Religious Abuse

Sky Dancer

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Jan 21, 2009
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"Spiritual abuse can take place in the context of doctrinally sound, Bible preaching, fundamental, conservative Christianity. All that is needed for abuse is a pastor accountable to no one and therefore beyond confrontation.

The congregation's social characteristics provide danger signals as well. Membership of authoritarian churches is frequently comprised of young, spiritually immature Christians.

Another sign of impending trouble in a church is an obsession with discipline and excommunication. Beware of churches that warn of certain doom if you leave their 'covering,' or if you 'break covenant.'

A fourth sign of aberrance in a church is when the church encourages complete isolation or strong distancing of it's membership from family and friends not involved in the group.

Another sign of abusive behavior in a church is it's tendency towards isolation from other churches. Beware of the church,where outside speakers are consistently denied access to the pulpit, and where other Christian churches are regularly denounced, belittled or ridiculed.
How To Spot Religious Abuse

Most churches and spiritual communties are sources of good. Some are not. Discuss.
 
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It is clear that contrasting images of God (as a terrorizing bully or as a strong, tender shepherd) would have very different effects on a person’s feelings and behaviors. The first image, of a bully God would contribute to shame, paralyzing fear, a negative view of self and of the world, withdrawal from God and a sense of hopelessness.

The second image, of a shepherd God, however, would create a sense of being known and loved, a freedom to act, a positive view of self and the world, a desire to approach God, and a sense of hopefulness. After working with these contrasting images of God in workshops, I have had people say with tears in their eyes "the difference is you would want to run from the bully God, but the God whom Isaiah describes is a God you would want to be close to, a God you could trust and love."
Seeing God in New Ways: Recovery from Distorted Images of God : Natl. Assoc. for Christian Recovery
 
Matthew 16:18 καγὼ δέ σοι λέγω ὅτι σὺ εἶ Πέτρος καὶ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ πέτρᾳ οἰκοδομήσω μου τὴν ἐκκλησίαν καὶ πύλαι ᾅδου οὐ κατισχύσουσιν αὐτῆς. (
And I say also unto thee That thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.)

Jesus said to Peter that it was upon him to lay the foundation of what Jesus was preaching, salvation. It was not meant as a commandment to build a physical church or denomination but to spread the WORD among the Gentiles and the Jews.
 
"Spiritual abuse can take place in the context of doctrinally sound, Bible preaching, fundamental, conservative Christianity. All that is needed for abuse is a pastor accountable to no one and therefore beyond confrontation.

The congregation's social characteristics provide danger signals as well. Membership of authoritarian churches is frequently comprised of young, spiritually immature Christians.

Another sign of impending trouble in a church is an obsession with discipline and excommunication. Beware of churches that warn of certain doom if you leave their 'covering,' or if you 'break covenant.'

A fourth sign of aberrance in a church is when the church encourages complete isolation or strong distancing of it's membership from family and friends not involved in the group.

Another sign of abusive behavior in a church is it's tendency towards isolation from other churches. Beware of the church,where outside speakers are consistently denied access to the pulpit, and where other Christian churches are regularly denounced, belittled or ridiculed.
How To Spot Religious Abuse

Most churches and spiritual communties are sources of good. Some are not. Discuss.

Well, No Pastor who stands before me is is unaccountable. If I ask him a question, he will answer or be borne out for what he is. If his actions are motivated by god then all will be fine. If not then fuck him. They are only men, and teachers as well as leaders. I subscribe to a church doctrine given by God, not a man. I will do what I feel is right as I understand it as I read it from the Bible. In the end, men dont, and never will judge me. God will. So to hell with them.
 
I have not posted here for over a year. You are the first person here that I have ever seen who looks like someone who can actually discuss a topic. I think I will enjoy reading your posts.

I have agreed with everything in this thread that you have said. But more important, it seems to be a fresh look from a perspective that is not driven by attitude. Thanks.
 
"Spiritual abuse can take place in the context of doctrinally sound, Bible preaching, fundamental, conservative Christianity. All that is needed for abuse is a pastor accountable to no one and therefore beyond confrontation.

The congregation's social characteristics provide danger signals as well. Membership of authoritarian churches is frequently comprised of young, spiritually immature Christians.

Another sign of impending trouble in a church is an obsession with discipline and excommunication. Beware of churches that warn of certain doom if you leave their 'covering,' or if you 'break covenant.'

A fourth sign of aberrance in a church is when the church encourages complete isolation or strong distancing of it's membership from family and friends not involved in the group.

