Christian Marriage, Complementarianism, Divorce, Egalitarianism, emotional abuse, Focus on the Family, Gender Roles, Julie Anne's Personal Stories, Leaving the Church, Marriage, Patriarchal-Complementarian Movement, Religious Power and Control, Spiritual Abuse, Spiritual Authority, Spiritual Bullies

Spiritual Headship was Spiritual Abuse in My Family

But towards the end of our marriage, something else changed. For the first time ever, if I questioned or challenged him about a doctrinal belief that had changed, he started to pull rank saying he was the spiritual head of the home. That had never occurred before.

ABUSE & VIOLENCE IN THE CHURCH, Disturbing Trends, Extra-Biblical Nonsense, God's Design for the Family, It's All About the Image, Julie Anne's Personal Stories, Legalism, Marriage, Modesty and Purity Teachings, Parenting, Patriarchal-Complementarian Movement, Personal Stories, Spiritual Abuse, Spiritual Authority, Spiritual Bullies, SURVIVOR STORIES, Women and the Church

What was it like in my Patriarchal home, you ask? Let’s discuss hymens.

When our eldest daughter was 13 and before she started her period, my then husband told me he did not want her to use tampons because it would break her hymen and it was important for her future husband to do so.

ABUSE & VIOLENCE IN THE CHURCH, Christian Marriage, Divorce, Domestic Violence, Domestic Violence and Churches, emotional abuse, Gender Roles, Julie Anne's Personal Stories, Marriage, Marriages Damaged-Destroyed by Sp. Ab., Patriarchal-Complementarian Movement, Spiritual Abuse, Spiritual Authority, Spiritual Bullies

Julie Anne Gets Personal about the Silent Abuse of Domestic Violence: Emotional and Spiritual Abuse

While I was reporting on abuse in the church in 2012 on this blog, this is what I was living in my home. And while I was sharing stories of domestic violence, including emotional abuse and spiritual abuse here, I was connecting with these stories in a personal way, weeping, and knowing one day, I'd be telling my own story here. The time is now.

ABUSE & VIOLENCE IN THE CHURCH, Authoritative Preaching, emotional abuse, Meetings with the Pastor, Misuse of Scripture, Religious Power and Control, Religious Trauma Institute, Spiritual Abuse, Spiritual Authority, Women and the Church

Religious Power and Control: Spiritual Abuse

Spiritual abuse is a tactic used by abusive leaders or groups to maintain power and control over their members.

Biblical Counseling, Christian Marriage, Complementarianism, Domestic Violence, Domestic Violence and Churches, emotional abuse, Gender Roles, Marriage, Religious Power and Control, Spiritual Authority

ACBC’s Consideration of the Duluth Model

Could the real reason for this podcast be that ACBC counselors are finding something useful from an outside source when talking to victims of domestic violence?

ABUSE & VIOLENCE IN THE CHURCH, Biblical Manhood, Christian Marriage, Church Discipline Process, Domestic Violence and Churches, Doug Wilson, emotional abuse, Leaving the Church, Marriage, Marriages Damaged-Destroyed by Sp. Ab., Misuse of Scripture, Religious Power and Control, Sexual Abuse/Assault and Churches, Spiritual Abuse, Spiritual Authority, Spiritual Bullies, Women and the Church

We Now See the Fruit of Doug Wilson’s Teachings on Marital Sex: Personal Accounts of Marital Rape

Let me be blunt: I believe Douglas Wilson has given the green light for all “Christian” men to sexually violate or rape their wives. Men penetrate, conquer, colonize, plant; women must receive, surrender, and accept.

Abuse Systems and Transformation Tools, Clergy Misconduct, Clergy Sex Abuse, emotional abuse, Marriages Damaged-Destroyed by Sp. Ab., Misuse of Scripture, Religious Power and Control, Spiritual Abuse, Spiritual Authority, Spiritual Bullies, Women and the Church

Clergy Sexual Misconduct: Why Victims Should Not be Blamed

My blog broke the story on two high-profile cases of clergy sexual misconduct. These are very difficult stories to report on, especially as I get to know the survivors and the ongoing emotional and spiritual trauma they endured with these highly influential church leaders. One common misconception I see repeatedly debated in comments on news… Continue reading Clergy Sexual Misconduct: Why Victims Should Not be Blamed

ABUSE & VIOLENCE IN THE CHURCH, Christian Marriage, Leaving the Church, Marriage, Meetings with the Pastor, Religious Power and Control, Sexual Abuse/Assault and Churches, Spiritual Abuse, Spiritual Authority, Spiritual Bullies, Women and the Church

To Mark Gungor: There is Nothing Inspiring about using “Humor” to Publicly Degrade Women; and Please Do Better on Sex Abuse Cases

There should be no place in Christian evangelicalism for Mark Gungor's behavior which devalues, disrespects, and demoralizes women. If Gungor is allowed to continue having platforms, then it is a clear picture that Christian evangelicalism is not, and probably has never been, a safe place for women.

