Welcome to ChurchTrauma.org
“Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them.” Ecclesiastes 4:1 English Standard Version (ESV)
Our Story: Dominique & Megan have been in a religious cult, a charismatic nondenominational church, and a Southern Baptist church that all exhibited signs of spiritual abuse. As survivors of spiritual abuse in diverse church settings, they have dedicated their lives to preventing spiritual abuse in institutional settings and serving others who have also been abused under the guise of Christianity.
Our Goal is to:
Listen: We hope to provide a safe place for victims of spiritual abuse to share their stories without judgement.
Identify: We want to identify spiritually abusive wolves within organized religion, to protect others from harm.
Educate: We want to help others identify the signs and symptoms of spiritual abuse through our written works and educational resources, and through speaking engagements.
Blog Posts
Childhood trauma in an SBC church
Trigger warnings: violence, blood, spiritual abuse Disclaimer: Not all children are traumatized by the teachings referred to in this article. Every person is different and processes things differently. But I have become increasingly aware of the thousands of now-adults who were indeed traumatized by their church’s teachings of topics such as hell, martyrdom, and being …
Street Lights and Salvation: An Exodus from the Christian Anti-Science Movement
By Eve Stewart Editor Note: This is a guest post from Eve Stewart, a dear friend of our oldest daughter, Anya. Eve was raised in an Evangelical, inerrantist tradition and was homeschooled using Classical Christian methods and materials. Eve has written a powerful article about her experiences being raised in that atmosphere as well as …
Continue reading “Street Lights and Salvation: An Exodus from the Christian Anti-Science Movement”
The Brother’s Tale: Part Twenty of My Life Inside the Narrowgate Cult at Messiah College
Editor’s Note: This is the first of several entries written by outsiders – that is to say, by those who were friends or family members of Narrowgate members. They can convey far more effectively than I the thoughts, feelings, and emotions experienced when a loved one is in a cult. This particular entry is written …
Epilogue: Part Nineteen of My Life Inside the Narrowgate Cult at Messiah College
As I mentioned in an earlier entry, we left Narrowgate – but Narrowgate never actuallyleft us. When Emma and the Baby went back to Enola to stay with Liam, Pooky and I wereonce again alone in our own apartment. That would not last long: Emma and the babycame back after only a week or two. …
Continue reading “Epilogue: Part Nineteen of My Life Inside the Narrowgate Cult at Messiah College”
The End: Part Eighteen of My Life Inside the Narrowgate Cult at Messiah College
On Monday February 24, 1997, Pooky, Emma and her baby arrived at our apartment in downtown Mechanicsburg. Though they were worn out from the long drive, they requested a meeting with the rest of the group in Shippensburg at 9:00 PM. They wanted to share what they had experienced and learned since they left a …
Continue reading “The End: Part Eighteen of My Life Inside the Narrowgate Cult at Messiah College”
The Introspective Deliberation
Editor Note: I originally posted this on September 2, 2013 as I neared the ripe age of 40. I’ll let you do the math – I’m a little older now, and hopefully a little wiser. But these words still ring true. Seize the day – you may not be given another. “You may delay, but …
Dear Misogynist
“We’re the same,”You claim,“No privilege in this game”Humility is your middle name.Yet you holdThat God has different ”roles”For our souls—Yours to lead,Mine to follow.I swallowedYour hollowTheory for a bitTill I saw through your sh!tAnd called you on it.I quitThis charadeyou have madeFrom the words that you bentIn that holy testament.I’ll speak,I’ll lead,I’ll preach,And I’ll breach,All …
Rose’s Tale: Part Seventeen of My Life Inside the Narrowgate Cult at Messiah College
Editor Note: This is Rose’s story. This was compiled from several interviews, and shared with her permission. I attended my first Narrowgate meeting in the fall of 1994. I was a new Freshman at Messiah, and wasn’t adapting to college life the best. Two people had invited me to check out Narrowgate, and so I …
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“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits.” Matthew 7:15-16a
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