Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 5, No. 1 1988 Page 65
photocopy of my letter, along with a note that told them to watch out for me
because I was potentially rebellious.
Others have been excommunicated for simply writing letters of concern to the elders.
Sending the letter was [Chet‘s and Don's] first and only factious act. What better
way to get rid of ―pesky‖ men who are bringing up important issues than to put
them under church discipline?
If the church discipline is to merely prevent the members of the church from being
corrupted by the ―sinful‖ member, then this instance becomes especially ridiculous
since [Chet] moved to Connecticut on [______]never to return. Why place
someone under church discipline when they have already moved 1300 miles away?
Some people have been informed, albeit a considerable time after the fact, that they have been
excommunicated, and have even been fortunate enough to get the .charges' down on paper.
Many others, however, never know. They find out through what is called ―the rumor mill.‖ The
following series of testimonies best illustrate this:
[Ron] I said I was unclear on exactly why I had been put out, .excommunicated‖ in
his own term. ―I would like to know what I have done,‖ I said. [The elder] refused
to answer any of my questions. ―We excommunicated you,‖ he said, using that very
word, ―and now the Word [Bible] forbids me to have anything to do with you.‖ ...I
do not know firsthand from the elders what I have done, they will not speak to me
except on the condition that I repent fully first? What can I say? Now can I write a
letter about my excommunication under these conditions? The ...elders have not
contacted me, they did not inform me of their actions, they did not give me a
chance to defend myself, they would not meet face to face with me, they gave me
a second warning and excommunicated me immediately, without waiting to see
how I would mend my ways.
***
[Mitch] Perhaps the single greatest point of anger, hurt, and puzzlement for [my
wife and me] in all of this is that we still have not been told by you what Charges
have been brought against us.
***
[Marie] Alice was the first of these sisters to be axed. She has not had further
words from the [church] concerning their action. Thus she has no exact and written
idea of what the charges against her are the ―elders‖ have withheld the charges
against her, in much the same way they withheld the charges against me. The
rumor mill has not been a great help. Suzie attended one of the meetings where
Alice's excommunication was announced the ―elders‖ gave the charge as faction
and hinted that there were other issues which apparently they did not explicitly
want to talk to Alice about. It is curious that the [church] would be silent about
other crimes for example, in Phil's case, they hung out every piece of dirty laundry
they could find. The [church's] reluctance to make these matters known has caused
me to infer that they are even less apt than the charges against Phil. It is a routine
ploy, I guess, for the [church] to claim there were ―other problems‖ after an
excommunication but this time, they said this upon the occasion of the discipline.
***
[Janice] About a month ago I was disciplined, or something. I‘ve been tempted to
call [the elders] and ask just what my status is -some people say that I've been
excommunicated, but some still talk to me. I wish they [the elders] would have told
photocopy of my letter, along with a note that told them to watch out for me
because I was potentially rebellious.
Others have been excommunicated for simply writing letters of concern to the elders.
Sending the letter was [Chet‘s and Don's] first and only factious act. What better
way to get rid of ―pesky‖ men who are bringing up important issues than to put
them under church discipline?
If the church discipline is to merely prevent the members of the church from being
corrupted by the ―sinful‖ member, then this instance becomes especially ridiculous
since [Chet] moved to Connecticut on [______]never to return. Why place
someone under church discipline when they have already moved 1300 miles away?
Some people have been informed, albeit a considerable time after the fact, that they have been
excommunicated, and have even been fortunate enough to get the .charges' down on paper.
Many others, however, never know. They find out through what is called ―the rumor mill.‖ The
following series of testimonies best illustrate this:
[Ron] I said I was unclear on exactly why I had been put out, .excommunicated‖ in
his own term. ―I would like to know what I have done,‖ I said. [The elder] refused
to answer any of my questions. ―We excommunicated you,‖ he said, using that very
word, ―and now the Word [Bible] forbids me to have anything to do with you.‖ ...I
do not know firsthand from the elders what I have done, they will not speak to me
except on the condition that I repent fully first? What can I say? Now can I write a
letter about my excommunication under these conditions? The ...elders have not
contacted me, they did not inform me of their actions, they did not give me a
chance to defend myself, they would not meet face to face with me, they gave me
a second warning and excommunicated me immediately, without waiting to see
how I would mend my ways.
***
[Mitch] Perhaps the single greatest point of anger, hurt, and puzzlement for [my
wife and me] in all of this is that we still have not been told by you what Charges
have been brought against us.
***
[Marie] Alice was the first of these sisters to be axed. She has not had further
words from the [church] concerning their action. Thus she has no exact and written
idea of what the charges against her are the ―elders‖ have withheld the charges
against her, in much the same way they withheld the charges against me. The
rumor mill has not been a great help. Suzie attended one of the meetings where
Alice's excommunication was announced the ―elders‖ gave the charge as faction
and hinted that there were other issues which apparently they did not explicitly
want to talk to Alice about. It is curious that the [church] would be silent about
other crimes for example, in Phil's case, they hung out every piece of dirty laundry
they could find. The [church's] reluctance to make these matters known has caused
me to infer that they are even less apt than the charges against Phil. It is a routine
ploy, I guess, for the [church] to claim there were ―other problems‖ after an
excommunication but this time, they said this upon the occasion of the discipline.
***
[Janice] About a month ago I was disciplined, or something. I‘ve been tempted to
call [the elders] and ask just what my status is -some people say that I've been
excommunicated, but some still talk to me. I wish they [the elders] would have told
