In the News 2: Warren Jeffs Continues to Delay the Child-Bride Lawsuit

It's no secret that Warren Jeffs, the leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, has faced a considerable amount of attention since his compound was raided by the FBI in 2008.  In this article, http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/58138338-78/jeffs-trial-wall-case.html.csp, The Salt Lake Tribune gives updates on Jeffs' trial, due to take place in January 2015, and how he somehow continues to delay the lawsuit placed upon him by a former member of the church.  This member was only 14 years old when Jeffs married her off against her will to her cousin, but the United States Supreme Court continues to hear the attorneys involved in the lawsuit and is in the process of deciding whether the polygamist trust can be held liable for this.  Additionally, Warren Jeffs is accused of rape, accomplice to rape, incest, and sexually assault, which all landed him a life prison sentence in 2011.  

To look more into Jeffs' mindset and what the people following him were subjected to, this second website talks about the leader's ramblings sent to Utah State Legislature members: http://fox13now.com/2014/07/20/warren-jeffs-to-utah-state-legislature-god-is-coming/.  As recently as June 30th, 2014, Warren Jeffs sent the members a "Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, given to President Warren S. Jeffs."  In these letters, Warren writes as if he is writing another biblical book, and believes that God is speaking to him.  

This could very well be looked at in a psychological way, but it also has everything to do with sociological ideas.  The scariest part that comes to mind is people actually followed this man.  They supported his ideas, went along with his thoughts and actions, and even after he was arrested and removed from the compound, the women and men seemed to be so brainwashed that they did not even realize what they had been participating in over the course of years.  Their dress, traditions, actions, and every day living was its' own culture and religion, in addition to being completely removed from outside society.  Instead, they were their own society with new ideals, values, morals, thoughts, and set of rules.  Some of the children who were inside the compound did not even know anything that was outside of the compound, which completely changed how they were raised and taught societal rules.  It just goes to show how dangerous one person could be and how easily they can change the way society is within a particular area.  This isn't new, this isn't something that will never happen again.  We had Jonestown years back, and it was very similar to Warren Jeffs power over people.  Just goes to show how fragile society is.