Even before he was a teenager, Reuben Rathbone became addicted to what he calls the "pleasures of women's flesh." He also was the son of an intense Baptist minister, who grounded him soundly in fundamental Christian principles and values. Thus, inevitably, he became seriously conflicted over his sexual activities and his religious beliefs. He feared that his soul was bound for hell if he did not curb his sinful nature. Unable to cure himself of his affliction, he joined the Shaker society after he had heard that it carried a "cross against the flesh." For nearly twenty years, he remained among the Shakers, but various tribulations brought about his departure in 1799.