Over 200 children of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have been returned to their mothers. This still leaves over 200 children in foster care.

The Texas Supreme Court declared that the removal of the children was unjustified since the caller was not a child at the ranch.

I have read many complaints saying that this group is being persecuted because “mainstream Christians” do not agree with the religious beliefs of the FLDS group. Personally, that’s not my issue. The fact that young girls were being forced into marriages and becoming pregnant by men significantly older than them is my issue. These girls were essentially raped with the consent of their parents. I have a big problem with that.

This report from the Associated Press says that the Third State Court of Appeals criticized social services because at this point they can’t prove that more than five girls had been sexually abused. Exactly how many girls have to be abused before we care? These girls are basically being forced to live with pedophiles. In any other circumstance we call this child abuse or at least child endangerment, but because we have religion involved it’s a whole different story.

The court has ruled that the women cannot leave Texas, but it does not forbid them from returning to the ranch and to the very men who have abused the girls to begin with. The parents also have to take parenting classes and submit their children for further abuse investigation if requested. Since the adults feel that they have done nothing wrong what exactly has been accomplished here?

Court ordered DNA testing on the paternity of the children should be back on Friday, so why couldn’t the court wait to make a decision until then?

Apparently one girl has asked to not be returned to her parents. Will there be repercussions to her because of this? Does she have a child with one of these men or is she pregnant now?

I feel for these mothers being separated from their children, but their decisions regarding their children are not good ones. If any one of us were allowing our 12 year old daughter to have sex with and marry a 30 year old man, we would surely be arrested, so why should it be different for them just because they claim it’s part of their religion? It’s still child abuse.

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