FLDS Essay

The average women will get married at the age of twenty-seven, but in America, there are girls getting married as young as the age of twelve. Marriage at age twelve may seem impossible because in today’s society it is a taboo. However, The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) has been known for marrying young brides. In the early 2000s, a scandal concerning the FLDS swept over the nation. This resulted in a nationwide yearning for more information about the FLDS, but in order to understand that, one must understand its roots and what really happens behind closed doors. Mormonism has several branches, but with the recent scandal, the FLDS is in the spotlight. The FLDS is a branch that stems from the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS), but the LDS originates from Mormonism. Mormonism has multiple branches that include: “The Independents, The Apostolic United Brethren (AUB), Centennial Park (The Work of Jesus Christ), Davis County Cooperative Society (The Kingston Group), and some miscellaneous groups” (Darger 287-291). The Independents are most closely related to the FLDS. This society practices polygamy but does so in a different manner. Practicing independents are consenting …show more content…
Even though they are the most commonly known, not many people know the difference between the two. In 1830, Joseph Smith created the Mormon faith. It originally practiced polygamy, but as the religion gained popularity, so did polygamy. Be that as it may, polygamy was not accepted in society, so in 1868 the United States outlawed it. The Church of Latter-Day Saints did not outlaw polygamy in the church till 1890 (Brower). As with anything in life, there were individuals who did not support the ban on polygamy. Instead of accepting their fate, a group of followers separated from the church to form the