I am so glad that this information is being shared. Thank you Opran and Lisa!

I'm glad they shed light on these "groups" that usually go unnoticed in America. They say never judge a book by its cover, but its often those who look the sweetest and the most innocent that are living secret lives.

They remind me very much of the Amish community. I live in Pennsylvania and, of course as we all know, the Amish has a reputation of being quiet, reserved and proper people in every way of life.... I was in a bar one time and at midnight when an Amish man walked into it in full Amish garb, sat down and had a few beers. The bartender said he had always come in at that time. My aunt owned a small fish and rod store in Pa and one day she walked out back to throw the trash out and there was an Amish kid standing back there smoking a joint. She said thats very common.

So, lets all hope for the best for these children and their families

So you're saying that the best for these people is to drink and smoke joints???

Or are you saying that they really are and they should come out???

Peeps post screams of religious intolerance.

Many Amish, Menonite allow their children to see, explore the outside world for their own prior to becoming adults. There is a name for it that I can not recall at this time maybe Rumspringa. Most of the Amish teenagers eventually chose to stay in their religion. So there very well may have been an Amish young man smoking behind the building and there is NO across the board law that states an Amish man or woman may not drink. That is determined by custom and community. And believe in it or not an Amish writer correlated by John Hostetler (a Menonite) wrote about her fathers alcoholism in Amish Roots. He was cured by of all things Alcoholics Anonymous. The Amish are a lot like you and I they just have a few different customs and beliefs. They are human.

Nancy

the Amish are human??...silly me, I thought they were robots the entire time. Thanks for clueing me in.

All I said was that the Amish have a reputation for being very prim, simple and proper, such as the movie Witness portrays them to be. I was merely giving examples of how SOME of them have contradicted this reputation given by us - mere outsiders to their world.

I wasn't aware Rumspringa was an excuse to break the law and smoke weed.

I have seen them drink, heard of them smoking, read child abuse stories by the Amish and have seen some drive cars (yes, Amish not Mennonite) and seen some on computers in local libraries. I wouldn't be surprised if I seen one walking down the street talking on a cell phone.

My original point before you twisted my words like Fox News and turned this into a debate about the Amish instead of Polygamy ( was just using the Amish as an example) was that not everybody are what they seem to be.

What 'peeps' was saying is that our past perceptions of these groups are being found out to be incorrect. She was giving an example of things that she knows of that tell a true story of the Amish and their life and behavior, that most people would be surprised to hear given the 'stereotypical' perception of their beliefs and way of life. The general thought I believe, about these particular groups, cults, religions, whatever, are much different than what most of us have thought for years. They are not always the 'straight letter' rule followers, nor are they 'perfect', or 'holier' than anyone else.

thank you!

Sorry peeps, you are a man I am guessing, my apologies. Read my reply to tamms.

In the FLDS Colorado City community, the leader who is now in prison, Warren Jeffs, banned all books from the "outside". There was no public library.... until now. A group has formed a Friends of the Library for Colorado City, a building has been donated, and now they are asking the public for books and donations to operate the library. There is a PO box to reach the library board for sending books and donations. I posted it on another thread, but it was deleted. To help by donating books or funds, contact fincenMIB on you tube, on his Banned Books video about the first meeting of the library board. You can send him a personal message on you tube and he will let you know where to mail books or other donations.

They need children's books for a summer reading program, and all other things a public library would provide.

I hope Oprah viewers can help this cause.

maggie

I guess I must have grown up totally differently than most people. Regardless of what someone told me or showed me about a religion or group I would not believe the stereotype unless I studied the information and found out for myself.

The very fact that the Amish have Rumspringa proves that they are not straight laced. Rumspringa by definition is the act of being rebellious and not following the rules.

I guess what I am saying is that I would never assume that they were straight laced regardless of what Hollywood told me.

And to compare them to a cult is not correct either. A cult brainwashes. This is a religion and they are free to choose it or not as they grow older, just as Catholics, Protestants, Jews can.

