When I read Viktor Frankl’s book, “Man’s Search for Meaning” I was on the cusp of grappling a childhood filled with abuse and dysfunction Frankl states that “an abnormal reaction to an abnormal situation is normal

Polygamy has been around since ancient times It was lived by Jews, Muslims and Christians alike

I wanted to write my story It was that simple

Organized religion and the standards of marriage have been intertwined for centuries but in the early Roman period the Catholic Church eliminated other forms of marriage and established monogamy as the appropriate marital relationship As Christianity took root in Europe so did monogamy and other forms of marital relationships receded to the fringes of societies

Mormon fundamentalism is decidedly hierarchal as are many organized religions but in the case of Mormon fundamentalism there are also the factors of polygamy and patriarchy which are not merely cultural elements but are actual tenets or requirements in order to receive salvation There is much dysfunction and mismanagement of power because of the lack of democracy in these groups