The book Escape, by: Carolyn Jessop about FDLS

[lilwriter85]

I have read Under The Banner of Heaven and it is really good. I wish Krakauer who find a way to take on Gothardism in a book.

I heard about Carolyn's book a few months back and I have it on my to buy list.

[lilwriter85]

I was wondering about the distinctions between Mormonism and FLDS. I know it's probably hard to summarize in a thread, but what are some of the key differences. I know the Mormon church doesn't believe in plural marriage, but what is the belief about eternal marriage? Does mainstream mormonism teach that the husband calls the wife into eternity? And how do children fit into all of it?

Yes! This was a fascinating read. And I definitely recognized some of the thinking of fundie evangelicalism in there, too.

I think with mainstream Mormons their belief on eternal marriage involves the being married in a temple and getting "sealed". I'm not too sure on the whole belief of eternal marriage. A blogger that I follow sort of explained in a posting and then she deleted the posting later on.

[deelaem]

I've read all the FLDS books, just finished Flora Jessop's. I liked hers the best. That woman has some serious guts to do what she does, I admire her to pieces.

Mormon eternal marriage is a very weird, effed up thing. One charming aspect is that when the husband gets to Celestial Kingdom, he can choose not to bring is wife in (yes, that's the only way they can get in) if he feels she's not worthy. Isn't that romantic? :roll:

[Kelya]

I've read all the FLDS books, just finished Flora Jessop's. I liked hers the best. That woman has some serious guts to do what she does, I admire her to pieces.

I like how she's brutally honest about how she was sexually abused and the failure of state agencies- I like the memoir and personal experience narratives, like Carolyn Jessop and Elissa Walls, but her book definitely filled the "how the fuck does this happen?" gap in the broader narrative.

Under the Banner of Heaven was very informative, as well, highly recommend it, I love how he writes.

[xDreamerx]

The documentary was good. Thanks for sharing it. I'll look into some of these other books after I finish this one. Carolyn mentioned that her maiden name was Blackmore. Is she a relation to Winston Blackmore?

[moreorlessnu]

Wasn't Flora one of the wives of the same husband as Carolyn Jessop? Or, am I thinking of another author?

I've read both Carolyn Jessop's and Elissa Walls' books. Elissa's description of being forced into marriage is very sad.

[Kelya]

Wasn't Flora one of the wives of the same husband as Carolyn Jessop? Or, am I thinking of another author?

I've read both Carolyn Jessop's and Elissa Walls' books. Elissa's description of being forced into marriage is very sad.

Cousins by marriage, I think. Flora married Phillip Jessop and Carolyn married Merrill Jessop.

[Nora509]

Wasn't Robin from Sister Wives a Jessop? Any relation? I kept wondering that as I read the book but could never find anything. I guess it was her previous husband's last name but perhaps she was Carolyn's SIL or Merill's DIL? Anyone know?

[pixydust]

Very good book! She is brutally honest (even about her own short comings as a mom, not protecting her kids, etc)and I think it prob gives one of the best looks at the FLDS.

[Beammeup]

I bought the book in the airport before I boarded a plane to go visit my husband who was away for military. The irony of it struck me that here I was traveling alone to wherever I wanted to, and she couldn't go anywhere. It was a compelling read. I finished it and passed it onto a flight attendant on my return flight who noticed the book and said he wanted to read it.

[emmiedahl]

That blog is cray-cray! Thanks for the find, I will be wading through this one for the lolz.

[bubbabearzle]

Did the latter book have any updates on her daughter Betty? The first book ended with her going to Yearning for Zion in Texas and rejoining the FLDS, but I'm pretty sure that was before Jeffs was incarcerated. I'd love to know if Carolyn was finally able to reach her.

Yes, unfortunately she is still there. Drank too much of the cool-aid, poor kid!

[snarkbillie]

That blog is cray-cray! Thanks for the find, I will be wading through this one for the lolz.

I call BS on the comment about the photographs being "eye opening", those were the same photographs that were in the book. I saw them when I read Elisa's book. I wouldn't have seen them elsewhere. She explained them in the book. I don't see how that commenter missed them or whatever if they actually truly read the book.

:?

[shesinsane]

Wasn't Robin from Sister Wives a Jessop? Any relation? I kept wondering that as I read the book but could never find anything. I guess it was her previous husband's last name but perhaps she was Carolyn's SIL or Merill's DIL? Anyone know?

The founders of Short Creek were Allred, Barlow, Jessop, and Steed. They had lots of wives and lots of children, so lots of their last names got around. I once read about a fire department in Colorado City (today's Short Creek) and the chief, president, and vice president were all different guys named Barlow.

Here's my recommend FLDS reading list:

Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer a great starter for who are the FLDS and how did they get to where they are today (or were a decade ago)

Daughter of the Saints by Dorothy Allred. FLDS before the Jeffs took over.

Escape Carolyn Jessop with Laura Palmer. She's the one with a very sick son her husband says is due to her not obeying God (and her husband).

Triumph Carolyn Jessop's sequel

Church of Lies by Flora Jessop and Paul T. Brown I don't think she married a Jessop, she was one of many kids who didn't want to live in polygamy. She escaped, and has helped others escape, and carries a gun with her because people try to kill her now and then.

Favorite Wife by Susan Ray Schmidt and

Shattered Dreams by Irene Spencer. They were sister wives of a LeBaron, who took the family to live in Mexico, Nicaragua, and some other inhospitable places.

Lost Boy by Brent Jeffs, escaping FLDS from a man's perspecitve.

