#spiritualabuse — Public Fediverse posts

The Cruel Tyrant Jesus the World Has Rejected

In the late 1700’s, a Quaker pastor named John Woolman had a vision of slaves referring to Jesus as a “cruel tyrant” as they worked in a mine. Because their oppressive masters were Christians, they assumed that Jesus must be the same.

Oh, the immeasurable sorrow of having your reputation destroyed and your character defamed by those who claim to know you, but do not have the slightest idea who you are.

This is perhaps God’s longest suffering. Ever since Adam and Eve sinned, he has been dealing with followers who passionately commit to representing him in the most horrific ways imaginable. Even after coming down to earth to show us exactly what his radical love looks like, we still make him out to be a monster. We chase after his power, but not the suffering from where it flows. We long for the fame of the prophets, so we burn them to make more space for our own name to thrive. We deny Jesus’s teachings but take his name to gain authority as teachers. The world can’t help but see these great disconnects.

I was talking with a talented artist at a recent convention. Noticing some spiritual themes in his work, we began to talk about religion. I wasn’t shocked by his take on Christianity: “I like Jesus and his teachings, but all of the organized religion around him seems full of hypocrisy.” I told him I agreed.

The world has seen a cruel tyrant in Jesus because the church has shown it a cruel tyrant. The world is not willing to fall for the same trap. Ironically, those who reject Jesus because of the KKK or the nazis are closer to Jesus than the klansman or the nazis, for such rejecters see Jesus more clearly than these twisted radicals who claim to follow him. Strangely enough, these rejecters are actually denying a false Jesus and evangelizing followers toward the real one.

At this point in history, the church cannot quickly earn the world’s trust. Indeed, it continues to rapidly lose trust due to its political aims and its willingness to sacrifice Jesus all over again in order to gain power. If we ever want to see this dynamic change, we’re going to have to follow through on C.S. Lewis’s prompting.

“If ever the book which I am not going to write is written, it must be the full confession by Christendom of Christendom’s specific contribution to the sum of human cruelty and treachery. Large areas of “the World” will not hear us till we have publicly disowned much of our past. Why should they? We have shouted the name of Christ and enacted the service of Moloch.”

https://youtu.be/-xX52okZzAU?si=ZWl-waWWcOqfQxR4

Habitual Fraud Under the Mask of Religion

The following is a spoken word piece recorded outside of an immigrant church while clergy and others stood outside as a show of solidarity and support so our sisters and brothers could worship safely.

Transcript

They called it
habitual fraud under the mask of religion.

Not an error.

Not a moment of weakness.

Not one hand caught
briefly in the offering plate.

Habitual.

A practice.

A discipline.

A liturgy.

The mask goes on in the morning.

God bless America.

God save the nation.

God protect the leader.

God secure the border.

God bless the bomb.

God bless the market.

God bless the prison.

God bless the order
we have constructed
to keep certain people
on one side of the gate
and certain people
on the other.

And beneath the mask

the old machinery turns.

Power.

Money.

Fear.

Land.

Blood.

Control.

The words change.

The machinery does not.

Pharaoh had priests.

Caesar had temples.

Kings had bishops.

Plantations had preachers.

Armies had chaplains.

Empires have always preferred
a God who salutes.

A God who stamps the paperwork.

A God who approves the budget.

A God who stands obediently
behind the podium
while the ruler speaks.

This is the oldest political trick:

put heaven
on the letterhead.

And perhaps that is the fraud.

Not believing in God.

The fraud is making God
believe in us.

Drafting the Almighty
into our party.

Putting Christ
in a campaign hat.

Making the Prince of Peace
pose beside the weapons.

Making the refugee Jesus
guard the checkpoint.

Making the condemned Jesus
cheer the execution.

Making the poor Jesus
explain why the poor
must tighten their belts.

Making the brown-skinned
colonized Nazarene

the patron saint
of empire.

Habitual fraud

under the mask
of religion.

And the mask is useful.

Because without it

we might have to say plainly:

We are afraid.

We want control.

We want the land.

We want the money.

We want the oil.

We want the votes.

We want the enemy
to disappear.

We want our children safe
and are willing for someone else’s children
to be terrified.

