Excommunication

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[Janet Easson Martin]

I was a member of the [GCx] Independence MO "assembly" from '73-'78.  ... How he [McCotter] and his cohorts were able to convince so many talented, intelligent people to become underachievers is another mystery.  I remember at the time I aspired to nothing more than graduating from college and getting a part-time job so I could devote more time to the "body" ...

In the succeeding years, we saw more disfellowshipping [excommunications and shunnings] many of which were for disagreeing with the elders and having conversations about it with friends. Many left, and after they were gone, the elders disfellowshipped them.

I left after disagreeing with the "disfellowshipping" of a long string of people, including my best friend and my brother.  Even though I left on good terms, for simple reasons of conscience; I was later publicly disfellowshipped, so remaining members would not have any communication with me. The fact that nearly thirty years later, I am still thinking about this experience shows what a shattering experience it was for me. ...

The Independence "assembly" moved to Columbia [MO] around 1978 or '79. ... Apparently the disfellowshipping became a common thing.  What is shameful for me is to think how much of it I tolerated, against my conscience, only because that group was my whole life, and to leave it was inconceivable. ...

I am now a missionary in Chile. ...

-Independence-exer,   2007

[Free.to.love.Jesus]

I wish they found a reason to excommunicate me, then I wouldn't have been stressed trying to find a way to leave when they wouldn't let me leave.

[Free.to.love.Jesus]

Janet E Martin,
I'm so sorry to hear what happened to you.
I guess they didn't excommunicate me cause we still kept in touch with some members after we left.
They just act superior, like their church is the best one in the world and if you leave,  there's something wrong with you. It's all about their "program" initiated by their cult leaders.  It's suited for those who are into control. They tell us to be humble but they don't practice humility. It's ironic.

[inCULTcated]

They tell us to be humble but they don't practice humility. It's ironic.

I really wish there was a way to get through to people like that. The hypocritical leaders who police other people's humility by saying things like, "You need to take the log out of your eye before you take the speck out of mine." Words cannot describe how infuriating it is to hear that.

[Free.to.love.Jesus]

Thanks for the reply. How did you get that box to come up with my quote?
I was also told there was sun in my life cause I was sick. Can you imagine?

[inCULTcated]

You can click "Quote" next to a comment, and it'll put that comment in a quote box for you to reply to. You can also edit the quote if you only want to quote part of a post.

[Free.to.love.Jesus]

They tell us to be humble but they don't practice humility. It's ironic.

I really wish there was a way to get through to people like that. The hypocritical leaders who police other people's humility by saying things like, "You need to take the log out of your eye before you take the speck out of mine." Words cannot describe how infuriating it is to hear that.

Thank you.
I laughed hard cause you're spot on.
This forum helps me laugh.
One of the members kept repeating "your relationship with God isn't right".
And you think his relationship with God is perfect cause he says amen to cult leaders who are after power, money and total submission to them?

[Huldah]

I wish they found a reason to excommunicate me, then I wouldn't have been stressed trying to find a way to leave when they wouldn't let me leave.

Hi, Free.to.love.Jesus,

I see that your posts are fairly recent, and yet somehow I missed them. Welcome to the forum. Your one sentence above shows how very much was wrong with GC. Not allowed to leave! As if they owned you like a dog or a slave. I'm glad you finally got out. If you don't mind answering, how did you finally escape? Did you just get fed up and walk away? (But don't answer if you'd rather not. I understand that leaving can be traumatic, and not everyone wants to talk about their trauma.)

I saw in one of your other posts that they took your life savings and demanded an ongoing more-than-tithe from you. How awful. I almost don't even have words.