General Chat

For more information on the Exclusive Brethren, visit www.peebs.net

Not heard of that Maggie, interesting. Is that recent or from years back?

Hi Maggieinwinchester,

Would that be Brockwood park, near Bramdene.?
There is a large estate and manor there owned by some kind of religious group, no idea as to what religion.

There's a village about 10 miles away, where a lot of the houses have been bought by Plymouth Brethren.
When I was at Uni, the lecturer on Paganism (quite well known in those circles) and his Jewish wife, bought a house there!!
He said it led to he and his wife leading to a very peaceful existence - as they were totally ignored :-D
When I went to visit once, I noticed 2 shops. The PB only used the one owned by a PB.

The Exclusive Brethren (Plymouth Brethren)

The Exclusive Brethren are an Evangelical Protestant Christian church distinct from the Christian or Open Brethren.

Members follow a rigid code of conduct based very strictly on Bible teaching, which provides a firm moral framework and is focussed on a strong family unit.

They keep themselves separate from other people (including other Christians) as far as possible, because they believe the world is a place of wickedness. They regard 'exclusiveness' as the only way to keep away from evil.

The main group of Exclusive Brethren is called 'Taylorites' after James Taylor Senior and Junior who led the church for much of the twentieth century.

Most of the information available about the group comes from people who have left it. As a result the Exclusive Brethren often gets a bad press and is referred to using phrases like "an exclusive and secret religious sect" or "a secretive church".

There are thought to be approximately 43,000 (2008 figure) in the Taylorite branch of the Exclusive Brethren worldwide.

There are up to 16,000 Exclusive Brethren in Britain, with congregations throughout the country.
Structure

The Exclusive Brethren is not a democratic movement, nor do individual congregations have any autonomy. For most of the last 100 years, it has been ruled by a series of single individuals. This is different to the Open or Christian Brethren, whose churches are largely independent.
Lifestyle

Like many closed groups, the Exclusive Brethren provide a warm, loving, family-centred way of life to its members that most find fulfilling and rewarding. The intention is to provide a safe way of life that protects members from the corrupt world outside.
Criticisms

Members who leave or are expelled from the group have, in the past, often been avoided by current members. Critics have described this practise as cruel.

Leavers are avoided by members of the group because they are seen as having chosen the world and the devil against God and because they could bring members into contact with the sinful world.

Until recently (early 2002) Brethren who left the church were completely ostracised. Members would not speak, eat or live with those who had left and this caused families to break up.

Since many Exclusive Brethren work in Brethren-owned companies they have to give up their jobs as well as their family and their home if they leave the faith.

they are not allowed to watch television, listen to music, see films etc.

Plymouth Brethren don't believe in cutting their hair. They are quite a strict sect, I also seem to remember that they won't marry out of the sect and if a family member leaves the sect they are excluded, the family won't eat with them. Many years ago I used to know somebody at work who was Brethren. Is it brethren who worship in the Gospel Hall?

M&S are much more extreme in their uniform. It could be the Co-Op.

Actually, one reason I don't ask them is because they never look very approachable and I am afraid that ,if I ask them, they might think I am interested in their religion. I once helped out a Jehovah's Witness who was in trouble and she thought I might be interested in their doctrine.

It doesn't stop me helping out anybody in trouble but it does make me a bit wary of asking them about their religion.

Yes they would be brethren. There are some fairly large communities not far from where I live and the women all have long hair and wear a headscarf on their head.

Think PH might be correct, near where I live there so happens to be a branch of the Plymouth Brethren about 3 mins from M & S ;-)

PricklyHolly Report as Abuse 22 Jun 2011 13:24
Do you have an M&S near you?

I think it's the staffs new summer uniform.



There's always one! :-D

If you look at 'Mennonites' and 'Amish' on google images they both wear similar dresses and scarves. i wonder if the blue dresses are more usual because it is a natural dye?

why not ask them?

I think there is some sort of German Cult who wear clothes like that,they have a Farm just outside Robertsbridge in Sussex and others elsewhere.**M**

Thank you. I did look up Bretheren but could see no mention of the scarf.

They belong to the Plymouth Brethren - a movement that began in (of all places) Dublin in 1827.
If they're wearing dark blue - sounds quite a fundamentalist branch.
Quite often the women wear 'normalish' clothes (ie not necessarily blue) - that cover them up - with the headscarf.

Do you have an M&S near you?

I think it's the staffs new summer uniform.

No,they won't be Amish because I see them around this way and that is much too far to go in a buggy.

Amish women wear bonnets.

Possibly Amish?

Not sure how to spell, are they Amish-?-jl

I thought Brethren were men?

Nuns?