Religious Abuse

[sky dancer]

All connotations and flavors of ‘abuse’ …disappear..
When one DROPS the…..’MY’….before …’God’…
….just God or No God…..


[FONT=&quot]Satish[/FONT]

That makes no sense to me. The Magdalene laundry survivors have been damaged spritually. Many of them no longer believe in God because of the abuse they suffered under priests and nuns and the institutional Catholic Church in Ireland.

 

[sky dancer]

Religion smacks me around sometimes, but it's my fault and I really deserve it.

Sounds like an abuse survivor.

 

[Wombat]

Religious abuse is the mistreatment of a person by someone in a position of spiritual authority, resulting in diminishing that person’s sense of wellbeing and growth—both spiritually and emotionally.

Religious abuse is the use of spiritual authority, by words or actions, to manipulate someone for personal gain or to achieve a personal agenda, thereby harming that person’s spiritual life.

Religious abuse can also be defined as any misuse of scripture, which harms a person’s relationship with their spiritual life-like the damage resulting from cult involvement.

Discuss. Do the definitons make sense to you?

Yes...the definitons make sense to me.

Might I also suggest an addition to the list?-

Religious abuse can also be defined as the propensity for religious authorities to place the interests, wellbeing and protection of the religious institutions reputation above the interests, wellbeing and protection of community members, especially the vulnerable.

The innumerable incidents of child abuse and cover up within the Roman Catholic church and the absence of any Fair Due Process/Fair Hearing within the Baha’i community would be two prime examples.

Have you known anyone who has suffered from religious abuse?

Yes...I work in the Welfare Sector...I have encountered three psychiatrically disabled clients who have been brutalised by the obscenity of ‘exorcism’ and six clients sexually and physically abused by church authorities.

Good thread, good links.

Many thanks

 

[sky dancer]

Catholics used to teach something called being "an occassion of sin". What that meant, was that if a man raped a woman, it was the woman's fault for being his "occassion of sin".

Similarly, an abused child, would be the occassion of sin for the perpetrator.

I find that teaching abusive.

 

[Wombat]

Sexual abuse is bad enough. When it is perpetrated by a religious person, it is doubly damaging. Not only is it an abuse of power in the ordinary sense, but it is an misuse of spiritual authority. It can long term interfere in the victims faith and spiritual life.

I fully agree and suggest the damage is often compounded and goes further.

When sexual abuse is committed against a child by a stranger the universal response is to have the perpetrator put away.

When the sexual abuse is perpetrated by a close family member or trusted religious figure the family/church community frequently seeks ‘forgiveness’ of the perpetrator by the victim. This expectation is often put forward- “For the good of the family, the good of the church” or even “The good of the victim”

This is >the worst< expectation that can be placed on a victim of such abuse. Especially a child.
Child victims of sexual abuse by trusted people >already< feel that they have done something wrong to cause the abuse or bring the abuse upon themselves. They already feel that they have done something bad or must be evil for this to have happened.


>Now< they have a family or church community asking them to &#8216;forgive&#8217; the perpetrator and they do so taking all the blame and guilt and shame upon themselves- or- they cannot forgive the perpetrator and conclude that there must be something >really< bad, evil, wrong with them if so many &#8216;good&#8217; people are recommending &#8216;forgiveness&#8217; and they cannot forgive.

Please.......I beg you all....if ever you are confronted with a victim of abuse, sexual or otherwise, >do not< suggest, advocate or encourage them to forgive...there is nothing &#8216;spiritual&#8217; about such advice...it can do great harm.


>WAIT<.....until the victim of abuse raises the issue of forgiveness of the perpetrator >and then< explore/discuss the issue with them.


Please.