Nancy

No one called the Amish a cult. I was referring to ANY group that separates themselves from mainstream populus-for WHATEVER REASON. And no one said that Hollywoods' portrayal of the Amish or Mennonite religion is all they based their ideas on. It was just ONE thing that 'peepsman' had seen. I have read many news articles, watched many documentaries and even read a book about the cultural differences between Prodestant and Amish beliefs and traditions. There ARE differences, just like there are between Catholic and Muslim- (or whichever two religions you care to compare), however, not inasmuch that it would seperate the peoples as believers of their chosen religion or beliefs. If you have a chosen religion-that's it right there....YOU CHOSE IT. Voicing ideas about what one thinks or feels about any particular group is a human right. And for the liberals out there, I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU EVER SAY...WE ARE NOT ALL THE SAME!! We are all entitled to the same 'inalienable rights'...but we are not all the same, and to pretend that we are is irresponsible and dangerous. And for the sake of saying it, if you don't think the nuts running the 'compound' in Colorado City or the mess we now have with the children and women form the LDS group, aren't cults you need to pay attention.

we must do lunch sometime! haha

Many religions brainwash their children. There are many countries in the world where the state religion is the only belief taught in schools. In North America, if we take Judaism and Christianity as examples, parents tell their children that thinking for themselves, wondering if gods exist, ..parents tell children that this is unacceptable.

Therefore once kids turn 18, many have lost the ability to think for themselves.

As for the Amish story - very interesting. It was a man drinking beer and a boy smoking dope. Most major religions are anti-feminist and have different requirements, as in less freedom, for women.

I hope Lisa Ling will talk about 'The Lost Boys of Polygamy.' These compounds tell kids that everyone outside is evil, we are prostitutes and gay prostitutes and drug addicts, and then they drive their 14 year old sons 100 km from the compound and abandon them on the side of the road. These kids will likely be messed up for the rest of their lives.

Well I grew up in a Christian family, went to church every Sunday and Wednesday. I was not brainwashed. And I don't go to church any more. I do not see my "way" as the only way nor to I condemn everyone else for their belief. So I am sorry I can not agree that Jews and Christians keep children from thinking for themselves. Though I was raised "Christian" I still believe in evolution and can easily rectify my beliefs with science. So to claim that Jews and Christians brainwash their children is ridiculous and again shows religious intolerance and stereotyping. I do not doubt that there are extremists on both sides of the issue but to condemn entire religions for a stereotype is intolerant, prejudice and wrong. Our country was founded on the basis that ALL people had a right to practice their religion in the manner they see fit.

Anti feminist behaviors come from MEN not religion. The religions are usually a result of the threathened masculine personalities.

I wonder how many people realize that when they raided this community they did so on a warrant gotten on an "anonymous" tip. A supposed 16 year old girl. Turns out there was NO 16 year old girl. The tip came from a 30 year old woman in another state who was disgruntled with the community. She had complained to officials multiple times before and nothing was done then. Instead the only way a warrant could be gotten was through deceit. Do you all realize that the original warrant was withdrawn by the judge that issued it? Withdrawn since it was based on false information. Is this the way our laws were supposed to work? Children who were in NO danger (babies not close to 14) were taken from the only families they have known.. Was that humane? And the only evidence they have at this point is a 16 yo gave birth to a child. If that is the proof then why are all children 16 and under who give birth not taken from their parents? Why only these children?

I live in an area of the country (border to Mexico) where families routinely marry off their 14, 15 and 16 year old daughters to wealthy older men or sons of wealthy families,( legal age of consent is 17, here). They just walk across the border and marry! It is legal in Mexico to marry as a female at 14 with parental consent. (Ironically males must be 16). Now tell me why is no one going after this practice? What is the difference between this practice and the one alledged at FDLS? The only difference I see is religion.

I do NOT condone child abuse. I was the victim of child abuse by a family member. I know what it is and how it feels. But to claim that this "rai