Destroying Their God

Destroying Their God 

Destroying Their God is the latest novel to be checked off my to be read list. It is a story about Wallace Jeffs, brother to notorious polygamist Warren Jeffs, a name most people know from the news. 

“Jessica and Stacy could not have been more opposite, not only in looks but also in personality. Stacy was a wonderful homemaker, while Jessica was a tomboy who loved being outdoors and getting her clothes dirty. Jessica was good with the children and had a strong sense of fun, always making up creative things for them to do. Each of their strengths complemented the other’s, and my children had the blessing of a well-rounded upbringing in a home full of love.” 

Wallace Jeffs, Destroying Their God

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Have you read Destroying Their God? Come on in and let me tell you about it! 

About Destroying Their God 

In 1991, Wallace Jeffs was coerced to become an FLDS polygamist.

In 2011, Wallace rebelled against the sect, and the FBI helped him reclaim his kidnapped children.

Then an “accident” put Wallace into a forty-five-day coma.

Growing up as half-brother to future Fundamentalist Latter-Day Saint prophet Warren Jeffs, Wallace tried to follow FLDS teachings. After he built a successful business, the church required him to marry a second wife. Wallace fathered twenty children, but he never felt comfortable with polygamy or many other FLDS beliefs.

As his prophet-brother increasingly manipulated him, Wallace started hearing about FLDS atrocities. On the day the FBI arrested Warren Jeffs for child rape, the prophet was en route to reclaim Wallace’s second wife for himself. Wallace defied the prophet and soon ended up in a coma. Though Wallace feared FLDS sabotage caused his car crash, he kept fighting the sect.

With today’s movement against male abusers, Wallace’s story reminds us that power and position don’t corrupt all men. In 2018, Wallace found resolution by marrying an LDS woman in the Salt Lake Temple. At the same time, he renews our concern for the thousands who still live under FLDS control, including some of Wallace’s own children.  

Thoughts on Destroying Their God 

I recently watched an episode of the show Evil Lives Here, which featured Wallace Jeffs talking about escaping the FLDS church and his experiences. I’ve seen other documentaries with other family members who have been abused, escaped, and much more. It always makes me want to throw up, to be perfectly honest. 

I had never heard of Wallace Jeffs before that, but obviously his name makes me think of Warren Jeffs, and that is what prompted me to go searching to see if there were other documentaries or books, as I wanted to know more. 

It is interesting that the show didn’t mention his car accident or that Warren Jeffs was likely behind this accident happening. My first thought was, wow. I dislike my family because I grew up with a textbook narcissist, and have cut contact with them, but I had never considered murdering them. Have they considered murdering me? This seemed like a wild and far-fetched idea to me that someone would try to have their own brother killed. So I wanted to know more. 

“A blessing offered but rejected becomes a cursing.” 

Wallace Jeffs, Destroying Their God

I have always been fascinated by polygamous couples and that lifestyle, and the show Sister Wives probably sparked that. I wondered if it was possible to actually live that kind of lifestyle, with more than one partner, and be successful? Are women confident enough in themselves to be successful? Is it just an ego boost to men? Are we as people just culturally programmed that we are supposed to be monogamous and only love one person? Are all polygamists like Warren Jeffs? I have lots of thought-provoking questions about the whole idea, and especially if we remove the religious and abusive aspects of it and look at it as a lifestyle choice. 

But this book didn’t give me any insight into these thoughts. In fact, it often told me that these women didn’t have choices, and didn’t get along or were not confident enough in themselves to coexist with sister wives. It was more about control, ego, numbers, and producing babies. 

I also found it so disgusting how wives could be reassigned to another man for any reason. The concepts of love and stability, especially for the kids, just didn’t exist. 

“A pit opens in my stomach whenever I think that, even today, FLDS people still think their children are safe. To maintain his reign as prophet, all Warren needs to do is control the children. No wonder he and Lyle have kicked out so many adults.” 

Wallace Jeffs, Destroying Their God

It is certainly no surprise to me that Warren Jeffs idolized Adolf Hitler and wanted to be like him. Besides mass murders, he came pretty damn close. I do want to add that ANY time someone tries to isolate you, from your family, friends, anyone, media, from obtaining an education, anything like that, it is for control. That’s it. If you ever want a giant red flag anywhere, stop and think about isolation. If it is happening to you, run. Don’t walk, run. Get out. 

