This Thread is dead on! Abuse within Religion is nothing new, and today is no exception. I see the main problem being that the World of Faith is Spectral (Unseen). A Leader or Saint within a Denominal or Non-Denominal movement will use "God Said", "Heaven or Hell", and the many other forms of unproven data to manipulate the crowd beneath them.
This is the exact form and fashion of past generations that sought to control those of lesser knowledge or experience. When people get out of line or they begin to question, pull another rabbit out of the hat that makes the rebellious look evil and backslid. If something can't be proven, a person is left with a choice to make, especially when Hell is brought into the picture. Because people are weak when it comes to imagination, the unseen “Tool” is used to paint a picture that doesn’t exist which keeps the crowd possessed with an idea.
A person can leave the Church environment on top of the World, only to find when they embark back into the normal slam of society, the lows or realities of life await them. Running the aisles becomes a distant grief because of emotional wig wag. Back and forth, up and down, Religion literally becomes a drug. Then we return to the place of abuse, slapping the preacher on the back for MORE! Give us MORE!
I have discussed this numerous times on this Forum. Just ask yourself, “Why are there so MANY different Faith’s in the World, and they all think they are right?” The above is why. God tells someone something, they acquire a following, the following begins to question, and then the abuse begins or gets worse because the Leader(s) fears they are losing control of what they started.
My heart goes out to you Nahkoe. For me, I've found that the smaller groups are far better. I begin to have serious anxiety before and after church services in traditional church settings. I'll start shaking when the preacher begins "screaming"... even if he's screaming about something good or worth screaming about. It leaves me deeply disturbed and shaken. Those who know me have voiced how I "change" when I've been going to church. I'm very irritable, and can become verbally abusive. They say I get "mean". lol
I will say that I am attending church right now. Only once a week and I don't stay in the sanctuary for the whole service most of the time. I wander the halls or hang out outside during Sunday School instead of going to a class. But I'm there every week. I also know I would *not* be attending anywhere right now if there wasn't serious accountability on this matter. I'd be a lot worse off if there wasn't serious support to go along with that accountability.
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You become free from who you have become, by becoming who you were meant to be. ~Mark from another forum I post on
God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. ~Romans 3:24 from The Message
BTW, I would like to be able to trust a counselor enough to bring me to some sort of healing, but, chances are, I'll stay away from them too. I don't trust anyone who tells me they are going to help me.
I find this sad, ILG. I went through 3 years of theraphy, and while very painful at times, it helped me tremendously. I went through 3 or 4 therapists before I found one that I could work with.
BTW, I would like to be able to trust a counselor enough to bring me to some sort of healing, but, chances are, I'll stay away from them too. I don't trust any "authority" who tells me they are going to help me.
I've experienced that too. I used to be "jumpy" at times. Also, even though the church I now frequent on occasion has a wonderful Pastor... I just can't "trust" him. I try. I'm always wondering what his "real" motives are and when he fails to make an appointment I go into an unbelievable rage and breakdown in emotions that is hard to describe. I love the man's ministry, but I want it "over there", and I don't want to be too close.
I find this sad, ILG. I went through 3 years of theraphy, and while very painful at times, it helped me tremendously. I went through 3 or 4 therapists before I found one that I could work with.
Yeah, it is sad and I know it, but I am not sure what to do about it or if I want to do anything about it. I'm glad you were helped. I just feel like it would be a waste of my time and I don't want some "expert" trying to fix me when time and being away from that environment may well do the job just fine. If sometime down the road I think I could benefit and feel it is right for me, I would probably do it. I saw a counselor about 7 years ago for four sessions and felt like it was mostly a waste of time.
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Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it. ~Chinese Proverb
When I was young and clever, I wanted to change the world. Now that I am older and wiser, I strive to change myself. ~
I've experienced that too. I used to be "jumpy" at times. Also, even though the church I now frequent on occasion has a wonderful Pastor... I just can't "trust" him. I try. I'm always wondering what his "real" motives are and when he fails to make an appointment I go into an unbelievable rage and breakdown in emotions that is hard to describe. I love the man's ministry, but I want it "over there", and I don't want to be too close.
What do you mean "fails to make an appt."?
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Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it. ~Chinese Proverb
When I was young and clever, I wanted to change the world. Now that I am older and wiser, I strive to change myself. ~
Something else just came to mind. My daughter and her family came over for dinner yesterday. We discussed an experience she had when she visited a radical UPC Church in Canada a few years ago. The ladies in this church were not allowed to wear short sleeves, open toed shoes, or wear their hair down. My daughter shows up to service with all three!! LOL
My daughter also has very natural curls and has never permed her hair. She also has the most beautiful blue eyes. The girls in the church accused her of perming her hair and wearing colored contacts.
They also went to a huge Mall, where they had an indoor roller coaster and my daughter was all excited and wanted to ride it. Well, they told her that they weren’t allowed to ride roller coasters.
My daughter said that when she came home from this experience she was very confused and wondered about her own Salvation and walk with God. We both agreed that this type of play in Religion is destroying more than it’s saving. People are walking away from all this weirdness, wondering who in the World of Faith is right. For many, this is the trigger that begins to fire depression, anxiety, and the feeling of being a failure in God’s eyes.
I find this sad, ILG. I went through 3 years of theraphy, and while very painful at times, it helped me tremendously. I went through 3 or 4 therapists before I found one that I could work with.
One of 3 was worthwhile? That is about the same rate of 1 out of 3 that find a psychotropic prescription helpfull. WE can't conduct tests that compare the results of "therapy" with just plain time healing some of these hurts.
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