Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 5, No. 1 1988 Page 67
problems with the church and with its leadership. And many others have been in
contact with this faction... we've come up with almost a fourth of the church that
has been affected ...there's been much presumption, lying, strife, that has sought
to undermine the very work of God...
In all cases but one that were studied the targets were not present, and in the lone case where
the target was present, a mistake was made by the leadership because so many people were
listed as dangerous that they apparently couldn't remember who wasn't:
[Bart] One member was turned away at the door. A group of us who later found
that we were considered divisive wanted to go to the meeting. Many were stopped
at the entrance by the three elders who literally formed a wall with their bodies. We
had just arrived and we missed the first skirmish but we saw the wall and we tried
to get in. They didn't welcome us at first, but someone said in the background, ―No,
they're okay.‖ So they let us through. We were the only two that were on the list,
and there were only three of us who were under suspicion that were at the
meeting, but we didn't know it at the time. The members greeted us, and
considered us a part of the group.
Excommunication as a Form of Vicarious Social Control
The excommunication meeting serves as the forum for reinforcing the primary norms of the
group. These norms, because of their potentially abusive, arrogant, and authoritarian nature, are
not clearly stated during the course of normal group activities. These foundational norms, if
brought up and explained in a low-tension context, would actually be counter-productive. It would
be as odious as declaring martial law at a time of peace and prosperity.
In the excommunication meeting, the surface impression is that the target is the focus of the
action. Indeed, this is the reason for the gathering and the initial subject of conversation. Targets
are the object of the definition and label. However, evidence indicates that the targets are simply
players in the game of boundary definition. Excommunicants are the key and pivotal link in the
successful communication of the real norms of the group from the leaders to the members. Bart,
a member who observed a recent excommunication meeting, explains:
There were a lot of things like sophistry -circular reasoning -things that just didn't
make any sense. [The teaching] would start generally with the stuff that was right
around it but yet it really didn't. In other words, there were extreme statements
said but in the conference context -a safe context -they kind of modified
themselves. It was like there were two levels. At the crisis meeting it started
connecting. There was a discrepancy between what we saw and what was implied.
In this context of crisis, ―martial law‖ is more readily accepted. If the leaden play the game to
near perfection, the members themselves will actually demand that ―martial law‖ be imposed.
Judicial and ethical norms are often willingly relaxed, and the leaders can begin to define the
limits of their authority and the expectations for conformity by the members. By using the target
as scapegoats controversial and sometimes authoritarian guidelines are introduced. The
excommunication meeting creates the best atmosphere for such parameters to be successfully
illustrated and accepted.
[Brian] The elders would say at the meetings, ―Even if your information is true,
which it isn't, you're still not to listen to it or accept it.‖ That just blew my mind.
I've heard it over and over again from them, ―Ifs slander even if it‘s true.‖ It is
interesting that none of this stuff concerning the church's doctrines -I hadn't been
in the church long enough to see a copy of the ―JOY OF JUSTICE.‖ I had never seen
that article or language. Issues such as church discipline, authority, [etc.], had
never even entered my mind until this situation. All the things going on in the
meeting seemed to contradict the basic beliefs of the group. I went to another
problems with the church and with its leadership. And many others have been in
contact with this faction... we've come up with almost a fourth of the church that
has been affected ...there's been much presumption, lying, strife, that has sought
to undermine the very work of God...
In all cases but one that were studied the targets were not present, and in the lone case where
the target was present, a mistake was made by the leadership because so many people were
listed as dangerous that they apparently couldn't remember who wasn't:
[Bart] One member was turned away at the door. A group of us who later found
that we were considered divisive wanted to go to the meeting. Many were stopped
at the entrance by the three elders who literally formed a wall with their bodies. We
had just arrived and we missed the first skirmish but we saw the wall and we tried
to get in. They didn't welcome us at first, but someone said in the background, ―No,
they're okay.‖ So they let us through. We were the only two that were on the list,
and there were only three of us who were under suspicion that were at the
meeting, but we didn't know it at the time. The members greeted us, and
considered us a part of the group.
Excommunication as a Form of Vicarious Social Control
The excommunication meeting serves as the forum for reinforcing the primary norms of the
group. These norms, because of their potentially abusive, arrogant, and authoritarian nature, are
not clearly stated during the course of normal group activities. These foundational norms, if
brought up and explained in a low-tension context, would actually be counter-productive. It would
be as odious as declaring martial law at a time of peace and prosperity.
In the excommunication meeting, the surface impression is that the target is the focus of the
action. Indeed, this is the reason for the gathering and the initial subject of conversation. Targets
are the object of the definition and label. However, evidence indicates that the targets are simply
players in the game of boundary definition. Excommunicants are the key and pivotal link in the
successful communication of the real norms of the group from the leaders to the members. Bart,
a member who observed a recent excommunication meeting, explains:
There were a lot of things like sophistry -circular reasoning -things that just didn't
make any sense. [The teaching] would start generally with the stuff that was right
around it but yet it really didn't. In other words, there were extreme statements
said but in the conference context -a safe context -they kind of modified
themselves. It was like there were two levels. At the crisis meeting it started
connecting. There was a discrepancy between what we saw and what was implied.
In this context of crisis, ―martial law‖ is more readily accepted. If the leaden play the game to
near perfection, the members themselves will actually demand that ―martial law‖ be imposed.
Judicial and ethical norms are often willingly relaxed, and the leaders can begin to define the
limits of their authority and the expectations for conformity by the members. By using the target
as scapegoats controversial and sometimes authoritarian guidelines are introduced. The
excommunication meeting creates the best atmosphere for such parameters to be successfully
illustrated and accepted.
[Brian] The elders would say at the meetings, ―Even if your information is true,
which it isn't, you're still not to listen to it or accept it.‖ That just blew my mind.
I've heard it over and over again from them, ―Ifs slander even if it‘s true.‖ It is
interesting that none of this stuff concerning the church's doctrines -I hadn't been
in the church long enough to see a copy of the ―JOY OF JUSTICE.‖ I had never seen
that article or language. Issues such as church discipline, authority, [etc.], had
never even entered my mind until this situation. All the things going on in the
meeting seemed to contradict the basic beliefs of the group. I went to another
