The title is misleading. While all these stories are stories of Women coming to terms with their faith either by staying in their current religion but don't believe and stay anyway because of the community not the belief that keeps them there. There were no "extreme" religions, all are here, none of the writers were held at gunpoint for their beliefs. I cannot fault the writers of their own stories, each of us that have left a religion or had seriously doubts whether that particular religion is extreme and perhaps they are by their rules, dogma and societal pressures within that community. While to an outsider it could be seen not an extreme move to leave, but for those on the inside it really is life or death. Leaving the life that you know, some religions/denominations will excommunicate (even Friends will) you and some you have to choose to take your family with your or just the clothes on your back. While the stories don't scream CNN/FoxNews worthy of "extreme religions," they do share the moments of doubt.


I liked this book, I related to some stories but not others and that is too be expected. I just wish the title was different."Religion wasn't worth it if solitude, divorces, and decimated self-worth were the fruits of trying to so hard to do the right thing. (page 241)."