‘Sister Wives’ News: Brown Family’s Relationship With Polygamous Religious Sect Exaggerated On Show? ‘It’s A Peripheral Relationship’ Spokesperson Says [VIDEO]
Despite their reported devotion to their religion, which has governed their polygamous lifestyle, the Brown family of TLC's Sister Wives may no longer be as religious as they claim.
Meri And Robyn Distancing Theselves From The Family?
According to a recent article in the Salt-Lake Tribune, the family has had hardly any contact with members of the Apolistic United Brethren-the religious organization they claim to be a part of that allows them to practice their polygamous lifestyle-since fleeing Utah and moving to Las Vegas back in 2010.
"It's a peripheral relationship," David Watson, the priesthood council member who acts as the AUB spokesman told the newspaper.
The distancing from the religion-strange as Christine Brown, Kody's third wife, is the granddaughter of its founder Rulon C, Allred-reportedly came as a result of the family fleeing to Vegas to escape prosecution in Utah, which enacted a bigamy statute that made the family's marriage arrangement illegal. Despite relocating to Nevada, the family successfully sued the state over the law, claiming it was too broad with how it made it a crime for three or more adults claiming to be married to one another to live together.
The family's suit was successful, with a judge ruling in their favor in August, saying the statute violated both the family's first and 14th Amendment rights.
The family-consisting of Kody Brown, his first and only legal wife, Meri, and three other wives-Janelle, Christine and Robyn-became famous for their lifestyle after going public on their TLC show in 2010. Their strong spiritual faith was a part of the show from the beginning, but a police investigation into their family played a large role in the show's second season, with the family fleeing to Vegas midway through.
Since the move to Vegas, the family's religion has governed some of the rules affecting their combined 17 children: Logan, Aspyn, Mariah, Madison, Mykelti, Hunter, Garrison, Paedon, Dayton, Gabriel, Gwendlyn, Aurora, Ysabel, Breanna, Savanah, Truely and Solomon, with the rules of courtship while the kids date being explored during the second episode of season five, when Mykelti brought home a boyfriend.However, the family has not enforced the religion or lifestyle on the kids.
TLC has not announced when new episodes of the show will air again.
