"Sister Wives" What would writer Ed Kociela's "Tell All" Questions Be?

                                                                  Kody's example of journalism.

Tamron Hall has been in the TV business for some time now. The 43-year-old reporter, who has a journalism degree from Temple University, was a fill-in for Keith Olbermann on MSNBC and does primary fill-in work for Natalie Morales on NBC’s “Today” show. In other words, she’s been around the block a time or two, which is why I was very surprised to see her turn up as the resident “journalist” on Sunday night’s episode of “Sister Wives.”

On the surface, her job was to interview Kody Brown, his wife, and his mistresses. What viewers got was what we, in the business, would call, a “softball” interview where the questions are weak, lack depth, and are not not terribly informative.

I got this..Ed won't get me...huckle huckle

I would love to do a one-on-one interview with Kody Brown.
What would I ask?

Why do you position yourself away from the AUB?

Do you pay tithing to the AUB?
Why do you insist this is a “lifestyle” choice and
not a religious choice? If this is a lifestyle choice, 
then it is solely about the sex and not your salvation. 
If it is about salvation, why do we not hear that and
why and how that works? Or, do you even have religious
beliefs? What is it all about?

Whose names are on the birth certificates of your children?
What is your combined income and how can you afford four homes on a cul de sac in the greater Las Vegas metropolitan area?
Have you and your wife ever asked a teen girl out on a date?
Why do you think you are “safer” from prosecution in Nevada than Utah, where the previous and current Attorney General have proclaimed that they will not prosecute violations of the state’s bigamy/polygamy statutes?
Who performed the ceremonies at your spiritual weddings?
That’s just for starters.

But, those questions will never be asked on a TLC broadcast because the network is too heavily invested in the show. Instead, we witnessed a very poor example of what was purported to be a journalistic interview, positioning a woman with a resume from a major network that has been in business far longer and has far more credibility than TLC, as a representative of the people who would like to know more about Kody, his wife, and the other women in his life.

There was one moment, and one moment only, that went beyond the superficial, and that was when it was mentioned that Kody and Robyn were still in the “honeymoon” phase of their relationship.
If you watched closely, you could see a flash of pain in the faces of a couple of the women, and rightfully so. Kody? He had that big, ear-to-ear grin that makes me want to toss a brick through the TV screen.  

 

I'll charm him with my humor....

It was, in my mind, the most telling moment I have seen on “Sister Wives,” affirmation that this is not about religion or a lifestyle choice, that this is simply a practice of gratification of Kody’s need to sleep with a bunch of women and not get any grief about it.

Look, if it’s purely about the sex, just be open about it. If it is purely a lifestyle choice, be up front, but don’t lay all that business of purity and righteousness on us or the self-proclaimed persecution. Rock stars do it guiltlessly all the time. Just say you don’t believe in monogamy and be done with the other stuff.

But that won’t happen because, as evidenced by the shoddy “reporting” on the last episode, TLC has a product that it needs to buff and shine and maintain a positive image for to hold on to viewers and propagate new ones.

                                                       Ladies taking off their rose colored glasses.

The questions will always be sanitized, the events that take place on the show will always have a little help or urging from the producers, Kody and the women will always be painted as the victims in this little play.

Since being invited here by Mister Sister, I have studied the posts, the questions, the thoughts of the community that gathers here. Guess what? There are some very articulate people here who are looking for some answers, who are very confused by what they see on this show, who are a hell of a lot brighter than the producers and the TLC network give them credit for as they strive for bigger ratings.

I hate to take such a serious tone because there is a liveliness, a sense of humor here, and I certainly don’t want to be the buzz killer. But, I also know the incredible power of the media, the strength it possesses, the influence it can sway.

                                 Man, this Ed guy is not B.S.ing around! I'm outta here! Starts clutching chest...           


Does that mean all TV should be dour and scholarly?
Of course not. To live without humor is to live without joy.
I have used the word “context” a lot here recently because it is important to put everything into context and perspective. My context and perspective are built upon a very lengthy career as a newsman – I actually loathe the word “journalist” because it implies, by definition, something entirely different – and I hate to see what has become of a media I once defended as an honorable profession built upon an almost sacred trust between reporter and consumers of the news. We were entrusted to act in the public’s interest, on its behalf, to inform and educate, but most importantly, to be the embodiment of truth.

But, when I see how a network panders to a baser instinct of titillation rather than information, well, it breaks my heart.

Now, for a little snarky levity?
How many sister wives does it take to screw up a television network?

Written by: Ed Kociela for SWB  

ADDED Pics!! TLC tackling controversial FLDS

Yes, we've know about these for a long time. Flora Jessop called me herself a good 6 weeks ago. the other has Sam Brower involved, and hope to talk to him to!


Watch “Breaking the Faith” on Sunday, November 24th and “Escaping the Faith” coming this December on TLC.
 _____________

Imagine my surprise when, popcorn and coke in hand, jammies on and ready to chill - I was sitting down to watch a movie with the family late one Sat. night 6 weeks ago when  on my facebook I had a message: CALL ME IMMEDIATELY, Flora Jessop.

