Church’s cruelty to its youth must stop

Elinor Holcomb, Las Vegas

Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2008 | 2:02 a.m.

Adolescence is recognized to be the most difficult and frightening period in the human life cycle, yet the aberrant Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints culture with impunity subjects its young girls to early sexual abuse and the minor boys to ejection from their homes and families — this in the name of freedom of religion.

Surely it is time these outrageous cruelties are halted! I applaud Sen. Harry Reid’s bill to create a federal task force to investigate and challenge these inhumane and illegal practices and to offer protection and assistance to these victimized young people.