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Polygamist families are reuniting since the Texas Supreme Court has overruled the Department of Child Protective Service's(CPS) decision to remove over 400 children from the Yearning for Zion Ranch near Eldorado, Texas this past spring.

Yearning for Zion Ranch is a community owned by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS Church). This splinter group of Mormons split off from the FLDS when polygamy was banned by the Mormon church a century ago. This sect has strictly adhered to their conservative form of Mormonism and believe their way of life is a commandment from God and that polygamy earns glorification in heaven. Some describe the splinter group as a cult, the definition being; followers of an unorthodox, extremist, or false religion or sect who often live outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader

Regardless of their beliefs or what they are perceived to be, what led to the removal of these children? Purportedly, CPS and other authorites, received calls from a 16 year old girl, who resided at the ranch and was claiming to have been raped, beaten and impregnated with her second child by her 50 year old husband. Texas Law Enforcement and CPS obtained a warrant to enter the premises and proceeded to allegedly find evidence of child abuse. This led to the removal of the children from the ranch where they were placed in foster care. That decision was overturned by the Supreme Court of Texas citing that CPS did not propose ample evidence of the alleged abuse.

This ruling leads to the question, was the raid religious persecution or was it an honest effort to protect underage children from the supposed abuse by their elders? The main concern by many is whether religion is the reason for this questioned lifestyle or is it that which they hide behind to practise the sexual proclivities of middle-aged pedophiles? To some, the practises on the ranch are nothing short of the latter masked by religious rhetoric. Removal of children from that environment is not a question but mandatory. To others, the removal of the children was in direct opposition to basic constitutional rights of those families to practise their beliefs.

In either case, the safety of children living in these closed communities and the observation of parental rights, requires a delicate balance in order to avoid another event such as this.

Learn more about this author, Christine Hayden.
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