When Men Become Gods: Mormon Polygamist Warren Jeffs, His Cult of Fear, and the Women Who Fought Back

I've read several books on the FLDS including under Warren Jeffs - books by women who have escaped his dreadful tyranny that he says is divinely inspired because he is the Prophet and infallible (like the Pope, eh?) Those books were individual stories and stories relating (mostly) to the awful subjugation of the women. Interesting as they were, I was looking for an unemotional account of Jeffs leadership and his misuse of power.

This book is it. It's told from the legal point of view. How Jeffs manipulated himself into power and deprived others, equally and more entitled to it, the pursuit of Jeffs, the tax evasions practiced, the casting out of people in order to take over their homes and other illegal activities. Mostly enabled by the show more local Police, themselves members of the religion wishing to remain in good standing with their Prophet. But worst of all, was the passing around of women and children in marriage. How he told wives they were no longer married to this man, but must go and live with this other one, sometimes, often sisters were 'married' to the same man. And children, little girls, he made them marry whom he wished and if the ensuing sex was against the girl's consent, it wasn't rape, it was an act of conjugal love.

There is another perspective written about in all the books, but not in detail. The fact that in order the men to have their quorum of wives and be able to produce the something like 50 children necessary for them to become gods and rule their own planets in the afterlife (seriously) there can't be too many men around. So they throw the teenage boys out at the slightest excuse. I want to hear their stories and I think I've found the book, [b:Lost Boy|10598246|Lost Boy|Brent W. Jeffs|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1298713277s/10598246.jpg|6499941] by [a:Brent W. Jeffs|2867694|Brent W. Jeffs|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg].

It's a good book, an excellent read, even from the point of view of watching someone absolutely power-hungry exercise it in every way, cruel or kind, but always self-serving and somehow or other hypnotises the people out of their senses so they let him get away with it. Dictators work that way too. Both of them have their cliques and cadres who are generously rewarded. It's all very Machiavellian - the control, the fear, the distancing of the powerful from the ordinary, the sheep.

The book is a real window on the world of this strange, dangerous and awfully sad cult. show less

This is a history of of the Fundamentalist Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) – that is, the polygamous Mormons. It does give an entire history, but focuses on more recent events since Warren Jeffs took over as Prophet. Many women have left the FLDS in the past couple of decades due to all kinds of abuse; as well, many boys have been kicked out. The book was published in 2008, so it ends after Jeffs’ trial for accessory to rape (? something along those lines), with the main witness being Elissa Wall (who wrote “Stolen Innocence” about her life as part of the FLDS). She was the first person to bring charges against Jeffs.

I have read a lot about the FLDS already, so I’ve heard a lot of this. This one, though, gave me more insight into show more the behind-the-scenes investigating of Jeffs and investigating the issues with abuse (and money) within the community. As usual, when I end one of these books, I need to look up what is happening with Jeffs at the moment – he is still in jail, but he still has followers. show less

This is the third book I have read about Warren Jeffs and his insanity. In way it was very good because it gives the reader a very broad look at that world. We get insight from people who lived in that world, are still living in it, and the outsiders who interacted with them. On the other hand it was disappointing because it does not go into what got Jeffs convicted; which is an audio tape of him raping an eleven-year-old girl. Now Jeffs did not and does not see it as rape, because he was 'marrying' her but it was rape. Singular does not do more than touch the YFZ ranch where law enforcement found everything that was needed to destroy him. I do not know why that was not touched on. So I really enjoyed this book until the end when it show more really just stops. So if you are interested in learning about how things started then try this book. But if you want the ending then try something else.

I give this book a Three out of Five stars. show less

Perhaps not as compelling as "Stolen Innocence," "When Men Become Gods" is a slightly more up-to-date expose of the FLDS church.

A good history of the polygamy and child abuse case against Warren Jeffs, prophet of the FLDS. The author developed an interest in the case at the very beginning, and followed it as it was happening. The book traces the history of the FLDS, and interviews many of the principals involved.

I didn't think it was possible to make such an interesting story sound so boring.