Administrators Gail Posted June 8, 2015 Administrators Posted June 8, 2015 What is spiritual abuse? How do we avoid it? Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
Members rudywoofs (Pam) Posted June 8, 2015 Members Posted June 8, 2015 it's the unethical use of spiritual concepts and biblical quotes to manipulate someone to do something that selfishly benefits yourself... people who do this are at the bottom of my totem pole of respect, if, indeed, they are on it at all. In my experience as someone who had that happen to her, the perpetrators are generally highly regarded "church people" who are slick talkers and always have a "religious" answer for everything. Spiritual polecats. Quote Pam Meddle Not In the Affairs of Dragons; for You Are Crunchy and Taste Good with Ketchup. If we all sang the same note in the choir, there'd never be any harmony. Funny, isn't it, how we accept Grace for ourselves and demand justice for others?
joeb Posted June 8, 2015 Posted June 8, 2015 it's the unethical use of spiritual concepts and biblical quotes to manipulate someone to do something that selfishly benefits yourself... people who do this are at the bottom of my totem pole of respect, if, indeed, they are on it at all. In my experience as someone who had that happen to her, the perpetrators are generally highly regarded "church people" who are slick talkers and always have a "religious" answer for everything. Spiritual polecats. I would leave off the spiritual and call them just plain old polecats for that's what people like that are. There's nothing "spiritual" about them... Quote Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith.Alexis de Tocqueville
Ron Amnsn Posted June 9, 2015 Posted June 9, 2015 (edited) Spiritual Abuse is a misuse of religious authority. It can happen on several levels. Rudywoofs is talking about a misuse of the authority we have to encourage, admonish, rebuke, and counsel our fellow believers. Spiritual authority can also be abused at a higher local level by pastors, elders, and other local leaders, whether they hold an "official" position in an organization or not. A vote of the congregation could be an abuse of authority if that is used in a non-biblical way, such as to coerce members, or to censure a member without following the guidelines of Matthew 18, which direct the offended individuals to speak privately to an offender, and then going together with one or two individuals to talk to the offender before bringing the matter to the church or the nominating committee. If you believe that Jesus authorized his followers to form denominations, then spiritual abuse can happen beyond the local level. When organizational officials use their authority to bully local congregations or individuals, to cover up situations that should have been addressed in a biblical manner, or to manipulate the membership, it is an abuse of spiritual authority. A democratic vote at a denominational convention could also abuse authority, especially if the members are not provided with all the pertinent information. Edited June 9, 2015 by Ron Amnsn Quote
Administrators Gail Posted June 9, 2015 Author Administrators Posted June 9, 2015 Great responses! I would offer, "making judgments before having all the information," something that is not fair to the one being on the bad end of the judgment. Quote Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
Sojourner Posted June 10, 2015 Posted June 10, 2015 I was involved in a church that went heavilly after the Prosperity Gospel and at least one couple that I know of lost their house over it. I considered that to be a pretty good example of spiritual abuse, where supposed spiritual teachings are propagated and harm people as a result. JoeMo 1 Quote
JoeMo Posted June 11, 2015 Posted June 11, 2015 AMEN, Sojourner! These charlatans that limit and twist Gods promises of abundant life to mean nothing but material worldly prosperity are among the worst types of spiritual abusers. They prey on the poor and desperate who have no other recourse to relief from financial distress but God. The some charlatan infidel tells them to "send our ministry $100 and God promised to return your gift 1,000 - fold". So they send money than can ill afford to give away; and get nothing but "payment overdue" notices. Spiriual abuse at its worst. Sojourner 1 Quote
Stewart (SDA) Posted June 16, 2015 Posted June 16, 2015 (edited) One of the Testimonies has a comment that has stayed with me for years. To me it describes an aspect of spiritual abuse. It says that "among some species of animals, if one of their number is wounded and falls, he is at once set upon and torn in pieces by his fellows. The same cruel spirit is indulged by men and women who bear the name of Christians." (5T 59) Some people seem to think that it is their duty to be suspicious of, and aggressive towards, certain others. Some also domineer because they feel that it is their duty to keep certain ones "under control". But to me these are like James and John who thought that it entirely appropriate to call down fire from heaven. Of course they did not know what spirit they were of... they certainly did not share Jesus' spirit. Edited June 16, 2015 by Stewart (SDA) teresaq 1 Quote
Stewart (SDA) Posted June 16, 2015 Posted June 16, 2015 One more thought if I may... It strikes me that A.T. Jones, a man that God used to bring showers of Latter Rain, fell because of his abusive manner. (In some ways Jones stands as a warning beacon to us all.) Yes, it is true that other factors were involved in Jones' fall, but this was not least among them: "Your work has been represented to me in figures. You were passing round to a company a vessel filled with most beautiful fruit [i.e. truth]. But as you offered them this fruit, you spoke words so harsh, and your attitude was so forbidding, that no one would accept it. Then Another came to the same company, and offered them the same fruit. And so courteous and pleasant were His words and manner as He spoke of the desirability of the fruit, that the vessel was emptied." (EGW, Letter to Jones, September 1902.) teresaq 1 Quote
teresaq Posted June 16, 2015 Posted June 16, 2015 When I had a certain forum here I tried to introduce the various forms of abuse of which spiritual abuse, in my opinion, is at the head of them all. Only by earnest seeking of the Holy Spirit do we both see what it is, and see where we practice it. And that, is not a one-time, but life-time, venture. Quote facebook. /teresa.quintero.790
Sojourner Posted June 17, 2015 Posted June 17, 2015 AMEN, Sojourner! These charlatans that limit and twist Gods promises of abundant life to mean nothing but material worldly prosperity are among the worst types of spiritual abusers. They prey on the poor and desperate who have no other recourse to relief from financial distress but God. The some charlatan infidel tells them to "send our ministry $100 and God promised to return your gift 1,000 - fold". So they send money than can ill afford to give away; and get nothing but "payment overdue" notices. Spiriual abuse at its worst. Sadly many people fall for this and that becomes their only picture of what church is. There is an evangelical anglican (Conservative Episcopal if you can picture that) church here in Australia and their denomination is actually in positive growth, they meet in a local school gym near me and have a burgeoning congregation. I know one of the elders there and he told me openly that they have a number of people that were involved in charasmatic churches that fell for the prosperity teachings and left burnt out and were not attending anywhere. One couple had returned after being 15 years out of fellowship after this experience. Quote
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