Children in Minority Faiths: Religious Liberty and State Control

Addresses how to balance freedom of religion and parental rights with the wellbeing of the child That belief that children are likely to be harmed when they are raised in new or minority religions has led to dramatic and sometimes tragic events, such as the 2008 government raid on the Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints in Texas, which resulted in the removal of over 400 children from the community, although no evidence was found of any abuse and the courts eventually demanded that the children be returned. Children in Minority Faiths showcases original field research and vivid ethnographies of alternative childhoods.It adopts a sociological approach to analyze state responses to alleged abuse and problematic aspects of childrearing in marginal religions.Offering twelve case studies of alternative childhoods and spiritually-based childrearing patterns in minority religions, the volume argues that these groups' minority status has often led to mounting tensions and investigations over alle