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Title: Toxic Faith by Stephen Arterburn, Jack Felton ISBN: 0-87788-825-6 Publisher: Shaw Pub. Date: February, 2001 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $11.99 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.83 (6 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A Breath of Fresh Air and Healing
Comment: I wept through the pages of the earlier edition of this book twelve years ago, when my family had just left the legalistic denomination in which I was raised. The pastor of our large independent congregation would actually warn people that if they left the church or the "Christian" school, that God would judge them and possibly even cause one of the children to die to bring them back to repentance. I'm absolutely telling the truth!
I'll give one example of his toxic histronics: "A father who gave up his bus route because his wife had a baby, stands by a little coffin, tears running down his face and says, 'I'll take that bus route now, Lord."
Another example: Midway through a sermon, he would pause, eye the congregation and shout "ATTITUDE CHECK!" We dumb sheep would hop to our feet and shoult "PRAISE THE LORD!"
He worked us to death for 14 years -- I sorely regret giving any person total control of my mind. We sacrificed family time on the altar of church service, never feeling we did enough to earn our pastor's approval. He hired family members as church staff, paying them big bucks while the school teachers had to take second jobs to suppport their families. Anyone who dared question how, say, money was spent, was considered "crazy".
Women who wore slacks were "stupid". He cowardly attacked people from the pulpit, not naming names but we knew who he meant. By the way, the church imploded about five years after we quietly left, and the pastor left for greener pastures and fresh sheep. It's now down to a few dozen people.
Toxic Faith helped me see that our particular church was a cult, even though it was a mainstream denomination. I was relieved to be assured that we weren't crazy, that God wasn't going to punish us for leaving. We found a kinder, gentler church, and all of us began to heal. God is good! This is a great book!
Rating: 5
Summary: A must-read for all Christians!
Comment: This book helped me to see that any Christian can have unhealthy faith without realizing it! I really liked how Arterburn specifically explained each element of toxic faith. In addition, "Toxic Faith" helped me to understand the structure of an unhealthy system (i.e. a religious organization) and the role of all the players involved. This is a must-read for any Christian who wants to grow in his/her relationship with God. Also recommended for victims/former members of destructive religious cults.
Rating: 5
Summary: Hope is Available--Break Free
Comment: This book exposes the beliefs, characteristics and roles of toxic faith. For the most part these are not practices that you or I would stumble across and recognize. In fact, that's the problem: they come disguised as respectable and often successful, or as strong and effective leadership. Once exposed, however, many will recognize these experiences all too well.
In these settings, for example, you don't ask questions, you don't express your feelings, you don't do anything outside your role and you don't trust anyone (four of the ten rules of the toxic faith system).
These are religion systems that are often subtle yet abusive, significantly materialistic (money is viewed as an indicator of spiritual strength), manipulative and, at heart, mean.
The combination of naivete and the general desire of religious folks to serve their churches, schools and organizations have caused many to succumb and become innocent victims. Paradoxically, it may take faithful followers willing to commit "organizational suicide" and become "outcasts" of the system in order to force other religious addicts to face reality.
Religious addicts are experts at setting up "exclusive societies" of toxic faith believers. People prosper and succeed by supporting the beliefs and practices of the "persecuting leader(s)." Once inside, you may not be aware of a "destructive system," but you will likely notice that your guilt and anger only increases while your self-worth decreases.
Addictive, hateful, destructive religion in America seems to have exploded since the first publication of this book in 1991. Recovery, hope and freedom are available. "Overcoming" starts with "understanding" the truths contained in this book.
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Title: More Jesus, Less Religion: Moving from Rules to Relationship by Stephen Arterburn, Jack Felton ISBN: 1578562503 Publisher: Waterbrook Press Pub. Date: 01 February, 2000 List Price(USD): $12.99 |
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Title: The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse by David Johnson, Jeff Vanvonderen ISBN: 1556611609 Publisher: Bethany House Publishers Pub. Date: 01 October, 1991 List Price(USD): $12.99 |
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Title: Twisted Scriptures by Mary Alice Chrnalogar ISBN: 0310234085 Publisher: Zondervan Publishing Company Pub. Date: 01 August, 2000 List Price(USD): $12.99 |
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Title: Healing Spiritual Abuse: How to Break Free from Bad Church Experiences by Ken Blue ISBN: 0830816607 Publisher: InterVarsity Press Pub. Date: 01 October, 1993 List Price(USD): $11.00 |
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Title: 12 Steps for the Recovering Pharisee (Like Me) by John Fischer ISBN: 0764222023 Publisher: Bethany House Publishers Pub. Date: 01 March, 2000 List Price(USD): $12.99 |
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