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Religious Disaffiliation of the Second-Generation from Alternative Religious Groups

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268 University of Alberta Religious Disaffiliation of the Second-Generation from Alternative Religious Groups by Stacey Gordey © A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts Department of Sociology Edmonton, Alberta Fall 2008 Library and Bibliotheque et 1*1 Archives Canada Archives Canada Published Heritage Direction du Branch Patrimoine de I'edition 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Canada Canada Your file Votre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-46959-0 Our file Notre reference ISBN: 978-0-494-46959-0 NOTICE: AVIS: The author has granted a non­ L'auteur a accorde une licence non exclusive exclusive license allowing Library permettant a la Bibliotheque et Archives and Archives Canada to reproduce, Canada de reproduire, publier, archiver, publish, archive, preserve, conserve, sauvegarder, conserver, transmettre au public communicate to the public by par telecommunication ou par I'lnternet, prefer, telecommunication or on the Internet, distribuer et vendre des theses partout dans loan, distribute and sell theses le monde, a des fins commerciales ou autres, worldwide, for commercial or non­ sur support microforme, papier, electronique commercial purposes, in microform, et/ou autres formats. paper, electronic and/or any other formats. The author retains copyright L'auteur conserve la propriete du droit d'auteur ownership and moral rights in et des droits moraux qui protege cette these. this thesis. Neither the thesis Ni la these ni des extraits substantiels de nor substantial extracts from it celle-ci ne doivent etre imprimes ou autrement may be printed or otherwise reproduits sans son autorisation. reproduced without the author's permission. In compliance with the Canadian Conformement a la loi canadienne Privacy Act some supporting sur la protection de la vie privee, forms may have been removed quelques formulaires secondaires from this thesis. ont ete enleves de cette these. While these forms may be included Bien que ces formulaires in the document page count, aient inclus dans la pagination, their removal does not represent il n'y aura aucun contenu manquant. any loss of content from the thesis. •*• Canada Abstract This thesis closely examines second-generation defection from alternative religious groups, specifically using autobiographies focusing on the Children of God/The Family, the Rajneeshees, the Unification Church (Moonies), the Great White Brotherhood/The Family (Anne Hamilton-Byrne), the New Age Movement (Tompkins), Hindu Mysticism (Paul Brunton), and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (early Mormonism). First, I use grounded theory methodology to investigate factors pertaining to why second-generation members stayed as long as they did, and why they left. Second, I frame my analysis within the 'apostate debate' literature, and assess whether apostate accounts are reliable sources, specifically regarding their allegations of child abuse. Third, I generate a new Four Factor Model of Second-Generation Defection from Alternative Religious Groups, and test it against the Hare Krishnas. Fourth, I provide recommendations for future research using my generated theory. Table of contents 1. Introduction and Research Approach Introduction to the Study 1 Operational Definitions 3 Literature Review 6 Second-Generation Defection in Socio-Political Context 6 Second-Generation Defection in Psychological Context 8 Second-Generation Defection in Religious Studies Context 9 Current Literature: The Children of God/The Family — A Case Study 10 What's Missing from the Literature 15 Autobiographies 16 Sample Overview 19 A Brief Overview: Children of God/The Family 20 Timeline of Affiliation: Kristina Jones, Celeste Jones, Juliana Buhring 22 A Brief Overview: The Rajneeshees 25 Timeline of Affiliation: Tim Guest 27 A Brief Overview: The Unification Church 29 Timeline of Affiliation: Nansook Hong 31 A Brief Overview: The Great White Brotherhood/The Family 32 Timeline of Affiliation: Sarah Hamilton-Byrne 33 New Age Movement: Ptolomy Tompkins 35 Hindu Mysticism: Jeffrey Masson 36 A Brief Overview of The Early Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints..37 Timeline of Affiliation: Ann Eliza Young 39 Chapter Overview 41 2. Methods Why Use Qualitative Methodology 44 Unit of Analysis 45 Grounded Theory 45 Simultaneous Collection and Analysis of Data 47 Two-Step Data Coding Process 48 Comparative Methods , 50 Memo Writing Aimed at the Construction of Conceptual Analyses 51 Sampling to Refine the Researcher's Emerging Theoretical Ideas 52 Integration of the Theoretical Framework 52 3. Why Do They Write? Introduction 54 An Overview of the 'Apostate' Debate 54 The Value of Apostates Claiming to Have Been Brainwashed 56 Those Against Trusting 'Apostate' Accounts 58 Researchers who use Apostate Accounts 62 Some Problems with Autobiographical Memory 66 Why Do They Write? 