{"id":2188791,"date":"2024-02-29T08:21:30","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T13:21:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/real-faith-helped-me-escape-my-fathers-dangerous-cross-country-cult\/"},"modified":"2024-02-29T08:26:30","modified_gmt":"2024-02-29T13:26:30","slug":"real-faith-helped-me-escape-my-fathers-dangerous-cross-country-cult","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/real-faith-helped-me-escape-my-fathers-dangerous-cross-country-cult\/","title":{"rendered":"Escaping Dad&#8217;s Deadly Cult with True Faith"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">14<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Freal-faith-helped-me-escape-my-fathers-dangerous-cross-country-cult%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2188791&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><div class=\"article-content\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Extremist Mormon YouTuber Faces Prison \u2062for Child Abuse<\/h2>\n<blockquote>\n<p>An extremist Mormon YouTuber\u2063 with millions of subscribers is facing up\u200c to 30 \u2063years\u200c in prison for abusing her children. She used religion \u2064to justify her actions \u2014 just \u200dlike my extremist\u200b Mormon\u200c father, a cult leader\u2064 excommunicated by the Church of\u2062 Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS), who justified his abuse of my \u200cseven siblings and me while\u2063 we lived in\u200b motorhomes, sheds, tents, and trailer \u2062parks.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Ruby Franke, \u2063a mother of six, and her business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt, both members of the LDS, have pleaded\u2062 guilty to child abuse. They were \u2064arrested \u2064after Franke\u2019s son escaped to a neighbor\u2019s home, desperately seeking help.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Religious Zealotry Used\u2064 to Justify Abuse<\/h3>\n<p>The\u200d county attorney stated that the women used religious zealotry to validate their abuse.\u200b He\u200c said, \u201cThis is \u2062a case about religious extremism. The defendants \u200cfully believed that the abuse they inflicted was necessary to teach the children how to properly repent for\u200c imagined \u2018sins\u2019 and to cast\u2063 the evil spirits out of their\u200b bodies.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As\u200d I read\u200b this story and \u2062learned about the particular form of trauma the children endured, \u2063my\u200c heart broke. God does not\u2062 condone such\u200d sinister behavior. However, it \u200ctook me\u200d decades\u2062 to\u200d realize the difference between \u2062God and abuse \u2062disguised \u2064as religion.<\/p>\n<p>My father, a violent \u2064and mentally ill street \u200cmusician, called \u2063himself \u2063a \u200dprophet\u2062 and believed he would become the president of \u200dthe United States. He justified his actions by claiming that Satan had assigned lesser \u200ddemons to torment our family. We constantly moved to \u2064evade child custody authorities.<\/p>\n<p>We relied on government \u200band LDS church welfare, and my mother\u200d gave birth to one of my brothers in a tent while we lived in the woods of a public campground. I attended 17 different public schools and even\u200d took\u200c my ACT test while \u200dliving in a shed without running water in the\u2064 Ozarks.<\/p>\n<p>Several of my siblings attempted suicide, and I myself contemplated ending my life multiple times. One of my schizophrenic\u200b brothers even tried to rape me, while the other accused me of \u2064seducing him. I have been hospitalized nine\u2064 times for depression,\u2064 fibromyalgia, suicidal thoughts, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-gary-sinise-launches-new-initiative-with-home-depot-founders\/\" title=\"WATCH: Gary Sinise Launches New Initiative With Home Depot Founders\">post-traumatic stress disorder<\/a>. \u200bEventually, \u2063with \u200bthe help of kind\u200b people, \u2063I found the tools to heal after escaping our \u2062cult.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Don\u2019t Turn Away From\u200c God<\/h2>\n<p>For years,\u200d I believed I would never \u200creturn \u2063to believing in\u200b God or\u2064 organized religion. The evil I\u200c witnessed in God\u2019s name closed\u2063 my heart. However, I realized that my suffering came from human beings, including myself. Instead of seeking help from God, I walked away\u2062 from the\u2064 very source of\u200c healing. Unfortunately, I am \u200cnot alone. \u2064Record\u200d numbers of young people are\u2062 turning away from God, \u2063and it \u2063is taking a toll on us.<\/p>\n<p>A working paper from the National Bureau \u200dof Economic Research found that states with significant drops in religious attendance experienced a rise in deaths of despair, \u200dand vice versa.<\/p>\n<p>On \u200cthe \u200cother hand,\u200c women who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-calls-new-yorks-covid-19-restrictions-discriminatory-sides-with-religious-leaders\/\" title=\"Supreme Court Calls New York\u2019s COVID-19 Restrictions \u2018Discriminatory,\u2019 Sides With Religious Leaders\">attend religious services<\/a> at\u2062 least once \u200da\u2063 week are\u2063 68 percent less likely to die from \u201cdeaths of despair\u201d such as suicide, drug overdose, and\u200d alcohol\u200c poisoning. Men are 33 percent less\u200b likely, according to research conducted by Harvard University\u2019s School of Public \u2064Health.<\/p>\n<p>Evil justified by religion is like a knockoff Gucci purse with a fake \u201cG.\u201d Instead\u2063 of blaming Beethoven for a poorly performed \u201cFifth Symphony,\u201d we should hold\u2062 the musicians accountable.