Customer Reviews
Compelling and disturbing 
2008-09-13
Banking on Heaven
I have just watched Dot Reidelbach's and Laurie Allen's documentary on the FLDS sect in Colorado City, Arizona and Hildale, Utah with shock and outrage. I thought I had seen everything when I read Jon Krakauer's "Under the Banner of Heaven" and Carolyn Jessop's "Escape", but they pale in comparison to the cruelty and abuse women right here in America are enduring at the hands of misguided and, in cases, perverted men.
Interviews with escapees, exiles, lost boys, women who have been victims of incest, who have lost their children and have endured tragedy at which we recoil in horror, makes this must viewing. Here you will discover abuse in the name of religion, elected officials turning their backs on these women's cries for help, the Mormon Church profiting from payoffs by the very well-heeled FLDS sect.
Film footage takes the viewer on a journey to northern Arizona where polygamist men live like potentates in houses worth millions, but whose wives and children lack the bare necessities of life and who are made to go on welfare at the taxpayers' expense. Here, young teenage boys are thrust out into the world to fend for themselves with only the clothes on their backs. Why? Because there are not enough young women to go around for the older men who have been taught they need a minimum of three wives to attain heaven.
Banking on Heaven reveals the corruption in the FLDS, a corruption that extends to a polygamous law enforcement and higher.
This film will anger you, disturb you, maybe make you cry, but it should be required viewing so more people can see a tragedy occurring right here in the United States.
WOW!!!!! 
2008-08-12
This is a crazy documentary. I cant believe this is happening in the US. Thank you seller for the quick shipment.
Don't expect much 
2008-08-05
I didn't really care for this video. I expected much more from the reviews and description.
Telling the Truth 2008-07-17
Very good video exposing the truth about the FLDS. The material was stretched just a bit - could have been a few minutes shorter. Except for that - well done. This is not an issue about religious freedom but the abuse of children in general, the sexual abuse of girls and brain washing by a charismatic leader.
Important 2008-07-05
A surprising look at a surprisingly pervasive phenomenon, FLDS is more than a church, it is a political movement. An intelligent overview of a culture which, when abroad, is viewed as dangerous, but when within our borders, as a first amendment issue.
A little Brief but Well Done 2008-07-01
BANKING ON HEAVEN (DVD MOVIE)
Great insite into the history and inner workings of the FLDS 2008-06-23
Although it is not the most well made film (looks like something maybe a film school student would have put together) the content is very accurate and gives you a good view of what life is like with in the FLDS.
Interesting 2008-06-08
This is not a polished publication. Much of the film has an amateur feel to it. There are a handful of scenes and images that are used over and over again whenever the narrator is talking about something for which they don't have specific footage. However, this wasn't meant to be an entertaining movie so I, personally, had no problem with the quality of the footage.
There is one woman in particular who lives on the outskirts of the community in hopes of keeping track of her daughter. Her story was particularly moving. It is obvious from her speech that she has very little education. If you look past that you begin to see a practical, intelligent and strong woman who had no chance to flourish.
Another interesting figure in the documentary is Carolyn Jessop. It was interesting to hear her take on various different things that occurred before she left the community. (I highly recommend her recently published book. She's been actively working to provide information and support for those who choose to leave the FLDS organization.)
I recommend this particularly to those who are interested in learning about the challenges faced by those who are or have been members of the FLDS organization. (So many people don't realize how many young men are chased out in their early teens with no understanding of the outside world!) It is a good starting point towards gaining and understanding.
Good overview 2008-05-19
This is a good start to understanding the polygamy sects and the problems they breed (pun intended). It centers on the Warren Jeffs/Colorado City area, where the Waiting for Zion sect in Texas originated. Great footage of real people living in the area, decent coverage of the issues, and amazing personal interviews with both men and women who have left (and one who hasn't yet). You can really feel the very real fear and sickness that eminates from this way of life, especially as it exists today. The financial burden on society is explored. But there is also explanation of the huge social drain that would ensue if these sects were broken up, and the role of the current Mormon church (and their very powerful members) in protecting these sects' existance. None of the issues are explained in depth, but it's a good overview, and I loved how the video of modern people living this way really made it real.
A Must See 2008-05-14
Banking On Heaven is a must see introduction to the problems with the FLDS and the horrors perpetrated on women and children who are trapped in the cult. Yes, it is a cult, as bad as the extreme Taliban and other extreme Islamic sects.
This documentary and the book by John Krakauer, "Under the Banner of Heaven" are excellent looks into the extreme Mormon cultists.
Since the FLDS and the Yearning For Zion compound have been in the news, and the news media have NOT been covering the cult in necessary detail, I suggest people educate themselves by purchasing this film and reading the books by Krakauer and the harrowing book by Carolyn Jessop who is featured in the documentary.
Here's an interesting tid-bit. The sister of Warren Jeffs has a lot to say in this film.
