Religious Abuse

[sky dancer]

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? Have you known anyone who has suffered from religious abuse? An example of religious abuse, are the Magdalene laundries that were run by the Roman Catholic Church, in Ireland. http://harvardhumanrights.wordpress...hidden-story-of-irelands-magdalene-laundries/

Here is a general article that describes how to recognize religious abuse and provides some food for thought for the topic.
http://eaandfaith.blogspot.com/2007/03/how-to-spot-religious-abuse.html

 

[sojourner]

This is why responsible, mainline Xian denominations have guidelines and boundaries for their clergy. Seminaries offer classes in such as part of the required curriculum, and many denominations require boundaries training on a regular basis.

 

[sky dancer]

So, you are saying that religious abuse exists? But only in non-mainline Christian denominations?

The Roman Catholic Church is pretty mainline, in my opinion. Before I became a Buddhist, I co-faciliatated a group for women who were raised Catholic, and who were not practicing Catholics. The goal was to either reconcile and go back to the Church or move on. Half of us moved on, half went back to the Church.




Whether it's perpetrated by Catholic priests or charismatic cult leaders, abuse by religious figures can be more harmful than other forms of maltreatment: A building block of recovery for some people -- belief in a higher power or God -- is exactly what's been stripped away.
"Virtually every abuse victim feels alone," said David Clohessy, national director of St. Louis-based Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests. "But I believe that no victim feels more alone than somebody abused by a religious figure or in a religious setting. The most universal source of comfort and solace in painful times is God. But if God is perceived to be an integral part of one's abuse and cover-up, victims are left with virtually nowhere to turn."
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/09/for_tony_alamo_survivors_relig.html

 

[sojourner]

So, you are saying that religious abuse exists? But only in non-mainline Christian denominations?

No, what I said was that this is the reason why responsible, mainline Xian denominations have these programs in place.

 

[Koldo]

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? Have you known anyone who has suffered from religious abuse? An example of religious abuse, are the Magdalene laundries that were run by the Roman Catholic Church, in Ireland. Abuse by Church and State: The Hidden Story of Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries | International Human Rights Clinic at Harvard Law School

Here is a general article that describes how to recognize religious abuse and provides some food for thought for the topic.
Emotional Abuse and Your Faith: How To Spot Religious Abuse

Define 'spiritual life'.

 

[horizon_mj1]

Sky dancer, the second site you posted really struck a nerve with me. There are quite a few Churches that come to mind after reading the guidelines. This is a very touchy situation within the US Justice System, considering implementation to protect people from abuse is needed, but religious freedom can not and will not be infringed upon (unless of course there is an illegal act involved). I have always been leery of any church (or belief system) that teaches not to look outside of their teachings for further enlightenment or understanding.

 

[ChristineES]

Is there such a thing as political abuse? My husband has been trying to "convert" me to being a republican since we have been married (19 and a half years). It is so irritating to me as I was raised as a democrat.

 

[Levite]

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? Have you known anyone who has suffered from religious abuse? An example of religious abuse, are the Magdalene laundries that were run by the Roman Catholic Church, in Ireland. Abuse by Church and State: The Hidden Story of Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries | International Human Rights Clinic at Harvard Law School

Here is a general article that describes how to recognize religious abuse and provides some food for thought for the topic.
Emotional Abuse and Your Faith: How To Spot Religious Abuse

Sure. Misuse of religion exists, and is a problem. Religion is no different than any powerful philosophy or social institution or even piece of technology-- it can be abused and twisted for personal gain and oppression of others, in ways it was never designed to be used.

That's why most major religious denominations try to confront the problem and fight it when it occurs. Although I freely admit, some have more success than others, and there are sometimes complicating factors that can make fighting it harder.

 

[sky dancer]

Sky dancer, the second site you posted really struck a nerve with me. There are quite a few Churches that come to mind after reading the guidelines. This is a very touchy situation within the US Justice System, considering implementation to protect people from abuse is needed, but religious freedom can not and will not be infringed upon (unless of course there is an illegal act involved). I have always been leery of any church (or belief system) that teaches not to look outside of their teachings for further enlightenment or understanding.

Yes, that's one of the problems with correcting the child sexual abuse in churches. Religion is protected.

 

[sky dancer]

Define 'spiritual life'.

Why? What does spiritual life mean to you? What I'm talking about as religious abuse is when religion is abused to crush the spirit of a child.

 

[sky dancer]

No, what I said was that this is the reason why responsible, mainline Xian denominations have these programs in place.

The Catholic Church is a 'mainline' Christian denomination. Some of their priests and nuns have been extremely abusive.

 

[Koldo]

Why? What does spiritual life mean to you?

A spiritual life equals to 'afterlife',to me.

What I'm talking about as religious abuse is when religion is abused to crush the spirit of a child.

What do you mean by 'crush the spirit'?

Using my definitions, a spirit can not be crushed. So what do you mean?

 

[sky dancer]

A spiritual life equals to 'afterlife',to me.



What do you mean by 'crush the spirit'?

Using my definitions, a spirit can not be crushed. So what do you mean?

When you beat the crap out of a kid, for being a kid, you crush the child's spirit. In this way, I am referring both to the psychological damage of religious abuse, as well as the spiritual damage to a child when scripture justifies abuse.

 

[zenzero]

Friend sky dancer,

Whatever way one may call it *religious abuse* or *exploitation*; it is happening every day.
Only yesterday it came to Indian TV that a person who worked for the govt. started a temple and slowly had lots of devotees seeking his blessings/guidance and this he used for his sexual escapades. He would target women who when approached him for any guidance call her in private and under the guise of rituals feed her sweets laced with intoxicants and then not only have sex but also make videos of the act which he later used to blackmail if the women did not come when ever he bid them for his sexual needs.
This went on till a college going girl could not take it anymore and had laid his hand on a CD which contained the video of his act with her.

Love & rgds

 

[Koldo]

When you beat the crap out of a kid, for being a kid, you crush the child's spirit. In this way, I am referring both to the psychological damage of religious abuse, as well as the spiritual damage to a child when scripture justifies abuse.

By 'spiritual damage', do you mean damage done to someone's faith?
Is that it?

 

[sky dancer]

Friend sky dancer,

Whatever way one may call it *religious abuse* or *exploitation*; it is happening every day.
Only yesterday it came to Indian TV that a person who worked for the govt. started a temple and slowly had lots of devotees seeking his blessings/guidance and this he used for his sexual escapades. He would target women who when approached him for any guidance call her in private and under the guise of rituals feed her sweets laced with intoxicants and then not only have sex but also make videos of the act which he later used to blackmail if the women did not come when ever he bid them for his sexual needs.
This went on till a college going girl could not take it anymore and had laid his hand on a CD which contained the video of his act with her.

Love & rgds

Friend zen

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.

Love,

sky

 

[sky dancer]

By 'spiritual damage', do you mean damage done to someone's faith?
Is that it?

Yes.

If you read about the long term effects on the women who worked in the Magdalene laundries, for example, you see that most of them left the Catholic Church, and many of them never pursued any kind of spiritual life after that.

 

[drsatish]

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


[FONT=&quot]Satish[/FONT]

 

[Vinayaka]

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


[FONT=&quot]Satish[/FONT]

Somehow I don't think victims will see it so deeply.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

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