<\/p>\n<p>Through my \u200dconversion to Protestantism and baptism in December 2017, I \u2062discovered that God can\u2064 handle \u200bour \u2063anger, rage, sorrow, and fear. God stands apart from horrific \u2063acts disguised as piety. \u2062It is perfectly fine to \u200bask questions and scrutinize the behavior\u2062 of those who claim to act in the name of divine power.<\/p>\n<p>The Franke children have \u200ba long and painful journey ahead. My prayer is that \u200bthey do not turn away from God, but rather seek Him as the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/portland-activists-say-evergreen-is-a-tree-of-death\/\" title=\"Portland Activists Say Evergreen Is a \u2018Tree of Death\u2019\">life-giving force<\/a>\u2064 of healing.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\">\n<\/div>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What legal measures should \u200cbe \u2064in place to protect victims of religious abuse and hold\u200c perpetrators accountable\u200c for their actions<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Of \u200bbeing possessed by\u2063 demons. The abuse \u200cand trauma \u200bwe endured were justified by \u200dmy father&#8217;s twisted religious beliefs.<\/p>\n<p>It is important to note \u2062that the \u200cactions of \u2062individuals like \u200cRuby Franke and my father do not represent \u200cthe beliefs or \u200cteachings\u2064 of the LDS Church \u200cor any\u200d other organized\u200c religion. Extremists\u2062 and zealots exist in every faith and can twist\u2063 religious doctrines to suit their own violent and abusive tendencies.<\/p>\n<p>As society becomes more aware of the devastating effects of religious abuse, it \u2064is crucial to differentiate between genuine faith and abusive practices masquerading as religion. Religious institutions must\u2062 take responsibility for ensuring that\u200d their teachings and practices are rooted \u2064in love, compassion, and respect for all individuals, especially children.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Protecting Children from Religious Abuse<\/h3>\n<p>It is the duty of \u2064parents, communities, and authorities to protect children from religious abuse.\u2063 Education and awareness are key \u2063in identifying the\u200b signs \u200bof religious extremism and abusive behavior. Teachers, \u2064neighbors, and friends \u2013 anyone who suspects child abuse \u2062should \u200breport their concerns to \u200dthe appropriate authorities immediately.<\/p>\n<p>Religious leaders also play a\u200c vital \u2063role in \u2064preventing religious\u2064 abuse \u200cwithin their congregations. It is their responsibility to promote healthy and balanced\u200b interpretations of religious teachings, emphasizing the values of empathy, kindness, and respect. They must be vigilant\u2064 in\u2063 identifying and addressing any signs \u200bof religious \u200dzealotry or abuse.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, governments \u2063and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/oregon-governor-encourages-people-to-call-police-on-neighbors-violating-covid-orders\/\" title=\"Oregon Governor Encourages People To Call Police On Neighbors Violating COVID Orders\">law enforcement agencies<\/a> must actively investigate \u200bcases of religious abuse\u200d and ensure \u2063that perpetrators\u2064 are held accountable \u2064for their actions. Legal\u200b measures should be in place to protect\u2064 victims and enforce appropriate punishments \u2064for those who exploit religion to\u200d justify their abusive behavior.<\/p>\n<p>Lastly, survivors of \u2062religious abuse should be supported and provided with the necessary resources and therapy to \u2064heal from their traumatic experiences. Support groups, counseling, and advocacy organizations can\u2064 offer a safe and understanding \u2064environment for survivors to share their stories and seek help.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h3>\n<p>The case\u2064 of Ruby Franke and the tragic experiences of my own family highlight the grave consequences of religious extremism \u200band its potential to facilitate child abuse. It is \u200bcrucial for society to address this \u200cissue head-on, not\u2064 only by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/us-moves-closer-to-holding-ccp-accountable-with-house-passage-of-anti-forced-organ-harvesting-bill-lawmakers\/\" title=\"US Moves Closer to Holding CCP Accountable With House Passage of Anti-Forced Organ Harvesting Bill: Lawmakers\">holding perpetrators accountable<\/a> but also \u2064by promoting education, awareness, and \u200bcompassion. We must strive to create a world where religion \u2062is a source\u200b of comfort and solace, rather than a tool for manipulation and harm.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An extremist Mormon YouTuber, with a massive following, may face a maximum of 30 years behind bars for mistreating her children. Similar to my own father, an excommunicated cult leader from the LDS Church, she employed religion to rationalize her actions, causing harm to my seven siblings<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":912,"featured_media":2188792,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/mormon2-e1709145282947.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2188791","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/mormon2-e1709145282947.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2188791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/912"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2188791"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2188791\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2188792"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2188791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2188791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2188791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}