Another sign of abusive behavior in a church is it's tendency towards isolation from other churches. Beware of the church,where outside speakers are consistently denied access to the pulpit, and where other Christian churches are regularly denounced, belittled or ridiculed.
How To Spot Religious Abuse

Most churches and spiritual communties are sources of good. Some are not. Discuss.
why don't you start a thread that speaks of the abuse Islam doles out ??:eusa_eh:....libbs like you will put down Christianity all the time but will rarely if ever speak about the evils of Islam.....why is that??
 
"Spiritual abuse can take place in the context of doctrinally sound, Bible preaching, fundamental, conservative Christianity. All that is needed for abuse is a pastor accountable to no one and therefore beyond confrontation.

The congregation's social characteristics provide danger signals as well. Membership of authoritarian churches is frequently comprised of young, spiritually immature Christians.

Another sign of impending trouble in a church is an obsession with discipline and excommunication. Beware of churches that warn of certain doom if you leave their 'covering,' or if you 'break covenant.'

A fourth sign of aberrance in a church is when the church encourages complete isolation or strong distancing of it's membership from family and friends not involved in the group.

Another sign of abusive behavior in a church is it's tendency towards isolation from other churches. Beware of the church,where outside speakers are consistently denied access to the pulpit, and where other Christian churches are regularly denounced, belittled or ridiculed.
How To Spot Religious Abuse

Most churches and spiritual communties are sources of good. Some are not. Discuss.

Religion is ancient and ignorant. It is a crutch for those who cannot accept the inevitable...death.
 
"Spiritual abuse can take place in the context of doctrinally sound, Bible preaching, fundamental, conservative Christianity. All that is needed for abuse is a pastor accountable to no one and therefore beyond confrontation.

The congregation's social characteristics provide danger signals as well. Membership of authoritarian churches is frequently comprised of young, spiritually immature Christians.

Another sign of impending trouble in a church is an obsession with discipline and excommunication. Beware of churches that warn of certain doom if you leave their 'covering,' or if you 'break covenant.'

A fourth sign of aberrance in a church is when the church encourages complete isolation or strong distancing of it's membership from family and friends not involved in the group.

Another sign of abusive behavior in a church is it's tendency towards isolation from other churches. Beware of the church,where outside speakers are consistently denied access to the pulpit, and where other Christian churches are regularly denounced, belittled or ridiculed.
How To Spot Religious Abuse

Most churches and spiritual communties are sources of good. Some are not. Discuss.

Religion is ancient and ignorant. It is a crutch for those who cannot accept the inevitable...death.

'Religion' may very well be ancient and, sadly, many who claim to be religious have little clue about spirituality, which is ignorant of them... However, MANY things within our lives prepare us toward our death and religion does not have to be a negative report or experience... it is as it is made.

I am amazed at how many choose to be deviantly evil and use it to move 'us' backward in such a way as to be unproductive. There is a necessary level of backward understanding BUT for it to become unproductive and stagnant is NOT what I have gathered from my beloved Christian bible.

What happens in most religion is that the heart of the practitioner is revealed within his/her service. This is what either makes or breaks the push/pull and manipulative forces at work. It is, in all logic and reason, completely impossible to do away with every shred of religion because every bit of our ways in living, from our traditions to our spontaneity is evidence of the legion(s) in which we represent just by our mere existence.

To kill religion is to kill the psyche of man. The key to better defining religion is to realign the psyche of man, accordingly. Defining abuse may be as much in the eye of the weakest leak as beauty is it's beholder.
 
"Spiritual abuse can take place in the context of doctrinally sound, Bible preaching, fundamental, conservative Christianity. All that is needed for abuse is a pastor accountable to no one and therefore beyond confrontation.

The congregation's social characteristics provide danger signals as well. Membership of authoritarian churches is frequently comprised of young, spiritually immature Christians.

Another sign of impending trouble in a church is an obsession with discipline and excommunication. Beware of churches that warn of certain doom if you leave their 'covering,' or if you 'break covenant.'

A fourth sign of aberrance in a church is when the church encourages complete isolation or strong distancing of it's membership from family and friends not involved in the group.

Another sign of abusive behavior in a church is it's tendency towards isolation from other churches. Beware of the church,where outside speakers are consistently denied access to the pulpit, and where other Christian churches are regularly denounced, belittled or ridiculed.
How To Spot Religious Abuse

Most churches and spiritual communties are sources of good. Some are not. Discuss.
why don't you start a thread that speaks of the abuse Islam doles out ??:eusa_eh:....libbs like you will put down Christianity all the time but will rarely if ever speak about the evils of Islam.....why is that??