We want to win.

But these things sound ugly
when spoken nakedly.

So bring the vestments.

Bring the flag.

Bring the Bible.

Bring the choir.

Bring someone
to pray before the cameras.

Cover the machinery.

Hide the gears.

Bless the blade.

There is an old story
about a man in the wilderness

offered all the kingdoms
of the world.

Imagine that.

All the kingdoms.

Every palace.

Every army.

Every border.

Every treasury.

Every throne.

All yours.

And he said no.

We have spent two thousand years
trying to persuade him
to reconsider.

Jesus,

we can get you elected.

Jesus,

we can make Christianity great again.

Jesus,

we can protect you
from your enemies.

Jesus,

just stand here.

Hold the flag.

Smile.

Say nothing
about the stranger.

Nothing
about the prisoner.

Nothing
about the poor.

Nothing
about the peacemakers.

Nothing
about loving enemies.

Certainly nothing
about selling possessions.

We have polling
on that.

Just give us
your name.

We will handle
the rest.

Habitual fraud
under the mask of religion.

Perhaps someday
there should be a tribunal

not for unbelief

but for misuse of belief.

For laundering cruelty
through holiness.

For hiding ambition
inside prophecy.

For calling domination
discipleship.

For baptizing nationalism.

For canonizing vengeance.

For turning God
into an authorization code.

And perhaps the witnesses
would come forward:

the migrant,

the prisoner,

the hungry child,

the bombed family,

the woman silenced
by sacred authority,

the dissenter called traitor,

the believer told
that obedience to power
was obedience to God.

One by one
they would take the stand.

And somewhere near the back

an itinerant rabbi
from Galilee

would be waiting
to testify.

But perhaps
there would be no need.

Because he has already
given his testimony.

Blessed are the poor.

Blessed are the merciful.

Blessed are the peacemakers.

Love your enemies.

Welcome the stranger.

Put away your sword.

Whatever you did
to the least of these

you did
to me.

The evidence
has been entered.

The record
is remarkably clear.

So when Caesar
wears the cross,

look beneath it.

When the empire
quotes Scripture,

keep reading.

When the ruler says
God is on our side,

ask what happens
to the people
on the other side.

When cruelty arrives
carrying a Bible,

do not confuse
the book
with the hand
that carries it.

And when they tell you
that domination is holy,

that vengeance is righteous,

that exclusion is purity,

that violence is peace,

that wealth is blessing,

that obedience is faith—

remember the charge.

Not religion.

Not faith.

Not devotion.

But

habitual fraud

under the mask

of religion.

Why I Asked a Man to Leave My Church

He entered the room with his Bible in hand, looking good in his black blazer and “Jesus is King” t-shirt. I had never met him before, but I knew who he was. I had been informed that he might show up at some point, despite my congregant’s explicit request that her abusive and manipulative ex not come.

“Can I talk to you in the back for a minute?” I asked as I pulled him away from his friend. We walked into the nursery to find some privacy.

“Actually, I’m glad you asked to talk to me because my friend and I are church-hoppers. We like to visit different churches and ask for spare Bibles, water, and anything else we can give to the homeless. Do you have any spare Bibles?” he asked.

“We don’t. We have a food bank at the end of today’s service to help with the homeless if they need it,” I responded as I looked for the nerve to get to the point. “Look, there are a lot of churches in Jackson, but this one doesn’t make sense for you. One of our longtime congregants asked you not to come, and you’re here anyway, which implies that you’re not here for the right reasons.”

“Are you asking me to leave?” he asked.

“Yes,” I answered. “Again, there are lots of other places for you to go. This one does not make sense.”

“I can’t believe this. I’ve never been asked to leave a church before,” he said as though deeply hurt, before suddenly becoming obstinate. “This is God’s house, and I can worship wherever I want. I drove 25 minutes to be here, and I will not be leaving until service is over.”

“This is private property, and I do not need to let you stay,” I added.

“That would look really bad for your church,” he said.

“Yes, and for you. I don’t want to do that, so I’m asking that you leave,” I asked again.

This back-and-forth went on for 20 minutes as he refused to leave. In the midst of the conversation, the conversation shifted.

