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Many harmful, oppressive communities tell their people they’re “free to leave”. This isn’t a positive trait, and certainly doesn’t do their members favours. People are free to leave but often aren’t allowed to take anything with them and are ill-prepared.
#hutterites
#hutterites
It’s also important to consider how realistic it is for people to leave at any time, when their whole life has been lived within a community that is designed to be closed off from the modern-day world around it.
#hutterites
#hutterites
One person controls finances for the entire colony so they don’t learn/apply basic financial skills like budgeting, etc. Their curriculum in school is adapted to meet their religious beliefs - they often don’t learn important historical, scientific, and health info
#hutterite
#hutterite
Imagine how difficult it is for people to leave and navigate employment, housing, personal finances - when those are skills that are NOT taught to individuals on colonies.
#hutterites
#hutterites
By their own design, Hutterites who leave have very limited knowledge and skills to live in the “outside” world. They’re also often condemned by Hutterite elders and their own family who remain on the colony if they choose to leave.
#hutterites
#hutterites
They’re told they’re damned to hell for leaving. They may not be allowed to return to visit family and in some cases are cut off from family altogether. They’re continually told they’re going to hell for daring to leave the community that God placed them in.
#hutterites
#hutterites
So, with all due respect to everyone claiming “they can leave at any time!” - this is technically true, but please be mindful of the plethora of obstacles they face (women, especially), and the incredibly low success rate if they choose to leave. It is not a fair or genuine claim
