Over the past few weeks, I have been getting more and more into learning more about Polygamy. Not because I want to be a part of that religion, but because there are so many different shows about this religion becoming popular lately. "Sister Wives" the TV show came out in 2010. Another show I have recently taken a liking to is "Escaping Polygamy", which came out in 2014. Many might think this is odd seeing as the two shows are opposite, one is for the religion and one is against. To me though, they are both on different ends of a very broad spectrum.
Since I started watching "Sister Wives" first we'll start with that. This particular show is about the Brown family, which consists of one husband, (Kody) four wives, (Meri, Jenelle, Christine, and Robyn) and 18 children from all four wives together ranging between the ages of 22-1. The show captures the everyday life of this family, which includes much talk about their chosen religion. In the beginning of the show, once the Browns went public their stay in Utah became endangered. An investigation was opened up against their family and they were forced to move to Nevada. As of today the browns are filming season 10 and still going strong as far as I know, I am a little behind on my seasons.
Next up is another show I have been enjoying and that is "Escaping Polygamy". This show is about 3 or more girls, depending on the episode, who help anyone and everyone who no longer wishes to be in the polygamy religion escape. The focus on this show is the Kingston and Jeffs Polygamy group which make up something they call the Order. This show I believe is on its second season or so and has helped many people, including their own siblings and sometimes even mothers, escape from the Order. This show has more of an inside on the bigger group of polygamists.
"Sister Wives" is very different in my opinion than "Escaping Polygamy" because they live their own lives. They have their religion and church but they do not have a dictator. Everyone in the family seems to be able to have their own life, the older kids are seen picking out colleges and dating, etc. "Escaping Polygamy", though, is known for helping people get out of the huge polygamy cult. The Kingston and Jeffs groups are based off dictators who believe it is okay to sleep with young girls and marry their kids into the family causing incest. How a cult as big is this is has gone on for so long with almost no consequences is beyond me.
Many people I have talked to believe that "Sister Wives" is just as bad as the people featured on "Escaping Polygamy", but I personally do not see the problem. This is a family living life the way they want, raising kids who are polite and completely allowed to life their lives the way they want. While the poor kids in the Kingston or Jeffs clan are not allowed to do what they want, ever. They must work where they are told to work, marry who they are told to marry, etc. They are controlled 24/7 and the Brown family is completely different than this cult.