ABUSE & VIOLENCE IN THE CHURCH, Christian Marriage, Complementarianism, Crazy Things Church Leaders Say & Do, Divorce, Domestic Violence and Churches, John MacArthur, Marriage, Marriages Damaged-Destroyed by Sp. Ab., Master's University / Master's Seminary, Patriarchal-Complementarian Movement, Religious Power and Control, Spiritual Abuse, Spiritual Authority, Spiritual Bullies, Troubling Tweets, Women and the Church

How Pastor Steve Swartz uses Scripture to Elevate His Position as Pastor and His Response to an Abusive Marriage #Blech

Ok, popping in here for a quickie post for discussion. Notice this dude is a Master's Seminary Alum. This does not surprise me with the kind of pompous attitudes I have witnessed and encountered from John MacArthur's camp. Case in point, Bill Shannon reached out to me during my lawsuit case. I'll never forget how… Continue reading How Pastor Steve Swartz uses Scripture to Elevate His Position as Pastor and His Response to an Abusive Marriage #Blech

ABUSE & VIOLENCE IN THE CHURCH, Abuse Systems and Transformation Tools, Authoritative Preaching, Biblical Manhood, Christian Marriage, Crazy Things Church Leaders Say & Do, Disturbing Trends, Divorce, Domestic Violence, Domestic Violence and Churches, Doug Wilson, emotional abuse, Extra-Biblical Nonsense, Gender Roles, God's Design for the Family, Marriage, Marriages Damaged-Destroyed by Sp. Ab., Mental Health and the Church, Misuse of Scripture, Religious Power and Control, Sexual Abuse/Assault and Churches, Spiritual Abuse, Spiritual Authority, Spiritual Bullies, Women and the Church

The Who’s Who and What’s What of Poisonous Patriarchy in Contemporary Christianity: Introducing Brian Sauvé

This power-over structure is harmful, demeaning, and depersonalizes women who were made in the Image of God.

ABUSE & VIOLENCE IN THE CHURCH, Christian Marriage, Divorce, Domestic Violence, Domestic Violence and Churches, emotional abuse, Extra-Biblical Nonsense, Gender Roles, God's Design for the Family, Julie Anne's Personal Stories, Marriage, Marriages Damaged-Destroyed by Sp. Ab., Religious Power and Control, Spiritual Abuse, Spiritual Authority, Spiritual Bullies, Women and the Church

The Who’s Who and What’s What of Poisonous Patriarchy in Contemporary Christianity

"I’ve decided to document pastors and individuals who promote patriarchy here on my blog. I will post screenshots of their tweets or social media posts, and name them and their churches as a public record."

ABUSE & VIOLENCE IN THE CHURCH, Christian Marriage, Divorce, Julie Anne's Personal Stories, Marriage, Marriages Damaged-Destroyed by Sp. Ab., Personal Stories, Safe Churches, Single and Christian, Small Groups, Well Done, Church Leaders!

We are Image Bearers of Christ in Our Marriages and in Our Singlehood

" . . . unless the church treats all individuals as image bearers of Christ, we will not be the Body of Christ as the church was intended to be."

Christian Marriage, Complementarianism, Doctrine as Idol, Gender Roles, John Piper, Marriage, Marriages Damaged-Destroyed by Sp. Ab., Spiritual Abuse, Spiritual Authority

John Piper Questions Whether Wives Should Share Their Wisdom with Their Husbands

John Piper could have stopped with "I don't know" in his response to a listener about wife submission. Instead, he gives a round about answer which ultimately adds an extra emotional and spiritual toll on the wife.

Biblical Counseling, Christian Marriage, Divorce, It's All About the Image, Julie Anne's Personal Stories, Marriage, Marriages Damaged-Destroyed by Sp. Ab., Mental Health and the Church, Personal Stories

A personal update from Julie Anne:

Today is my birthday. This morning I woke up happy, smiling, and very excited to be alive and well with a great home, a great job, and great family and friends. But I’d like to give you a window into what it was like this time last year. I was not well.

Christian Marriage, Divorce, Marriage, Marriages Damaged-Destroyed by Sp. Ab.

What is in a Name: When Your Spouse Refuses to Call You By Name

...Yet into the third decade of our marriage, he chose to call me by a name I despised, yet forgot my given name. Or did he really forget?

Biblical Manhood, Christian Love, Christian Marriage, Complementarianism, Doctrine as Idol, Domestic Violence, Domestic Violence and Churches, Egalitarianism, Gender Roles, John Piper, Together for the Gospel

John Piper on Complementarianism and Abuse – #T4G20

What is up with John Piper's erratic response on Complementarianism and abuse?

Clergy Misconduct, Crazy Things Church Leaders Say & Do, Disturbing Trends, Extra-Biblical Nonsense, It's All About the Image

Christian Music Artist and Pastor Steve Camp Puts God to the Test with #COVID-19

But the people who went to the church may or may not have been infected with the virus. Why was this necessary? Oh yea, it wasn’t.

Book Review Series, Christian Marriage, Doctrine as Idol, Domestic Violence, Gender Roles, Marriage, Martha Peace, Spiritual Abuse

Book Review Series – "The Excellent Wife" by Martha Peace – Chapter Twenty-One – Who Knew Sorrow and Grief Could be Sinful

This chapter is supposed to help a wife who is grieving over her husband's sinful actions. Interestingly, nothing specifically points to how a wife can manage her grief or sorrow.