I've emailed Flora several times and have become loving email friends with her  very good friend, K. Dee Ignatin. Imagine though, a message like that! About made this little ole gal about... "Kody in my pants."  I instantly became 12.

Shaking a bit, I nervously ask myself.. "What did I do wrong?" (I always assume that, thanks to my mother's neurotics)  I had emailed her earlier in the summer wanting some genealogy in which she graciously helped me, but... what could it be?

I call. "HI!" says Flora. Let me start by saying this. Talking to Flora Jessop is like talking to your old best friend from your neighborhood growing up. Warm, gracious, sweet, funny kind, like you have known her forever.

Flora goes on to tell me about the new shows, specifically hers. "I want you to tell all the Sister Wives Blog folks about it!"  she says.

Now - next we get off subject for a bit, and I'll just say, she is one lady full of FACTS. we talked for a good hour.

Next, right when I am getting to the questions about the show.. all hell seems to be breaking loose for Flora. I get the feeling that this is life for the ambitious lady. I hear all sorts of commotion. "Here's a bag of clothes for your children" I hear her say, while people are coming and talking to her, all the while she is talking to you. Doors slamming things going on. Next, Someone is telling her that they need to be getting ready to go.

Flora hollers "Got my guns?" "Make sure you have my __ and my __ guns!" she hollers....MY! I feel like I am experiencing a James Bond movie!!  So much going on, I tell Flora - you go, let me call you later. I am no writer, but the tension and emotion was palpable. I couldn't sleep, wishing I was along for the ride.

Since then, I have held my tongue and will continue to until the time is right. For every thing I tell, there's a thousand I don't. Flora told me to go ahead and tell you all, but my gut said no. After watching Papa Joe Darger make a huge boof this week, glad I did. I have meant to get back with Flora but know she has been out filming.  So, my bad in a way for not calling her back and asking if it was ok to post. I just hate to bug these folks, you know? Will be telling much more very soon!

So, Cara Curfew-Kociela, who I think is becoming our newest little helper, asked Buster Johnson, Dist. III Supervisor for Mohave Co., AZ (More about him HERE) if SWB could use his pictures of the recent filming of Flora's show. Here they are thanks to Buster and thanks to Cara! Buster Johnson is that cutie posing with Flora! You may click to enlarge these or any pictures here on Sister Wives Blog. Enjoy!

 Picture AP

TLC will blow the lid off the controversial FLDS with two new reality shows premiering later this fall.
“Breaking The Faith” and “Escaping the Prophet” will both deal with FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) — whose followers practice polygamy — and, by extension, with Warren Jeffs, its ex-president who’s serving life in prison for sexually assaulting two young girls.
The six-episode “Breaking The Faith,” premiering Nov. 24, focuses on eight young men and women — who left FLDS by force or by choice — and who are now trying to rebuild their lives.
The young men are known in FLDS circles as “lost boys” and have been exiled from their homes, with no hope of returning. The women, according to TLC, “are escaping the controlling ways of the cult — including arranged marriage and a life of complete submission, known as ‘keeping sweet.’ ”

Read the rest here:  FLDS

Also:

One Criminal Leader and Pastel Prairie Dresses 

 The polygamist communities of FLDS are widely known for the former leader Warren Jeffs, who is now serving life in prison for sexual abuse of two minors. Many believe that Jeffs continues to preach and set rules for FLDS members while incarcerated.

“Breaking the Faith” and “Escaping the Prophet” are set to premiere this fall, unveiling the lives of those living in FLDS communities, where many continue not to question authority, participate in arranged marriages and have little contact with the outside world. 

Read Here: TLC

"Sister Wives" "Tell All" s04 e11 Spoilers, Gossip

Funky Town put another great flipbook together of last weeks clips!

Click Here for Discussion/Comments p2 

"My 5 Wives" Spoilers, Gossip etc. with Video 2 Sister Wives 5!

Discussion Area 2 for "My 5 Wives" 

Did you enjoy these Sister Wives?

The Latest on the Williams family.

http://www.wday.com/event/article/id/86954/group/homepage/ 

New Utah Polygamist Family join tv.  

My 5 Wives Special; Spoilers, Gossip etc.

 

Meet the Williams, a progressive polygamist family who believe in love and commitment rather than religion. Despite ongoing hardships within their community, this modern family presents a fresh and honest look at a very controversial lifestyle.

If you missed our previous report full of pics on the Williams family 

Click Here:   SWB My 5 Wives

Click Here for My 5 Wives comments page 2 Comments p2

Short Synopsis of what we know about Brady Williams and family:

BRADY WILLIAMS: Brady was born into the Mormon Church, but until age 16, he had never heard of polygamy. At that time, his parents converted to a faith that embraced the lifestyle. Until the age of 34, he grew as a church leader before he and his family decided to break away. Currently, Brady works as a project manager at his brother’s construction business while also pursuing a degree in philosophy at the local college.

PAULIE (1st Wife): Paulie and Brady have been married for 21 years and have six children, ranging in ages from 20 to nine years old. She was raised in a polygamist family and expected Brady to have additional wives, but she is also proud of her oldest daughter, who is recently married and plans a monogamous lifestyle. Paulie works as a dental hygienist.

