Christian Domestic Discipline, Domestic Violence, Personal Stories

Wife Asks for Input Regarding Her Husband Who Paddles Her

Wife Spanking, Christian Domestic Discipline, Domestic Violence *** You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. 1 Peter 3:7… Continue reading Wife Asks for Input Regarding Her Husband Who Paddles Her

Going Back to Church Again, Personal Stories, The Nones and the Dones

When You are Done with Church

How Do You Respond When Someone Talks to You About Your Lack of Church Attendance? Kathi here. For many years my family and I attended church. We faithfully went to Sunday service, Wednesday nights, gave our money and spent hundreds, if not thousands, of hours volunteering. At one point, though, we realized that we were… Continue reading When You are Done with Church

Julie Anne's Personal Stories, Learn to Discern, Personal Stories, Recovery Process, Spiritual Abuse, SPIRITUAL ABUSE RECOVERY

The Bully: Familiar Feelings, Completely Different Environment

Spiritual abuse, bullies, connections, gaslighting *** A few weeks ago, I started Spring term at college. The professor has a PhD in her field, and told us she's been teaching from high school level to grad school since the 80s.  READ: she's no spring chicken and has a lot of classroom experience. As the days… Continue reading The Bully: Familiar Feelings, Completely Different Environment

Emotional Responses, Leaving the Church, Personal Stories, Spiritual Abuse, Spiritual Authority

Personal Story: Feeling Stuck after Spiritual Abuse

*** Mark is new to the blog and left a comment on another post yesterday and I have decided to make it into its own post so we can focus on these issues. Maybe some of you have experienced some of what he is going through and can share how you dealt with these issues.… Continue reading Personal Story: Feeling Stuck after Spiritual Abuse

Personal Stories, Stories of Hope

Good Friday and Easter: Loss, Death, and New Beginnings

*** "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" *** Today is Good Friday and Sunday is Easter. These are important days for Christians to remember what Christ did for us. How He paid the ultimate price for us. Easter represents new beginnings and new life, and it's very timely that… Continue reading Good Friday and Easter: Loss, Death, and New Beginnings

Julie Anne's Personal Stories, Personal Stories, Recovery Process, Stories of Hope

JA has put herself in blog time-out

    So, yesterday I read a tweet that left me reeling. It made it difficult to concentrate on my school work, and got me thinking and emoting quite a bit. I've tried numerous times to put up a blog post today and yesterday and realize that I just need to let my emotions simmer… Continue reading JA has put herself in blog time-out

Authoritative Preaching, Beaverton Grace Bible Church, BGBC Lawsuit, Chuck O'Neal, Doctrine as Idol, Gender Roles, Julie Anne's Personal Stories, Legalism, Parenting, Patriarchal-Complementarian Movement, Personal Stories, Recovery Process, Safe Churches, Spiritual Abuse, SPIRITUAL ABUSE RECOVERY, Spiritual Authority, Spiritual Bullies, SPIRITUAL SOUNDING BOARD, SURVIVOR STORIES

The Fallout of Spiritual Abuse on Our Children

Children Harmed by Spiritual Abuse   Yesterday, I was talking with my programming language tutor and mentioned that I had a blog. He asked what my blog was about and I told him the long story. He was absolutely dumbfounded by what he was hearing and kept shaking his head, not wanting to believe it, even… Continue reading The Fallout of Spiritual Abuse on Our Children

Meaning of Spiritual Sounding Board, Personal Stories, Recovery Process, SPIRITUAL ABUSE RECOVERY, Spiritual Encouragement, SPIRITUAL SOUNDING BOARD

Tangled Lives of Spiritual Abuse Survivors

Spiritual Abuse, Recovery Process, Tangled Lives, Support   It must be that time of year. I had a rough day the last two days and had to call a support person to help me get on track. And it's not that I didn't know what my issues were, or how to fix them. I knew what… Continue reading Tangled Lives of Spiritual Abuse Survivors

Going Back to Church Again, Personal Stories, Recovery Process, Spiritual Abuse, SPIRITUAL ABUSE RECOVERY, SURVIVOR STORIES

