Born and Razed
Surviving the Cult was Only Half the Battle
By Beth Granger
Thousands have read the headlines.
Few know the inside story.
Once ranked amongst Canada’s elite boarding schools, the impressive facade of Grenville Christian College (GCC) hid a far darker truth. Just three years after its opening, the college fell prey to the “Mothers” — leaders of a Cape Cod commune that would turn GCC into an institution of paranoia that brainwashed, abused, and terrorized its residents for decades.
Staff and students alike were forced into terrifying “light sessions” where they were publicly attacked for their sins. Cruel punishments that demoralized and demeaned were commonplace, keeping residents captive to their shame — by a cult that was hidden in plain sight.
The first “staff kid” to be born at GCC, Beth Granger was removed from her parents’ care at the age of four, because they were deemed too sinful to raise her. When she was only five, the leaders declared war on Beth’s “sin” of gluttony.
It would take her three decades to muster the courage to escape.
Six years after she left, GCC folded, and allegations of abuse exploded in the media. With the tidal wave of truth came Beth’s own understanding of what she had endured — and the beginning of a pursuit for justice that set historical precedent in the Canadian legal system.
I’m glad she’s going first, I thought as all eyes turned towards our lawyer. She looked poised and self assured, so I resolved to adopt some of her confidence.
But as soon as Loretta started to tell our story, I burst into tears. Not subtle, quiet tears, but an eruption like a volcano, taking me by surprise. Emotions that had fermented from being bottled up for thirty-eight years burst forth in an ugly cry that couldn’t be silenced. Using my new burgundy blouse to mop my face, I tried desperately to pull myself together. The last thing I wanted to do was distract anyone from our lawyer’s opening remarks.
It would be years before I understood my emotional response. All I knew at the time was that the minute I heard a lawyer speaking on our behalf, it was like a dam broke. I’d been holding a massive reservoir of pain for so long, and the magnitude of the moment was more than I could hold.
Finally, we’re being heard. We’re being taken seriously.
—Beth Granger, Born and Razed
About Beth
After her escape from GCC at age thirty-one, Beth didn’t become a drug addicted streetwalker or go straight to hell, as her cult leaders predicted.
Instead, she earned her Bachelor of Education at Queen’s University, got hired after her first teacher interview, married a police officer, and became a mother of two. She also helped spearhead a sixteen-year landmark class action lawsuit against her abusers.
Writing this, her first book, played an essential part in Beth’s healing when it became clear that she couldn’t outrun her trauma. In addition to complex PTSD, she’s been recovering from benzo withdrawal and a lifelong eating disorder.
Beth resides near Ottawa with her family and her three Cavaliers, Harry, Hermione, and Ron. When she isn’t writing, you might find her painting, forest bathing, napping, cycling in her Cookie Monster jersey, or singing at the top of her lungs (on stage or behind the wheel)
Beth is dedicated to shedding light on the long-term impact of trauma inflicted by weaponized religion and to helping its survivors heal.
I hope that my story helps readers in some way. Maybe it will open more eyes to the harms of religious abuse. Maybe it will serve as a cautionary tale, alerting us to the danger of cults hiding in plain sight. Maybe it will validate one person's trauma. Above all, I hope it makes an impact. Thank you for braving the journey with me.
—Beth Granger, Born and Razed
“Painful. Poignant. Powerful. These words accurately describe Born and Razed, the memoir recounting Beth Granger's decades inside a religious cult. As a counsellor specializing in religious trauma recovery, I recognize the horrifying threats and demoralizing abuse Beth experienced - as well as the lingering, devastating impacts years later. While the first chapters left my heart aching for her, the later chapters had me cheering. This well-written, explosive Canadian memoir will have you on the edge of your seat.”
JANICE SELBIE, RPC
Author of Divorcing Religion: A Memoir & Survival Handbook and founder of CORT (the Conference on Religious Trauma)
“Despite decades of systemic abuse perpetrated by religious leaders, Beth Granger’s recovery is a beacon of light. In her memoir, Born and Razed, we see up-close how Granger and others suffered at the Grenville Christian School and the associated Community of Jesus in Massachusetts. Running those secretive institutions were charlatans posing as spiritual educators who doled out vindictive physical and psychological abuse without accountability—until Granger and others brought them to justice in court. You’ll cringe, cry, and cheer for Granger as you read her compelling story. I did.
CHARLENE L. EDGE
Author of Undertow: My Escape from the Fundamentalism and Cult Control of The Way International
Coming early 2025
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