Beyond Belief

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Authors: Cami Ostman

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BEYOND BELIEF

THE SECRET LIVES OF WOMEN
IN EXTREME RELIGIONS

edited by

Susan Tive & Cami Ostman

SEAL PRESS

BEYOND BELIEF

The Secret Lives of Women in Extreme Religions

Copyright © 2013 by Susan Tive & Cami Ostman

Note to the reader: In some stories, names and identifying details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.

Published by

Seal Press

A Member of the Perseus Books Group

1700 Fourth Street

Berkeley, California

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without written permission from the publisher, except by reviewers who may quote brief excerpts in connection with a review.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Ostman, Cami.

Beyond belief : the secret lives of women in extreme religions / by Cami Ostman & Susan Tive.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-58005-461-4

1. Women and religion. 2. Religion—Controversial literature. 3. Patriarchy—Religious aspects. I. Tive, Susan, 1962- II. Title.

BL458.O88 2013

200.92’52—dc23

2012041943

10  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1

Cover design by Erin Seaward-Hiatt

Interior design by Domini Dragoone

Distributed by Publishers Group West

To all who have trusted me with their stories
and listened to mine in return.
—Cami Ostman

To my parents, who taught me that good conversation
is more important than table manners.
—Susan Tive

Contents

Introduction
I
N THE
B
EGINNING
Church Bodies ~
Naomi J. Williams
Direct Line to God ~
Cami Ostman
Beaten by Devotion ~
Huda Al-Marashi
Baptizing the Annas ~
Caitlin Constantine
Uniforms ~
Leah Lax
Seducing God ~
Joshunda Victoria Sanders
Show Me the Way ~
Elise Brianne Curtin
Swan Sister ~
Yolande Elise Brener
B
URNT
O
FFERINGS
Turning Twelve ~
Lucia Greenhouse
Touch ~
Elise Glassman
Body Language ~
Pamela Helberg
A Mother in Israel ~
Stephanie Durden Edwards
Poisonous Promises ~
Grace Peterson
Tilapia Mikveh ~
Susan Tive
Witness ~
Melanie Hoffert
Eva ~
Leila Khan
White Lie ~
Nikki Smith
E
XODUS
Always Leaving ~
Donna M. Johnson
Separation
Colleen Haggerty
Dirty Girl ~
Erin Seaward-Hiatt
Can I Get a Witness? ~
Elizabeth Taylor-Mead
Lucky Cat ~
Kyria Abrahams
Church of the Snake ~
Carolyn Briggs
The Imperceptible Head Shake ~
Julia Scheeres
Duct Tape and Baling Wire ~
Valerie Tarico
Nun Hands ~
Mary Johnson

Introduction:

Reflections from the Editors
Cami Ostman and Susan Tive

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