Any student of history knows the power of persecution. The budding Christianity movement after the death and resurrection of Jesus around 33 A.D. spawned intense persecution, laying the foundation and reinforcing the tenuous strands of a new faith. Persecution creates martyrs, whether by death or by mere suffering, the power of sacrifice cannot be underestimated.

The history of the LDS Church is a perfect example of the power of persecution to unite people, weed out non-believers and create isolation. The early Mormons were driven from their homes, had their property stolen, were scorned by society, and in some cases were brutally murdered. They were driven to a remote valley in Utah Territory prior to the completion of the transcontinental railroad. It was an area renowned for its harsh environment and was almost completely cut off from civilization. This was essential, for the early Mormons sought isolation as a utopian ideal. This is the fundamental history of the religion on which polygamy was founded. The righteous are persecuted for their beliefs and therefore persecution is seen as a sign of righteousness and the rigorous following of God’s laws.

Was it the objective of law enforcement concerning the removal of women and children on the YFZ ranch in Texas to provide this particular sect with persecution?

The media has supplied us with stories from the YFZ ranch that swing from one end of the spectrum to the other, inflating facts with sensationalism. On one side there are stories of abuse and neglect of children, minors having sex with older men, women being controlled and manipulated by a patriarchal religion, outrageous abuse of the welfare system and a number of other crimes. On the other end of the spectrum are photos of forlorn fathers occupying huge empty homes, and the faces of desperate mothers whose children were stripped from their arms by a cruel government. Cries from women of the YFZ ranch, as reported by a local newspaper, claiming that what has been done to them is on par with what Nazi Germany did to the Jews, illustrates this exaggerated belief of persecution. Out of their own mouths they have revealed themselves as sacrificial lambs for their cause.

The coverage is neither helpful nor informative because it is too extreme. While all of it may be true, to show only the two extremes damages the possibilities for an open and working relationship between two opposing cultures. This relationship is the only viable option for ending the violence and abuse that does occur in some polygamous families. But this abuse occurs in any community, any religion and in any country across the globe but to be fair there is a particular concentration of these sorts of crimes in some fundamentalist sects. But what of the polygamous families whose only crime is living the single most important aspect of their religion? What of the polygamous families who are loving parents who are appalled at the notion that they are lumped with abusers and sexual offenders? To define all polygamists by abuse or by the mismanagement of power is a gross failure of communication and a misrepresentation of the truth.

If history has anything to teach us it is that it will repeat itself until we learn its lessons. In 1953 Arizona law enforcement invaded the town of Short Creek (also known as Colorado City) and the end result accomplished one thing, a reinforcement of beliefs and a strengthening of commitment to the preservation and practice of polygamy. As a result of the 1953 raid, polygamy was forced deeper underground. Although it was practiced after the LDS Church banned it from its members, the cord between the LDS Church and polygamy was cut completely and polygamy was driven into secrecy after the raid. In the following years the raid took on a deeply significant meaning. It was romanticized as a clash between the law of the land and the law of God. The members of the polygamous clans viewed the event as a necessary test of faith. Men served time in prison as martyrs. Children and mothers were eventually reunited but a terrible fear permeated every polygamous home. It was not unusual at this time for children in these families to have false names on their birth certificates or have no social security numbers and many of them simply did not exist on paper at all. During this time, polygamy flourished underground as did abuse of all kinds as well as other crimes. The raid of 1953 on Short Creek Arizona was nothing if not a demarcation between the outside world and the polygamist communities, making them less subject in their own minds, to the laws of the land.

This need for secrecy is a two edged sword. While it serves to protect the religious beliefs and survival of plural marriage it also protects violators, abusers and sexual predators within polygamy. Under the cloak of secrecy accountability is too easily dismissed. This covertness breeds fear that influences the entire environment toward the negative and creates a deep distrust and suspicion of outsiders. It devalues diversity, independent thought and the larger community in which the polygamists have thrived.

Consider this: Polygamy as a religious tenet has been underground to one degree or another for over a hundred years.