I also found myself irritated that it took Wallace Jeffs so long to figure things out. Like, he had all the answers long before he decided to leave the FLDS. It took Warren being arrested and doing research, which he fought the idea of even doing, to finally see the light. 

I wanted to scream at how many times he knew in his heart and gut that things just were not right. It didn’t take a genius to know these things! He knew. He knew, and he chose to ignore every single red flag that ever happened for years. 

I think I’m always annoyed by this though, because I find myself annoyed at myself because of how long it took me to get out from under the control of the narcissist in my life and see all the red flags. So I get angry at others for not getting out of an abusive situation much faster than I did. 

It was a serious struggle to read Destroying Their God, and I had to take breaks often. This was especially true at the end, when everything Warren Jeffs had done came out in the media, and it was finally in the light. It was the worst when he married a 12 year old girl and then recorded her being raped. That being recounted, as it was played in court, was heartbreaking, infuriating, and just disgusting. 

I can’t count the number of times I’ve watched documentaries about Warren Jeffs, read about them in memoirs like this, heard victims of his abuse tell their stories, and just wanted to throw up. This is the kind of thing where you want to see him let loose in the prison general population, turn around and just let inmates do what inmates do. Let the inmates handle delivering karma for his victims. 

Despite all of the infuriating moments I had reading this memoir, I found myself both proud and happy that Wallace Jeffs got out. That he now helps other people get out and rebuild their lives. I hope his story inspires others to get out and start a new life. Looking past Warren Jeffs in this book, this is a story about Wallace Jeffs being a survivor, finding confidence and courage to say no, and enough is enough. 

Final Thoughts on Destroying Their God 

“So, just like that, with no fanfare, an immoral bastard became the next prophet of the FLDS Church.” 

Wallace Jeffs, Destroying Their God

I find it incredibly difficult to rate a memoir, because it is a personal story that is meant to be true, not a simple work of fiction an author made up in their head to keep me entertained for a couple of hours. So it feels like I’m judging what is the author’s truth and their experience when I give it a star rating, and I’m struggling with that aspect here. 

I find myself hating true stories, but part of that is the fact the truth is often stranger than fiction. But that doesn’t mean it was a bad story or bad writing. Which is my conundrum. How do I rate a true story, because it was hard to read, and didn’t come anywhere near close to entertaining me? 

I’m calling it three stars. The reason for that is, I can’t rate it any lower, based on my standards of rating books, because there wasn’t anything wrong with it. I can’t rate it any higher, because I flat didn’t like it. A four or five star rating would mean I loved it, raved about it, and bought it for friends and family to read. Which obviously isn’t the case here. 

Memoirs are easily the hardest thing to rate for me. But I want to shed light on this story, keep talking about it, keep people seeing it, keep people from being victims. If I can prevent anyone from being a victim of anything, I always want to, and I hope by talking about Destroying Their God, that it does. 

Discussion 

Have you read Destroying Their God, or any other memoirs or stories on polyagamy? Are you a fan? Let me know your thoughts in the comments! 

About the Author 

Wallace Jeffs was born the thirtieth child of Rulon Jeffs, polygamous prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS). Wallace is half-brother to imprisoned FLDS prophet Warren Jeffs. 

Raised as a devout FLDS member, Wallace was eventually excommunicated for defying Warren. Now he helps people leave the FLDS community and advocates for human rights and the protection of children. Father of twenty children and stepfather of eight, Wallace lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. 

Shauna Packer has been a professional corporate and freelance writer, researcher, and content editor for over twelve years. She is a multi-award-winning fiction and non-fiction author. Shauna has been published in several anthologies, including Angels to Bear You Up, Utah Voices: A Literary Annual, and Mother’s Messages in a Bottle. She resides in Salt Lake City, Utah. 

Sherry Taylor has published her poetry in the National Library of Poetry’s book The Voice Within. She has three anecdotes published in the anthology Mormon Mishaps and Mischief: Hilarious Stories for Saints. Sherry is the author of a young adult fantasy series called the Ceramia Trilogy. She lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.  

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