This book was sent to my blog by the author and I wasn’t sure what to expect but was it ever a wild ride. The book is called Destroying Their God by Wallace Jeffs.
Synopsis: In 1991, Wallace Jeffs was coerced to become an FLDS polygamist.
In 2011, Wallace rebelled against the sect, and the FBI helped him reclaim his kidnapped children.
Then an “accident” put Wallace into a forty-five-day coma.
Growing up as half-brother to future Fundamentalist Latter-Day Saint prophet Warren Jeffs, Wallace tried to follow FLDS teachings. After he built a successful business, the church required him to marry a second wife. Wallace fathered twenty children, but he never felt comfortable with polygamy or many other FLDS beliefs.
As his prophet-brother increasingly manipulated him, Wallace started hearing about FLDS atrocities. On the day the FBI arrested Warren Jeffs for child rape, the prophet was en route to reclaim Wallace’s second wife for himself. Wallace defied the prophet and soon ended up in a coma. Though Wallace feared FLDS sabotage caused his car crash, he kept fighting the sect.
With today’s movement against male abusers, Wallace’s story reminds us that power and position don’t corrupt all men. In 2018, Wallace found resolution by marrying an LDS woman in the Salt Lake Temple. At the same time, he renews our concern for the thousands who still live under FLDS control, including some of Wallace’s own children.
This book was WILD. The FLDS definitely feels like a cult to me with everything that goes on within that sect and it was very interesting to get the perspective of a former FLDS member. I can only imagine what it would be like to grow up this way thinking that all of the stuff happening here is normal to then find out that it is really not okay.
The book deals with a lot of triggering content and I honestly couldn’t believe that all of this could happen but it did and its awful. Some of that content includes:
- Grooming
- Rape
- Gaslighting
- Pedophelia
- Child Abuse
- Incest
It is really amazing to see the lengths that someone will go to hide the truth of a situation. I couldn’t believe that this actually happened until I looked it up.
The amount of blind faith people have in a single person is kind of scary. I feel like I would know that something was off about this “prophet” that was leading the group if I was in the situation but I’m not taking into account the fact that I grew up with outside influences and wasn’t contained to this one way of living.
If you want to learn more about the FLDS from and insider’s perspective then this would be a good book to read. Just remember that there is a lot of content that could be triggering.
Book Rating: 3/5
You can buy this book on Amazon and find it on Goodreads.
Disclaimer: I was sent this book by the author in paperback format to read and give an honest review.
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Brought back by popular demand, I had my boyfriend choose all the books I will be reading this month! Watch as I get surprised by his selection and see my initial reactions to what I will be reading. Let me know in the comments which you have read and what you think I should start with!
Check out the video below:
