A few weeks ago, I received the “Sons of Perdition- The Story of Polygamy’s Exiled Youth” documentary in the mail. This film is from the OWN Network. We have previously mentioned this film on this blog. The credits are many, so here is the list from the back cover- IMPACT PARTNERS and BBC STORYVILLE present a LEFT RUN FILMS production in association with MOTTO PICTURES and CACTUS THREE. Editor – Jenny Golden, executive producers- Diana Barrett, Abigail Disney, Caroline Stevens, Krysanne Katsoolis. Copyright©2010 Virgil Films and Entertainment, LLC.  There is a website for the film- “sonsofperditionthemovie.com”. The film is rated “R”. The film contains “street talk” as well as some scenes of alcohol and drug use. It is all a part of the true story. On the DVD there is also an option for a “family friendly language track”.

   Honestly, I put off watching this film after I came home from work for several hours. I knew it would be remind me of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). However, it was so timely considering the exit drama which has unfolded over the past few weeks concerning a young man who has come out of WOFF. As I reviewed this film, I will compare and contrast to my experience at WOFF and my understanding since I left in July 2008. We have compared the practices of the Fundamental Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) to WOFF in previous posts. There are many of the same practices in both groups and there are also several practices which are not shared.

  We pick up our review at the beginning of chapter two of the documentary. There you meet Kevin Black. He is working in a garage. He says he has been out of Colorado City for eleven years. Kevin gives a short history of the FLDS and says several statements of note. Those in the group “believe polygamy was never supposed to be outlawed and they live it no matter the cost.” In this country, we are allowed by our “religious freedom”, to pursue lifestyles and certain choices- “no matter the cost.” This goes on even to the destruction or denial of certain other God-given freedoms outlined and protected in our Constitution. As in WOFF, in FLDS there was the pursuit of certain lifestyle choices at the denial and refusal to exercise and live certain other accepted social freedoms that many consider basic. Is this direction for a group or individuals prudent? For adults, it may be accepted, but, when children are involved and their choices of limiting their freedoms are made for them and their reality does not include certain freedoms, I consider that detrimental and destructive. We can presume that obviously, Kevin Black did also, or he would still be in the group.  

  

   Mr. Black goes on…”Warren Jeffs- the current prophet has over 80 wives… He says he has a revelation from God that I am supposed to marry you…” Again, we come to a point of commonality between WOFF and FLDS. The mantra of the system from Jane Whaley and Warren Jeffs- “I have a revelation from God that such and such needs to happen or so and so should do this….” Within each system, there is not safety net or process by which an individual can assert anything to the contrary of a “revelation from God” from the leaders. Each group is a pure pyramidal structure where the leader has supreme power to exercise controls based on a “revelation from God”. This system is ripe for abuse. Would others agree?

   More from Kevin Black, “He slowly turned the place from a religious place to a cult.”  During this next section, Kevin Black is heard giving the restrinats that came. He along with Sam Brower, a private investigator and Deloy Bateman are heard telling of the measures used to control the FLDS members. See if any of them sound familiar. These are paraphrased in a list: There was no more harvest fest, no more dances, no more public avenues (for entertainment and socialization), no more church, no reading magazines, newspapers of books, no more “dating”, no more connections of any kind.  Mr. Bateman is seen saying, “They put more and more constraints on you and if you don’t do what they say, then you are compelled to go…”  That one statement reminds me of what I have heard about the fourth building of WOFF and the consequences for refusing to live there.

   Kevin Black then gives this analogy. “It is like losing your whole family in a bus wreck or something. Actually, it is worse. You can’t control the bus wreck. You can drive out there and cause a scene and try to see them. It is punishing them, you are hurting them … making them look bad…” That analogy works for the families that have been broken up by WOFF. In Rutherford County and any other place Jane’s religion is practiced, there are “bus wrecks” full of her faithful members; hurting, injured, writhing in pain as their family relationships are continually destroyed from the pursuit of obedience to Jane’s revelations from God. Does that sound healthy? Take a step back and look at the results of members of each group pursing their “religious freedom”. Because of the decision to live their beliefs at any cost, what freedoms are sacrificed and what is the true cost of this “freedom”? Is it freedom or bondage to be a part of FLDS or WOFF?

  We will continue with this review in future posts. There is more in this film that tells of the similarities between FLDS and WOFF. I recommend anyone who has a concern on any level to obtain a copy of this documentary and watch it.

   Thank you, for taking time to visit and read this blog. Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. The author is not a licensed mental health professional and encourages those that need professional help to seek it. The intent of the material is to inform and be a resource. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. There are readers at WOFF. Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

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       Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, for posts written by John Huddle, any information about WOFF is from his memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be.  Scripture references are Amplified Version unless otherwise noted. (Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation ) This is post number 370.