CELEBRITY NUTRITIONIST OPENS UP ABOUT HER DARK CHILDHOOD IN A CULT

High-profile nutritionist Rosemary Stanton reveals her unhappy childhood in the Exclusive Brethren sect. "I've been brought up in this very strict religious sect," she told A Current Affair. "It's really wrong to subject children to that."

Members believe they are chosen by God and are waiting for the Rapture - a moment when the 'saints on earth' will be moved onto the next life, while those who aren't pure remain on earth.

Believers live in constant fear of the 'wrath of God' from a young age and cannot have toys, pets or association from people from other groups.

'It was a very exclusive group, we weren't supposed to have anything to do with other people,' she said, explaining that they couldn't grow up with other children.

'We weren't supposed to read books, we didn't have make-up, we had to have long hair, we weren't allowed to wear boys clothes like jeans or long pants or any of those sorts of things.'

"Females were not allowed to attend university and all females wore a ribbon, bow or scarf across their head from a young age to signify 'you accept the headship (authority) of men."

http://ow.ly/ZP4P8