protect them” (2008, p. 180). Even so, Mackert
wrote that he eventually forgave his father after
years of hatred and admitted to wanting his
father’s love, “And I hated that I wanted him to
love me” (2008, p. 201).
Scheeres, Mackert, and Flora Jessop claimed
that their parents’ lack of affection led to their
resentment. The abuse these authors suffered
may not have exceeded that of authors who
claimed to love their parents. Even after being
abused and emotionally neglected (such as in
Beck’s case), most authors claimed to love their
parents and attributed abuse to social factors.
These authors, however, did not justify
hypocritically compliant actions with social
factors. In addition, aside from Scheeres’s father
who “wasn’t always so distant” (2005, p. 68),
memoirs presented detached, abusive parents as
unitary characters.
Conclusion
Narratives are subjective and unique, but general
trends exist within their pages. These memoirs
collectively exposed common experiences of
people in similar social positions (see Maynes,
et al., 2008, p. 81): “In discussing what might
appear to be ‘just personal’ details, they locate
themselves politically, economically, and
historically” (Andrews, 2002, p. 11). In this
article, I have shared my analysis of trends
regarding narratives of being parented in
families that practice religion strictly.
Similar to the interviewees in Molly Andrews’s
(2002) study, I found that most authors
attributed their parents’ shortcomings to social
circumstances. Despite these attributions, all
authors identified moments of noncompliance.
In their memoirs, they expressed understandings
of how parents responded to religious demands,
nurtured their children, or committed abusive
acts. Rather than resent parents for their
compliance, most authors expressed
understanding for the nonunitary dimensions of
their parents’ subjectivities.
Some religions create environments that
encourage parents to prioritize their beliefs over
their children’s needs. Even with these priorities,
some authors were grateful for their parents’
love. For example, Wall stated, “All along, my
mother had been by my side as my anchor, and I
needed her desperately” (2009, p. 155). The
irony of this support is that the parent also
complied with doctrines that created hardship
for the author. Rix (2010) and Janzen’s (2010)
experiences in comparison to the others
demonstrated that strict religious involvement
does not determine neglect or abuse. Yet, Rix
and Janzen were from Southern Baptist and
Mennonite churches, both of which exercised
less social control over adherents than such
religious organizations as the FLDS and CUT.
Abuse, neglect, or both were central to nearly
every memoir. Some adult children may believe
that religion positively impacted their
upbringing this is especially so for those who
do not feel abused, who remained in their
religious organization, or who felt supported and
had positive memories of their religious
community. Nevertheless, when parents
prioritize religion in some religious groups
(especially in abusive religious groups), children
could potentially suffer twofold: at the hands of
their often-loving parents and at the hands of
those who abuse their parents. “Doing religion”
strictly in some religious groups may not
determine abuse, but it does require commitment
that supersedes most other responsibilities and
thereby impacts how people “do family” (see
Lalich, 2004).
References
Andrews, Molly. 2002. Memories of mother: Counter-narratives of
early maternal influence, Narrative Inquiry 12(1), 7–27.
Andrews, Molly, Day Sclater, Shelley, Rustin, Michael, Squire,
Connie, &Treacher, Amal. 2004. Introduction. In Molly Andrews,
Shelley Day Sclater, Connie Squire, &Amal Treacher (Eds.), The
uses of narrative: Explorations in sociology, psychology, and
cultural studies (pp. 1–10). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction
Publishers.
Andrews, Molly, Day Sclater, Shelley, Squire, Connie, &
Tamoubou, Maria. 2004. Narrative research. In Clive Seale,
Giampietro Gobo, Jaber F. Gubrium, &David Silverman (Eds.),
Qualitative research practice (pp. 97–111). Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage.
Bendroth, Margaret Lamberts. 1993. Fundamentalism and gender:
1875 to the present. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Bloom, Leslie R. 1996. Stories of one's own: Nonunitary
subjectivity in narrative representation, Qualitative Inquiry, 2(2),
176–187.