I live in a country where I am more personally familiar with religious abuse from Christians.

It is not the teachings of Christ that are abusive, it is how some church doctrines work against families who are abusive.
 
"Spiritual abuse can take place in the context of doctrinally sound, Bible preaching, fundamental, conservative Christianity. All that is needed for abuse is a pastor accountable to no one and therefore beyond confrontation.

The congregation's social characteristics provide danger signals as well. Membership of authoritarian churches is frequently comprised of young, spiritually immature Christians.

Another sign of impending trouble in a church is an obsession with discipline and excommunication. Beware of churches that warn of certain doom if you leave their 'covering,' or if you 'break covenant.'

A fourth sign of aberrance in a church is when the church encourages complete isolation or strong distancing of it's membership from family and friends not involved in the group.

Another sign of abusive behavior in a church is it's tendency towards isolation from other churches. Beware of the church,where outside speakers are consistently denied access to the pulpit, and where other Christian churches are regularly denounced, belittled or ridiculed.
How To Spot Religious Abuse

Most churches and spiritual communties are sources of good. Some are not. Discuss.
why don't you start a thread that speaks of the abuse Islam doles out ??:eusa_eh:....libbs like you will put down Christianity all the time but will rarely if ever speak about the evils of Islam.....why is that??

I live in a country where I am more personally familiar with religious abuse from Christians.

It is not the teachings of Christ that are abusive, it is how some church doctrines work against families who are abusive.


Or how doctrine is used to tell you to shut the fuck up or hand over the cash. I presented in a thread of my own how this is done. If you want an example search for "Opinions Pleas" hit the link and read or listen to it then you have an example.
 
Most churches and spiritual communties are sources of good. Some are not. Discuss.

The so-called "Most churches" are apostate hippie - dippie communists who do not fight for The Bible Teaching. The True Christians separate themselves from the World, that's normal.

The True Christians are not of this word!

Acts 29 Review: Christians are not of this World

Colossians 2:8 King James Version (KJV)

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
 
Most churches and spiritual communties are sources of good. Some are not. Discuss.

The so-called "Most churches" are apostate hippie - dippie communists who do not fight for The Bible Teaching. The True Christians separate themselves from the World, that's normal.

The True Christians are not of this word!

Acts 29 Review: Christians are not of this World

Colossians 2:8 King James Version (KJV)

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

You haven't proven to my satisfaction that you're "after Christ". I'm wary of your type, as that's the kind of person Satan would send to lead us astray.
 
Most churches and spiritual communties are sources of good. Some are not. Discuss.

The so-called "Most churches" are apostate hippie - dippie communists who do not fight for The Bible Teaching. The True Christians separate themselves from the World, that's normal.

The True Christians are not of this word!

Acts 29 Review: Christians are not of this World

Colossians 2:8 King James Version (KJV)

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

And Christians are guilty of one sin they refuse to work on not committing. Pride . That one alone leads to gobs of abuse from those higher up in church politics.
 
"Spiritual abuse can take place in the context of doctrinally sound, Bible preaching, fundamental, conservative Christianity. All that is needed for abuse is a pastor accountable to no one and therefore beyond confrontation.

The congregation's social characteristics provide danger signals as well. Membership of authoritarian churches is frequently comprised of young, spiritually immature Christians.

Another sign of impending trouble in a church is an obsession with discipline and excommunication. Beware of churches that warn of certain doom if you leave their 'covering,' or if you 'break covenant.'

A fourth sign of aberrance in a church is when the church encourages complete isolation or strong distancing of it's membership from family and friends not involved in the group.

Another sign of abusive behavior in a church is it's tendency towards isolation from other churches. Beware of the church,where outside speakers are consistently denied access to the pulpit, and where other Christian churches are regularly denounced, belittled or ridiculed.
How To Spot Religious Abuse

Most churches and spiritual communties are sources of good. Some are not. Discuss.

Religion is ancient and ignorant. It is a crutch for those who cannot accept the inevitable...death.

'Religion' may very well be ancient and, sadly, many who claim to be religious have little clue about spirituality, which is ignorant of them... However, MANY things within our lives prepare us toward our death and religion does not have to be a negative report or experience... it is as it is made.

I am amazed at how many choose to be deviantly evil and use it to move 'us' backward in such a way as to be unproductive. There is a necessary level of backward understanding BUT for it to become unproductive and stagnant is NOT what I have gathered from my beloved Christian bible.

