Ever had that moment where you’re deep in a true crime rabbit hole at 2 AM and think, “Well, at least I’m not in a cult”? Same. But for thousands of FLDS members, Warren Jeffs wasn’t just some creepy guy they read about online – he was their “prophet.”
And boy, did this prophet have some opinions.
While I was researching Jeffs for my criminology thesis years ago (before I sold my soul to corporate America), I discovered teachings so bizarre they made my thesis advisor actually gasp. Not a small feat for a woman who collected serial killer memorabilia.
Let’s dive into the five most jaw-dropping Warren Jeffs teachings that’ll have you triple-checking your doors tonight.
1. Black People Are Cursed (Yes, Really)
Jeffs taught his followers that people with African ancestry were literally cursed by God as descendants of Cain. According to his twisted theology, Black people were inherently evil and spiritually inferior.
This wasn’t just some fringe belief he kept to himself. This racist garbage was actively taught in FLDS schools and from their pulpits. Children grew up learning that an entire race was “cursed” – talk about poisoning young minds faster than a badly preserved home canning project.
The Southern Poverty Law Center tracks hate groups like the FLDS, noting how their racist teachings created a culture of segregation and prejudice that continues to impact former members.
2. Homosexuality = Murder (According to Warren’s Math)
In Jeffs’ moral equation, being gay wasn’t just a sin – it was equivalent to murder. He preached that homosexuality was a sign of societal decay and would bring divine punishment.
This teaching created an environment where LGBTQ+ individuals within the community faced impossible choices: suppress their identity entirely, face exile, or worse.
(Ryan once asked why I was so obsessed with researching cults. This is why, honey – because understanding extremism helps us recognize when “religious freedom” becomes dangerous control.)
3. Women Are Basically Baby Factories
If you thought The Handmaid’s Tale was fiction, Jeffs’ teachings about women might change your mind.
Women in the FLDS were taught their sole purpose was to:
- Be completely submissive to their husbands
- Have as many children as physically possible
- Never question male authority
- Dress in pioneer-style clothing (those prairie dresses weren’t a fashion choice)
The documentary “Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey” shows the reality of life for FLDS women – and it’s as disturbing as finding a bloody fingerprint at a crime scene.
4. More Wives = Better Heaven (Celestial Polygamy)
Jeffs taught that a man needed at least three wives to reach the highest level of heaven. More wives and more children meant higher status in the afterlife – as subtle as a bloodstain on white carpet.
This teaching led to:
- Men competing for young brides
- Underage marriages (which eventually led to Jeffs’ imprisonment)
- The “reassignment” of wives and children if men fell out of favor
- Young men being exiled from the community to reduce competition (the “Lost Boys”)
When your theology is basically “collect women like Pokémon cards to level up in heaven,” you might be running a cult, not a church.
5. The Outside World Is Literally Satan’s Playground
Jeffs ordered his followers to withdraw completely from mainstream society. Children were pulled from public schools, members were forbidden from watching TV or using the internet, and contact with non-FLDS people was severely restricted.
This isolation wasn’t just about spiritual purity – it was a control tactic straight out of Cult Leadership 101. When you control what information people can access, you control their reality.
Researchers at Sunstone have documented how Jeffs maintained his iron grip over followers through information control and isolation – classic cult tactics that would make Jim Jones nod in approval.
The Aftermath
Despite being sentenced to life plus 20 years in prison, Jeffs continues to influence thousands from behind bars. Former members report he still sends “revelations” and directives to his followers.
Would I have survived in the FLDS? Absolutely not. My tendency to question authority and inability to keep my mouth shut would have had me exiled faster than you can say “prairie dress.”
The most terrifying part? These teachings didn’t happen centuries ago or in some remote corner of the world. They happened – and continue to happen – right here in modern America.
Sleep tight, fellow crime junkies. And maybe check your locks one more time.