Spiritual Abuse: Fact or Fiction

[Rico]

Originally Posted by BrotherEastman

Yes sir! I have never experienced loving a child as a father, it is such a great joy that I'm glad God has allowed me to experience.

Yeah. I know what you mean. I love being a dad and wouldn't trade it for anything. Once your little fella gets to be around 6 months old he will really start being a lot of fun because he will be able to interact with you more. I love babies!

[Subdued]

Originally Posted by Chan

Nothing is impossible with God. But, yes, I do mean never allowing yourself to dwell on it if it comes to mind or if Satan tries to bring it to mind. We are commanded to forgive the way God forgives us and part of the way He forgives us is in His choosing not to remember our sins anymore.

Again, nothing is impossible with God. If you're still experiencing the pain of the abuse, you have not fully healed from the abuse (healing that I'd say might require divine intervention). However, that does not give you the right to harbor bitterness, anger, etc. toward the abuser (because you were supposed to forgive him) or to, as Rico seems to be doing, transfer all of those wrong feelings/attitudes onto others (like being bitter toward all pastors because one or more pastors supposedly abused him spiritually).

I think we're in agreement here, Chan. I do not harbor bitterness towards others. Occasionally anger will creep in, which I do my best to push away by running to Jesus in prayer. It's less & less with each passing day... And yes, it is requiring divine intervention. (I just hate being human sometimes and having to work hard at being the person His Word requires me to be.)

[Subdued]

Originally Posted by BrotherEastman

Yes sir! I have never experienced loving a child as a father, it is such a great joy that I'm glad God has allowed me to experience.

Oh hey! One of my FAVORITE subjects!! Parental love!!!!!!!!!!!!

[BrotherEastman]

Originally Posted by Subdued

Oh hey! One of my FAVORITE subjects!! Parental love!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe you could start a thread on that.

[Subdued]

Originally Posted by BrotherEastman

Maybe you could start a thread on that.

I wouldn't know what to say; other than it's the most amazing and fascinating thing I have ever experienced!! And the fact that I absolutely LOVE to talk to first time/new parents because parental love is something a person can NEVER understand until they experience it for themselves. Many THINK they'll know how deeply they'll love their child(ren)... BUT... until they have their own, they just can't know.

[BrotherEastman]

Originally Posted by Subdued

I wouldn't know what to say; other than it's the most amazing and fascinating thing I have ever experienced!! And the fact that I absolutely LOVE to talk to first time/new parents because parental love is something a person can NEVER understand until they experience it for themselves. Many THINK they'll know how deeply they'll love their child(ren)... BUT... until they have their own, they just can't know.

Yeah, just a few weeks ago I really didn't know. I have been told that your child will know how God loves by the way his/ father loves. I hope I get it right.

[Subdued]

Originally Posted by BrotherEastman

Yeah, just a few weeks ago I really didn't know. I have been told that your child will know how God loves by the way his/ father loves. I hope I get it right.

You'll get it right! Just a gut feeling.

I think becoming a parent gives us a glimpse of God's love for us.

Originally Posted by Subdued

I think we're in agreement here, Chan. I do not harbor bitterness towards others. Occasionally anger will creep in, which I do my best to push away by running to Jesus in prayer. It's less & less with each passing day... And yes, it is requiring divine intervention. (I just hate being human sometimes and having to work hard at being the person His Word requires me to be.)

We probably are in at least some agreement. While I wasn't suggesting you specifically harbored bitterness, etc. toward others, it is something I've seen in many of the people I deal with who struggle with certain sins.

[crakjak]

Originally Posted by Rico

Leave the bible out of this, would ya?

Originally Posted by crakjak

The word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel; prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the shepherds of Israel who only take care of themselves! Should not shepherds take care of the flock? You eat the curds, clothe yourselves with the wool and slaughter the choice animals, but you do not take care of the flock. You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally. So they were scattered because there was no shepherd, and when they were scattered they became food for all the wild animals. My sheep wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. They were scattered over the whole earth, and no one searched or looked for them."
[Ezekiel 34:1-6, NIV]

Here's some pretty good evidence, wouldn't you say?

Rico,

The scripture gives shepherds instruction on treating those in their care to care for them as the Lord Himself would treat them. The gospels show Jesus treating them tenderly. What many fail to see is that most of Jesus' rebukes were reserved for religious leaders, this is very sobering for me personally. I am not a pastor in the traditional sense, but I am in ministry. I know you were speaking TIC.

[crakjak]

Originally Posted by Chan

No, I wouldn't say this is "spiritual abuse;" and I absolutely refuse to accept anything coming out of a heretical dynamic equivalence translation (it's heretical because it's dynamic equivalence).

So, Bro. Chan go read it in the ESV or the KJV, it is strong enough to to still carry the same point.

I'm still reading your book so you better be nice to me.