Hadn't seen this posted... Dad sues to teach daughter about polygamy HALLAM, Pennsylvania (AP) -- Tracey L. Roberts isn't trying to stop her ex-husband from voicing his support of polygamy, a belief that broke up their marriage. But she doesn't want him teaching their 10-year-old daughter, Kaylynne, about the practice or exposing her to it in any way. She's won her point in a lower court but now her ex-husband, Stanley M. Shepp, has taken the case to the state Supreme Court. "Religious discussion in the home between a parent and a child has got to be the most sacred freedom-of-speech issue ever," Shepp said. Counters Roberts: "It's not an organized religion -- it's in his mind. Polygamy's illegal everyplace, and it's illegal for a whole lot of reasons." A judge in May 2002 granted Roberts and Shepp joint custody, saying Kaylynne would continue being raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. But Common Pleas Judge Stephen P. Linebaugh prohibited Shepp from "teaching (Kaylynne) about polygamy, plural marriages, or multiple wives," at least until she is 18. Shepp's belief in polygamy, Linebaugh wrote, "if he would follow through with it, would be not only illegal in Pennsylvania, but would also be immoral and illogical. The issue is not having such a belief, but his interest in pursuing that belief, which the testimony indicates he clearly would." Shepp's lawyer, Dann S. Johns, filed an appeal November 12 to the state Supreme Court. Roberts must respond by December 15. Shepp and Roberts met in 1991 at a Mormon church in York -- both had converted to the religion as adults. They married the following year. As Shepp's interest in polygamy grew, Roberts brought the matter to the attention of church elders. Eventually, the couple split, and the church excommunicated Shepp for his views. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints renounced polygamy in 1890 as part of a deal to grant Utah statehood, and the church now excommunicates those who practice or advocate it. Shepp, who remarried after splitting with Roberts, said he is not currently seeking another wife or wives. But he says he is convinced his status in the afterlife depends on it and does not believe state law prohibits it. The state Superior Court panel based its decision in part on a finding that exposing Kaylynne to polygamy posed a substantial threat to her. Roberts' lawyer, Richard K. Konkel, said learning about polygamy from her father could put Kaylynne at risk of "child abuse and sexual abuse and whatever else." "In a custody case, the best interests of the child is always paramount," Konkel said. Shepp said if he loses in the state Supreme Court, he will ask the U.S. Supreme Court to consider the case. Johns wrote that he was unable to find a U.S. Supreme Court precedent directly addressing parent-child religious speech in a custody case. Pennsylvania's law against bigamy bars married people from entering into an additional marriage. Among other things, Shepp's brief contends that taking a second wife in an informal "spiritual marriage," lacking legal documentation, would not run afoul of the bigamy statute.
"Alrighty, Kaylenne, thissun over heyar is Bubba. He's a gunna be yer first hubban and yer gunna have eight yunguns wid him. And then thissun over theyar is Cletus. He's a gunna be yer second hubban. Yer gunna have six yunguns wid him. Cletus shore is funny. Ask him to do his Dickel and terbacky trick fer ya!"
It wouldn't work in Utah, where they've started winning cases against people with informal second wives. But, I suppose the laws in PA are probably less robust. Sounds to me like he's playing with fire. He runs the risk of losing his part in joint custody. Couldn't they potentially use prosecutions for child endangerment or some such to knock him out of the parental picture altogether?
the informal marriages . .. are real . .for the law. . .but the informal marriages of gay folx .. isnt? Rocket River
I'm kinda surprise this thread has stayed alive this long.. it is SOP on this board to delete any and all threads that show the LDS in any kind of negative light. Although this incident is just about a member of that church and a church policy that it has officially stopped doing. There was a story about a practice the LDS WAS still practicing that got deleted within 10 mins of being posted on here http://www.billingsgazette.com/inde...003/12/06/build/nation/63-mormonsorthodox.inc It is about the LDS baptizing people into the LDS after they are dead. People that were jewish or catholic without their families being asked.
Well the Mormons actually excommunicated the guy over his views, so I'm not sure how it puts them in a bad light.
When I lived in Utah, I had my kitchen counters refinished by a polygamist. Didn't realize it until I saw him in Pizza Hut with 4 wives and 13 kids. He had a sheepish grin on his face. Later found out he lived in the desert and had each wife in a different trailor home. One of my buddies was also in fire and when he was on an assignment, Mrs. rimrocker and I would sometimes invite his wife and kids for a meal at a local eating establishment. I would get quite a few looks as I dined with my two "wives" and four "kids."
1. after 36 posts, how would you know that?? 2. i've found that to be untrue...i've made statements which have certainly been negative about the LDS, and have never found them deleted or altered.
did you read my post? I posted the article i refereced and within 10 mins it was deleted, no explaination given
Well, I personally don't see the harm in talking to his daughter about his beliefs no matter how silly (or even how illegal) they are. I'm sure andymoon wouldn't want the courts to tell him he couldn't teach his kids his personal opinions on the war on drugs. Drug use is illegal, but talking about drug use is not. Being pro-drugs is not even illegal. Polygamy is also illegal, but talking about it isn't. Even being for it isn't illegal. Teaching his daughter about polygamy in a positive light isn't going to get him any father of the year awards, but I don't think he should be forbidden from expressing his beliefs to his kid.
I am not sure how they even enforce that ruling. OTOH, pretend my name is Abraham. My son's name is Isaac...
