Category: FLDS

FLDS stands for Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Theologically FLDS is a sect of Mormonism (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), which in turn — like the FLDS — is a cult of Christianity.

â–º Main Entry: information about the FLDS.

Warren Jeffs

Warren Steed Jeffs is the president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

In August, 2011, a Texas jury convicted polygamist sect leader Warren Jeffs of child sexual assault Thursday in a case stemming from two young followers he took as brides in what his church calls "spiritual marriages."

Though Jeffs was sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years, most of his followers continue to view him as God's prophet -- and he continues to rule his sect with an iron fist.

Winston Blackmore

Winston Blackmore was bishop of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Canada until Warren Jeffs muscled him and others out of the way to become prophet in September 2002. Jeffs then excommunicated Blackmore, splitting the community of Bountiful nearly in half -- about 700 people continue to follow Blackmore, while about 500 follow Jeffs.

Canada’s polygamy dilemma: prosecution or tolerance?

The Bountiful case has wide ramifications for Canadian law: If British Columbia charges either or both of Bountiful's leaders, Winston Blackmore and Jim Oler, with the criminal offence of practising polygamy and loses, it opens the door for the free practise of plural marriage in the guise of religion. If B.C. loses, it could even open the door to other repugnant practices, such as female genital mutilation. Certainly, Muslim groups are anxiously watching to see what happens.