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Tag Archives: manipulation

Identifying Religious Brainwashing: Doctrine Over Person

28 January 2013, 06:00

Stephen Smith

[Editor’s note: This is part 7 of an 8-part original series. Not all parts have been published on Recovering Grace. To read all 8 parts, please refer to the links below.] This is the seventh in an eight-part series on how to identify brainwashing in a destructive group or cult. It is based off of Dr. […]

How to Identify Religious Brainwashing ~ Part One

21 January 2013, 06:00

Stephen Smith

Aki Ray, a former child-soldier in Cambodia, is now one of the world’s foremost mine-clearing experts. He walks through the jungle looking for landmines and then defuses them one by one. He’s alive because he knows what to look for in the weeds. Can you identify the subtle signs of mind control? I couldn’t. That’s […]

Spiritual Abuse?

17 January 2013, 06:00

Eric Pazdziora

Do you think it is possible to be abused spiritually? What does that look like? Can we learn the signs? How can we tell if others have been spiritually abused? How does a person heal when things like prayer, scripture, and music, which many find comforting, have been used to wield damaging blows? When pulling […]

Dear Grace: Overbearing Parents

10 January 2013, 06:00

Moderator

208

Dear Grace, I am 26 years old with a good head on my shoulders, and am currently in a courtship with a 29-year-old man who has a solid career, is in church leadership, and loves the Lord and me. I’ve always been obedient to my parents and done whatever they’ve told me in the area […]

How to Spiritually Manipulate Young People in Six Easy Steps

27 July 2012, 06:00

Moderator

Step 1. Present a test that supposedly measures one’s love for God. Every Christian young person desires to love God, of course, and will be excited to confirm their commitment to their Savior! Step 2. Present scripture out of context that insinuates that one is God’s enemy if they fail the test. This heightens the […]

If Mama Ain’t Happy . . .

9 July 2012, 06:00

Moderator

I was in high school when I first went to a Basic and Advanced Seminar, and my family enrolled in the Advanced Training Institute (ATI) homeschool program. Prior to that, my folks hadn’t attended a Basic Seminar in nearly a decade. While they appreciated what they had learned the first time around, they didn’t implement […]

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, Chapter 1: “Help Me…”

7 June 2012, 06:00

MatthewS

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse, Chapter 1: “Help Me…” We continue our Thursday series blogging through “The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse.” The first post in the series is here. What is Spiritual abuse? How does it occur? Are you a victim? The chapter begins with a meeting with Jeri, who had sought […]

Emotion – A Dirty Word

2 May 2012, 06:00

HelenE

I was watching Soul Surfer with my daughter the other day. (She is ten and LOVES this movie!) I was enjoying it too, until something at the end got under my skin. . . No, not the shark attack–something else. It was during the competition. They were almost out of time and her confidence faltered. […]

Sexual Harassment Part 2: “Aren’t you making too big an issue of this?”

23 April 2012, 06:00

Moderator

153

Editor’s Note: This is Part 2 of a two-part article documenting sexual harassment within the Institute. Please click here to read Part 1 first–“Exploited Innocence: Sexual Harassment at HQ.” After publishing this first testimony, we have continued to receive similar testimonies of sexual harassment by Gothard: Another Witness: Sexual Harassment at HQ; Third Witness: Sexual […]

Creating a Rebellious Heart

21 March 2012, 06:05

Moderator

Two short months before leaving for Russia, I was blessed with the opportunity to travel Europe with my mom, both grandmothers, and my aunt. It had been a lifelong dream of my 88-year-old grandmother, and I relished every second of it. One of the days that had the most impact on me was the trip […]