Harmful Faith

HARMFUL FAITH

         "Harmful faith?", isn't that an oxymoron?  The whole concept of faith is supposed to be one of healing, and hopes.  The Bible is filled with examples of faith, so how can it be harmful? 

     In a harmful faith system, one's personality, growth, views, and ideas must conform to a set standard of behavior.  Individual thinking and growth of the personality is not encouraged.  Rather in a harmful faith environment one is encouraged to become a mindless spiritual robot, a homogenized blend of a corporate personality rather than an individual.

 Let's look at the elements of a harmful faith system and how they affect an individual.

1) The leader must be in control at all times.

Basically what we have here is a leader who attempts through the force of his will, or the charisma of his personality to control the members of his church.  This type of leader leaves no room for opinions other than his own in his ministry.  Anyone who does not follow the leaders standards or beliefs is immediately dismissed so that his control may be maintained.

2) Blame

Both leaders and followers learn to blame others, circumstances, and situations for the problems in their lives.  Often when a person is blamed, they are rejected or shamed by the harmful faith system.  Often instead of facing reality and taking responsibility, it becomes easier to place the blame somewhere else rather than deal with the consequences of action or thought.   Through rejection and or ostracism, a harmful faith system can maintain its control over its people.  By removing any controversy, the hold is further established on the congregants, with the idea of out of sight, out of mind.

This concept of shame and blame is common in a hurtful faith system. 

3) Perfectionism

Often times, believers in this system are taught that they are part of an elite group that can obtain perfection through their faith.  They are encouraged to flex their faith much as one might flex a muscle.  While there is truth is the concept that faith needs to be exercised, it goes much further than that.  If the believer fails to "produce" through their own efforts of faith, they are considered failures at best.  At worst, they are considered having sinned in some way, or displeasing to God.  This increases the fear and possibility of shame, and motivates members of the system to deny or repress any failures, pains, or problems they may have.  In their minds, they are afraid what may happen if they don't measure up. After a while the relationship with God becomes less important than the product of their faith.  In a rather bizarre twist, their faith itself becomes a tyrannical God. 

4) Delusion

Unfortunately in this system, there is no interest in what is real.  Instead, it becomes more important to maintain an illusion of reality.  Anyone who doesn't maintain this illusion or help perpetuate it is discounted or removed.  An example of this might be a congregation that believes that one should only seek healing through God.   Often such people believe to seek healing from anyone other than Him is a sin.   A congregant who is not "healed" may be discounted, shamed and blamed for the lack of healing.  The community may turn on that believer if the healing doesn't "manifest", and ultimately ostracize him.  Proponents of harmful faith healing encourage such feelings.      

5) Positive Confession

The group insists that you never express your feelings unless they are positive.  They then expound this to mean that since you have whatever you say, you must only say positive things, or you will end up calling negative things into your life.  This places the believers in a position of denying reality in order to keep their "positive confession". 

6) Blind Loyalty

Questioning of any kind is considered resistance to the faith, and or rebellion.  Such people are quickly labeled dissenters, using the scripture, "Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them."  Congregants learn to either follow or get out quickly.

7) Conformity

Personal growth is not permitted.  These groups do not want individualism.  They feel safe in conformity, and will eject those that do not fit in with the system.  They may say, "We are only doing what is best for you", or "That's why God has made us leaders, and shepherds and you a sheep, you need to trust and follow us." They may also accuse a person of not being in the will of God, not being committed to Him, being un submissive, or any variation of this theme, with the intent of manipulating and silencing the individual.

8) Mistrust

Instead of encouraging trust and openness, these groups encourage isolation, and alienation from human relationships.  The connection between families and friends are often shattered and replaced with a connection only to the leaders.  With reality distorted, and relationships shattered, people become totally dependent on the leader for guidance.  When trust and realities are sacrificed, something must replace it, and manipulation and fear become that replacement.

9) Avarice

Basically nothing becomes more important than giving to the organization.  The manipulation here is that if you give to God you will get your investment back , and then some.  With this avaricious idea in mind, people give of their income.  They cite the scripture, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."(Luke 6:38) to prove that if you give you get.  What they don't realize is that God is not a heavenly bank or money market fund that gives interest on money.  We do not give to get from God, He is not our heavenly butler or banker!

10) Spotless Image

The idea here is to maintain the image of the leader at all costs.  No matter how abusive or wrong, image is everything.  It's not unlike women who are battered, who will hide their abuse, making excuse after excuse.  "I fell down the stairs, I'm clumsy, I walked into a drawer."  In the same vein, followers of hurtful faith will make excuses for their leadership no matter how bizarre.

I have now given you an overview of what hurtful faith is, and how we may know it when we see it.

Healing our Belief System:

The first step in any healing process is to recognize the areas that need work or healing.  Often people need a restructuring of proper boundaries, along with a renewal of their self esteem, image, and ability to discern for themselves.

A multilayered approach to this might be:

• a) Identifying healthy boundaries
• b) Distinguishing between harmful and helpful faith
• c) Exercising our rights to our views, our opinions
• d) Learning when to say no
• e) Rebuilding self confidence
• f) Reiki or other spiritual work on wounding and the root cause of it.

Often a person with severe wounding has been so violated that there is confusion about whom and what they are.  It is important to reclaim their power, acknowledging the person's abilities, and what makes them unique.  Counseling along with prayer, restoration, and healthful positive daily affirmations can be of extreme benefit.