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Many on this forum, and past forums, have been under spiritually abusive Pastors/leadership/spouses, ect...but I do not agree to name calling because many times abusers have also been victims. I believe it was James and John who said, "We cannot but speak the things we which have both heard and seen".
Everyone's experience may be different or have a different meaning to them based on thier perception of reality. I do believe though that because of the development of transportation, media, and thus exposure to other peoples, churches, lifestyles...we have been able to see:
*healthy verses unhealthy
*abusive verses affirming
*open verses secretive
*Biblical verses old wives tales
*choices verses stagnation
I, personally, am glad that I got out of my small world as an Apostolic young person growing up in an ultra-conservative environment, and thrown into the diversity I found/saw at JCM. I am glad I got to see how other people handle things through the years spent evangelizing, and see how other leaders lead when assisting other Pastors. I am thankful for having spent time on both sides of the fence: Pastoral leadership to a saint on the pew. It made me appreciate both.
I said all that to say...many of us have had spiritually abusive people, or situations, in our lives but we don't have to stay there, harbor the blame by continually exposing other people who may have learned their lesson or been forgiven, nor do we have to be bound and continually tormented by the past. Jesus Christ came to break the chains of bondage in each of our lives...it is time now to accept what He has done and be free.
Be Blessed, Sis. Rhonda
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