Spiritual Abuse: Trouble Letting Go

One disturbing aspect of spiritual abuse is how it can leave us questioning our salvation and in a state of confusion. I received an e-mail this morning and asked if I could post it here for discussion.  ~ja   Trouble Letting Go Compared to some of the stories on your blog, my spiritual abuse is… Continue reading Spiritual Abuse: Trouble Letting Go

ABUSE RECOVERY PROCESS-PROBLEMS, ABUSIVE FAITH & PRACTICE, Authoritative Preaching, Beaverton Grace Bible Church, Chuck O'Neal, Crazy Things Church Leaders Say & Do, Doctrine as Idol, Extra-Biblical Nonsense, Julie Anne's Personal Stories, Leaving the Church, Legalism, Meetings with the Pastor, Misuse of Scripture, Narcissistic Pastors, Personal Stories, Spiritual Bullies, SURVIVOR STORIES

Spiritual Abuse: What Was the Last Straw That Caused You to Leave Your Abusive Church?

Spiritual Abuse - What finally made you realize you had to leave your church? *** *** I had already told my husband that I had to leave BGBC, with or without him, but I was hoping that he would come to the same conclusion without my influence. That finally happened after our close friend who was… Continue reading Spiritual Abuse: What Was the Last Straw That Caused You to Leave Your Abusive Church?

Learn to Discern, Personal Stories, Recovery Process, Safe Churches, SPIRITUAL ABUSE RECOVERY

“Do Good and Do No Harm” Project by Brad Sargent aka FuturistGuy

  Spiritual Sounding Board and The Wartburg Watch are supporting a Go Fund Me Campaign to help Brad Sargent finish the first stage of  developing resources that will assist survivors of church abuse. Most of my long-time readers know Brad aka "FuturistGuy." I met Brad after spiritual abuse author Barb Orlowski pooled people together she… Continue reading “Do Good and Do No Harm” Project by Brad Sargent aka FuturistGuy

ABUSE & VIOLENCE IN THE CHURCH, Doug Wilson, Narcissistic Pastors, Personal Stories, Sexual Abuse/Assault and Churches, Spiritual Bullies, Women and the Church

Doug Wilson Responds to Rod Dreher Article, Defends Perpetrator, Shames Sex Abuse Survivor and She Responds Back

Doug Wilson, Christ Church, Moscow, Idaho, CREC, Jamin Wight, Natalie Rose Greenfield, Sex Abuse, Rod Dreher Yesterday, Rod Dreher wrote an article about the Doug Wilson fiasco in The American Conservative. Today, he quoted Doug Wilson's 'Reluctant Response.' In the beginning of the article, Doug Wilson refers to a timeline of events of convicted pedophile, Steven… Continue reading Doug Wilson Responds to Rod Dreher Article, Defends Perpetrator, Shames Sex Abuse Survivor and She Responds Back

Christian Marriage, Divorce, Personal Stories, Sexual Abuse/Assault and Churches, Women and the Church

A Wife’s Personal Story: So, Let’s Actually Talk about What “Extramarital Affairs” Really Look Like

*** Josh Duggar, A Wife's Personal Story, Extramarital affairs and the church *** The topic of adultery has been in the news a lot lately. The Ashley Madison hack revealed that Josh Duggar of TLC's 19 Kids and Counting show had two paid memberships. Duggar is now in some treatment program (Inside Josh Duggar’s rehab facility for sinners)… Continue reading A Wife’s Personal Story: So, Let’s Actually Talk about What “Extramarital Affairs” Really Look Like

Bill Gothard, Christian Marriage, Courtship, Divorce, Full-Quiver, Gender Roles, Homeschool Movement, IBLP and ATI, Legalism, Modesty and Purity Teachings, Patriarchal-Complementarian Movement, Personal Stories, Sexual Abuse/Assault and Churches, Women and the Church

How has the Josh Duggar Scandal affected you? Are you experiencing painful reminders?

