Doctrinally, the Boston Church of Christdoesn't differ that radically from otherFundamentalist churches. They, too, preach thatthe Bible is the ultimate authority on all moralquestions, that adult baptism by immersion isnecessary for salvation, and that most establishedchurches have departed from the true path of theLord.
What sets the Boston Church of Christ apart isits rigidly authoritarian organization, in whichall members are responsible to superiors in theChurch for all facets of the conduct of theirdaily lives. All but the most junior members,further, are responsible for ensuring thespiritual progress of certain designated "youngerChristians". Members practise public confession oftheir sins to their peers and to their Churchsuperiors.
According to a former member who left becauseshe was fed up with the authority structure of theChurch, there is subtle but omnipresent pressureto confess.
"We were never explicitly told to confess oursins, but in fact there was always the sense thatwe weren't supposed to hide anything, that anysecret actions or doubts were by definition bad,and that we should therefore feel guilty aboutthem," the former member says.
"Everyone is self-programmed to think that,while doubt is inevitable, it is also unnaturaland comes from Satan," she says. "The goal is toeliminate all doubt and become confident in one'sfaith."
Members tend to live, work, eat and sleep withother members, and dating outside the Church isstrictly forbidden, according to both current andformer Church members. Indeed, according to oneformer member who asked that she not beidentified, many people end up leaving the Churchbecause they become involved with outsiders.
While members are not specifically urged tosever contacts with former friends, there isalways the sense that outsiders are only relevantinsofar as they are convertable.
One freshman, who was intesely recruited over aperiod of about 10 days, without going to anymeetings says that his contact had been lessinterest in him for himself, despite extraordinaryfriendliness, as in wracking up personal spiritualpoints by bring in a convert.
"Greg made an incredible effort to convert me,but for his own sake, not mine. He did it to gethimself to heaven, and once it became clear that Iwasn't going to buy it he never called me again."