Episode #28
Episode 28 - The Anatomy of Twisted Scripture (Spiritual Abuse Tactic & Behavior #6 of 12)
Send us Fan Mail 12 Tactics and Behaviors Used By Spiritual Abusers Deception & Lies Power Control Authority, Spiritual Authority & Distorted Loyalty Indoctrination, Thought Suppression, Bounded Choice & Mind Control Twisting The Scriptures Spiritual Elitism & Spiritual Narcissism Blame & Shame Culture of Fear & Bullying Exploitation, Humiliation & Dehumanization Manipulation, Coercion, Spiritual Gaslighting & Bypassing Silence, Secrecy & Isolation ********************************************************************************** A single Bible verse can feel like comfort in one moment and coercion in the next. I sit with that tension and talk honestly about how scripture gets weaponized in spiritually abusive churches, high control religion, and faith systems that protect power at the expense of people. If you’ve ever been told that questioning is rebellion or that leaving a harmful community means leaving God, you’re not imagining the pressure. I name it, slow it down, and give you language for what happened. I start with a crucial distinction: scripture itself is not inherently abusive, but interpretations can be. From circular reasoning that treats one person’s reading as absolute truth, to proof texting that rips a verse from its context, the result is often the same: shame, silence, and dependence. I look at the Bereans as a healthier model of faith, one that welcomes careful study, community testing, and humility rather than blind loyalty. Then I lay out a practical framework built around five concepts that show up again and again in church abuse: authority, interpretation, discernment, suffering, and fear. I unpack exegesis versus eisegesis, how charisma and biblical certainty can function like control, and how spiritual gaslighting can make you doubt your own reality. I also talk about suffering being spiritualized, why lament matters for healing, and how fear-based leadership keeps people trapped. If this resonates, listen, share it with someone who needs words for their experience. "Be Human, Be Kind, Be Both."