How does law enforcement resolve this dilemma? The objective should be to seek to understand fundamentalist’s beliefs and their values. The outside world must begin to establish a working relationship based upon respect of differences and development of similarities so that the violators and abusers within polygamy will be exposed. Once the offenders lose their sanctuary and protection, members within the polygamous culture can feel safe in reporting crimes without fear of losing their families, their homes or inciting swat teams to beat down their doors.

By removing what is perceived as persecution and holding those responsible accountable for their actions, these communities are allowed the freedom to evolve and grow without the constant fear of destruction by an outside force. With cooperation and understanding we can learn to coexist and bring these communities into the light, where they can be accepted as accountable members of society.

Susanna Barlow is the 23rd child of 46 children, the quintessential middle child. Her fundamentalist religious upbringing shaped her life, her values, and her views on literally everything. Though no longer affiliated with polygamous groups on a religious level, she is surrounded by family & friends who practice polygamy. For more information, visit: http://www.susannabarlow.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susanna_Barlow

Okay I admit it. I am a fan of HBO’s Big Love. Although I haven’t seen every episode I find it very entertaining for a variety of reasons none if which is to satisfy my curiosity. Okay, that isn’t true. I do want my curiosity satisfied. I was curious to see how polygamy was going to be portrayed on a widely watched network. I was curious to see how the influence of that show would ultimately affect the mainstream opinion about polygamy. But mostly I was curious to see elements of my childhood lifestyle, depicted by famous people on TV. The irony of seeing so many things that were meant to be kept secret openly displayed on an electronic device that was seen as mostly evil, is the object of much pleasure to me. The idea of peculiarity being popularized, that which is hidden exposed, I find to be a kind of therapy.

I don’t really mind that the show is off the mark on a lot of issues. Most of television is off the mark anyway and is used as a kind of amplifier rather than documentation. After all, it is meant to be entertaining and Big Love is certainly that. Besides, if you applied the same scrutiny to other shows I think you’d find much of the same result. The Sopranos for example, do not necessarily portray an exact mafia lifestyle anymore than Lost, depicts the true drama of being stranded on a deserted island.

I don’t find Big Love offensive in any way. In fact, I am grateful it is on the air and doing well. It gives society a reference point in which discussions about the issue of polygamy can be addressed. It is time for polygamy to come out of the closet and it is programs like Big Love and the stir of controversy that it creates, which will bring it out into the light. On that note, I would like to add my voice to this subject.

Polygamy is not about sex. I know, that is really hard to understand and most of you reading this will not believe it, so let me elucidate. Polygamy is about marriage. Most would agree that marriage is not about sex. Sex is a part of marriage, it is a vital part of marriage and it is a vital part of polygamy in the sense that it promotes the perpetuation of the family and that is a powerful motivating factor in a belief system where the family is the holiest of social structures. Polygamy is not the only way a man can have multiple relationships at the same time and certainly not the easiest way. So to say that it is all about how much sex a man can get is just narrow thinking and doesn’t say much about the one making the statement.

There is also another factor that must be considered. The vast majority of polygamists are practicing polygamy because of a religious mandate they call “The Law.” Everyone is not running helter skelter scooping up women for their sexual beds. And unlike Bill Hendrickson, the husband in Big Love, being able to sexually satisfy all your wives is not a great concern. Sex was not designed for intimacy and satisfaction but was designed solely for procreation. Intercourse is not permitted during pregnancy and with procreation being a high priority; you can imagine that there are a lot of women who are pregnant a lot of the time. The religious term for polygamy is “celestial marriage” and is viewed as a higher form of living, marriage according to the gods, if you will, while sex is considered lower or beastly. To make a TV program that depicts polygamy through a sexual lens is repugnant and offensive to most practicing polygamists and runs counter to their beliefs.