ROBYN (2nd Wife): Robyn and Brady have been married for 20 years and have five children, ranging in ages from 19 to nine years old. Married about nine months after Paulie, Robyn also grew up in a polygamous home and expected to be a plural wife. Dubbed by the family as the “creative” wife, Robyn has taken a few art classes and loves making handmade gifts for her large family.

ROSEMARY (3rd Wife): Rosemary and Brady have been married for 18 years and have four children, ranging in ages from 17 to 11 years old. Rosemary used to work for the family construction business but stopped after winning a scholarship at the local college. She is studying for her teaching degree in music and biology and is particularly passionate about composing.

NONIE (4th Wife): Nonie and Brady have been married for 15 years and have five children, ranging in ages from 14 to four years old. Nonie was living in Montana when she first met Brady, and the two had a brief long-distance courtship before they got engaged. She currently handles the administrative side of the family’s construction business and is the only wife that works with Brady on a steady basis.

RHONDA (5th Wife): Rhonda and Brady have been married for 12 years and have four kids, ranging in ages from 13 to two years old. Rhonda, who is Robyn’s cousin, loves to work outside the home and is now a medical assistant. Despite their immediate bond, she confesses it still took eight years before she really felt like she belonged in the family. While Rhonda says there are downsides to polygamy, she loves that her kids always have other mothers around that love them.

Names the first-born son from each wife Brady.

Like the Browns, the Williams family are hoping that putting themselves on TV will make the public more accepting of polygamy.

"Sure, it’s scary," Brady said. "But it’s important to stand up for what’s right. And it’s right to allow consenting adults who are well-adjusted and not coerced to be able to share their lives and raise their children in a stable and loving environment."

They don't want their kids to live in fear...etc.

Ok, we've heard all that before. Here's to hoping they are more honest and easy to like!

Here's an interesting quote from an article from 1997:

Polygamy remains a felony in Utah, but it is no longer prosecuted, said Eric A. Ludlow, the Washington County Attorney, in southern Utah where a number of plural families live. Polygamists, he said, get around bigamy statutes by legally marrying only one wife; the others are recognized by religious leaders, or simply by the individuals themselves. ''They go under the table, and we don't track it,'' Mr. Ludlow said. ''It's a consensual relationship between adults.''

Brady Williams was also interviewed in the article. Here's his piece, with only 3 wives then.

When Brady Williams, 27, a fundamentalist Mormon, designed a home south of Salt Lake City for his three wives, each 23, he took the separate-but-equal principle a step further than the Bakers did. The house is divided into three 1,900-square-foot apartments. Each wife has her own entrance, her own floor plan and her own furnishings. Mr. Williams, a framing contractor, bought three furnaces, three television sets and three refrigerators.
''It does get expensive,'' he said. The only space the women share is a utility room for laundry and a family room. Mr. Williams keeps a few shirts in each apartment, and he rotates his meals and nights between wives, but the entire family eats together on Sunday. In a considerate gesture he designed the house so that no master bedroom is directly above, below or next to any other master bedroom.
''I believe the girls should have their own identity and place and not be mindless zombies,'' he said, ''but want to work together at times, like when they're canning fruit. I have really good wives. It works out.''

(Source of quotes: http://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/11/garden/a-house-10-wives-polygamy-in-suburbia.html?pagewanted=all&src=pm)

Sister Wives Valentine Presents

I'm sure you were out looking for your favorite Valentine present, of course with your favorite Sister Wives pictures on it...(who wouldn't want that for Valentine's day??) so Twisted Sister put her handy-work touches on a few things... Enjoy!

Will we ever get over the wetbar? Not on your life.

Show your SW love by wearing them!

Wetbar fiasco, or as I call it, "Extreme Narcissistic Home Makeover."

Polyamy Candy Dream!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY FROM SISTER WIVES BLOG!

Thanks to Twisted Sister for all her work!

 FREE DISCUSSION BELOW!

**All original pictures on this or any other page are not to be used  without written permission of SWB. Thanks!

1. Comment area for Leaving the Nest

As high school graduation nears, Logan finally decides on which college he will attend. Meanwhile, Kody and the wives are on the verge of fulfilling their dream of bringing the family back together. Will they finally make their dream come true?

 My favorite line from the show this year was Logan saying he could be good and bad! Yes, Logan, you are right, it's a time to find yourself, and you don't have to play their game of perfect life anymore!

Kody Brown and Meri Brown **Affidavit 10/18/2011 "Sister Wives Blog"

Here are the highlights of Kody and Meri's statements:

• I was a resident of Lehi, Utah, where I was civilly married to Plaintiff Meri Brown, and spiritually married to Plaintiffs Janelle Brown, Christine Brown, and Robyn Sullivan.

• My family are members of the Apostolic United Brethren Church, a fundamentalist faith and plural marriage is central to our faith.

• In January 2011, I left Utah for fear that Utah law enforcement officials would break up my family and prosecute the adults under the state's criminal bigamy statute for maintaining a plural family. ***Hmmmmmm

• When we considered participation in the Sister Wives program on TLC, I had repeated contacts with state officials. In the course of those meetings I asked the defendants questions to determine if we be would subject to investigation or prosecution if we went public

• On at least three occasions in the year before Sister Wives aired, I spoke with Defendant Shurtleff and his press secretary about our plural family and our desire to go public. I told Defendant Shurtleffthat I was considering going public with the details and realities of our plural family. I asked Defendant Shurtleff if Shurtleff would pursue me criminally if I went public, and Defendant Shurtleff answered that he would not. At this February 2009 meeting, Defendant Shurtleff told me that Utah lacked the resources to prosecute polygamists and that I would not be prosecuted unless I was committing crimes such as marrying child brides, promoting incestuous relationships, or committing welfare or tax fraud.

• However, the day after the first episode aired, Lehi Police Department publicly announced that our family was under investigation under the bigamy statute and were subject to prosecution for our plural family structure.

• What followed were public statements from prosecutors reaffirming that the state viewed my family as felons and that we were committing criminal acts by living as a plural family.

• Deputy Utah County Attorney Julia Thomas stated that we were placed under investigation when prosecutors saw promotional trailers for Sister Wives airing on TV. Vince Horiuchi, Going Public 'Was a Risk Worth Taking,' Utah Polygamists Say, Salt Lake City Trib., Sept. 29, 2010.

• Ms. Thomas also stated that we were breaking the law and effectively admitting to criminal acts every night.These statements and the very public investigation have had an immediate, continuing, and negative impact on my family.

• We have had to prepare for the possibility that the adults could be taken from our family - leaving our children without support or parental guidance.

• Efforts of some of the adults to find employment was hampered by our being labeled as felons and guilty of open and admitted criminal acts.

• For example, the day after the investigation was announced, one of my largest sales accounts in my prior employment contacted my office manager in Orem and said "we can't have Kody be associated with us anymore and we need the account reassigned."

• I had developed this account over the course of three years and it was one of the top five accounts that I had maintained as a sales representative working for Young Electric Sign Company. This banking institution was very close to signing a new sale with me.

• I saw other sales drop after the public comments of the prosecutors and the criminal investigation into our plural family.

• The threat of prosecution and public statements had a profound impact on the family's health and lifestyle. The adults lost sleep and Robyn dropped dangerously in weight over the constant threat that our family could be destroyed at any time.

• The coercive effect on the entire family was so pronounced that any appearance of a police cruiser on our street became a matter of alarm - not knowing whether prosecutors had chosen this moment to break up our family and arrest some or all of the adults.

• I intend to continue to practice my religious faith, including polygamy, as does my entire
family.

• We have, however, been curtailed in our speech and associations due to the threat of prosecution and continued public comments from prosecutors.

• We have been unable to fully participate in our religious community due to our separation from Utah and we curtailed some associations and religious activities to try to protect family and friends from similar treatment by state officials.

• Yet even after the move to Nevada, prosecutors have continued to stress that their investigation of our family is ongoing and that they reserved the right to prosecute the family.

• Our continued labeling as presumptive felons has proven a barrier in finding new positions for the adults in Nevada

• No family should have to live under a classification as criminals simply because the majority of citizens object to their private relationships or religious-based practices.

Meri:

• Efforts of some of the adults to find employment was hampered by our being labeled as felons and guilty of open and admitted criminal acts.

• In my case, I was fired due to criminal investigation and being labeled a felon due to our family structure

• I had worked for Youth Care of Utah for 1 year.

• When we decided to participate in the Sister Wives program, I informed my supervisors
and the company management.

• There was no objection to the show and I received positive feedback from my co- workers.

• I was specifically told by my supervisor that everything was fine and that the show and my lifestyle would not be a problem.

• I was put on administrative leave at the beginning of the next regular scheduled day of work after statement from the prosecutor labeling us as criminals. Please double check this. I am not sure if there were prosecutors at that point - just the announcement of the investigation by the Lehi City Police Department.

• In October 3, 2010, I came to work on a Sunday only to find high-ranking management present - something I had never seen.

• I was pulled into an office and told that I would be placed on administrative leave until
corporate management decided how to handle "the situation."

• I was called into the office on Tuesday, October 5., I was told they had to called me in to tell they had decided to terminate my employment. I was not working due to administrative leave.

• I objected because I had been open about my polygamous family structure and the show, but the management made clear that it was not my polygamous family that motivated my termination.

• Rather, the management told me it was the fact that I was under criminal investigation and the statements in the media that the state considered me (and my family) to be committing felonies under state law. Actually they were specifically worried about police showing up to the work place.

• My employer offered me a "severance" pay with the condition that if I accepted it I would never speak of the circumstances regarding my separation.

• I refused to accept the money in exchange for my silence.

But they seem like such honest people, Part 2

When we left off, we were discussing the Brown family and hypocrisy.   The religion of Islam and Islamic scholars say that God categorizes hypocrisy into 2 groups, hypocrisy of belief and hypocrisy of action.  We discussed hypocrisy of belief in Part 1.

The second type of hypocrisy, according to Islam, is hypocrisy of action.

The hypocrite's crime is that he bears false witness against himself. Hannah Arendt, On Revolution, 1963

Hypocrisy of action includes:

a.  lying,   

b.  breaking promises made,

c.   betraying trust, ,and

d. being imprudent and insulting during disagreements.

Lying.  Yes, I know that the majority of us tell “little white lies” to preserve the feelings of family and friends. Do you really want to tell your colleague that she dresses like a color-blind bag lady who got dressed in the dark this morning?  No, I am not talking about those kind of “fibs”, as my mother called them. I am talking about when parents tell their children that they can choose their religion and then, when the children try to exercise that choice the parents do an about-face and say that the kids can make the choice “when their frontal lobes are fully developed.” Or when parents tell their children that they can express their opinions calmly and respectfully and, again, when the children attempt to do just that, the parents have a hissy fit pout and shut down the discussion with autocratic pronouncements – or do the same thing to their spouses. I don’t know for sure what “fibs” the authorities may or may not have been told during bankruptcy or food stamp applications, but I have my personal opinions.

Interestingly, these Islamic scholars say that lying is ALWAYS part of hypocrisy because hypocrites cheat people with words to get what they want, caring only for their own self-interest and lacking an appropriate sense of shame for the things that they have done wrong (they have done wrong and don’t care).  Hmmmmm.

One of the things I find interesting is that the wives say they are happy and the marriages are good, when their body language, tone of voice and facial expressions say something else.  If you turn the volume off when they are speaking they look sad, anxious and sometimes even frightened.  Some people might consider this a form of lying and hypocrisy.

Any of you who have read Dr. Zhivago will remember that Yurii said, “Your health is bound to be affected if, day after day, you say the opposite of what you feel, if you grovel before what you dislike... Our nervous system isn't just fiction, it's part of our physical body, and it can't be forever violated with impunity."

Some of the examples of lying above also count as breaking promises made.  When you promise your teenager (or spouse) that you will treat them as a person, and then turn around and treat them as chattel, that smacks of hypocrisy.  And didn't Robyn say that she wanted to fit in? Didn't she sort of promise to do that?  I don't really see that playing out other than her promise to create more children.

I have seen numerous examples of Kody talking about one wife to another wife about a private matter and I thought I saw Robyn doing the same thing a couple of times (monkey see, monkey do).  To me that is betraying trust. I think that the only way plural marriage can work is when each separate marriage relationship is kept private.  Apparently Kody disagrees with me.  I also feel that both Kody and Janelle have betrayed Hunter’s trust by allowing TLC to film some of his more vulnerable moments.  Again, that is just me.  I may not have 17 kids, but I do have a child with a diagnosed mental illness and I feel this will come back to bite them in the @$$ (although Hunter will probably make a mint from his tell-all book).

The episodes at the end of last season and this season have several examples of Kody behaving badly during disagreements.  He tends to shut off those who disagree with him and behave autocratically and imprudently during disagreements.  I don't know how to explain Robyn's behavior during disagreements other than "yikes".

So, in one way or another, the Brown adults don’t fare very well under this examination.    But I’d like to know what you think.

  
Written By Terrasola!

"Sister Wives" Season 3 opener rules the ratings!

--TLC'S SISTER WIVES is #1 among W25-55, W18-49 and W18-34 --
(Silver Spring, Md.) - TLC's hit series SISTER WIVES premiered its third season delivering huge ratings for the network on Sunday night at 9PM/ET making the show the #1 primetime program among ad-supported cable with women 25-54 and 18-49 - even beating out CBS' The Good Wife among women 18-34. The season three premiere delivered the network's highest ratings in nearly two years among W25-54 and W18-49 garnering a 2.3 HH, a 2.4 W25-54/18-49 and a 2.3 W18-34 rating. This marks the highest W18-49 rating for the series to date.
SISTER WIVES was watched by 2.8 million viewers P2+. The episode titled "The Announcement" delivered TLC's highest ratings in 2011 among HH W18-49/18-34. With the help of the SISTER WIVES premiere, TLC scored its best Sunday prime performance in over a year.
On last night's premiere of SISTER WIVES, tensions continued to build as the Browns had a difficult time adjusting to the move to Las Vegas. A nervous Robyn finally announced her new pregnancy to the family. Meanwhile, the older teens discontent over their new life started to bubble to the surface.
SISTER WIVES returns this Sunday at 9PM/ET with an all-new episode.
Source: Nielsen, 9/25/11. Highest 2 years since 11/23/09. Best Sunday = 6/6/10. Prime = 8-11p. Cov Rtg/(000s)

'Sister Wives' return announcement -- plus news on Kody Brown lawsuit

Update: April 14, 2012 Sister Wives Returns May 13, 2012 on TLC. Check your local listings for time.

Update: February 16, 2012


If you're looking for when the 2012 season of Sister Wives will start, the last we've heard is:

Spring 2012

 ===========================================================



It's been a while since we have heard from the Brown family from TLC's "Sister Wives" -- but we are back with a bang when it comes to some new stories now.
First, we have the announcement that the show will be coming back on the air for an episode airing on Sunday, September 25 -- one that looks to focus on fourth wife Robyn giving birth to her first child with Kody. (She has three children already from a previous marriage.) If you include all the kids that Kody looks after including Robyn's, he will soon be responsible for a whopping 17 little ones.
In other news, it looks as though the State of Utah is trying to get a suit dismissed that Brown previously filed against them. Why? Attorneys are arguing that the Brown family would have never actually been charged for their lifestyle, even if there was an investigation happening that forced them into moving to Las Vegas:

Are you excited to see more from this show soon?

