Just Imagine...

[mountain]

Due to issues with my family, I have spent a far amount of time helping others work through church issues this year...

In an email last evening to my sister, I expressed a thought that might have some value here in the SA forum....

Imagine yourself as the Creator... what would you do if your older children used your love to victimize your younger children... using your love in order to control the younger ones through fear.

You would be OUTRAGED.

I know any sin make us all sinners... but the spiritual abuse of those seeking emotional help for the purpose of filling the power and monetary needs of those in leadership has to hated by God at the highest level.

mtn

[FreeinJesus]

...Imagine yourself as the Creator... what would you do if your older children used your love to victimize your younger children... using your love in order to control the younger ones through fear.

You would be OUTRAGED.

I know any sin make us all sinners... but the spiritual abuse of those seeking emotional help for the purpose of filling the power and monetary needs of those in leadership has to hated by God at the highest level.

mtn

ABSOLUTELY!

[FreeinJesus]

Dear Mountain,

What you described reminded me of something I think Jeff VanVonderan wrote about in a book I'll paraphrase as best as possible.....

his two kids are arguing & one child wont let the other play with their new toy. the child that wants to play w/ the toy goes to mom..."mom, Jane wont let me play w/ it!!" Mom says, "well honey, it's her toy & she has the right to do with it as she feels, I'm sorry...maybe you can change her mind, but I wont make her give it to you" So, the child goes back to the sister who doesn't want to let her play w/ her new toy and the sister says "MOM SAID you'd better let me play with it!!" the parent hears it & is very upset because that is not what they discussed at all.

The child attempted to use the parents authority to GET WHAT THEY WANTED,

OK...I may not have written it correctly, but you get the gist. When a man or woman who is supposedly in authority over others in a religious setting ie/church, tells people that "THE LORD told me".....or "I believe God's perfect will for YOUR LIFE IS...." etc, etc, I believe this makes God very unhappy! We had this happen to us where we were told all of this BS that we needed to do thus & so to be in God's perfect will for our lives. It's as if our freedom & lives were hijacked in the name of "God".
of course, believing that *Xpastor knew more about God & true religion, over time we totally capitulated. I can see how over time we were broken down...little by little. Mind you the changes in our lives didn't benefit us at all, it actually damaged us in many ways, but alas....XPASTOR GOT WHAT HE WANTED. :mad:

It pisses me off just thinking about it & I truly believe that what many pastors & preachers are doing (controlling flocks & telling them that it's 'God's will') well....lets just say I wouldn't want to be in the preachers shoes on judgment day. It is for freedom that Christ has set us FREE! controlling pastors can't stand that! ;)
PS I'm not talking about areas of morals but the areas that are not moral issues.;)

[mountain]

The child attempted to use the parents authority to GET WHAT THEY WANTED,


Thanks FIJ... actually what I had in mind was a bit more sinister...

Something along the lines of a child that was lost from the family home only to be found in severe emotional and physical need...

after returning home and being reunited with the older sibling, the entitled child, who then abuses the lost child in need forcing them to do without and telling them if they complain they will be abandoned all over again...

all while the entitled child eat, drinks, and remains merry... as if they own the home... using domination as a means of fulfilling ego ambitions.

and without regard for those in need, disadvantaged and equally entitled.

mtn

[FreeinJesus]

Mountain, that sounds really bad!

I'm thinking that cruelty comes naturally for humans.......it makes me sad.:(

It makes me even sadder when it's done in God's name.:( I'm looking forward to seeing some 'balancing of the scales' as it were.

If I'm to be merciful like Jesus, I probably shouldn't hope
or wish for JUSTICE, but inside of me there is a part that
does, that wants to see vengence.....then I think I should look for mercy.....oh well.
:confused:Only human I guess.

Keep your eyes on HIM...God sees it!

[mountain]

a child that was lost from the family home only to be found in severe emotional and physical need...

after returning home and being reunited with the older sibling, the entitled child, who then abuses the lost child in need forcing them to do without and telling them if they complain they will be abandoned all over again...

all while the entitled child eat, drinks, and remains merry... as if they own the home... using domination as a means of fulfilling ego ambitions.

and without regard for those in need, disadvantaged and equally entitled.


yes FIJ... spiritual abuse must be right up there on the sin that God hates most..

As the perfect Father, it has to be...

Look at Christ's actions... majority of his care was for the disadvantaged... majority of his anger was for the religious establishment

So consistent with WWJD, I believe my IMAGINE comparison is accurate and appropriate...

and I believe it is good for everyone to be educated on what SA really is and how damning it can be...

to both the abuser and the abused...

God help us all to increase our awareness.

mtn