“As I said, I’ll be staying until service is over. There’s a Bible study after service, right?” he asked.

“No,” I replied.

“Your webpage said there was,” he responded.

“We don’t have enough volunteers for it right now,” I said.

“Do you need volunteers?” he said with a raised eyebrow.

“No. Only members lead our Bible studies anyway,” I responded.

“And how do you become a member?” he asked with a smirk.

“Stop it,” I said.

“How do you become a member?” he pushed back.

“Through me,” I answered.

“Oh, I see,” he said, seeming to taking pleasure in the rise he was getting out of me.

Service was now about to start, and I was about to call the cops when I realized the commotion it would make. I’d have to start the service, then walk offstage when the police arrived to ask them to remove a guest before going back onstage.

The deal I made was that he could stay until the end of service, but then he was not to come back, or the police would be called immediately. He agreed to the terms.

Your church is your flock, and it is your job to care for them. In this particular case, I tried to play hardball on a topic that we pastors have been known to fail at. Instead of ignoring women about the men who manipulate and abuse them, I came in full force, hoping to make sure my church was a safe place for one of my sheep. A new situation was rising, and I was trying to squash it before it grew into something more difficult to control. 

This man was a charmer, and if I let him stay, I worried he would win people over with his manipulations as he had done before at my congregant’s last church. Indeed, he walked right out of our meeting and introduced himself to congregants in the lobby, firmly shaking their hands. “Hi, this is my first time here, but it will also be my last because your pastor has asked me to leave.” 

As the service began, I apologized to the woman affected by this situation for not being brave enough to call the police this time. I then ditched my original message and preached on the biblical concept of empowering and respecting women.

Pastors are shepherds. We must use wisdom to protect our flocks.

https://www.europesays.com/2929069/ Mahayuti Government Embroiled in Astrologer Rape Scandal #AshokKharat #BJP #congress #Maharashtra #Mahayuti #Nashik #PoliticalExploitation #SachinSawant #Scandal #ScandalNews #SpiritualAbuse

Credit @leahvanking

Epstein files. Deepak Chopra.

If someone’s spirituality doesn’t include seeing women as people,
it’s not awakening- it’s power with a halo.

#EpsteinFiles
#deepakchopra
#womensrights
#spiritualabuse
#patriarchy

Sto leggendo il libro di Laura Sgrò, avvocato oltre che di Pietro Orlandi anche di diverse religiose che si sono risvegliate dal sonno della mente, la loro, devastata da soprusi, umiliazioni e da abusi di natura sessuale.

Un libro vero, a tratti autobiografico, leggero eppure pesante, ma unico nel suo genere

Qui il suo intervento a LA7 a Dimartedì
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifhLRaaqyag

#abuso #abusospirituale #spiritualabuse #laurasgrò #Rizzoli #chiesacattolica #la7 #dimartedì #giovannifloris

How #JehovahsWitnesses #cherrypick #science to #indoctrinate #children

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWysNFmBvtU

#religion #christian #cults #kids #spiritualabuse

Why do so many #evangelical leaders end up being… creeps?

"In this video, I explore the disturbing pattern of #abuse, manipulation, and scandal among #Christian leaders — from #prosperitygospel #televangelists to #culturewar #preachers. This isn’t just about a few bad apples. These #ministries attract creeps, protect them, and often reward them for their worst behavior."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wfaBXYEQLA

#Deconstruction #spiritualabuse #Cult #agnosticism #atheism #Exvangelical #sundayschool

On this episode of PolyTheism, we talk about psychospiritual and sexual-spiritual wounds, why and how they happen, and most importantly, how to heal from them. We also talk about themes of moral injury; religious trauma; and spiritual abuse. It can be a heavy topic, but the only way out is through! Come journey with us! 💜💜💜 #PolyTheismPodcast #polyamory #spirituality #religion #SpiritualAbuse #ReligiousTrauma #HealingWounds

https://www.podbean.com/eas/pb-5sauh-18715a1

#SpiritualAbuse Harms Your #Sexual and #MentalHealth

Unlike other forms of #abuse, #spiritual abuse is virtually invisible.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/sexual-futurist/202501/spiritual-abuse-harms-your-sexual-and-mental-health

