spiritual abuse defined

Spiritual abuse can have a deeply damaging impact on those who experience it. This abuse may include:
  • Manipulation & Exploitation
  • Enforced Accountability
  • Censorship of Decision Making
  • Requirements for Secrecy & Silence
  • Coercion to Conform [inability to ask questions]
  • Control Through the Use of Sacred Texts or Teaching
  • Requirement of Obedience to the Abuser
  • The Suggestion That The Abuser Has A ‘Divine’ Position
  • Isolation as a Means of Punishment
  • Superiority & Elitism
This definition taken from the book, Escaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse: Creating Healthy Christian Cultures by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys