Mormon Fundamentalism and Child Brides: Specification Needed

by CHRISTINA ROSETTI

In 2008, television audiences tuned in to watch as the Yearning for Zion Ranch, run by the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS), was raided by state officials. Many viewers had never heard of a Mormon fundamentalist, let alone seen one. Nevertheless, within the span of a few short television clips, pastel dresses and hair bumps became an iconic symbol of contemporary fundamentalism.

Two years prior, the leader of this group was pulled over because his license plates were not visible. At the time of the incident, police did not realize the man behind the wheel was Warren Jeffs. Warren Jeffs, the leader of the FLDS, was a wanted man, charged with multiple counts of assault and conspiracy to commit sexual misconduct with a minor. After representing himself at the trial, he was sentenced to life in prison.

Prior to the raid, many were unfamiliar with Jeffs and his crimes. The raid brought national attention to an organization previously unheard of by the general population. At the same time, the raid brought attention to a religious movement that many believed had ended when the LDS Church banned new plural marriage in the United States in 1890. The raid brought Mormon fundamentalism into national consciousness. However, through a lack of specificity, the raid in Texas equated fundamentalism with Warren Jeffs, pastel dresses, and hair bumps. It also equated fundamentalism with child brides and the sexual assault of minors.

Despite popular understanding, Mormon fundamentalism is not only pastel dresses and hair bumps. Just as Protestantism is an umbrella for a diverse range of traditions, Mormon fundamentalism is similarly a catch-all for a variety of groups, churches, and families that seek to follow what they believe are the fundamentals of the Mormon faith, including plural marriage.

Because cases of abuse are so widespread, many Mormon fundamentalists have sought to counter the conversation by presenting an image of fundamentalism based on choice and consent. Most notably, in September 2010, the Brown family appeared on-air as reality TV stars to present an alternative view of fundamentalism. The Browns are members of the Apostolic United Brethren (AUB), a large fundamentalist group with large congregations in Pinesdale, Wyoming, and Bluffdale, Utah.

The Brown family actively speaks against the crimes of Warren Jeffs, distancing themselves from the FLDS leader and emphasizing the importance of choice for their family. In an interview with the Las Vegas Sun, wife Janelle emphasized:

I was able to choose my family. In some Mormon sects, marriages are arranged. In our community, we don't assign spouses. We also wait to get married after we turn 18 years old.

Of course, the AUB is not without criticism. In 2014, Rosemary Williams accused the current President of the AUB with abuse. Williams is herself a former member of the AUB and currently an independent fundamentalist practicing the plural marriage. Currently, the Williams family has become outspoken proponents of the ethical practice of polygamy, even appearing on Year of Polygamy—a podcast by Lindsay Park Hansen that traces the history of plural marriage—and speaking at the Sunstone Symposium on a shifting framework toward a feminist practice of polygamy.

Arranged marriages are still a common practice within fundamentalist communities; “by the will of the Lord,” as many call the practice. One group, Christ’s Church, commonly uses arranged marriage to fulfill God’s will for the community. However, despite arranged marriage being the preference, choice remains an option with some members choosing their spouses and not seeking out insight from the Prophet. Christ’s Church also has specific regulations on courtship and marriage, the first being:

No man or woman will be sealed into any plural marriage that is not a legal adult, and at least 18 years of age.

But, I would like to suggest that this is not just a fundamentalism problem. It’s a Utah problem. And, it’s an American problem.

In the context of Utah, where couples are encouraged to marry young by religious leaders, it is easy to forget that young marriages are not unique to Utah and its dominant religion. In fact, 18 states set no minimum age for marriage. In New Hampshire, for example, the law is challenging. Parental approval is required for anyone under 18. Bride must be at least 13 and the groom must be at least 14. Technically, this is a marriage between peers. However, there is no regulation on age gap, meaning one party can be significantly older and not a peer.

But, back to Utah. Utah requires that anyone under 18 obtain parental consent in order to apply for a marriage license. If you are under 15, consent from the Juvenile Court is required. Like New Hampshire, there is no regulation on age gap, making it legal for underage individuals to be married to someone significantly older. In Mormon groups that accept underage marriages, marriage licenses are easy to obtain.

In addition to legal marriage, it’s important to remember that sealings are not legal marriages. Members of the LDS Church may recall bringing their marriage license with them to the temple in order to make their eternal sealing a recognized marriage in the eyes of the law. Given that sealings and marriages are legally different, an additional loophole is added. Many Mormon groups don’t bother with parental consent for their sealings, because they are not legal marriages anyway.

In Utah, and all states with parental consent loopholes, the law fails to take something crucial into consideration. When entire families are part of religious and cultural institutions that accept underage marriage, regulations fall flat and fail to protect vulnerable members of society.

I’m an outsider to Utah and its predominant culture. I grew up in a family that didn’t put an emphasis on marriage from an early age. Had I been pressured to marry at 17, the parental consent laws would have protected me. However, for many young men and women who are part of cultures with social pressure to marry young, these laws make no difference.

Mormon fundamentalism is bigger than the FLDS. Although Warren Jeffs and his group claimed the word fundamentalism in their name, making it synonymous with their church, the term covers a range of beliefs and practices. It is true, many of these groups continue underage marriage. However, when we speak on crimes associated with Mormonism, specification is needed. Not only do many groups avoid child marriage, many are actively opposing the practice in public ways.

While Utah has a dominant culture that supports the marriage of young people, we really aren’t that different. Utah is a microcosm for a national issue. Children are getting married every day in Utah and the entire United States, fundamentalist or not.

For a breakdown of legal marriage age by state, visit The Spruce.

This is the next piece in a series of articles that discusses child brides in historic and modern times in Utah. Read the other pieces here, here, here, here, and here, and here.