69 4. Why Did They Stay? Why Did They Leave When They Did? Introduction 77 Why Stay? 78 Available Options for Childhood Defection: A General Discussion on Second- Generation Defection 79 Logistical Reasons Inhibiting Defection 83 Geographic and Social Isolation 84 Lack of Monetary Resources 85 Lack of Outside Support 85 Psychological Reasons Inhibiting Defection 86 Positive Experiences within the Alternative Religious Group 87 Continuing Faith 89 Misattribution of Negative Experiences 90 Guilt/Fear of Supernatural Retribution 90 Summary of'Why Stay' 92 Themes Contributing to Second-Generation Defection 93 Abuses of Personhood 94 Physical Abuse 94 Beatings 94 Food Deprivation 98 Drugs 101 Living Conditions 102 Additional Physical Abuse 103 Sexual Abuse 106 Emotional/Psychological Abuse 117 Spiritual Abuse 123 Institutional Abuse 139 Familial Abuse 139 Educational Abuse 149 Conclusions 154 5. Supporting Evidence Introduction 156 The Children of God/The Family: Testing the Jones Sisters' Claims 157 An Overview of Major Sources on Second-Generation Experiences in the Children of God/The Family 158 Jesus Freaks: A True Story of Murder and Madness on the Evangelical Edge (2007) 158 Life in the Family: An Oral History of the Children ofGod (2000) 159 Book Review of Chancellor ..162 The Children of God: The Inside Story (2000) 163 Heaven's Harlots: My Fifteen Years as a Sacred Prostitute in the Children of God Cult (1998) 164 The Children of God: A Make-Believe Revolution? (1993) 165 Living in the Children of God (1991) 166 Assessing the Jones Sisters' Allegations Against The Children of God/The Family 169 Physical Abuse Allegations 170 Beatings 170 Living Conditions 178 Additional Physical and Medical Abuse 179 Conclusions on Allegations of Physical Abuse 181 Sexual Abuse Allegations 181 Conclusions about the Jones Sisters' Allegations of Child Sexual Abuse within the Children of God/The Family 192 Spiritual Abuse Allegations 194 Conclusions on Allegations of Spiritual Abuse 197 Familial Abuse Allegations 199 Conclusions on Allegations of Familial Abuse 202 Educational Abuse Allegations 202 Conclusions on Allegations of Educational Abuse 205 Children of God/The Family: Conclusions 205 The Rajneeshees 207 The Unification Church 213 The Great White Brotherhood/The Family 218 New Age Movement 221 Hindu Mysticism 222 Early Mormon Church 222 Conclusions: Evaluating 'Apostate' Literature 230 6. Discussion Introduction 233 A Proposed Model for Second-Generation Defection 234 The Four-Factor Second-Generation Defection Model 235 Evaluating Grounded Theory 237 Case Example: The Hare Krishnas and Their Fit to the Four Factor Model 238 An Overview of the Hare Krishnas 238 Abuses of Personhood 239 Social Institutional Abuses 240 Contact with Outside Society 241 Religious Hypocrisy 242 Conclusions 243 Additional Recommendations for the Four Factor Model 243 Economic Abuse: An Example Using the Children of God/The Family 244 Discussion 248 References 252 Chapter 1: Introduction and Research Approach Introduction to the Study The explosion of alternative religious movements in various periods of modern history has entailed new and often exotic groups recruiting young adults into their ranks, and many of these converts became parents while they were members or already had young children at the time that they joined. Initially, these alternative religious groups did not have formal child-rearing policies, but new policies emerged in response to growing second-generation membership. This 'second generation' became old enough to choose whether to remain in or leave their respective sects. First-generation defectors have had their experiences heard, for example through autobiographies (for example, Davis with Davis: 1984; Williams: 1998). Second-generation ex-members also have spoken about their experiences of sectarian1 life, but have generally received little attention from researchers. One problem for academics is that the voices of the second- generation have been spread across numerous mediums, none of which to date has been systematically identified and analyzed. The goal of this thesis, therefore, is to provide an initial analysis of second-generation book-autobiographies, suggesting common themes for second-generation defection from alternative religious groups. 1 For variation, I also use the term sect or sectarian to refer to alternative religious groups. I occasionally use the term 'cult' when it is the predominant nomenclature in the literature, specifically when discussing the 'apostate debate.' 1 For alternative religions that sprang up in the West
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