FROM THE VAULT - Warren Jeffs & the FLDS (Part 2)
4/8/202647 min
With Netflix's new documentary on the modern fundamentalist Mormon church coming out today – we thought it was the perfect time to revisit our episode on Warren Jeffs's FLDS, to give some much-needed context...
Last week, we looked at the formation of the ultra-obedient, bigamist Mormon cult, the FLDS – in which plural marriage to pregnant preteen girls is just the tip of the fundamentalist iceberg. In this second part, we look at how its new prophet, Warren Jeffs, took his so-called religion to ever stricter and more terrifying depths.
With followers so beaten down that they were banned from even laughing; the prophet on the lam, living it up at Disneyland; and a team of ex-faithfuls and dogged investigators closing in – something had to give. But not before the full extent of his evil was laid bare in front of a stunned courtroom.
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First 90 secondsSruti· Host0:00
[music] I'm Sruti.
Hannah Maguire· Host0:09
I'm Hannah.
Sruti· Host0:10
And welcome to Red Handed, where, um, we are going to dive headfirst- Mm. -back into the disgusting human being that is Mr. Warren Jeffs.
Hannah Maguire· Host0:21
Boo.
Sruti· Host0:21
Boo indeed. So last week, if you listened to the episode, which if you haven't, I would highly recommend that you go back and listen to part one, because last week we went through the blessed, bonkers, and bigamy-loving beginnings of the Mormon Church, and how a massive, massive, massive love for multiple marriage birthed its fundamentalist offshoots. We saw how the weird, lanky 14th son of its prophet, Rulon Jeffs, ended up out of 65 siblings, swooping in to replace him. This time we're charting the dramatic rise, savage totalitarian rule, and eventual downfall of one of history's most powerful cult leaders. We'll see how Jeffs lived it up in New Orleans while all joy and even laughter was outlawed among his thousands of followers. And we'll also hear some shocking, depraved revelations from the courtroom, which were beyond anything anyone at the time could ever have imagined.
Hannah Maguire· Host1:21
In 2002, with Warren Jeffs at the helm, things in FLDS went from obedient to completely