Probation

Also referred to as babe's status or partial excommunication. A form of punishment for full-time members in which the person is demoted for a period of typically 3 to 6 months. During this time, many of the rights granted to members in the Love Charter are suspended.

Probation is usually the result of breaking a Charter rule not deemed severe enough (at least on a first offense) for excommunication. An example of an offense warranting probation is smoking tobacco.

While on probation, a group member is required to go through the procedure for "babes" (or new disciples), which includes reading thousands of pages of Mo Letters and other core Family literature, forgoing sex (aside from with one's own spouse) and avoiding "worldly distractions" or "system influences", including non-Family music, books, Web sites, computer games and television. Failure to complete the 6-month program successfully will typically result in excommunication or the restarting of the 6-month probationary period.

Before the Family's governing charter was instituted, it was not uncommon for members to be assigned babe's status based on the whims of Family shepherds.