Tag Archive | legalism
Christian Leaders and the “Don’t Talk” Rule
Since I come out of a Bible cult background, I know something about unwritten rules. In cults and spiritually abusive churches there is something called a “Don’t Talk” rule, an unwritten, unspoken rule which says that you are not allowed to criticize or question the leader because they are God’s man or woman. To say […]
Only Baptists Go to Heaven
When I lived in Maine, I once saw a man leaning off the side of a railroad trestle, ready to jump. It was winter time and I knew if he plunged into the frigid water he would die. I ran over and said, “Don’t do it!” He looked at me plaintively and said, “Nobody loves me. […]
Grace-Based vs. Shame-Based Families and Churches
I have to confess that in my mission to confront spiritual abuse with grace and truth, I often write blog posts against aberrant doctrine or practices, rather than casting a vision for what God calls us to. Is it true that the purest form of Christianity is to define ourselves by what we are not? […]
Frankenstein Faith: Vestigial Organs in the Body? Natural Family vs. Spiritual Family (Part 3 of 10)
As a four-year-old, I knew enough to realize that my sister was very sick. There was a blur of fluorescent lights in the Emergency Room, the cool swish of long white coats, a beeping of monitors, the smell of rubbing alcohol. I heard a whispered word: “tonsillitis.” Two days later my sister lay recovering at […]
Frankenstein Faith: “Because I’m Your Pastor, That’s Why!” (Part 2 of 10)
We’re in a ten-part series about scriptural distortions used by cult leaders or those who spiritually abuse others. One of the greatest abuses of scripture is to use Bible passages to make people follow you. The New Testament knows nothing of this. New Testament spiritual authority is based on truth and trust (good character), not […]
Frankenstein Faith: Love Thy Neighbor but Hate Thy Parent (Part 1 of 10)
In this series, we’re talking about ten distortions of scripture which lead to spiritual abuse and/or mistreatment of other people. You can read the intro to the series here. This first post (a long one—sorry) is about the misguided practice of shunning parents who may not agree with their son or daughter’s involvement in a […]
Seven Obnoxious Jesus Jukes (Re-Post from “Mercy not Sacrifice”)
[This was written by Morgan Guyton on August 21, 2013 and originally posted on his blog, “Mercy not Sacrifice” There is something beautiful about re-posting a well-written piece. It’s like, “Wow, that’s exactly what I wanted to say, but I couldn’t have written it as well as you did.” Thanks, Morgan, for always making me think. I’ve […]
Why Do People Get Involved in Unhealthy Churches or Cults?
Cults are bad even when they lead you to Jesus. I came to know God in a church which turned out to be a Bible cult. I was raised in this church and I stayed until I was thirty years old. Early on, I had no other experience of what church could or should be […]
Ten Major Symptoms of Spiritual Abuse
What is spiritual abuse? I once linked to an excellent article by Mary DeMuth which talks about 10 Signs of Spiritual Abuse. But I have received enough emails and questions to warrant another, separate post covering other symptoms of spiritual abuse. Jeff VanVonderen, co-author of the classic book The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, defines […]
Beware “A Tale of Three Kings” by Gene Edwards
This book is easy to read and memorable. It just isn’t true. Despite its lop-sided popularity (you can scan a galaxy of 5-star Amazon reviews), A Tale of Three Kings represents an inaccurate and, thus, harmful perspective on spiritual authority and those who have been wounded by its abuse. Gene Edwards first published A Tale […]
Liberty for Captives 