouthed kids. Trey Parker and Matt Stone, creators of the Emmy Award-winning "South Park," found a kindred soul in Robert Lopez, who co-wrote the Tony-winning "Avenue Q," and all three found themselves with plenty of awards when they collaborated to gently mock Mormons and send-up Broadway itself. Collecting the best musical prize, a subdued Parker, who tied Josh Logan of "South Pacific"...

In the prevailing wisdom of polls and pundits, Mitt Romney is a "top tier" contender for the Republican nomination for President. The prevailing wisdom also says that Romney's Mormonism will not be, or should not be, a factor in the election. Romney's Mormonism is purportedly like Kennedy's Catholicism: interesting, perhaps troubling from a theological point of view, but irrelevant to his governing philosophy. I believe this prevailing wisdom is all wrong. His religious worldview will be vital to his governing philosophy, and will ultimately be the issue that undermines his candidacy. Let's begin by noting that several prominent social conservatives...

NEW YORK — The profane musical "The Book of Mormon" and the zany revival of "Anything Goes" received the most nominations Friday from the Drama Desk, which honors both Broadway and off-Broadway productions.

Keep one thing in mind when looking at the data from Gallup’s latest poll of the Republican field. Their sample includes “Republican-leaning independents” as well as registered Republicans. That’s important, because it helps explain Donald Trump’s sudden resonance in the field: Donald Trump debuts in a first-place tie in Gallup’s latest update of Republicans’ preferences for the party’s 2012 presidential nomination among potential contenders. Trump ties Mike Huckabee at 16%, with Mitt Romney close behind at 13%. Sarah Palin is the only other potential Republican candidate to earn double-digit support.The April 15-20 Gallup poll finds Trump leading the field among...

By and large any controversy in this matter has swirled around two doctrinal issues—our view of the Godhead and our belief in the principle of continuing revelation leading to an open scriptural canon. In addressing this we do not need to be apologists for our faith, but we would like not to be misunderstood. So with a desire to increase understanding and unequivocally declare our Christianity, I speak today on the first of those two doctrinal issues just mentioned.

Glenn Greenwald, in that way he has, asks the toughest question about American exceptionalism. Yes, it's clear Obama believes in the unique role of the US in global politics, and world history, despite the Big Lie from Romney et al. But do we all mean the same thing when we talk of this idea? And is this more than mere national solipsism and myth? It's easy to see where Romney, for example, gets his belief. Mormonism is the only all-American religion, placing Jesus in America itself ("I just got crucified, you guys"). But for Christians, the notion of God preferring...

Sen. Harry Reid On MSNBC: The Tea Party With Their ‘Extreme Positions’ Is ‘Short-Lived’by Matt Schneider | 11:14 am, March 17th, 2011 Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid sat for an interview with Lawrence O’Donnell and discussed nuclear power plants, nuclear waste and budget battles. However, his most interesting comments came when he revealed his thoughts on the longevity of the Tea Party and when he told everyone from Congressional Republicans to President Obama to back off on trying to “fix” Social Security. O’Donnell asked if now there are three parties in Washington with the Tea Party and wondered whether...

(CARSON CITY — Sen. Harry Reid on Tuesday called for “an adult conversation” about prostitution in Nevada, saying it is an impediment to economic development because it discourages businesses from moving here. “Nevada needs to be known as the first place for innovation and investment – not as the last place where prostitution is still legal,” he said in a speech to the Nevada Legislature. Reid told the assembled lawmakers that he met recently with a group of business leaders who run data centers for technology companies. They visited Storey County in search of a new location for their businesses...

A purge may be underway in the polygamous communities of Hildale-Colorado City on the Utah-Arizona border. 2News has been told even men who were in FLDS leadership positions have been ousted from the sect. "There's a big shake up," said Isaac Wyler, long-time resident of Colorado City. "There are a lot of people who are shaken by what's happened with their families." Wyler was one of three people, close to the communities, who spoke to 2News Tuesday night. Perhaps as many as three dozen men have been told to leave over the past two months, and the orders to get...