International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 6, 2015 31
wrote that he eventually forgave his father after
years of hatred and admitted to wanting his
father’s love, “And I hated that I wanted him to
love me” (2008, p. 201).
Scheeres, Mackert, and Flora Jessop claimed
that their parents’ lack of affection led to their
resentment. The abuse these authors suffered
may not have exceeded that of authors who
claimed to love their parents. Even after being
abused and emotionally neglected (such as in
Beck’s case), most authors claimed to love their
parents and attributed abuse to social factors.
These authors, however, did not justify
hypocritically compliant actions with social
factors. In addition, aside from Scheeres’s father
who “wasn’t always so distant” (2005, p. 68),
memoirs presented detached, abusive parents as
unitary characters.
Conclusion
Narratives are subjective and unique, but general
trends exist within their pages. These memoirs
collectively exposed common experiences of
people in similar social positions (see Maynes,
et al., 2008, p. 81): “In discussing what might
appear to be ‘just personal’ details, they locate
themselves politically, economically, and
historically” (Andrews, 2002, p. 11). In this
article, I have shared my analysis of trends
regarding narratives of being parented in
families that practice religion strictly.
Similar to the interviewees in Molly Andrews’s
(2002) study, I found that most authors
attributed their parents’ shortcomings to social
circumstances. Despite these attributions, all
authors identified moments of noncompliance.
In their memoirs, they expressed understandings
of how parents responded to religious demands,
nurtured their children, or committed abusive
acts. Rather than resent parents for their
compliance, most authors expressed
understanding for the nonunitary dimensions of
their parents’ subjectivities.
Some religions create environments that
encourage parents to prioritize their beliefs over
their children’s needs. Even with these priorities,
some authors were grateful for their parents’
love. For example, Wall stated, “All along, my
mother had been by my side as my anchor, and I
needed her desperately” (2009, p. 155). The
irony of this support is that the parent also
complied with doctrines that created hardship
for the author. Rix (2010) and Janzen’s (2010)
experiences in comparison to the others
demonstrated that strict religious involvement
does not determine neglect or abuse. Yet, Rix
and Janzen were from Southern Baptist and
Mennonite churches, both of which exercised
less social control over adherents than such
religious organizations as the FLDS and CUT.
Abuse, neglect, or both were central to nearly
every memoir. Some adult children may believe
that religion positively impacted their
upbringing this is especially so for those who
do not feel abused, who remained in their
religious organization, or who felt supported and
had positive memories of their religious
community. Nevertheless, when parents
prioritize religion in some religious groups
(especially in abusive religious groups), children
could potentially suffer twofold: at the hands of
their often-loving parents and at the hands of
those who abuse their parents. “Doing religion”
strictly in some religious groups may not
determine abuse, but it does require commitment
that supersedes most other responsibilities and
thereby impacts how people “do family” (see
Lalich, 2004).
References
Andrews, Molly. 2002. Memories of mother: Counter-narratives of
early maternal influence, Narrative Inquiry 12(1), 7–27.
Andrews, Molly, Day Sclater, Shelley, Rustin, Michael, Squire,
Connie, &Treacher, Amal. 2004. Introduction. In Molly Andrews,
Shelley Day Sclater, Connie Squire, &Amal Treacher (Eds.), The
uses of narrative: Explorations in sociology, psychology, and
cultural studies (pp. 1–10). New Brunswick, NJ: Transaction
Publishers.
Andrews, Molly, Day Sclater, Shelley, Squire, Connie, &
Tamoubou, Maria. 2004. Narrative research. In Clive Seale,
Giampietro Gobo, Jaber F. Gubrium, &David Silverman (Eds.),
Qualitative research practice (pp. 97–111). Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage.
Bendroth, Margaret Lamberts. 1993. Fundamentalism and gender:
1875 to the present. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.
Bloom, Leslie R. 1996. Stories of one's own: Nonunitary
subjectivity in narrative representation, Qualitative Inquiry, 2(2),
176–187.
International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 6, 2015 31
