There’s a massive grift going on in the church based on trauma culture, subsect within the church manufacturing and weaponizing trauma with the ultimate end goal of altering church doctrine and practice to conform with the world. The term spiritual abuse has been thrown around a lot these days, and their is no clear definition, as unlike the issue of child sex abuse, spiritual abuse is a vague concept that in popular use has no real ties to a biblical concept.
At the recent Gospel For the Enneagram Conference, it has become abundantly clear that the Enneagram is a tool that allows bad theology a way inside the church, including Social Justice, and in this case the trauma grift. Brian Lee, an enneagram expert sits down for a discussion with Tyler Zach to discuss spiritual trauma, and his definitions of spiritual abuse are highly malleable.
With the course, with the cohort is I just lay out some really clear definitions. And the reason I do that is probably because of my oneness, but I want to make sure that we’re on the same page and there are so many people throwing around terms without really understanding what they are, right? People are being labeled narcissists. They’re talking about gaslighting, they’re talking about deconstruction, abuse, all these things, but they’re not really understanding what they’re talking about or they’re misusing these terms, right? Mm-hmm. . So when it comes to spiritual abuse, um, there’s this great book, the Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, that’s kind of one of the authorities on the book. And they say it’s the mistreatment of a person who is in need of help, support, or greater spiritual empowerment with the result of weakening, undermining, or decreasing that person’s spiritual empowerment. They also provide a functional definition by saying that spiritual abuse can occur when a leader uses his or her spiritual position to control or dominate another person.
And in the end, the results are that the individual is left bearing a weight of guilt, judgment, or condemnation and confusion about their worth or standing as a Christian. And it’s at this point that we say that spirituality, spirituality has become abusive. Um, and I love the way Jenai Alman says that she just says ‘Spiritual abuse is using God’s words to dehumanize God’s beloved.’
Oof.
So if you’ve ever been in a try that again. Oh, absolutely. You’re . She says, it’s using God’s words to dehumanize God’s beloved. Dang. And if you’ve ever been in a church situation, a faith situation, a religious situation, whatever it is, where you feel like you’ve come looking for help, you’ve come looking for healing, you’ve come looking for hope, and for some reason, and you may not even know why, but you felt left leaving, feeling heavier, feeling guiltier, feeling shame, you may have experienced some kind of spiritual abuse.
A woman wanting to be a pastor but not affirmed would deny spiritual empowerment. Calling on believers to repent could leave an individual bearing a weight of guilt, judgement, or condemnation. Likewise addressing a sin in the congregation is tantamount to spiritual abuse. Demonizing pedophiles and groomers is likewise spiritually abusive, according to Lee’s definition.
The concept of a pastor/elder abusing their power is real, but it is rooting in the doctrine of sphere sovereignty and has to do with an ecclesiastical authority figure operating outside of their sphere and inside a different sphere. Nowhere is that found in the woke definitions, becuase at the end of the day, these definitions are driven by agendas and not Scripture.
2 Responses
If someone is taking scripture out of context, wrongly interpreting scripture, and trying to apply it in a wrong and legitimately abusive manner (which does not include hurting feelings or the work of the Holy Spirit to convict of sin, righteousness, and judgement), you don’t counter that with a bunch of soap-opera, new-age, self-help, hippiefied, paganistic, buffoonery. You don’t counter it by saying “but, but according to this here 9-pointed pagan diagram …”. You counter it with SCRIPTURE.
And if there is no scripture with which you counter it, then the feelings of guilt and shame are probably the conviction of the Holy Spirit calling for you to repent.
“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12)
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” (2 Tim. 3:16)
“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.” (2 Tim. 2:15-16)
When Jesus was tempted, how did He respond? With scripture!
That’s how it’s done. That’s all you need. Study it. Learn it. Memorize. Apply it. Use it. Live it.
And don’t be someone who can dish it out but not take it – which pretty much describes everyone who’s mind is infected with critical theory. Iron sharpens iron. If you’re going to dish out correction, then take correction. Don’t get your feelings hurt, worked up, overly combative, and your drawers in a knot, every time somebody corrects you. If in your heart you consider yourself superior, you’ll never be considered equal. Consider the possibility that the empowerment you want is not power that is rightfully yours, but is that which belongs to the Lord.