(2005, p. 134). Furthermore, within days Beck
recounted that her mother denied the
conversation (2005, p. 131). Beck seemed to
suggest that church gender norms dictated her
mother’s actions. Yet, this deviation
demonstrated her mother’s behavioral
inconsistencies and nonunitary subjectivity.
Noncompliance Through Religion
Noncompliance through religious mechanisms
involved complying with certain religious
demands in an effort to avoid complying with
others. Authors suggested that parents who did
not comply through the religion (with the
exception of Rix’s parents) found little relief.
These efforts ranged from finding ways to
accept a child’s sexual orientation to requesting
reassignment (divorce and remarriage to a man
whom the FLDS church authority determined).
Each of these cases demonstrated role conflict
and emotional strain for parents.
Jallen Rix wrote that he was raised in a
“stereotypical middle-class, tract-house family”
(2010, p. 17). He stated, “My childhood was
wonderful,” but provided examples of his
parents’ strict discipline and traditional gender
roles, which suppressed his sexual identity
(2010, pp. 24–26). When Rix informed his
parents that he was homosexual, he said his
mother responded, “This is worse than when
your sister died” (2010, p. 105). Church
members pressured Rix’s parents to
excommunicate him (2010, p. 206). Rix
understood the influence of his parents’ beliefs
on their interactions because he had once
attempted to become an ex-gay. The ex-gay
movement involved Christian organizations
attempting to convert homosexuals into either
heterosexual or sexually inactive beings.
Yet, Rix stated he always hoped his parents
could accommodate their beliefs in order to
accept and love him. His parents maintained
their religious beliefs, but over the years became
more accepting. When Rix’s 12-year
relationship fell apart, his mother was supportive
(Rix, 2010, p. 218). She said it would have been
easier if he had married a woman, but expressed
her love: “I was so shocked at what she said that
I wasn’t able to absorb the genuine love that she
was giving” (2010, p. 219). During one meeting
with his father, Rix said he voiced concern that
the conversation would become another
argument about his sexuality, but stated that his
father said those days were over (2010, p. 219).
Wall (2009) shared a dramatic example of
noncompliance. Wall’s mother, Sharon,
struggled to protect her children without shaking
her FLDS beliefs, which dictated that she “keep
sweet.” Keeping sweet was a common term
throughout FLDS memoirs it meant “submitting
to its rules and leader and through him, God, not
grudgingly but happily” (Jeffs, 2009, p. 17).
When Wall’s home became tumultuous after her
father took a third wife, Sharon refused to keep
sweet and talked to the prophet (Wall, 2009,
p. 19). As a result, church leadership reassigned
her to a new husband. Wall explained, “I didn’t
understand what Mom was trying to do, but I
realize now that she was just trying to do the
best for her kids” (2009, p. 88). The
reassignment, however, diminished Sharon’s
ability to protect Wall because her new husband
intended to force 14-year-old Wall into marriage
with Wall’s first cousin.
After attempting to coax Wall to follow through
with the wedding, Sharon again attempted to
protect her through religious structures:
Now finally she was trying to lobby on
my behalf, but as a woman, Mom had
no sway with Uncle Fred [her second-
husband] or the prophet. Still, it made
me love my mother even more to know
that she was listening to me when it
seemed no one else was. (Wall, 2009, p.
148)
Wall evaluated Sharon’s actions based on her
mother’s intentions. Wall narrated about
nonunitary subjectivity when she recognized that
Sharon’s love and protective attempts were
overshadowed by nearly unconscious
compliance: “Knowing the strength of my
mother’s belief, I guess it never crossed her
mind to question whether this church, this life,
was right if it forced her fourteen-year-old
daughter into marriage” (Wall, 2009, p. 154).
Sharon’s meek noncompliance, however,
demonstrated that she questioned Wall’s
marriage.
26 International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 6, 2015
recounted that her mother denied the
conversation (2005, p. 131). Beck seemed to
suggest that church gender norms dictated her
mother’s actions. Yet, this deviation
demonstrated her mother’s behavioral
inconsistencies and nonunitary subjectivity.
Noncompliance Through Religion
Noncompliance through religious mechanisms
involved complying with certain religious
demands in an effort to avoid complying with
others. Authors suggested that parents who did
not comply through the religion (with the
exception of Rix’s parents) found little relief.
These efforts ranged from finding ways to
accept a child’s sexual orientation to requesting
reassignment (divorce and remarriage to a man
whom the FLDS church authority determined).
Each of these cases demonstrated role conflict
and emotional strain for parents.
Jallen Rix wrote that he was raised in a
“stereotypical middle-class, tract-house family”
(2010, p. 17). He stated, “My childhood was
wonderful,” but provided examples of his
parents’ strict discipline and traditional gender
roles, which suppressed his sexual identity
(2010, pp. 24–26). When Rix informed his
parents that he was homosexual, he said his
mother responded, “This is worse than when
your sister died” (2010, p. 105). Church
members pressured Rix’s parents to
excommunicate him (2010, p. 206). Rix
understood the influence of his parents’ beliefs
on their interactions because he had once
attempted to become an ex-gay. The ex-gay
movement involved Christian organizations
attempting to convert homosexuals into either
heterosexual or sexually inactive beings.
Yet, Rix stated he always hoped his parents
could accommodate their beliefs in order to
accept and love him. His parents maintained
their religious beliefs, but over the years became
more accepting. When Rix’s 12-year
relationship fell apart, his mother was supportive
(Rix, 2010, p. 218). She said it would have been
easier if he had married a woman, but expressed
her love: “I was so shocked at what she said that
I wasn’t able to absorb the genuine love that she
was giving” (2010, p. 219). During one meeting
with his father, Rix said he voiced concern that
the conversation would become another
argument about his sexuality, but stated that his
father said those days were over (2010, p. 219).
Wall (2009) shared a dramatic example of
noncompliance. Wall’s mother, Sharon,
struggled to protect her children without shaking
her FLDS beliefs, which dictated that she “keep
sweet.” Keeping sweet was a common term
throughout FLDS memoirs it meant “submitting
to its rules and leader and through him, God, not
grudgingly but happily” (Jeffs, 2009, p. 17).
When Wall’s home became tumultuous after her
father took a third wife, Sharon refused to keep
sweet and talked to the prophet (Wall, 2009,
p. 19). As a result, church leadership reassigned
her to a new husband. Wall explained, “I didn’t
understand what Mom was trying to do, but I
realize now that she was just trying to do the
best for her kids” (2009, p. 88). The
reassignment, however, diminished Sharon’s
ability to protect Wall because her new husband
intended to force 14-year-old Wall into marriage
with Wall’s first cousin.
After attempting to coax Wall to follow through
with the wedding, Sharon again attempted to
protect her through religious structures:
Now finally she was trying to lobby on
my behalf, but as a woman, Mom had
no sway with Uncle Fred [her second-
husband] or the prophet. Still, it made
me love my mother even more to know
that she was listening to me when it
seemed no one else was. (Wall, 2009, p.
148)
Wall evaluated Sharon’s actions based on her
mother’s intentions. Wall narrated about
nonunitary subjectivity when she recognized that
Sharon’s love and protective attempts were
overshadowed by nearly unconscious
compliance: “Knowing the strength of my
mother’s belief, I guess it never crossed her
mind to question whether this church, this life,
was right if it forced her fourteen-year-old
daughter into marriage” (Wall, 2009, p. 154).
Sharon’s meek noncompliance, however,
demonstrated that she questioned Wall’s
marriage.
26 International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 6, 2015
