Social support withdrawn. Termination of friendship. A family denies its own. A community turns its back on him. These are the characteristics of religious rejection. Because many people have never dealt with a repressive religion, they may not understand the concept of "being cast out." A person who experiences religious rejection may go through many turbulent emotions and phases. Many former followers may endure extreme disbelief and fear during their initial rejection. Likewise, avoided members may experience turmoil and extreme depression after being avoided. Without social and physical support, the transition period after their dissociation is marked by extremely negative circumstances. If a member survives the initial exclusion, they often feel anger and resentment, while others may eventually return to their faith. Members of the apostleship can become a "self-fulfilling prophecy" as many begin to openly denounce their previous religion. Although avoidance is considered an act of love, this act is ultimately a painful means of control that causes the "beloved" great pain. According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, avoid means “deliberately and especially habitually to avoid” (2014). In the context of a religious community, exclusion means cutting all ties with people who do not fully agree with the philosophy of their religion, who do not explicitly follow the demands of religious leaders, or who wish to break away from their religion. This is particularly traumatic for former members, because many religions that practice rejection are close-knit groups that keep outside influences at bay. Another reason why it is difficult for members to break away from these repressive religions is that many encourage their parishioners to receive...... middle of paper ...... use of this desperation, people who are shunned often experience intense depression and sometimes commit suicide. New isolation often exacerbates the loss a person experiences. The ensuing crisis can cause destructive behavior. The anger and resentment a person may feel can be focused in a positive or negative way. Help from a community of people with similar experiences can help an ex-member overcome shame, anger, and gain resources to survive. Many people involved in repressive religions do not know the consequences of their decisions. Nonetheless, public education is a major way to help people navigate these situations and make healthy choices. Works Cited Merriam-Webster. (April 18, 2014). Avoid. Retrieved from Merriam-Webster: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shun?show=0&t=1397949203.