Free Christians Australia
SPIRITUAL ABUSE

What is Spiritual Abuse?
An Understanding of Spiritual Abuse

For our purposes, it is enough to state that spiritual abuse is "the misuse of power, position and influence for the personal gain of the leader or leaders of an organization or a movement."  There are many excellent books that have been written on the subject of Spiritual Abuse.  Spiritual abuse is not a new phenomenon, it has been a part of religious life for centuries and elements of spiritual abuse can be found across the entire spectrum of Christian and quasi-Christian faith groups.  Lately, it seems that spiritual abuse is becoming more common in Charismatic churches.

Spiritually abusive situations can be recognized quite readily.  People involved in an abusive situation begin by feeling that generally things just don't seem right.   As they focus attention on their growing disease; a  typical pattern of abuse might manifest itself with symptoms much like these:

1)  The leader(s) will always need to have absolute control and the final authority over a ministry.  If there is an eldership, it will be composed of only a few men (and women) who are chosen precisely because they can be controlled.   It is unlikely that the   will be    in any meaningful relationship with people outside of his group.  He will avoid being held accountable by a denomination or his peers in the professional ministry.

2)  The abusive leader is deceptive.  The abusive leader cannot afford to be transparent and is likely to be a master at slick speech and manipulative words.  The abusive leader is not above lying or deliberately engineering circumstances to get his own way.  He will cover his tracks as best as he can.

3)  The abusive leader is somewhat paranoid.  He will compound this paranoia by a reluctance to keep written records or minutes of meetings etc.,   This further fuels communication problems as he will get vital information mixed up and confused as the net closes in.

4)  The abusive leader loves things and uses people.  One of the hallmarks of an abusive church is how many people have left the group because they could no longer stand being used and manipulated.

5)  The abusive leader or religious system works very hard at creating and maintaining a superlative image - spectacular programs, public ministries etc.,   There will likely be church schools, feeding programs, youth groups, bands and outreach ministries that are spectacular in nature.  Look carefully at them; do they reflect back on the glory of Jesus Christ or are these monuments to the group leader ?

6)  Performance based approval is heavily promoted.  Many charismatic groups are quite open about this.  The abusive group's position paper that is quoted in full elsewhere on this site, openly proclaims: "to function in the gifts and calling of God (true riches) we must prove ourselves faithful in that which belongs to another (whether God or man)".

7)  People who choose to leave the group will do so under a cloud.  They will not be released with love or any kind of public farewell usually.  There will likely be shame and slander directed at them as they leave.  Over time, an abusive group will have quite a collection of alumni with similar horror stories of abuse to talk about.

8)  Victims of abusive churches very often manifest broken lives and crushed spiritual faith after departing a dangerous religious group.  Divorce, depression, drug and alcohol addictions, family and work problems are the price of religious addiction.  This further fuels the abusive church leaders who thrive on scary stories about what happened to 'so and so' after he / she left the group...

Understanding Spiritual Abuse
By M.E. Hagemann

Ezekiel 34:1  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 2  Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? 3  Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. 4  The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. 5  And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. 6  My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them. 7  Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 8  As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock; 9  Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; 10  Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them. 11  For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out.

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Resources and Links

Spiritual Abuse In The Churches.
Listed information to make vulnerable people aware of some of the problems they can encounter in SOME churches and organizations.
http://www.caic.org.au/zabusive.htm

Cult Awareness & Information Centre
http://www.caic.org.au/

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Freedom In Jesus
12 Steps for Ex-Members of
Controlling or Manipulative
Churches or Fellowships

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