[Updated, 7:50 p.m. ET] A source familiar with the medical condition of polygamist leader Warren Jeffs' medical condition told CNN Monday that Jeffs was in a coma. The source did not provide further details.
The source's information came after Texas prison officials said Jeffs was in critical condition at a hospital following a fast.
[Initial post, 1:07 p.m. ET] Polygamist leader Warren Jeffs was in critical condition in a Texas hospital Monday after falling ill during a fast, state prison officials said.
The leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a breakaway Mormon sect, was sentenced to life plus 20 years in early August after being convicted of sexually assaulting two girls he claimed were his "spiritual wives."
Jason Clark, a spokesman for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, said Jeffs was sent to a hospital in Tyler on Sunday night and was in critical but stable condition Monday.
"He was not eating or drinking enough fluids and also has some other medical conditions," Clark said without elaborating, citing inmate privacy rules.
Jeffs told prison officials he was not on a hunger strike but that he had been "fasting," Clark said.
Read CNN's full coverage of Warren Jeffs' hospitalization in Texas
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It's called "committing suicide" plain and simple! Jeffs knows he will never be able to go back to the lifestyle he once lived, therefore he would rather be dead.
I missed the Bible passage where that is condoned. Someone help me out. Might be right next to the one about marrying multiple 12-14 year old girls, but I supposed I missed that one as well.
He needs to eat weiner
He is NOT mainstream Mormon, or LDS. He is a spinoff fundamentalist. How long will it take people to realize that this is not the Salt Lake City based LDS church we're talking about?
And the Taliban is not mainstream Islam, Westboro Baptist Church is not mainstream Christianity, etc. All religions are prone to radical interpretation of doctrine.
We know, we just like to poke fun at our LDS friends. Maybe others are ignorant enough to think that the two are the same, but most of us know, we just have fun with it.
I suggest cleaning up on your Morman history. Joseph Smith said polygamy was ordained by god and fundamental to the church's doctrinal teachings. His successor, Brigham Young also taught polygamy and went as far as trying to secede from the Union as the Federal Government passed anti-polygamy laws. It was only when the Union Armies showed up in Utah when the Mormon church stopped ordaining polygamy, but many continued to practice polygamy in secret. These people are the breakaway church that Jeffs represetns. They also represent the Lafferty brotehrs, who famously killed one of their sisters-in-law and 14 month old baby for trying to protect young women from polygamist leaders. All in, polygamy is still at the root of the Mormon church, they merely do it in hiding. That being said, we know that many towns in rural Colorado and Utah are sustained by polygamy. The men simply lawfully marry one woman and have as many kids as possible. Then they spiritually marry dozens of other women, and have as many children as possible with them too. Then they claim welfare as single mothers. This federal money then goes into a kitty which supports the town. Since Mormans are against the federald goverment, they don't mind stealing tax money from you and me. Leaders of the church drive fancy cars and have private plane – all on your tax dollars.
Actually, one could make the argument that the current LDS church beliefs are a spinoff from Joseph Smith's original fundamental prophecies. He started circulating the idea of polygamy/celestial wives just before he was killed. Only his inner circle really new about it. When he died, the polygamy and non-polygamy camps were vying for control of the church. Brigham Young, who was in the polygamy camp, won control of the LDS church. The LDS church basically went to war with the US government to preserve polygamy, but eventually gave it up to prevent being exterminated. Polygamy was one of the most fundamental beliefs of LDS, hence these FLDS sects that still try to practice it. Ultimately, it is one of the original tenants of the church. It is now one of those ugly memories in the LDS church, along with all of the bloodshed and violence they caused.
Someone You Don't Know
You've read Under the Banner of Heavy too, right?
No, @Luke, polygamy is NOT 'done in hiding.' A member of the LDS church who practiced polygamy today would no longer BE a member of the LDS church. And @SomeoneYouDontKnow, you seem utterly ignorant of the fact that another one of Joseph Smith's basic tenets was that we believe in "obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law." That's why polygamy was stopped when anti-polygamy laws were passed and upheld in the courts.
Lin
False. Utterly false. Joseph Smith and his successors secretly practiced polygamy while telling their flocks they didn't. We know this because some of the spiritual wives bravely published autobiographies. We also know this because of current day horrors such as the Lafferty murders and kidnappings such as Elzabeth Smart. This breakaway group flourishes still today. The Saints only publically said they would stop polygamy due to mounting political and moral pressure coming from the States in the 1880s. In secret, there are still many breakaway churches that spiritually marry young girls to old men and then commit welfare fraud to sustain their churchs and towns. This is a fact and you do not get to argue it. If you don't believe me, drive into one of the towns. I believe Colorado City is a fine example. We also have sects in Canada and Mexico that were set up to avoid pressure from the US. Jeffs is just one of many of this guys.
other medical condition= AIDS lol
Let him die.
I almost agree with you, except I'd prefer he suffer. I say bring him back to stable and prevent him from killing himself. I want him to rot to death.
Better he should rot in jail than take the easy way out. Too bad we won't be able to get his reaction to his "life after death".
Good stuff...might end up saving the people a few bucks on their taxes
I don't want him to die. I want him to sit in that prison everyday and be miserable. he made others miserable, why should he get off so easy?
Why does a serial rapist make the news when he gets the sniffles?
Is there a speed limit on fasting?
That guy needs shanked with a shive in the prison shower. Fundemtalist Mormons are weirdos, just like the other cult members.
force feed him Happy Meals – that'll teach 'em
HAHA! He'll explode!
They need to let the rubbish die.
Put him in general population – problem solved.
Are his pretend wives not bringing him any pretend food?
We're over with him. He is where he belongs. Let's not humor him any longer and worry about his health or eating patterns.