Press Release: Cult Expert Comments on FLDS Court Decision

Steven Hassan, leading cult expert and licensed mental health counselor is available as your guest to comment about the recent decision in Texas regarding the FLDS.

Steve Hassan says, “On the face of it, the Supreme Court’s 6-3 vote to support the Appellate Court reversal of Judge Walther’s decision—to remove the children from the FLDS compound in Eldorado—might look like a blow but I don’t see it that way. The fact is, the overall situation is vastly improved for the children and other members of the group and there is great hope. First of all, I predict there will not be any more so-called “spiritual” marriages involving underage children. Second, the investigation into the facts of child sexual abuse—of girls as well as boys—has begun and is set to continue. Third, despite the upset brought about by the dramatic intervention by Texas Child Protective Services, the children and other members of the FLDS group have no doubt had many, many positive experiences with people in the real world, as evidenced by the tearful goodbyes when they had to go back. Fourth, the “genie is out of the bottle” and the FLDS leadership will have a very difficult time re-indoctrinating everyone into “keeping sweet”—the mind control state of complete and unquestioning obedience—because so many members have now seen and experienced so many positives of being outside the closed, totalitarian community. For example, FLDS teaches that African Americans are creatures of the devil and yet the children, who have met and been helped by black caregivers, now have found them to be filled with intelligence, love and spirit. Even the adults of the community have had positive experiences interacting with lawyers, media people and others who have helped them regain access to their children. Lastly, the media coverage has shed a light on the realities of mind control: FLDS is only one of many authoritarian groups in the United States, daily denying basic human rights to their members and all too often perpetrating the vilest of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse.”

There are many ideas that Steve Hassan can share about how to help continue the positive progress to help members of FLDS and others. Recently, Hassan trained the state of Utah and Arizona to help teach workers on how to help cult members. In recent years, he counseled several runaway girls from FLDS who left to escape polygamy.

More about Steven Hassan

With more than 30 years of frontline activism exposing destructive cults, Hassan has appeared on almost every major news program including: Larry King, Dateline, 60 Minutes, O’Reilly Factor to name just a few. Hassan is the founder of Freedom of Mind Resource Center www.freedomofmind.com, and the author of two critically acclaimed books – Combatting Cult Mind Control: The #1 Best-selling Guide to Protection, Rescue, and Recovery from Destructive Cults (1988), and Releasing the Bonds: Empowering People to Think for Themselves (2000).

To interview Steven Hassan contact:
Donna Rooney Tel. 914 669 5990