Banking on Heaven
Encyclopedia
Banking on Heaven is a documentary film
which exposes the largest polygamous
enclave in the United States (located in Colorado City, Arizona
) and its leader, Warren Jeffs
. Banking on Heaven was written, produced, and narrated by Laurie Allen, who escaped a similar polygamous sect at age sixteen.
Banking on Heaven focuses on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
(FLDS Church), a schismatic polygamous sect of the Latter Day Saint movement
that (at the time of the creation of the film) existed in Colorado City, Arizona
. The documentary holds interviews with many escapee's as well as those that have been excommunicated from the church. The documentary also interviews law enforcement
as well as Utah
and Arizona
State politicians and poses questions on what can be done to rescue or help the women of the FLDS.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
which exposes the largest polygamous
Polygamous Mormon fundamentalist
Mormon fundamentalism is a belief in the validity of selected fundamental aspects of Mormonism as taught and practiced in the nineteenth century, particularly during the administration of Brigham Young, an early president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
enclave in the United States (located in Colorado City, Arizona
Colorado City, Arizona
Colorado City is a town in Mohave County, Arizona, United States, and is located in a region known as the Arizona Strip. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town was 4,607...
) and its leader, Warren Jeffs
Warren Jeffs
Warren Steed Jeffs was the president of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints . In 2011, Jeffs was convicted of two felony counts of child sexual assault....
. Banking on Heaven was written, produced, and narrated by Laurie Allen, who escaped a similar polygamous sect at age sixteen.
Banking on Heaven focuses on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is one of the largest Mormon fundamentalist denominations and one of the largest organizations in the United States whose members practice polygamy. The FLDS Church emerged in the early twentieth century when its founding members left...
(FLDS Church), a schismatic polygamous sect of the Latter Day Saint movement
Latter Day Saint movement
The Latter Day Saint movement is a group of independent churches tracing their origin to a Christian primitivist movement founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. in the late 1820s. Collectively, these churches have over 14 million members...
that (at the time of the creation of the film) existed in Colorado City, Arizona
Colorado City, Arizona
Colorado City is a town in Mohave County, Arizona, United States, and is located in a region known as the Arizona Strip. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town was 4,607...
. The documentary holds interviews with many escapee's as well as those that have been excommunicated from the church. The documentary also interviews law enforcement
Law enforcement agency
In North American English, a law enforcement agency is a government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws.Outside North America, such organizations are called police services. In North America, some of these services are called police while others have other names In North American...
as well as Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
and Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
State politicians and poses questions on what can be done to rescue or help the women of the FLDS.