Profile of a Psychopath (characteristics of some, but not all, spiritual abusers)

Not all spiritual abusers are psychopaths, but many of them do demonstrate these traits and behaviors that are common to psychopaths. It is wise to be familiar with the characteristics when considering new situations wherein you are a subordinate. Tobias and  Lalich (pgs 72 - 79) offer these defining characteristics of the psychopath (with comments also copied from their text), based on the writings of both Hervey Cleckley and Robert Hare.:

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Paranoia in a Spiritual Abuser

From the "Master Manipulator" section in
"Captive Hearts, Captive Minds":


Paranoia may be evident in simple or elaborate delusions of persecution. Highly suspicious, they may feel conspired against, spied upon or cheated, or maligned by a person, group or governmental agency. Any real or suspected unfavorable reaction may be interpreted as a deliberate attack upon them or the group. (Considering the criminal nature of some groups and the antisocial behavior of others, some of these fears may have more of a basis in reality than in delusion!)

Harder to evaluate of course, is whether these leaders' belief in their... connection to God (or whatever higher power or belief system they are espousing) is delusional or simply pare of the con. Megalomania -- the belief that one is able or entitled to rule in the world -- is equally hard to evaluate without psychological testing of the individual, although numerous... leaders state quite readily that their goal is to rule the world. In any case, beneath the surface gloss of intelligence, charm and professed humility seethes an inner world of rage, depression and fear.

Tobias and  Lalich

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Psychopathic Features of Spiritual Abusers

Of the many features that characterize spiritual abusers, the traits of psychopathy and/or sociopathy often emerge and are worthy of examination and consideration. Many professionals use the terms synonymously, as many consider sociopathy as distinct and separate from psychopathy, based upon the focus of the affected person's behaviors and personality traits. A sociopath suggests prominent display of traits and behavior in a social setting.

Psychopathy describes a person who is self-oriented or self-absorbed, demonstrating various degrees of lack of empathy and consideration of others as a result.

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The Charisma of the Spiritual Abuser

From Captive Hearts, Captive Minds, (pg 68)



For the ... leader, having charisma is perhaps the most useful during the stage of... formation. It takes a strong-willed and persuasive leader to convince people of a new belief, then gather the newly converted around him as devoted followers. A misinterpretation of the... leader's personal charisma may also foster his follower's belief in his special or messianic qualities.

So we see that charisma is indeed a desirable trait for someone who wishes to attract a following.... Certainly at the time a person is under the sway of charisma, the effect is very real. Yet, in reality, charisma does nothing more than create a certain worshipful reaction to an idealized figure in the mind of the one who is smitten.

In the long run, skills of persuasion (which may or not be charismatic) are more important to the... leader than charisma -- for the power and hold of cults depend on the particular environment shaped by the thought-reform program and control mechanisms, all of which are usually conceptualized by the leader. Thus it is the psychopathology of the leader, not his charisma, that causes the systematic manipulative abuse and the exploitation...

Madeline Landau Tobias and Janja Lalich

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Who Becomes a Spiritual Abuser?

From Captive Hearts, Captive Minds, (pgs 66-67)

As people begin to describe their special, enlightened, and unique "guru" -- be he a pastor, therapist, political leader, teacher, lover, or swami -- they are quickly surprised to find that their once-revered leaders are really quite similar in temperament and personality. It often seems as if these leaders come from a common mold....

Along with a dramatic and convincing talent for self-expression, these leaders have an intuitive ability to sense their followers' needs and draw them closer with promises of fulfillment. Gradually, the leader inculcates the group with his own private ideology (or craziness!), then creates conditions so that his victims cannot or dare not test his claims....

Through psychological manipulation and control, cult leaders trick their followers into believing in something, then prevent them from testing and disproving that mythology or belief system.

Madeline Landau Tobias & Janja Lalich

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The Authoritarian Power Dynamic

Abusive relationships require and "thrive" off of an imbalance of power within a relationship or within a group. The subordinates serve the needs of the person who holds authority over them. Though not all authoritarian systems and relationships are abusive and harmful, it is important to learn to recognize authoritarian systems and those who have authoritarian personality and management styles. Spiritual abusers always prefer authoritarianism and have an authoritarian traits. Lalich and Tobias offer this list of authoritarian traits in Captive Hearts, Captive Minds:

• tendency to hierarchy
• the drive for power (and wealth)
• hostility, hatred, prejudice
• superficial judgments of people and events
• a one-sided scale of values favoring the one in power
• interpreting kindness as weakness
• the tendency to use people and see others as inferior
• a sadistic-masochistic tendency
• incapability of being ultimately satisfied
• paranoia

