Unfortunately, this is a significant tool that major religions use to control their members. Specific terms even exist to describe this conduct in some of them. It's anticipated that individuals who depart will be ostracized, even by family members. Often, these are people who joined the faith in the first place because they felt loved and significant for the first time in their lives - perhaps they were dealing with a major loss or they were simply elderly individuals left alone. Subsequently, their ensuing isolation can feel like a heavy penalty.