On the other hand, there is a broad range of characters who are practicing polygamists, some of them pretty shady. There are many who do not live chastely within the principle, and sex is often used as a power tool for gaining favor or manipulating others. Some men seek many wives for sexual perversion, tainting the holiness of “the law” for those whose aim is much higher. Some men have wandered from the organizations of polygamy and have gone their own way as independents, embracing polygamy and little else. There is no established and consistent foundation of beliefs. And many men have father/daughter roles with their wives which add to the dysfunction. Most of these men were born under polygamy and know nothing else but a single spectrum of marriage. A man who believes in polygamy is always practicing polygamy even if he has only one wife. Therefore to compare men who have only known polygamy to men of monogamy is ineffectual, misleading and unfair. Apples to oranges.

What of the women you say? Well, there are many women that are fierce proponents and advocates of polygamy and it is usually the women who support it publicly as well. And there are some advantages as one woman I know stated, “I have the best of two worlds, the freedom and independence of a single woman and the security and companionship of a married woman.” This is by far the minority and only those who practice polygamy with a liberal viewpoint know this as personal experience. The other minority are the women who feel totally abused and want to get out. Most are doing only what they know and believe, their happiness being of no consequence. To assume that all polygamous wives are secretly longing for life in the outside world and a monogamous marriage is as likely as all Christians secretly longing for Hinduism. Yes, it is that stark.

Big Love offers a glimpse into the potential thrills and hazards of life in polygamy but it is in no way a definitive description of the lifestyle. The religious depiction is laughable but there is an emotional integrity that makes the show compelling. There are probably a few families who identify with Bill Hendrickson and crew but most would not. So is Big Love fact or fiction? It’s a little of both, as all great entertainment ought to be.

Susanna Barlow is the 23rd child of 46 children, the quintessential middle child. Her fundamentalist religious upbringing shaped her life, her values, and her views on literally everything. Though no longer affiliated with polygamous groups on a religious level, she is surrounded by family & friends who practice polygamy. For more information, visit: http://www.susannabarlow.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Susanna_Barlow

A SO-CALLED polygamy club launched in August has been stirring some excitement recently.

Last month I made my way to Rawang, a town some 50 kilometres from KL city, to meet up with the club founder and some of her followers and family members. It was one of the most unusual interviews I have ever done.

When I arrived, I was taken aback to be greeted by dozens of people. It turns out Madam Hatijah Aam, 55, had gathered most of her husband’s 38 children to join us!

“To prove to you that we exist,” she laughed.

She is married to Ashaari Muhammad, who has had five wives. One wife has died, and one has been divorced.

His huge clan comprises 38 children, 200 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. All of his children who are married, are in polygamous marriages. The club claims membership of 300.

The close-knit Ashaari family are based in Rawang, where they run a huge empire of grocery stores, restaurants, publishing companies, clinics and other businesses. Mdm Hatijah says they also have businesses elsewhere in the world such as Australia, Syria and Germany, generating millions of ringgit, which funds their activities.

This is not the first time her family has made headlines. Mr Ashaari was previously known for having led a deviant religious sect that was banned in 1994, due to teachings deemed contrary to the Quran. It was believed to have thousands of followers, including civil servants. The government has said it suspects the polygamy club could be a front for the revival of the religious sect, which Hatijah has denied.

Before the cult was banned, followers wore long flowing robes and turbans for the men, and black robes and face-veils for the women.

But when I met them, Hatijah, Noraziah and their children, wore colourful though modest clothes and headscarves. Their faces were not covered. The children laughed and joked with each other during the interview, like any other family.

Hatijah sounded persuasive enough, saying polygamy could help solve social ills such as prostitution and adultery. But when I pressed her on how a polygamist might be fair and just to all his wives, and how he is able to provide for all of them equally, she was unable to give solid answers. I said that while Ashaari might be able to provide all of them with comfortable lives due to his profitable businesses, other ordinary men earning meagre salaries, might not. Her answer was just that “God will provide.” But the club’s brochures do highlight a verse from the Quran that says that if a man fears he is unable to be fair and just to his wives, then he must only marry one.

The clan then proceeded to surprise me at the end of the interview by singing two songs extolling the virtues of polygamy, written by Ashaari himself. After that, some of them departed for Indonesia, where they are setting up a chapter. Although I left not altogether convinced that polygamy was for every man (or woman), they did seem earnest enough. And they certainly welcomed me with much warmth and generosity.