List adapted from Ivan Volgyes in The Cult of Power: Dictators in the Twentieth Century;

Editor Joseph Held; East European Monographs, 1983. pgs 23-39

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Characteristics of a Spiritual Con Artist

Continuing on with the Con Artist theme, here are some additional thoughts on the cult leader as con artist. This paragraph from Captive Hearts, Captive Minds: Freedom from Cults and Abusive Relationships echos the information that Whitlock presents, describing how no one really recognizes a good confidence trickster and never acknowledges the fact that they have been misused at all. The willing participant cooperates with the process, interpreting any ill consequences as a result of their own behavior, never attributing any fault to the con artist.

From Captive Hearts, Captive Minds, (pg 65):

In cults and abusive relationships, those in a subordinate position usually come to accept the abuse as their fault, believing that they deserve the foul treatment or that it is for their own good.

They sometimes persist in believing that they are bad rather than considering that the person upon whom they are so dependent is cruel, untrustworthy, and unreliable. It is simply too frightening for them to do that: it threatens the balance of power and means risking total rejection, loss, and perhaps even death of self or loved ones. This explains why an abused cult follower may become disenchanted with the relationship or the group yet continue to believe in the teachings, goodness and power of the leader.

Even after leaving the group or relationship, many former devotees carry a burden of guilt and shame while they continue to regard their former leader as paternal, all-good, and godlike... The same phenomenon is found in battered women and in children who are abused by their parents or older adults they admire.

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The Con Artist You Can Trust!

Following the posts about con artists, a friend sent me a link to a much more pleasant take on the con artist.

A snippet from an online article from

Christianity Today's

Leadership Journal

.From The Celestial Con Man:

Could it be that my disappointing experience was God's intent?

by James Walters, guest columnist

A holy set-up I could give lots of reasons for my decision: the poor fit between my responsibilities as the leader of the new service and my actual gifts and passions, my evolving understanding of the word "pastor," my growing responsibilities as a husband and father of three small children. But what most intrigues me about my time in the Pacific Northwest is the way that God so masterfully set the whole thing up.

From the perspective of hindsight, the whole thing is almost comical. We moved cross-country in order to begin a new worship service, waited nearly three years to do that, only to realize that in the end it wasn't really what we wanted to do after all.

It almost goes without saying that the experience had us scratching our heads for a while. Thankfully, a mentor shed some light on the situation by pointing me to a rather obscure verse from the book of Hosea: "Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the wilderness and speak tenderly to her" (2:14).

Read the rest of the article here!

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Chameleon Con Artists

Excerpt from
"Chuck Whitlock's Scam School"

.
.
The Chameleon (pg 20-21)

While there may be some psychological characteristics shared by many con artists and some data that help explain how they become the amoral people they are, that doesn’t change the fact that most people cannot detect the con artist in their midst. Take Jim Bakker, for instance. When he had his ministry, he seemed just as sincere and well-meaning as his colleage Billy Graham. Yet he ended up fleecing his flock. How is it that con artists can fool their marks like this?

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What Makes for a Great Con Artist?

.Yet Another Excerpt from

"Chuck Whitlock's Scam School"

.

.

What’s the Difference

Between a Good Con Artist

and a Great One?

Some people believe that all con artists have blatant, hard-sell, overtly sleazy personalities. That they have scarred faces, beady eyes, and flashy clothes. This is a misconception.

There are no visual cues to tip a good con artist’s hand. 

Each time I’ve been asked to pull cons for the camera, I have been surprised at the feedback from my victims after I’ve revealed who I really am. “But you looked so nice,” they say. Or, “You didn’t look like a con artist.” That’s just the point: no con artist looks like a con artist.

.Good con artists never seem to get caught. But the outstanding con artists are so good that their scams are rarely even reported. Some swindlers pull off such perfect con jobs that their victims don’t even realize that they’ve been scammed.

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Con Artist Characteristics

Another Excerpt from
"Chuck Whitlock's Scam School":


Distinguishing Charcteristics
of the Con Artist (pgs 18 - 19)

Why would someone… choose a life of deception and fraud…?

... They all seemed to be very sincere, very candid – until I started to ask some hard questions. At this point, they all became hostile and angry – and in a couple of instances, near violent. Male or female, they pleaded their innocence to me, claming that their convictions were all misunderstandings…

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God or man?

"At first, when I lost everything, I wondered how God could have forsaken me like this. But then I realized that it wasn’t God; it was a man. Minister Steve is, after all, human just like the rest of us. He knows what he’s done. Ultimately, he’ll have to answer for his actions, just like we all do."

Harriet Larson

Victim of a con artist clergyman
Quoted in Chuck Whitlock’s Scam SchoolPg 33

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On Spiritual Scams and Fraud

Excerpts from "Chuck Whitlock's Scam School"

The Many Faces

of Spiritual Scams (pg 33)

History is full of religious and spiritual scams and scandals. Religious scams can be found anywhere, but they are a particular problem in the United States. Here, the ideal of freedom of religion ends up allowing all kinds of con artists to get away with their scams. 

Gurus, cult leaders, swamis, ministers, televangelists – they all come in guises, seeking power and money. The most important piece of advice I can give you: Be aware and wary, especially when you’re in an emotionally vulnerable state. That’s when you’re most likely to fall for a religious con.

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About Con Artists

· He looks down on thieves and muggers who have to resort to force in order to make a buck. He feels superior because he lives by his wits, making other people willingly give him what he wants.

· This sense of superiority in outsmarting others often results in compulsive scamming. The natural con man will resort to scams even when it would be more profitable to pursue more conventional avenues of endeavor.
.

Marjorie Allen Henderson
“How Con Games Work”

pg 8

as Cited on pg18 in "Chuck Whitlock's Scam School"

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Instruments of Plunder

"It is impossible to introduce into society a greater change and a greater evil than this:

the conversion of the law into an instrument of plunder."

Frederic Bastiat

The Law

par. L.31

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Caged Within Your Own Mind

They're all the same, really, these groups -

• they prey on the most lonely, vulnerable people they can find
• cage you with your own mind through guilt and fear
• cut you off from everyone you knew before
• and when they're done doing that, they don't need armed guards to keep you.

You're afraid that if you leave, your parents will die, you will die, your life will be ruined.
Flim-flam men, pimps, sharpsters - that's what they are. Liars. Tricksters.  

It's been the same ever since Eve got the apple, and I doubt it will ever change.

Margaret Thaler Singer

Margaret Singer has made history delving into the psychology of brainwashing,

San Francisco Chronicle

May 26, 2002

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Terribly and Terrifyingly Normal

The trouble with Eichmann was precisely that so many were like him, and that the many were neither perverted nor sadistic, that they were, and still are, terribly and terrifyingly normal.

From the viewpoint of our legal institutions and of our moral standards of judgment, this normality was much more terrifying than all the atrocities put together, for it implied — as had been said at Nuremberg over and over again by the defendants and their counsels — that this new type of criminal, who is in actual fact hostis generis humani, commits his crimes under circumstances that make it well-nigh impossible for him to know or to feel that he is doing wrong.

.

Hannah Arendt

Eichmann in Jerusalem: A Report on the Banality of Evil

(1963)

Epilogue

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The Labor of Thought

"There is no expedient to which a man will not resort to avoid the real labor of thinking.”

Sir Joshua Reynolds

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Selective Love

copied from

TODAY’S
JOURNAL
Brief, Biblical Essays for Thinking People

Richard D. Sandlin

Selective Love
“Ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren...” I read recently of a preacher friend, now ninety, holding a conference in an elaborate hotel in Orlando , Florida . At his own expense, he invited various leaders of different Baptist groups to this meeting. The purpose? To teach them to love each other as well as all “good Baptists.”

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Recent Discussion Concerning the Vision Forum Concept of the Father/Daughter Relationship

I recently received a few new comments of response to my post on the film "The Return of the Daughters," and believe that it warranted highlighting as it's own thread and discussion. I appreciate how respectfully and graciously the anonymous respondent approached the topic and my perspective. I pray God's abundant blessing upon them for approaching this often emotional topic with such a degree of maturity, offering my thanks and gratitude.

.

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Discussing Christian Domestic Discipline......(? !)

[Very Late Edit and Blog Host Note:  I didn't persevere to participate in this discussion.  It quickly became rather rude and odd.]

From An Open Discussion on Domestic Discipline and Patriarchy:

This is meant to be a placeholder post on the issue of domestic discipline and patriarchy. There is no article but the comments section could be quite long. This topic comes up inevitably on various patriarchy discussion, and the idea is to create a place for people to discuss this topic without any rules. 

Click here to continue reading....

Yes, there are actually patriarchalists that practice physical discipline on their wives. If you go to this discussion, you'll find links to some strange sites including Loving Christian Discipline and Christian Domestic Discipline, etc. Because some of those within the Christian patriarchy movement believe that women are to follow a pattern of "submitted sonship" under the Doctrine of Subordination within the Trinity, it gives to reason that this might be practiced in some of the homes and families that follow patriarchy. I've read discussions where Christians have argued this point.

