A split threatens the West's largest polygamist group.
Owen Allred, leader of the 5,000-member Apostolic United Brethren, said this week he expects his Bluffdale-based group to divide over a philosophy that pits those who want to knock down walls of secrecy inthe culture against those who want to keep outsiders out.
"I'm very concerned about it because I know it's going to cause a split in our people," Allred said from his Bluffdale home.
Last weekend - in an unprecedented move for any polygamous "secret society" in Utah - Allred allowed a team of criminal and domestic abuse experts from the Utah Attorney General's Office to attend Sunday church services.
State officials divided AUB members into age- and gender-specific groups. They talked about domestic abuse and child abuse, appropriate behavior between adults and children and inappropriate actions between young people on dates.
Allred's followers didn't know about the visitors until they arrived, and many were initially nervous about the presentations.
But most of the 900 people who attended warmed up in the non-threatening environment.
Officials were not there to arrest anyone or harangue polygamists for their beliefs, only to educate the group about the law and where to go if help is needed.
Since then, Allred, who considered the training a success, has been soundly criticized by some members of his group for hosting state officials.
"I've been accused of secretly betraying my people," he said.
"There are at least five people who (have vehemently complained)," he said. "They say, `You've opened us up to the law, and now it's going to come destroy us.' "
He said he would be a fool not to worry about the consequences of this criticism.
But Allred is sticking to his guns.
If there is criminal activity occurring in the ranks, he wants to provide a way for people to get help. That's why, after several negotiations with attorney general investigator Mike King, he agreed to Sunday's meetings.
And that has caused a rift with some members.
"I've told some of these people, `Something is wrong if you're afraid of the law looking into it.' "
Sunday's training was remarkable because of the secret nature of polygamous groups.
Plural marriage is illegal in Utah, but the law in unenforced. However fresh scrutiny has come to the practice because of a handful of well-publicized egregious allegations of child sexual abuse, domestic abuse, underage marriages and assault.
A recent Deseret News poll showed 93 percent of Utahns surveyed believed the state should more aggressively investigate suspicions of child abuse, sex abuse, marriages to minors and welfare fraud within polygamous groups.
In newspapers and in public forums it has been widely debated: Should the state prosecute polygamy as a crime itself? Should it be paying closer attention to crimes that occur within polygamy?
Attorney General Jan Graham has chosen the latter. The training and a five-point plan to attack problems within the culture focus on educating women, men and children in the group about the law - and letting them know that polygamist women have the same protections from abuse as anyone else.
Allred thinks this is important, too.
The 85-year-old Allred himself has 21 children and several wives, whom he calls his LOLs, his Lovely Old Ladies. The youngest is 62.
He has no tolerance for abusive behavior inside and outside of his culture. "I see this happening and I hear of this happening, and I think, `What in the world are you doing?'
"This meeting I had - yes, it was a peculiar thing," Allred said.
But most AUB followers appreciated the information. Officials finally had to cut off a stream of questions. Hundreds of residents flocked around the officials after the three-hour training was over, asking questions and taking down phone numbers.
There have been serious crimes within his community, the leader said Wednesday.
Three years ago, a follower - reportedly third most senior in the AUB's apostolic high council - was accused of sexually inappropriate behavior with children. Allred learned of the behavior eight years after the fact. He forwarded the information to local law enforcement officials, who told him the statute of limitations was past and he should handle it himself within AUB guidelines.
When Allred brought the man before a church priesthood court, the man retaliated angrily and said the church court had no right to snoop in his family's business.
Allred said he felt sure the man was guilty. Oftentimes, a person who has sinned and is guilty automatically gets mad when asked questions, he said. Allred released the man from the council.
"We got into serious problems with that man. Most of his family still hates my guts."
Which is why he has supported the training and awareness. People who know about criminal behavior in the community should know how to go to law enforcement or how to get other help.
"If we have another problem like this, I don't want to handle it."
Allred, whose brother Rulon was killed in 1977 by members of a notorious polygamy group led by Ervil LeBaron, accepts that his "people" may divide.
"And you know, I almost welcome it."
He is holding fast against the "wrong-doers" who don't want to see the light shine inside their practices.
"If they're going to have that kind of attitude," he said angrily, "then get out."