Shared from the Examiner

What happened to Randy Maudsley?

THANKS to A. who found this!

The world watched in fascination as the State of Texas seized 460 children from their polygamist parents in a raid on a mysterious breakaway group of the Mormon Church. People thought it was a first time look into a multi wife settlement.

But several years ago I managed to get into a small secretive Utah town and convinced some of it’s 2,500 residents to accept me doing a story on their private lifestyle. If everyone knew how to have more than one wife, I’d suggested, polygamy could be legal and men with more than one wife would no longer be persecuted.

The Texas children raid has brought dire consequences to that little town. And now Texas authorities are looking for further branches of the breakaway church. Is Manti one of them?

It began in Salt Lake City when I asked a man at the Hertz office if he knew of a nice town in Utah where men had more than one wife. He smiled knowingly and sent me off in my rental car to Manti, 130 miles to the south.

I wondered what would it be like to have two wives, maybe three or four – maybe even five. A friend in Kenya had four wives but Mohammed Hatami said it was Hell, that in an argument his street would fill with eight angry wives and mothers-in-law. If one wife had a headache, all four would share it and he’d get nothing. But he was a Muslim. What did he know? American Manti might be different.

The town was surrounded by mountains, and as I drove in, I saw no billboards, supermarkets, neon signs or much traffic. It was old time America and very appealing.

But weren’t its people breaking the law every time they went to bed at night?

Manti is deep in polygamy country. A survey showed that 60,000 American families live under polygamy with one father and more than one wife.

As I drove in I looked carefully at its people. ‘Is that man standing on a lawn with two attractive women sleeping with both of them? They’re beautiful. How does he get away with it?' There goes a woman with seven children following. Is she their mother or one of many? Do they all share the same husband?

In the Western world having more than one wife is illegal and considered so immoral, people who did it were once burned at the stake.

The Mormon Church changed polygamy forever when its American founder Joseph Smith took more than one wife. Later, when Smith was lynched by a mob his followers fled into the American wilderness, founded the state of Utah and openly practiced polygamy until modern times. Women in those days died often in child birth. Life was hard. Those early Mormons wanted their faith to spread.

Today’s official and powerful Mormon Church, headquartered in Salt Lake City and with branches throughout the world allows only one wife. But thousands have refused to give up the church’s old way – which ended when Mormons in Utah agreed to give up polygamy in exchange for statehood in 1896.

The people of Manti, because they practice polygamy – what they simply call plural marriage – have been thrown out of the Mormon mother church.

Manti’s Quorum of Twelve, as it is called, is part of the excommunicated members of the Church of Latter Day Saints. The dozen men have more than forty wives among them. (See Picture) These ladies are not plain-looking religious fanatics dressed in plain old time dresses, but beautiful women, many with college degrees, who don’t mind sharing their husbands. One of them, (she doesn't want her name revealed) came to do a story 15 years earlier for the Chicago Tribune Newspaper, and stayed and married the leader.

The group wants to spread polygamy so that when everyone has more than one wife there will no longer be any reason to persecute them and people will realize polygamy is the natural order of life.

They expect opposition, especially in Western European societies where many men have secret girlfriends and would like to have several wives, but are afraid.

Bart Malstrom, 39, owner of a small homeopathic medicine factory, run by him and his four wives and fourteen children, was a tall, handsome man. Although he is surrounded with responsibilities he seemed very happy, relaxed and fatherly. Before taking pictures, we sat down in his spotlessly clean home. He said any man can legally have more than one wife as long as they are joined in church weddings and not a state marriage.

He got right to the point. “Men have the urge to have more than one woman and women have the urge to have more than one child. That’s the difference of our God-given roles.”

He told me no woman is forced into plural marriage or pressured to remain and that he is proof. A year ago he had five wives, now he has only four. He admitted there other break-away Mormon groups that marry very young teenage girls. “We have nothing like that here. We would never allow that. They give all Mormons a bad name.”

These Mormons base their many-wife practice on the Bible which revealed that Patriarchs such as Abraham and Jacob had several wives. They bitterly accuse the mother Mormon Church of giving up its principles for the sake of being politically correct.

I had started off by going to the office of the Sanpete County Sheriff Department and spoke there with Deputy Blake Edwards, who said: “This is an area of low crime. The Mormon polygamists are peaceful and law abiding as long as they have church weddings. The moment they try to have state sanctioned marriages I would have to arrest them for breaking the law. These Mormons are perfect citizens. They may be breaking Civil laws with plural marriages. But they are the most honest and decent people I’ve ever met.” Then he gave me the names and addresses of several Mormon members to see.

Having more than one wife – a different lover to sleep with every night – could be a fantasy come true for many men and I listened as the Mormons of Manti told how to set up a plural marriage.

But, they start with a daunting and serious warning: Plural marriage based only on sex is bound to fail.

There are tremendous responsibilities, they explain, including budgeting sex time for each wife.

