Thom Hartmann: Mormons, Polygamy, Sex Tapes & Pedophiles

[thomhartmann]

Run time: 06:23 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5wGLFXrHjk   Posted on YouTube: August 04, 2011 By YouTube Member: TheBigPictureRT Views on YouTube: 144   Posted on DU: August 04, 2011 By DU Member: thomhartmann Views on DU: 963

 
With Sanjiv Bhattacharya, writer/journalist/editor / US correspondent for Esquire UK. Two of the Republican Party's presidential candidates are Mormons, and a new lawsuit in Utah seeks to decriminalize polygamy for Mormons, whose sacred texts some interpret as recommending multiple wives for a man to get into heaven. Mitt Romney's great-grandfather had four wives, and his great-great grandfather apparently had 30 wives. And speaking of polygamous Mormons, today is day eight of the Warren Jeffs trial in Texas. Jeffs is the leader of the Mormon polygamist sect known as the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints - and he is charged with sexually assaulting two underage girls by raping - he called it marrying - a 12-year-old and impregnating a 15-year-old. Today - Prosecutors played for jurors a 21-minute sex tape Jeffs had recorded - allegedly featuring Jeffs and the 12-year-old girl. Toward the end of the tape - after what sounds like heavy panting - Jeffs is heard saying, "In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen," To which the 12-year-old - echoed, "Amen." The prosecution then rested its case - and the attention now turns to Jeffs to mount a defense...all on his own - because he fired his entire legal team on Friday - when he decided to defend himself by sermonizing to the jury - and justifying the religious tenets of his church. So what is it exactly that motivates Jeffs and other polygamist Mormons - and what could this trial mean for their community? With two Republican candidates for President - Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman - practicing Mormons - and one of the lead voices on the Right - Glenn Back - a practicing Mormon - don't expect the debate over this controversial religion to subside anytime soon.

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