Stolen Innocence by Elissa Wall with Lisa Pulitzer. The teen forced to marry her cousin that finally got Warren Jeffs put away.

It's fascinating stuff.

[bubbabearzle]

If you all liked Carolyn Jessop's book, then I would highly recommend the one written by her (distant?) relative Flora. Flora's pretty raw though, and exposes some truly horrifying practices and highlights the fact that there is little help or assistance available for FLDS members who wish to escape this cult (even from state agencies, such as CPS, who are too chicken shit to look bad in the media by removing children from these homes when there is clearly abuse going on there).

ITA - Flora is a badass (though they are apparently not related). I've seen interviews with her, and she holds NOTHING back. The most frightening thing I've seen her discussing is the special baby cemeteries the FLDS communities have - thier infant mortality rates are astoundingly high.

[sriracha]

I read it in the summer of 2009, it's really good, REALLY shocking, I am so happy she and her children got free.

[bubbabearzle]

Wasn't Robin from Sister Wives a Jessop? Any relation? I kept wondering that as I read the book but could never find anything. I guess it was her previous husband's last name but perhaps she was Carolyn's SIL or Merill's DIL? Anyone know?

No, the people from the Sister Wives show are not FLDS, at least they are not of the same "sect" of fundamentalist mormonism. I haven't heard anything about Robyn being related to those (or any other) Jessups, and if she were I would be shocked given the stark differences in lifestyle between the groups.

[Kelya]

The founders of Short Creek were Allred, Barlow, Jessop, and Steed. They had lots of wives and lots of children, so lots of their last names got around. I once read about a fire department in Colorado City (today's Short Creek) and the chief, president, and vice president were all different guys named Barlow.

Here's my recommend FLDS reading list:

Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer a great starter for who are the FLDS and how did they get to where they are today (or were a decade ago)

Daughter of the Saints by Dorothy Allred. FLDS before the Jeffs took over.

Escape Carolyn Jessop with Laura Palmer. She's the one with a very sick son her husband says is due to her not obeying God (and her husband).

Triumph Carolyn Jessop's sequel

Church of Lies by Flora Jessop and Paul T. Brown I don't think she married a Jessop, she was one of many kids who didn't want to live in polygamy. She escaped, and has helped others escape, and carries a gun with her because people try to kill her now and then.

Favorite Wife by Susan Ray Schmidt and

Shattered Dreams by Irene Spencer. They were sister wives of a LeBaron, who took the family to live in Mexico, Nicaragua, and some other inhospitable places.

Lost Boy by Brent Jeffs, escaping FLDS from a man's perspecitve.

Stolen Innocence by Elissa Wall with Lisa Pulitzer. The teen forced to marry her cousin that finally got Warren Jeffs put away.

It's fascinating stuff.

I find the LeBaron colonies fascinating, totally recommend Shattered Dreams!

[Rosa]

Wasn't Flora one of the wives of the same husband as Carolyn Jessop? Or, am I thinking of another author?

I've read both Carolyn Jessop's and Elissa Walls' books. Elissa's description of being forced into marriage is very sad.

You're thinking of Susan Ray & Irene Spencer, I think. Shesinsane has them on her book list, they were both married to the same (saner) LeBaron brother.

[Kelya]

You're thinking of Susan Ray & Irene Spencer, I think. Shesinsane has them on her book list, they were both married to the same (saner) LeBaron brother.

They were good friends, too, right? Susan was like fifteen when she "married" in and Irene sort of took her under her wing.

[Buba]

No, the people from the Sister Wives show are not FLDS, at least they are not of the same "sect" of fundamentalist mormonism. I haven't heard anything about Robyn being related to those (or any other) Jessups, and if she were I would be shocked given the stark differences in lifestyle between the groups.

I read on Sister Wives blog that Robin was married to a David Preston Jessop, I believe he is a distant relative of Carolyn's ex. Although the Browns are not FLDS, Mormon fundies were just one large group that left the Mormon mainstream church, so it's common to find the same surnames in different polygamist sects.

[Sola]

No, the people from the Sister Wives show are not FLDS, at least they are not of the same "sect" of fundamentalist mormonism. I haven't heard anything about Robyn being related to those (or any other) Jessups, and if she were I would be shocked given the stark differences in lifestyle between the groups.

I wouldn't be surprised if she was distantly related. The Jessop family is HUGE and not all of them are of the Yearning for Zion type.

[freejoytoo]

Has anyone read The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Willimans? It's fiction and the religion isn't named but I think the reader is supposed to assume that it's FLDS and the prophet is Warren Jeffs. It's a seriously disturbing read.

http://www.amazon.com/Chosen-One-Carol- ... 0312555113

[Lianachu]

Has anyone read The Chosen One by Carol Lynch Willimans? It's fiction and the religion isn't named but I think the reader is supposed to assume that it's FLDS and the prophet is Warren Jeffs. It's a seriously disturbing read.

http://www.amazon.com/Chosen-One-Carol- ... 0312555113

I've read it. I was almost disappointed by it but that's only because I wanted it for so long and when I finally got it, it didn't take me very long to get through at all.

In any case, it's a good book for those interested in the FLDS.

[slickcat79]

ITA - Flora is a badass (though they are apparently not related). I've seen interviews with her, and she holds NOTHING back. The most frightening thing I've seen her discussing is the special baby cemeteries the FLDS communities have - thier infant mortality rates are astoundingly high.

I think I saw that. Wasn't Flora Jessop on the Secret Lives of Women? I think she talked about the lost boys too, the teens who were thrown out of their families and churches because there was too much competition for wives.