When God Becomes A Drug: Breaking the Chains of Religious Addiction and Abuse

Taken from When God Becomes A Drug by Leo Booth.

SYMPTOMS OF RELIGIOUS ADDICTION

Inability to think, doubt, or question information or authority

Black-and-white, simplistic thinking

Shame-based belief that you aren't good enough, or you aren't "doing it right"

Magical thinking that God will fix you

Scrupulosity; rigid, obsessive adherence to rules, codes of ethics, or guidelines

Uncompromising, judgmental attitudes

Compulsive praying, going to church or crusades, quoting scripture

Unrealistic financial contributions

Believing that sex is dirty -- that our bodies and physical pleasures are evil

Compulsive eating or excessive fasting

Conflict with science, medicine, and [secular] education

Progressive detachment from the real world, isolation, breakdown of relationships

Psychosomatic illness: sleeplessness, back pains, headaches, hypertension

Manipulating scripture or texts, feeling chosen, claiming to receive special messages from God

Trance like state or religious high, wearing a glazed happy face

Cries for help; mental, emotional, physical breakdown; hospitalization

PROGRESSION OF RELIGIOUS ADDICTION EARLY STAGE:

• *Ordinary religious or spiritual lifestyle
• Using Bible to calm nerves
• Excessive church-going / Bible study
• Praying before attending functions
• Church / Bible becomes greater focal point
• Using church / Bible / prayer to avoid problems
• Black-and-white thinking increases
• Missing family gatherings or work because of religious functions
• Compulsively thinking about or quoting scripture
• Preoccupation with church / Bible study
• Thinking only of church

LOSS OF CONTROL PHASE
MIDDLE STAGE:

• Rationalization begins
• Secret irritation when religious practices discussed or criticized
• Increased use of church / Bible / prayer to avoid problems
• Thinking world / body evil
• Compulsive church attendance and scripture quoting
• Church attendance bolstered by excuses
• Obsessive praying, church-going, crusades, proselytizing
• Loss of other interests
• Excessive financial contributions / tithing
• Obsession with church / religion / preacher(s)
• Increasing dependence on religion
• Sexuality is perceived as dirty
• Feel guilt when missing church functions
• Excessive fasting / eating disorder
• Refuse to think critically / doubt / question information or authority
• Efforts to control church-going fail
• Isolation from people
• Unable to sensibly discuss religious issues
• Non-religious family and friends judged or avoided
• Brainwashing: family and friends
• Grandiose and aggressive behavior
• Conflict with school or work
• Loss of job
• Money problems

LATE STAGE:

• Radical deterioration of relationships
• Preaching that sex is dirty
• Sexual compulsive / obsessive behavior; sexual acting out
• Unreasonable resentment(s)
• Physical and mental deterioration
• Powerlessness
• Lengthy crusades / mission work / communes
• Loss of family / friends
• "Messages" from God
• Unable to make decisions
• Trances/stares
• Complete abandonment
• Isolation
• Physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion
• Psychiatric assistance
• Hospitalization

 

11 Step's To Spiritual Freedom

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jack-watts/recovering-from-religious-abuse_b_811710.html

"That's why Recovering from Religious Abuse has just been released by Simon & Schuster. Until now, there has been nothing that addresses the problem, while also offering a solution that helps the victims. Using an 11-step method, wounded Christians -- those who have been used, abused, and discarded by self-righteous religious leaders -- can reconnect with God in a healing, transforming way.

After being victimized, most wounded people lead half-lives, consumed with anger, bitterness, shame, and pain. They question whether the best years of their lives have already passed, hoping they haven't but suspecting that they have. They are prone to depression and acting-out behavior, which includes over eating, over spending, alcoholism, drug addiction, pornography and promiscuity.

Because such leaders call into question a person's relationship with God, this kind of abuse is particularly devastating emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually. Such malicious castigation, which is internalized by the abused person as true, crushes the spirit of the recipient, and they retreat from the life they were living to follow the script of their destruction -- becoming a self-imposed prophecy. "

amen!
Dennis