Indentifying Spiritual Abuse: The Pastor Litmus Test – The Newtown CT Shooting

December 16, 2012 By 6 Comments

Sometimes identifying spiritual abuse isn’t an easy task, particularly if it is coming directly from the pulpit.

Today as you listen to various pastors and teachers speaking about Friday’s tragic murder of those twenty school children ponder on the way they talk about it. If you hear any of the things listed below coming out of their mouths you must stop and ask yourself why you’re allowing someone to spout spiritually abusive views to you. If you hear these run. Find a church with accountability, with spiritual health and wholeness.

1. “It was God’s will that this happened.”

2. “God is punishing our nation/state/school/society for immorality.”

3. “When we took God out of the schools this is what happens.”

4. “Demons were involved! Demons because we have turned from God.”

5. “This happened so God could be glorified through the outcome.”

6. “This happened so that people would turn back to God and pray.”

7. “If they had just been home schooling their children like proper Christian families this would not have happened.”

..and I’m sure I’ve missed a few.

Comments open below

NLQ Recommended Reading …

‘Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment‘ by Janet Heimlich

‘Quivering Daughters‘ by Hillary McFarland

‘Quiverfull: Inside the Christian Patriarchy Movement‘ by Kathryn Joyce

 

Filed Under: Atheists, Biblical Manhood & Womanhood, Big Happy Family Vision, Coercive Religious Groups (Cults), Complimentarianism, Confession, Control, CT School Shooting, Demonic Influences, Dominionism / Christian Reconstruction, Drinking the Koolaid, Exorcism, Family Integrated Church, Fear of Hell, Fear tactics, Grieving, Group Think, Help Meet, Homeschool, Hot Topics, How Did I Get In This Mess?, Issues, J.O.Y (Self Denial), Like-Minded Fellowship, Markers of a Cult, Mental / Emotional Health, More from NLQ ..., Mutuality, NLQ Miscellany, NLQ Open Comments, Non-Evangelical Christians, Old Paths, Other Religions, Patriarchy, Public Schools, Quiverfull & the Bible, Quiverfull Counterculture, Quiverfull Discernment, Quiverfull in the News, Quiverfull Topics, Rock Star Pastors, SASBN, Site Updates, Spiritual Abuse, Spiritual Abuse & Recovery, Spiritual Abuse Survivors, Spiritual Issues, Submission, The Godly Woman, The Myth of Teenage Rebellion, When Christians Get It Right Tagged With: , , , , 6 Comments
About Suzanne Calulu
  • Shiloruh

    Thank you. I bet there is a “bingo” card in here somewhere.

  • Rae

    8. Saying that 20 children was very few compared to the number of abortions in the country.

    9. Any mention that the area and town seems to be predominantly Catholic.

  • alwr

    Number 3 is running amok on Facebook. I want to slap half of my friends and family.

  • http://civil-conversations.blogspot.com Sam

    Yes! #3 — everywhere and Rae is right on with #8 too.

    I might have to shut down Facebook for a while before I resort to name calling.

  • Nea

    I’ve been responding to #3 with “Andrea Yeats believed deeply in God. How did that work out for her kids’ safety?” (This also works for #7.)

    Number 5 makes me shudder. I cannot wrap my head around the idea of riding the massacre of children to glory.

    • Saraquill

      I would have mentioned the Crusades myself, but I haven’t been near anyone who’s been saying anything from 1-7.