Friday, March 6, 2009
The issue with the Lost Boys
In the past few years there have been many stories about polygamist groups around the US. Many of them tell only what the group members want us to see, but the story of the lost boys is something few have heard of. As teenage boys get to the age of marriage, many of them are cast out of their homes for normal, child behavior like staying out late, talking back to parents, and wanting to attend a public school. The leader of the group desides who has to leave with just the clothes on their backs. Dropped off in the middle of nowhere, these young boys (who have never been allowed out of the compound gates) have to find a new way of life.
Please read the full story provided on the link below:
http://www.childbrides.org/boys_KUTV_cast_out_boys.html
After seeing this story on CNN, I was very upset that a so-called religious group could go against the very thing they based their life on. How can a parent feel comfortable with stripping their child of everything? A home, clothes, food, friends and family. Leaving them with nothing but the ignorance they have been taught all their young lives. I think these people need to be charged with child abuse, child neglect, attempted murder, and just plain stupidity!
My questions to you are
who do you think is to blame?
why do you think the law has not stepped in?
what should the first step be to fix this problem?
Blog post by Latoya
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I think the leaders of the group and the parents are responsible. I think the law has not stepped in because they feel it would be a violation of church and state laws. I think the first step needed to fix this problem is to require the group to at least give the boys a certain amount of time to adjust to outside life before "evicting" them.
ReplyDelete-Ashlyn
I find this to be completely ridiculous. I don't see how any truly loving parent could do this to their son. Sure there comes a point in every young man's life where he should be able to live on his own and whatnot but to be completely banished and not see his family in 4 or 10 months? Have no place to really go and no money? Ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI don't see how this can even be viewed as a church group, to be honest! The law should definitely step in and I just don't even know why they haven't already. In my opinion the first step to fixing the problem should be getting rid of the so called "religious group" all together!
This is a tricky one for me. My practical, maternal side is utterly appalled. My political side is torn. Cases like this frustrate me. Until there is some sort of mandate that indicates denominations must not be inclusive of sects or cults that spring up as a result, we've got to treat these groups as a part of their particular denomination, thus have them under our law of separation of church and state.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, our law enforcement and DCF should be able to determine that what they're doing is, undeniably, abusive. Banishment IS a form of psychological abuse.
Then again, according to the article, law enforcement in that particular area of the country is being controlled by the sect leader as well. That is rotten.
ReplyDeleteThere are loopholes in the constitution if you read closely. Child abuses and child neglect doesn't come between the separation of church and state.
ReplyDeleteThe churches that does this type of things unfortunately their religious freedoms do not trump the rights of children to a safe and secure environment in a court of law.
We must understand something here, in these type of cases the prosecutors must be in high edge here because if they do something that violates the First amendment then the whole case crumble even if it is a very strong case, it could down in flames.
The parents are responsible, but in the constitution implies that the government (law enforcement) is the last line of defense for these children, the sad thing is that the government won't step in because there are too many technicalities for both groups,the thing is one missed step then the court dismiss the case and they (law enforcement) can't get another opportunity because they wasted the shot at convicting Warren Jeffs because they violates the First amendment.
The first step should be caution on these sect and put undercover agents in their sect until they have enough evidence to bring up a case not on a state level but at THE FEDERAL LEVEL because the laws at the state level are broad enough to let this sect escape but at the federal level are much consise and to the point to let them escape, but the prosecution will have to watch out their step because in their first missed attempt the defense will argue a violation on the First amendment, after that is game over, the court dimiss the case.
I think that their parents are to blame. What kind of parents are going to let their children be banished with nothing but the clothes on their back? Even if a child were to do something horrible, i dont' beleieve he should be sent out on his own, and these people are sending them on their own because of something like talking backor staying out late? I think the law has not stopped in because it is the real world, and the parents aren't physically hurting the child although they are mentally. Kicking your child out is not technically a crime so they can't step in. I think although the law has not stepped in, that they should be able to and put a stop to this nonsence.
