WOUNDED PILGRIMS

Hello Everyone!

There isn't a lot of activity on this site these days and that could be a good sign. Why? Most of us have moved on in our lives and probably don't feel the need to talk about our past Assembly life.

I stopped my running contributions for several reasons: 1.) I have been very busy and found it difficult to make the time 2.) I wasn't sure if anybody really was benefiting from what I was writing.

I believe, however, that the issue of spiritual abuse is one that is bigger than just my own recovery, and though the Assembly is long gone, the general tendency for this evil to sprout up in groups will always be with us until the Lord comes.

It's good to remember just what this subtle power of spiritual abuse is, how it gets incorporated into a system, and how to stay free of the toxic effects of it's corrupting influences.

Spiritual abuse damages the most important relationship we can have and that is our essential link with God himself. Yes, it deals a crushing psychological blow, but even more it attacks our ability to trust God and live in Him. When this relationship of faith is severed our life is filled with doubt, fear, and leads us away from where God wants us to be---- firmly enjoying Him!

This is what the whole "Wounded Pilgrims" topic is about: helping us to deal with the issues that seem to destroy that trust.

In order to do this we must first understand what "went wrong" in our Assembly experience and honestly face these facts. This process of seeking the truth is more than just discovering ones own personal emotional history. These groups, as Jesus noted with the Pharisees, have certain core behavioral errors that need to be exposed as one would refute a theological error in a cult.

So, if a former member takes the position that, "it wasn't so bad for me", and moves on in their life they will have missed a great opportunity to deepen their lives with God. Even worse, is when we refuse to acknowledge that there were corrupt forces at work in the group, as a deeply entrenched system, and blame everything on the fall of GG alone. These folks will be the greatest losers and remain the most wounded of all! Some of these have continued to teach the same kind of toxic merit based relationship with God that used to poison the Assembly.

The great thing about having learned the negatives is that now clearly contrasted we find the positives---- God is not a cruel taskmaster loading us up with guilt and shame, rather He is a liberator of our souls. The whole power of spiritual abuse is found when we accept the notion that God has not really completely forgiven me--- there are "issues" between me and God that I must "deal with."

A group takes this basic error and suggests that they have the "keys" to success in filling that gap between what God wants and what I lack. "God", they say, "has appointed them to "shepherd" us into these deeper truths. With this, the destructive link has been established and I am firmly rooted in the system.

More later---- God Bless, Mark C.