New post on my #Jekyll blog about #Deconstruction and #SpiritualAbuse. What happened in a gap in blog posts in May 2009 when I was at one #church and then suspiciously at another. https://blog.devlord.io/2024/12/28/so-what-happened/

Resource: Secular Therapy https://www.seculartherapy.org/ #mentalhealth #psychotherapy #marriageandfamilytherapy #counseling #socialwork #recovery #psychedelics #religiousabuse #spiritualabuse #religioustrauma -- An especially useful resource with more access to #psychedelic medicines including #ketamine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3_hKv4pEM4 #uganda #spiritualabuse #religioustrauma #ihop

Must watch -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dqMxvJLmew #catholics #spiritualabuse #religioustrauma

https://www.gurumag.com/colorado-ayahuasca-shaman-accused-of-abuse/ #plantmedicine #ayahausca #psychedelics #psychedelic #shamanicabuse #spiritualabuse

Are there seriously no #ExUPCI or #ExUPC posts on here?

Am I the only #ExUnitedPentecostal on Mastodon?!

#exvangelical #exvangelicals #SpiritualAbuse #emptythepews

#cults #history #pandemic #spiritualabuse

(2)
Now, I know, that it's even worse, than I thought.
I learned about #cult ic behaviour, #spiritualabuse , Querdenker, Yoga abused for #sexism , #racism and (And this made me personally feel unsafe for a while) #homophobia .
Now...I could try to find Yoga again. It used to be a very helpful tool. It worked. That's why I liked it. Not because I thought of myself as a higher being or some 💩 .
.

I could put "exvangelical" in my bio but I think it's obvious enough from everything about me lol

#exvangelical #exvangelist #exvangelicalgrief #blasphemykink #ReligiousTrauma #religiouskink #formerchristian #ChurchBoyThings #atheist #trauma #spiritualtrauma #spiritualabuse #religiousabuse #childabusesurvivor #escapee

Here's my #introduction 👋

I was a corporate lawyer and hated being corporate. I taught legal writing and decided I liked doing better than teaching. I started a nonprofit thinking I could save my kid, but didn't realize I'm not a superhero.

Now I'm a lawyer, writer, and caregiver to my son with special needs and #raredisease. I wrote a book about medical trauma called, "Afraid of the Doctor," and I advocate in #trauma and #spiritualabuse spaces.

#amwriting #Nashville

MacArthur's church, Grace Community Church, elders's reply to Shellnut's article will sound familiar to anyone who has been through #SpiritualAbuse. As someone who has both experienced spiritual abuse subsequently spent years ministering to those who have, I'm unsurprised the church mischaracterizes the reporting as anonymous lies. Sadly, churches caught in such things almost inevitably attack those who bring it to light. 2/

I wrote a column on Spiritual Abuse Awareness Month, "They Said I Was ‘Demon Possessed,’ But I Was a Victim of Spiritual Abuse" bit.ly/3XxzkaV
#spiritualabuse #cult #religion

Sacred Science: Trust, Suppression, Silencing Doubts, Isolation, Influence, Reinforcement

•Establishes authority
•Establishes goodness
•Establishes the one true way, which…
•…blocks a desire to seek answers outside the system
•Suppresses the ability to ask questions or express doubts about core principles
•Suppresses ability to criticize leadership

#Cults #Cult #IGotOut #Exmo #Exvangelical #ExJW #ReligiousTrauma #HealYourTrauma #SpiritualAbuse #MindControl #CultCounterconditioning

Mind Control Technique #4:

Sacred Science (Closed System of Logic) - The ideology and leader have the one and only truth. Members should only seek answers in group teachings. Doctrinal logic is airtight. The leaders are above criticism and those who question or criticize are immoral.