ReplyDeleteI think that ultimately the so called "prophet" is to blame. He's the one doing the brainwashing just as his father before him did. The parents, too, are to blame but I don't believe that they are AS MUCH to blame as he since they are just followers. It would be easy for them to let their children fall away if their religion has told them to. Most religions have guidelines. Just none of them are this disgusting and inhumane. I have no clue why the law hasn't stepped in. The only reason I could guess is that they see it as a religion and perhaps they're not supposed to interfere with religious sects? I think someone needs to put an end to it. Educate these people if they possibly can on how harmful this "religion" really is.
ReplyDeleteI feel bad for those boys. Why would any parent agree to having their child thrown in the middle of nowhere. There woulndt be anyhting in this world that would of made me go agaisnt my child. The parents should be the ones to be considered responsible for allowing this to have happened. I believe the law has stepped in because they havent seen anything like this before and they dont know how to react. I dont know what the first step to fixing this because of the laws that have to be followed.
ReplyDeleteThe parents, I think, are the main reason to blame although all the rest of the adults they come into contact with share it. I think the laws we have don't provide us with adequate ways in which the authorities can deal with the problem at large. Steps to fixing I think start with the parents taking greater responsibilty for their children.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, in my mind this "group" should not be associated with the word church. A church does not shun people away, specially young boys who are lost and misguided. I blame the parents for allowing their children to be subjected to this type of organization. I also think the law hasent step in because they are afraid of possible law suits and what ever bad publicity might come from taking action. I think the first step to fixing this problem is exposing these people for who they are, criminals.
ReplyDeleteBrittney Tanner from MWF comp 2
ReplyDeleteThis story is so sad. I cant see how parents could raise a child for 18 years and simply dump them off some where and not know how they will survive or even if they will.Unfortunetly the authorities will have nothing to do with this unless the children are minors and in that case the child would be taken into a foster home.I am a christian and I dont consider this to be religous at all! i dont know how anyone could fix the prolem because we are a free country people have the right to practice their beliefs?
Summer Goode from MWF 9a
ReplyDeleteTHis subject is a torn subject because we all want to say that authorities should step in an end this however US offers freedom of religion. I think where the lines blur is when it comes to the children. People worry about these boys that get cast out but in a way at least they have a bit of a chance. Doesnt the gurls get kept so they can marry and have multiple babies with multiple men. I think that the law should be able to step in if any of that is happening prior to 18. Other then that I do not agree with it but witht he freedom of speech I do not think there is anything that can be done.
I would want to ask how people are complaining that the government can't step in and stop this, but the government has a law saying that legally you can disown your child. I don't really see why people would blame the religion if the government has a law saying that they are allowed to. The point behind the banishment is that it is an old tradition established when the founders of the religion decided that this is what is to happen. The basis of Christian religion was founded a little over 2000 years ago. These more modernized ideas were established several decades later by someone who has their own idea. People complain that the government wont intervien, regardless if the government has a law that states that it is legal. Why argue with the tradition of someone else's religion? Considering that Christian religion of all denominations have been argueing with pagan religions, traditions founded centuries before Jesus was born.
ReplyDeleteThe parents are the ones to blame. A good parent wouldn't do that to thier son. It should be delt with by the law. It just ain't right.
ReplyDeleteT/R 11am
ReplyDeleteThis whole situation seems wrong to me. I can't exactly say whos fault it is but it is definitely jacked up. Like some of the other blog comments say, a church would not just push somebody away and not help them. From experience, I know for a fact my church would NEVER do that!!
I have always been a person to cry "to each his own." What you do with your life is your life whether I agree or not. IN this case, my views do differ. I have always thought of children as a blessing, so whenever god gave them to you it was for a reason. So for this sect to just out these young man, really tears at my heart. The on top of that they have been raised in such a confined enviroment that it probably is really difficult for them to get accustomed to a new lifestyle. How do they expect these young men to thrive out there in a world that is unknown to them? It doesn't make any sense to me, I feel as if there should be some type of intervention so growing up they can know what life on the other side is like, and if they do decide to stay than it was their free decision.
ReplyDelete