As the pastor, Allen authorizes courtships between church members and approves marriages for girls from the congregation as young as 14. He promotes isolationism among church members, encouraging them to live within walking distance of one another and discouraging them from voting. And he makes it clear that the parents whose children were seized would be in conflict with the church if they reunited their families by promising a judge they would not follow the church's disciplinary practices. Either you love the Lord thy God with all your heart and soul . . . God doesn't accept serving two masters.
Some former members agree.
Everything they do, they have to wait to see what he's going to say about it. It's amazing he can keep that many people's minds in unity with him. The accusation infuriates Allen. Allen shouts from the House of Prayer's makeshift pulpit. He thrusts his worn black Bible heavenward and waves it fiercely.