"Polygamy is illegal in both Utah and Arizona. To avoid prosecution, typically men in Colorado City [a primarily fundamentalist mormon city straddling the border of the two states] will legally marry only the first of their wives; subsequent wives, although 'spiritually married' to their husband by Uncle Rulon [fundamental Mormon figurehead], thus remain single mothers in the eyes of the state. This has the added benefit of allowing the enormous families in town to qualify for welfare and other forms of public assistance. Despite the fact that Uncle Rulon and his followers regard the governments of Utah, Arizona and the United States as Satanic forces out to destroy the UEP [United Effort Plan, aka Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints], their polygamous community receives mote than $6 million a year in public funds."
-Jon Krakauer, Under the Banner of Heaven
What sayest thou? Religious freedom or vagabonds deserving incarceration?