Understanding The Danger of Pastor Worship

Have you seen a pastor absolutely adored? I’ve not only seen them but been under their ministries.

I consider it potential for the subtlest of spiritual abuse.

 

"Adoring Pastors" cartoon by nakedpastor David Hayward

(Description: People are bowing at the feet of a proud pastor and one says, "Dear Pastor, we know you would never hurt us!")

 

Here’s why:

The endgame of abuse is control. They do whatever it takes to force you to comply to their wishes and expectations.

Since the church should frown upon sexual, physical, and verbal abuse, it resorts to less obvious methods more difficult to discern or challenge.

I’ve seen pastors cultivate adoration from their people so that the people love them so much they would never dream of disappointing them. They trust them totally.

The pastors employ ideas that stress the untouchability of God’s anointed, the unchallengeable nature of spiritual leadership, and the unquestionable trust that’s to be placed in pastors whom God has appointed to the church.

“That sounds like a cult!” you say.

Yes, these are cult-like qualities that are legal and even normalized not only in the church but everywhere, including business and politics.

Before leaping to the common assumption and accusation that this only happens to the stupid and gullible, I want to defend that I’m an intelligent person, and the many people I know who’ve found themselves in such situations are also intelligent, well-adjusted people.

We don’t blame ourselves for wanting something we need: community.

So, what happens?

I claim, in a nutshell, this: good people plus a narcissistic leader, all who want community, morph into a toxic blend of systemic evil where everyone eventually loses themselves for the sake of that community, and the leader becomes the locus of its fulfillment.

A leader, some people, and an idea like “community”. That’s all it takes. And it can happen any time to anyone.

Back to blog

2 comments

This hits close to home. When I read it, I teared up.

“good people plus a narcissistic leader, all who want community, morph into a toxic blend of systemic evil where everyone eventually loses themselves for the sake of that community, and the leader becomes the locus of its fulfillment.”

The xtian god of creation created a variety of beings and things – all different shapes, sizes and forms. Yet this type of leader’s ultimate desire is for you to think like him, talk like him, feel like him, reason like him, and mostly import of all, devoted completely to his own creations like him – his church and his god given mission and his network of people and churches. Anything outside of his system is strongly hinted as worldly, satanic, unbiblical, or, bad for your life/family.

I could only describe my experiences with a picture like the Milgrim experiment – lab coat is the pastor or any of the leaders molded after him, the electric shock equipment is the church system – leaders/teachings, I am the experiment subject ministering the electric shocks, …

AND I am also the receiver of electric shocks.

I am pursuaded to shock myself until the lab coat is satisfied or have nothing to do with me (shunt)

When your life is going well, the lab coat claim god’s glory, how effective the shocks are, and praise the pastor and church system he created.

When your life is not going well, the lab coat pursuades you to shock yourself more. Your life should work as the church system envisions what your life should be.

When you are shocked yourself to the point of burnt out, and hurt. The lab coat wash their hands and claim they did not have any parts in your situation because they did not turn the shock dial, you turn the dial yourself! You must have done something wrong or not following their suggestions religiously, correctly. Not the lab coat’s fault at all.

Swore-sweet-dayes

This hits close to home. When I read it, I teared up.

“good people plus a narcissistic leader, all who want community, morph into a toxic blend of systemic evil where everyone eventually loses themselves for the sake of that community, and the leader becomes the locus of its fulfillment.”

I will add pastor plus leaders fashioned in his own image. If xtian god is the god of creation as in the bible, god created a variety of beings and things – all different shapes, sizes and forms. Yet this type of leader’s ultimate desire is for you to think like him, talk like him, feel like him, reason like him, and mostly import of all devoted completely to his own creations like him – his church and his god given mission and his network of churches.

All consuming to his creation. Anything outside of his system is casted or strongly hinded as worldly and satanic.

Do these people truly care for your well being? Absolutely not. Their priority is the pastor’s vision and claimed mission

Swore-sweet-dayes

Leave a comment