Sister Wives star Maddie Brown has chosen not to adhere her parents’ polygamist lifestyle, choosing instead to be in a monogamous relationship with her fiance (and sorta-uncle-by-marriage), Caleb Brush. On the last season of ‘Sister Wives,’ Maddie told her dad, Kody Brown and mom Janelle (and her other “moms”) that she was planning to join the mainstream Mormon church (which rejects polygamy).
On last night’s episode, however, Maddie revealed that she had been rejected by the Mormon church (otherwise known as the Church of Latter Day Saints), due to her refusal to disown her very public polygamous family.
“I got a phone call and they’re not letting me get baptized,” Maddie told her parents during last night’s episode. “They called me and said it was too contradictory and they hope I reconsider [joining the church] when we’re not such a public family.”
The 19-year-old took to Twitter last night to express her heartbreak over the rejection.
“The LDS church rejecting me for my parents’ choices was one of the most devastating things I have been through,” Maddie wrote in a series of tweets last night. “After that happened, I sat and reevaluated everything I had ever learned about the church. In itself the church is absolutely beautiful; not with all of the politics though. The decision about my rejection was a choice made by the first presidency. They said my family’s publicity was too controversial.”
Maddie’s mother Janelle (who is Kody’s second wife) piped in to discuss what happened to her daughter.
“Madison was pretty devastated by the decision of the LDS church,” Janelle tweeted. “Fundamentalist kids have a hard time joining mainstream LDS church without distancing themselves from their families.”
The rest of the Brown family currently belongs to the Apostolic United Brethren, a fundamentalist Mormon religion. (The founder of the group is Rulon Allred, who is actually Christine Brown‘s grandfather. She has spoken of him several times on the show.)
It is not known whether Maddie has chosen to go back to the AUB, or if she is pursuing another religion. Still, she seems content, judging by her tweets.
“I am very happy with my life now,” she wrote. “My family was & is very supportive. I now also have an amazing fiance & a good life to look forward to.”
As The Ashley previously reported, Maddie recently became engaged to Caleb Brush, a man 10 years her senior. Maddie left her college in Utah and moved to Montana to be with Caleb, who is actually the brother of Maddie’s paternal aunt (by marriage). She has tweeted that she plans to go back to school and obtain her law degree.
Maddie and Caleb have not announced a wedding date (although the Browns have said that they believe in short engagements). She will be the first of the Brown children to get married.
(Photos: Facebook, TLC)
13 Responses
In my Lutheran Church we have a wonderful longtime church secretary who is a faithful Catholic. It can work!
Perhaps if she actually listened to the missionaries and her teachings she’s received her entire life, and left THEM behind her, she wouldn’t find herself in this predicament. They didn’t ask her to deny her family, they asked her if she would shy away from all of the publicity, and condoning polygamy. She refused, because she *thought* it meant leaving her family behind. I’m no real supporter of any church, but this girl is twisting absolutely everything so her family can *stay in the limelight. The LDS doesn’t condone, nor promote, polygamy. By participating on the show, in ANY manner, she would be doing just that. Since she has no desire to leave THAT behind, she cannot be baptized, Why? Because she wouldn’t actually be changing her belief system at all, nor would she be following the teachings of the LDS church. They still welcome any and all, but to be baptized, is not the same as “going to church”. The LDS church is far from the only church that would suggest one follow the teachings. Then again, I’m fairly certain her own personal beliefs(though they are hers to have and to hold dear) would coincide with LDS teachings to begin with. The AUB doesn’t follow LDS teachings, at all, lol.
I do believe in God,but not in his ground personnel.
I like this. I too believe in and love God but his “ground personnel” as you so aptly named them ruin it for everyone.
Hopefully she can find what works best for her. I sincerely hope all of those kids go out into the world & despise what us best for them
Decide* what works for them.
Maybe that’s been my problem all along. I’ve been deciding what’s best for me all these years instead of despising what’s best for me. This explains so much. I think it’s all gonna be downhill from here. Thanks Ash!
Maddie growing up in a simliar environment I understand that it can be a big deal that they would do that. I am mad that they think they can have a child of god turned away no matter where they have or will come from…… Maddie you are a wonderful person and are loved just keep doing what is right and so many wonderful things are waiting for you and you husband
I wouldn’t want to be part of a church that requests that I reject my own family. How is that God-like?
No offense, but most religions, if not all, have many parts to them that are not God-like.
all religions are man made this drivel and all the rest, if this doesn’t prove it, nothing will!
Wait, what do you mean? But the Bible says that God exists and that Catholicism, I mean Church of LDS, I mean, Methodist, I mean, Lutheran, I mean [insert religion here] is the one true religion. Sure, the Bible is a bunch of stories written by men and interpreted 5 million different other ways by other men, but still, it says it right in there. How could it be wrong???
Catholicism, Lutheranism, and Methodists aren’t separate religions, they are different denominations of Christianity. And, as a Lutheran, I don’t recall ever being told that either of the other groups were going to hell. Our last choir director was a Methodist. Wasn’t a fan of the hymnal (for arrangement reasons) but appreciated actual wine at communion.