“People think its all an orgy and there’s five of us in bed. But that’s not true,” says Tamara, 41, who lives with her husband Randy Maudlsey, 46, and his three other young and pretty wives.

“Each of our marriages is separate and private. I know nothing about my husband’s love life with his other wives. They know nothing of mine.”

While many polygamist husbands have days set aside for each wife, Randy says he just invites whichever wife he feels like into his bed.

Says Randy, “If we all got into bed together it could destroy the whole thing. We’ve had families fall into that trap and it destroyed them.”

Various Mormons hammered over and over again that the number one rule for success in having more than one wife is: Do not have a civil marriage!

“That’s when you get caught and imprisoned,” cautions Jeff Hanks, 38, a Manti chiropractor with two wives. “Be married in a church, but nothing more.” No government can stop a church sanctioned marriage.


Says wife, Joanne, 38, “Choose someone with similar beliefs. If you’re a woman simply propose marriage to the man you want. If you’re a married man, talk it over with your wife and help her face her natural jealousy.

“The first wife and husband must both desire a plural marriage otherwise you’ll have nothing but misery. Work it out and all three of you will have a great life.”

She admits she went through bouts of jealousy when her husband decided to marry a 17-year-old girl. “But I’m over it now and Jeff spends two days with each of us at a time and two days off for himself.”

The Quorum believes you must have even higher ethics than in a monogamous marriage because the feelings of so many are involved.

And that most men haven’t proper spiritual and moral strength so the idea of having more than one wife frightens them and they’d rather have one woman run their life.

Better to follow nature, say members. Nature is perfect. In the animal world males lead and females follow.

“In today’s world women are are doing all the housework and expected to be a bread winner also,” says Jeanine, one of the eight wives of Jim Harmston, leader of the Quorum of Twelve, and the mother of ten.

She says families are better off with firm leadership. In families around the world kids are defiant and rebellious towards leadership because family discipline has been lost.

“A man must lead the family,” says Jeanine. He obeys God, the wife obeys the husband, and the children obey the parents.

Adds Jeanine, “You must let your husband solve the worries. That’s what he’s there for.”

Harmston’s wives say they are more moral than many women around the world who are replacing love with sex, swingers and wife swappers. They are shocked that single girls in countries around the world often have different lovers instead of one.

A Harmston wife, Karen, says, “Women are looking for great orgasms but those great feelings have nothing to do with the perfect marriage.”

Wives in Mormon plural marriages believe they are ensured a place in Heaven by their life-style. Meanwhile, they say there are many advantages: They never worry about baby sitters or being lonely. There is never pressure to satisfy their husband because another wife is always available. And they live in contentment with their closest friends – their ‘sister wives’, as they call them.

According to Jim Harmston, leader of the Quorum of 12, “If an attractive and righteous young woman comes into our church, she can pick any man she chooses, married or not.”

At the home of Church Apostate Randy Maudsley, I asked, if it’s so wonderful for men, then why couldn’t a woman have more than one husband, something known as ‘polyandry?”

“Because it’s God’s law,” thundered black-bearded Randy, causing his four young wives to cringe, “I didn’t make the law. God did!”

When I was leaving Manti Jim Harmston, told me, "Ron, you have leadership qualities. You should stay and we’ll give you a crash course in Mormonism. Then in about ten days I’ll marry you to four beautiful young women.

I told him I wouldn’t mind four wives if they were clones of my wife, Linda. But I couldn’t help asking, “How old would these girls be?

“Seventeen,” he replied.

I soon left for my wife and family in the outside world thinking the people of Manti were among the happiest I’d ever met.

But what is Manti like today?

Randy Maudsley and his four young wives have broken up. Chiropractor Jeff Hanks and his two wives have moved away, Bart Malstrom wasn’t as calm as he had appeared. Bart had suffered a nervous breakdown and his four wives and fourteen children left him and live together now somewhere in Utah. Only Jim Harmston and his State married first wife and seven ‘sister’ wives have survived.

Deputy Sheriff Blake Edwards has died. The new men in the Sheriff’s office describe the town derisively as ‘a bunch of ‘break away Mormons’. The town of Manti once again, is cloaked in secrecy and the local police, who once supported them, are now viewed by townspeople as the enemy, ready to take their children away.

(Source: By Ron Laytner/http://editinternational.com/read.php?id=48220e16294c6)

Inside Story Polygamy - part 4 of 5

All I have to say is... watch. sex, incest, little kids saying they have to live plural to see god, it's all right here in this horrible dog and pony show.

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Inside Story Polygamy - part 3 of 5 ALLRED/TLC

Part 3 contains Christine Brown's great uncle, Owen Allred. Who also happens to be David, Dayton, Breanna, and Aurora's great uncle. Who happens to also be Meri's 2nd cousin 4 times removed, and probably attached more to 2 of Meri's Mothers; He is also Kody's 2nd cousin once removed. Getting a picture here?