#Cults #Cult #IGotOut #Exmo #Exvangelical #ExJW #ReligiousTrauma #HealYourTrauma #SpiritualAbuse #AbuseCulture #MindControl #CultCounterconditioning

Deception: Suppression, Trust, Silence Doubts

•Hides negative effects
•Hides challenging "doctrines" which are actually just tighter control methods
•Hides negative history
•Hides atrocities committed by leader & members
•Obfuscates control; makes the member feel in control of her own choices
•Builds trust by not causing reasons for mistrust

#Cults #Cult #IGotOut #Exmo #Exvangelical #ExJW #ReligiousTrauma #HealYourTrauma #SpiritualAbuse #AbuseCulture #MindControl #CultCounterconditioning

Mind Control Technique #3:

Deception - Lies, omissions, and "front" activities cover up flaws or unusual aspects of the group, doctrine, leadership, and history. Some truths will be revealed later when a member is "ready." Many persuasion techniques are only unethical if they're also deceptive.

#Cults #Cult #IGotOut #Exmo #Exvangelical #ExJW #ReligiousTrauma #HealYourTrauma #SpiritualAbuse #AbuseCulture #MindControl #CultCounterconditioning

Destabilization: Suppression, Trust, Isolation, Perpetuation

•Establishes influence through emotion
•Suppresses the self, lowers defenses
•A reward is offered—"We will restabilize you"
•Builds trust
•Fills an ongoing need
•Isolates or targets those who are already isolated
•Creates dependency
•Preys on children
•Puts adults in a regressed, childlike mindset

#Cults #Cult #IGotOut #Exmo #Exvangelical #ExJW #ReligiousTrauma #SpiritualAbuse #AbuseCulture #MindControl #CultCounterconditioning

Mind Control Technique #2:

Destabilizing the Self - Barriers are torn down that would otherwise prevent acceptance of new beliefs. Includes those who have already been destabilized by life situations and the indoctrination of children, who have not yet formed a sense of self.

#Cults #Cult #IGotOut #Exmo #Exvangelical #ExJW #ReligiousTrauma #SpiritualAbuse #AbuseCulture #MindControl #HealYourTrauma #CultCounterconditioning

Love Bombing: Reward, Trust, Group Identification, Perpetuation

•Attracts new members
•Builds trust
•Lowers defenses
•Makes the group seem morally good
•Overcomes resistances to strange ideas, steep learning curve, and doubts
•Establishes that member must seek approval from the group
•Establishes a reward: positive social feedback
•Pulls people back into the fold when they stray

#Cults #Cult #IGotOut #Exmo #Exvangelical #ExJW #ReligiousTrauma #SpiritualAbuse #AbuseCulture #MindControl

Mind Control Technique #1:

Love Bombing - Insincere friendliness, flattery, praise, and affection are used to entice participation and attendance for potential recruits, and to retain members who may be showing less enthusiasm or are thinking of leaving.

#Cults #Cult #IGotOut #Exmo #Exvangelical #ExJW #ReligiousTrauma #SpiritualAbuse #AbuseCulture #MindControl

[Edit: Thread]

Cult News 101 is a blog and daily email newsletter which aggregates news about cults, totalism, authoritarianism, and related topics. It is run by two established cult researches who themselves are former cult members.

https://www.cultnews101.com/

#Cults #Cult #IGotOut #Exmo #Exvangelical #ExJW #ReligiousTrauma #SpiritualAbuse

Written resources are also available for cult survivors, or anyone suffering from Religious Trauma, though some may be limited to ICSA members only (and anyone can join!)

https://www.icsahome.com/memberelibrary

#cults #ICSA #IGotOut #Exmo #ExJW #Exvangelical #ReligiousTrauma #SpiritualAbuse

There's a whole wealth of post-cult recovery videos and other information about cults at https://www.icsahome.com/memberelibrary/recordings

#ICSA #IGotOut #Exmo #ExJW #exvangelical #ReligiousTrauma #SpiritualAbuse #Cult #EducationalVideos

Sundays are still tough!

#Exmormon
#SpiritualAbuse
#SundaySads
#SundayScaries
#CultSurvivor

Real question about Masking/Camouflaging: I carefully modulate my behavior in society to appear normal, but at great cost to not feeling real. Is it because I’m traumatized/frozen/depersonalized, or because I was socialized in a high-control religion as a female people-pleaser and good girl, or am I showing signs of late-diagnosed autism? #ActuallyAutistic ? #CPTSD #SpiritualAbuse #ReligiousTrauma

Hey Twitter refugees. I've been pretty active in talking about #spiritualabuse and connected with many on #WCT