Meet Max Cooke Former Member of the FDLS Church

Max Cooke was born into the Mormon religious sect called, "The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints". You might recognize its most visible member. The "Prophet" Warren Jeffs who was arrested last year on counts that included sexual conduct with minors, incest and rape. The group has also been in the news after their children were taken away because of allegations of abuse.

I decided to ask Max a few questions about the years he spent growing up with in the sect, and how he feels about it now.

Pam: Where were you born?.

Max: I was born in Hilldale Utah, in 1970.

Pam: Please describe your parents.

Max: My father was a school bus driver. My mother stayed at home, and raised her children.

Pam: How many children are in your family?.

Max: My mother had 13 children. However, I have 55 brothers and sisters altogether from my father.

Pam: How many wives did your father actually have?.

Max: He had One wife he was legally married to. He had three wives that he was not legally married to, but the marriages were recognized by the church as legitimate.

Pam: Did you think it was odd to have that many brothers and sisters growing up?.

Max: No, I felt like my life was pretty normal. I thought everyone lived that way.

Pam: Did you ever feel neglected because of the amount of children in your home?.

Max: I did not feel neglected for food or clothing. In retrospect, I was neglected a little by my parents. But I got a lot of attention from my brothers and sisters. When I was ten years old I started doubting the whole religion, and my family life. I started spending the night away with friends, and although I did still live with my mother, I did not follow the rules of the sect anymore.

Pam: So your father was not in the home a lot?

Max: I only remember my father being around a couple of times when I was younger. If I knew he was going to be around, I left the house.

Pam: When you were involved in the sect, did young girls actually have to marry older men?.

Max: I will tell you the rules on marriage. My mother was 14 years old when she married my father. He was 21. In the church when a man hits a certain age he is on a "mission." Which means he works for the church for two years. Then he is given land and a house. At this point acquiring a spouse is the next step. Then you go to a "Prophet". Who is the leader of the church. (When I was in the sect my Prophets name was Leroy Johnson). Then you express to him that you would like to be married. He tells you if you are ready or not. If you are, he then hand picks a girl for you.

Pam: Did you see or talk to any young girls who complained that they did not want to marry?.

Max: Yes, I have met a few that were less than happy. A few opted to just escape from the church. When I left, one of my sisters, (that was 21 years old at the time) was being forced to marry a man in his 50's. I wish I knew how all that turned out.

Pam: Lets talk about religion for a moment. How is the Mormon FLDS church different from other religions?.

Max: Not so different in a lot of ways. One major difference is The "Prophet" is a God. He talks to God, and then tells you Gods plan for your life. The members believe that this has been handed down since the beginning of time. The religious texts are unique in the way that they are strictly the Prophets own words. It is his own religious text.

Pam: At what point did you cut all ties with the church?.

Max: When I was 17 years old. I moved to Phoenix and have only seen my mother twice since then.

Pam: Now that you are much older, how do you feel about your experience with in the church?.

Max: The people that are still sucked into the sect are victims. They were raised and taught this way of living as being right. The religion would not be that bad if it wasn't for the control issue. The Prophet that talks to God and tells people how to live is a lie.

Pam: Are you still in touch with anyone from the church?.

Max: If I call my mother she will talk to me. But I have to call her.

Pam: What do you think of last years arrest of Warren Jeffs?.

Max: I thought it was cool. He needed to be arrested.

Pam: What did you think when the kids were taken away from their parents after Warren Jeffs arrest?.

Max: I figured that would happen. Truth is, they will never get the kids for being physically abused. They can only get them for mental abuse. Here in America we have the freedom to believe in whatever church we want. That isn't a crime.

Pam: Do you hold any resentments? How do you feel about the people still living within the church, would you talk to them if you saw someone you knew?

Max: Yes I would. Although what I have to say might not sit well with them. As for resentments, yes. I resent being lied to for so many years.

Pam: Do you feel your life was negatively effected by your experience?.

Max: Yes, when I was old enough to realize how I was raised, I got mad. I was taught normal people were of the devil. I would cross the street if I saw one, to get away from the evil people. I was forced to readjust to real life and how it worked.

Max: I Love my family and I feel bad for them. I wish I could convince them how life really is.

I consider Max Cooke a best friend. He is one of the mellowest people I know. He is patient, understanding and extremely generous. You would never know that he had been through such an ordeal.

I thank him for taking this time to inform me and everyone else of the goings on with the FDLS Church.