Like it or not, religion still plays an important role in everyday life in this country. Our morals and standard of living are based in part on religion. No matter what you practice or what you preach, you still follow a way of living that isn’t better than anyone else’s; the same goes for religion.

Warren S. Jeffs, a polygamist and a leader of The Fundamentalists Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints, didn’t give a second thought to marrying off a younger member of his church because that’s what he believed. In September, Jeffs, was convicted of being an accomplice to the rape of a 14-year-old church member.

Now 21, the young woman testified that Jeffs pressed her into a “celestial marriage” to her cousin that she did not want. Ultimately, the arranged marriage led to the young woman having nonconsensual sex with her husband.

Many of Jeffs’ supporters believe that he is a prophet for their religion. The church he leads is a Mormon sect with an estimated 10,000 members and is one of few Mormon churches left that still practices polygamy. Many of Jeffs’ critics believe that he is a cult leader who is very authoritarian when it comes to the people he leads. During his trial, prosecutors said that Jeffs knew the marriage he performed between the girl and her husband would lead to nonconsensual sex.

Jeffs was sentenced to two terms of five years to life for performing a child bride marriage. Jeffs and his defense attorney, Wally Bugden, plan to appeal for a new trial.

I feel badly for the 21-year-old, don’t get me wrong, but my question is: why weren’t the parents, who were her legal guardians, or better yet, the husband who raped her, charged with anything?

I’m not agreeing or disagreeing with what Jeffs did, and if he still believes polygamy is acceptable, fine, but if the state of Utah is going to charge Jeffs with being linked to rape, then charge the parents and the husband.