Josh Duggar, sex scandal, painful reminders, homeschool movement, patriarchy, purity and modesty culture, Bill Gothard *** *** With the recent disclosure of sexual infidelity by Josh Duggar, I have been noticing a lot of people who have been influenced by Patriarchy, Quiverfull, Bill Gothard, Homeschool Movement, etc, trying to make sense of what is going… Continue reading How has the Josh Duggar Scandal affected you? Are you experiencing painful reminders?

ABUSE RECOVERY PROCESS-PROBLEMS, Forgiveness, Mental Health and the Church, Personal Stories, Sexual Abuse/Assault and Churches, SURVIVOR STORIES

What Can Happen to Sex Abuse Survivors When They Are Not Believed or Supported?

Sex abuse survivors need to be believed and supported What happens when sex abuse survivors spend years trying to tell others of their abuse and it is met with deaf ears? What happens when family and friends turn their backs and ignore the abuse? In the next personal story, we will read a response to… Continue reading What Can Happen to Sex Abuse Survivors When They Are Not Believed or Supported?

Personal Stories, Spiritual Abuse, Spiritual Bullies, SURVIVOR STORIES

Do you feel guilty because of pressure and high expectations from church leaders? You are not alone!

*** High-pressure church leaders, mandatory church attendance and guilt *** "Longtime Lurker" broke her silence a while back and shared her personal high-controlling church experience.  I copied her comment for this post because I think her experience is representative of what others have gone through, and I can relate with a lot of what she… Continue reading Do you feel guilty because of pressure and high expectations from church leaders? You are not alone!

Biblical Counseling, Crazy Things Church Leaders Say & Do, Julie Anne's Personal Stories, Mental Health and the Church, Personal Stories, Spiritual Abuse, Suicide

My Personal Mental Health Story: When Christians Say Potentially Harmful Words to Someone in a Mental Health Crisis

***  Mental Health, prayer, Bible, professional counseling, harmful advice *** A friend found this quote and was very disturbed by it. When I saw it, I was equally disturbed...no, make that horrified, because it brought me back to a very difficult time in my life when it was said to me by well-meaning Christians: *** ***… Continue reading My Personal Mental Health Story: When Christians Say Potentially Harmful Words to Someone in a Mental Health Crisis

Christian Love, Emergent/Progressive Movement, Learn to Discern, Narcissistic Pastors, Personal Stories, Spiritual Bullies

Bullies: Celebrity Leaders Who Act Different in Private Settings Reveal Their Heart

*** Watch out for any celebrity or Christian leader who treats you differently in private. They are bullies.     Have you seen this video of ESPN's reporter Britt McHenry who berates an employee at a towing company as she pays to collect her impounded vehicle? It's been making the rounds in social media and… Continue reading Bullies: Celebrity Leaders Who Act Different in Private Settings Reveal Their Heart

Bill Gothard, IBLP and ATI, Misuse of Scripture, Parenting, Personal Stories

Man Shares Personal Testimony of How Bill Gothard Used Bible Verses Which Led to the Abuse of Children, Part 2

*** Personal Story of Abuse following the teachings of Bill Gothard, ATI, IBLP The following is Part 2 of Dash sharing how the teachings of Bill Gothard influenced his parents to "spank" his siblings. Although I know Dash's identity, he has asked to remain anonymous. Dash's account shows that they were not spankings, but abuse:… Continue reading Man Shares Personal Testimony of How Bill Gothard Used Bible Verses Which Led to the Abuse of Children, Part 2

Bill Gothard, Homeschool Movement, IBLP and ATI, Misuse of Scripture, Parenting, Personal Stories

Man Shares Personal Testimony of How Bill Gothard Used Bible Verses Which Led to the Abuse of Children

Personal Story of Abuse following the teachings of Bill Gothard, ATI, IBLP Last month, "Dash" commented on an older SSB article, Bill Gothard's New Program/Ministry: Total Success Power Teams. He used some strong words to describe his experience: I am a survivor of Gothard’s cult. I experienced unspeakable physical, sexual, and emotional abuse from my… Continue reading Man Shares Personal Testimony of How Bill Gothard Used Bible Verses Which Led to the Abuse of Children