Owen seems the sweetest and the most sincere of any leader I have seen so far. (Might have to take that back, wrote this before CJ'S Story, couldn't of timed this any better if i tried- see if he looks like a thief to you. just goes to show you - you can't judge a book by it's cover) He gets very choked up. He also states he loves his children that don't follow the principle. Owen has since passed, but it is a look into the Allred family. His wife must of taught Kody Brown's wives the "freedom" message because she spews out the same reason for sharing a husband, why she can do whatever she wants! I don't know about you, but, yeah, so can I! Don't need 3 sister wives for that.

Then we flip back to the TLC church SCARY by my thoughts, more of Randy and a John Harper, boy, his first wife looks like her face would crack if she smiled. If that's happiness....But we learn they give EVERYTHING to the church. Yikes!

Please watch and discuss. We are learning our groups, aren't we? Education is power.

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Inside Story Polygamy - part 2 of 5

Dear Readers,
I really feel, that as a collective group, we need to watch several films about what goes on in some of the polygamy groups. It is abhorrent, against god, and makes you cry. PLEASE watch these films, educate yourself, just as I am doing with you. You never know, someday you might make a difference in one of these souls lives. If nothing more, pray for them.  Can you imagine having a baby and not getting treatment for it?

***TLC and Kingston Groups - not Brown's Allred Group. Yet, part of their larger coalition. 
Once again, we see Roundy randy and Jim Harmston of the TLC church. check out Gladdel at 2:10 and when they are dancing, lady doesn't look so happy. Equally creepy is Jim Harmston telling Roni Baker that "the order of the new millennium is S E X. I almost feel that god is touching all of us, to see those little ones suffer.  Kingston's are so paranoid they videotape strangers! Also talk of Kingston incest and Birth Defects, no financial support or emotional support for children. they all look so sad.
As Terrasola taught us the other day -The Kingston Group now calls itself the Davis County Co-operative.
Please watch and give us your thoughts. It's only 10 minutes.



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Polygamy: It’s Not What You Think!

Polygamy includes both polygny (1 husband + multiple wives) and polyandry (1 wife + multiple husbands).  Both of these, and more, would be included if the Browns are successful in their crusade to legalize polygamy.  Here are some examples:

·      Charlie is married to Chelsea, and Mia and Rose (polygny);

·      Judith is married to Alan, and Herb and Charlie  (polyandry, or “Brother Husbands”);

·      Charlie is married to Chelsea and Mia.  Mia is also married to Lyndsey;

·      Charlie is married to Chelsea and Lyndsey and Alan.  Alan is married to Lyndsey and Charlie, but not to  Chelsea; 

·      Charlie is married to Chelsea and Lyndsey.  Alan is married to Lyndsey and also to Herb and Judith;

·      Group Marriage – multi-lateral marriage where all members of the marriage are considered to be married to all other members.  Group marriage is said to have existed in the past among the Sandwich Islanders, in Melanesia, among the Omahas, and among some Australian aborigines;

·      “Line Marriage” – a type of group marriage where the family unit continues to add spouses of both / alternating genders over time so that the marriage never ends.  This concept currently only exists in science fiction, including “The Moon is a Harsh Mistress”; the “Starfarers” series; the novel “Worlds”; the “Heritage”, “Legacy” and “Inheritance” Trilogies; and the now-cancelled TV series “Caprica”;

·      Any other combination you can think of.

Some of the science fiction writing describes group marriages, specifically line marriages, having as a major goal avoiding inheritance and property rights issues by always having a living spouse.  However, wherever you have humans, you have human nature and human problems.  Issues of divorce and support payments, child custody and access cannot be avoided, only complicated, by these more complex relationships.

Is this the polygamy you thought you knew?

Written by TERRASOLA

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Sister Wives - Back When it was Innocent- Burnt Toast

"Toasters ruin lives. Ovens ruin toast."

Back when Sister Wives seemed like it was going to be innocent and fun. Oh, the good old days. I had a friend like this. She's a hoot! She was raised in a strict religious family with a mom that changed religions like you change cars. Luckily, my friend is super normal despite that- except her quirks. She wouldn't take an aspirin during labor, she refuse to use a microwave, or eat processed food. I have to say, she may not be ALL wrong. My Aunt who is 95 credits outliving 8 siblings younger than her to- living in the country, no processed foods, and having yogurt everyday. 

Here's Christine's Burnt Toast - hey, we have a commenter named that! Good choice!

Shouldn't they bought her a 4 - 6 hole one? 

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(Video Courtesy of TLC)     

TLC goes inside the world of POLYGAMY - Part 1 - Part 3

ARTICLE BELOW - Journalist Dawn Porter talking about these interviews. 

Sadly, these are just excepts from what looked like a great show. I can't find the entire program online for us to see. But we will look at the excerpts, and Cynical Jinx and any others that have seen them, can help us fill in the blanks.

Part 1 - a peek at Boyd Knudson's family.  

A birdie told me that Boyd is an extremely wealthy man who can actually afford three wives - no welfare use. you will not see him on camera for fear of losing clients, although, his name is pretty public.
PART 1

 

PART 2 - A discussion with a large group of women.  Journalist Dawn Porter brings up the raid, which upsets the women.

Part 3 - Only 2 wives, I'm guessing they are looking for a third.

Please note 1 2 3 on which clip your talking about. Thoughts?
BE SURE AND READ POST BELOW

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