What happens in most religion is that the heart of the practitioner is revealed within his/her service. This is what either makes or breaks the push/pull and manipulative forces at work. It is, in all logic and reason, completely impossible to do away with every shred of religion because every bit of our ways in living, from our traditions to our spontaneity is evidence of the legion(s) in which we represent just by our mere existence.

To kill religion is to kill the psyche of man. The key to better defining religion is to realign the psyche of man, accordingly. Defining abuse may be as much in the eye of the weakest leak as beauty is it's beholder.

So you believe that the earth and universe were created in six days by an imortal god about 6,000 years ago. You believe that two naked teens in a garden with a snake and an apple tree determined the eternal fate of mankind. You believe that dinosaurs and mankind inhabited the planet at the same time.

I feel sorry for you.
 
Religion is ancient and ignorant. It is a crutch for those who cannot accept the inevitable...death.

'Religion' may very well be ancient and, sadly, many who claim to be religious have little clue about spirituality, which is ignorant of them... However, MANY things within our lives prepare us toward our death and religion does not have to be a negative report or experience... it is as it is made.

I am amazed at how many choose to be deviantly evil and use it to move 'us' backward in such a way as to be unproductive. There is a necessary level of backward understanding BUT for it to become unproductive and stagnant is NOT what I have gathered from my beloved Christian bible.

What happens in most religion is that the heart of the practitioner is revealed within his/her service. This is what either makes or breaks the push/pull and manipulative forces at work. It is, in all logic and reason, completely impossible to do away with every shred of religion because every bit of our ways in living, from our traditions to our spontaneity is evidence of the legion(s) in which we represent just by our mere existence.

To kill religion is to kill the psyche of man. The key to better defining religion is to realign the psyche of man, accordingly. Defining abuse may be as much in the eye of the weakest leak as beauty is it's beholder.

So you believe that the earth and universe were created in six days by an imortal god about 6,000 years ago. You believe that two naked teens in a garden with a snake and an apple tree determined the eternal fate of mankind. You believe that dinosaurs and mankind inhabited the planet at the same time.

I feel sorry for you.

Don't waste your time attempting to dub me with your small minded bullshit. Some things are too sacred and necessarily complex to keep the small minded underfoot until they choose to be otherwise.

I do not answer to you and will not explain to you what my personal views are until you make a sincere attempt to not be so self-righteously superior. For as far as I can see... we are all posting on the same board... that must be leveling to your ego according to your dismissive posting toward others.
 
'Religion' may very well be ancient and, sadly, many who claim to be religious have little clue about spirituality, which is ignorant of them... However, MANY things within our lives prepare us toward our death and religion does not have to be a negative report or experience... it is as it is made.

I am amazed at how many choose to be deviantly evil and use it to move 'us' backward in such a way as to be unproductive. There is a necessary level of backward understanding BUT for it to become unproductive and stagnant is NOT what I have gathered from my beloved Christian bible.

What happens in most religion is that the heart of the practitioner is revealed within his/her service. This is what either makes or breaks the push/pull and manipulative forces at work. It is, in all logic and reason, completely impossible to do away with every shred of religion because every bit of our ways in living, from our traditions to our spontaneity is evidence of the legion(s) in which we represent just by our mere existence.

To kill religion is to kill the psyche of man. The key to better defining religion is to realign the psyche of man, accordingly. Defining abuse may be as much in the eye of the weakest leak as beauty is it's beholder.

So you believe that the earth and universe were created in six days by an imortal god about 6,000 years ago. You believe that two naked teens in a garden with a snake and an apple tree determined the eternal fate of mankind. You believe that dinosaurs and mankind inhabited the planet at the same time.

I feel sorry for you.

Don't waste your time attempting to dub me with your small minded bullshit. Some things are too sacred and necessarily complex to keep the small minded underfoot until they choose to be otherwise.

I do not answer to you and will not explain to you what my personal views are until you make a sincere attempt to not be so self-righteously superior. For as far as I can see... we are all posting on the same board... that must be leveling to your ego according to your dismissive posting toward others.

LOL...because the sheep herders and you said so. What else do you think those ancient sheep herders might do on a cold night? LMAO!!
 
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Most churches and spiritual communties are sources of good. Some are not. Discuss.

The so-called "Most churches" are apostate hippie - dippie communists who do not fight for The Bible Teaching. The True Christians separate themselves from the World, that's normal.

The True Christians are not of this word!

Acts 29 Review: Christians are not of this World

Colossians 2:8 King James Version (KJV)

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

There are a WIDE variety of Christians and EACH claims to be the "True Christian".
 

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