Visit at your own risk and keep in mind that this is not really a warm, fuzzy discussion. I take no responsibility for what might be discussed there, but I did participate in such a discussion a few months ago. The discussion there was tame and very thought provoking, but it was equally disturbing. My concerns about this involve neurophysiology and the fact that men (but not women) process sex and violence in the same regions in the brain. They are in close proximetry to one another, and for those who have been abused, these two areas can "fuse" in the brain. So I believe that what takes place for a man who would engage in this behavior is very different from that

Be advised that this is not a Christian site and is not administered by a Christian but an attorney who has served by helping Christian clients. I think that it is a practice that we Christians should be informed about, anyway.

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A Review of Reviews of "Passionate Housewives"

Updated 06Mar09

Book Reaction Not All Positive
Saturday, January 12, 2008

"Passionate Housewives Desperate for God," co-written by Peoria-area resident Stacy McDonald, has come in for praise and scorn, which isn't surprising for a book that takes such strong stands on the issues of feminism and family life.

The most vocal critic of the book is Karen Campbell, a Canton home-schooling mom and former member of Providence Church, which McDonald's husband pastors. Campbell said she and her family left the Peoria church after attending "a couple years" due to disagreements over hierarchies in church and family. The Campbells left the church before the McDonalds arrived in 2006. "

[Karen Campbell told this blog host that they left because of the host of problems with patriarchy and patriocentricity, in addition to a comment from an elder: "The Klan did some good things."]

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Not So Strange Bedfellows

About the Photo: A December 29, 2007 message received from Flickr username robertstaddon www.flickr.com/people/15266406@N00/ states that he is the copyright owner and grants permission for the use of the unedited version of the photo with proper credit.

Excerpt from from the blog of Midwest Christian Outreach entitled "The Crux":

From"Bill Gothard King Maker": “ 

Huckabee announces White House bid” was the title of the article by Aaron Sadler at the Arkansas New Bureau on January 29, 2007. Outside of Arkansas not too many took notice. I had suggested to several in the media shortly afterward that they may want to keep an eye on this not very well known Arkansas politician, mostly due to his ties to Bill Gothard. 

This was pretty much met with a collective yawn...... According to several former employees from the late 1970s era Bill had a landing strip built at his 3,000 acre Big Bear lodge retreat in the Northwoods and he had it built to accommodate Air Force 1. I am told that he indicated God had told him that one day presidents to come to him and he wanted to be prepared. Will this happen in the near future? Well, if Bill has his way it may. It is not difficult to believe. as we pointed out in our book A Matter of Basic Principles: Bill Gothard and the Christian Life that Gothard often claims special revelation and mystical understandings of Scripture from God.... 

Why wouldn’t a U.S. President turn to a fellow American leader which the Chinese government has turned to for guidance in fixing their nation’s woes? After all it wouldn’t be the first time Huckabee turned to Gothard. He did so when he was Governor of Arkansas and Gothard his plan to rehabilitate prisoners... 

In addition to the above past relationship between Gothard and Huckabee, they were together at a private fundraising even in Texas on December 23, 2007. One of the Gothard followers that was there, the Robert Staddon family, provided a photo of Bill Gothard, Mike Huckabee and Texas billionaires Mr. and Mrs. Dr. James Leininger on their blog. This particular page of their blog was recently taken down. It is also my understanding from several that James Leininger is a partner in Doug Phillip’s Vision Forum. 

Again, there isn’t necessarily anything wrong with putting your money where your belief system guides you. All of us do that. And without specifically commenting more on the views represented In James Leininger’s choices, we have done that in article and blog form, I would suggest that we probably have a better idea of why Huckabee did so well with so little money in Iowa. There was a virtual homeschooling army at his disposal through Gothard and his connections. (There is a compendium of Huckabee’s ties to Bill Gothard.)

Well, Don Veinot (author of the above excerpt), there is a quite a compendium of Leininger ties to Doug Phillips documented on the Vision Forum website. Google Leininger with Doug Phillips or Vision Forum see what you find. Vision Forum also sells books authored by Traci Leininger, homeschool graduate. It seems to be common knowledge in homeschooling circles in San Antonio (where this blog host lived for seven years and attended the same Presbyterian church as Phillips before he officially founded his own, local church) that James Leininger was the benefactor of Vision Forum, providing the initial capital for the launch of Phillips' ministry.

Hmmm. I'm not at all comfortable voting for a graduate from the spiritually abusive and mind-numbing IBLP (Gothard's training program), and I am certainly not comfortable with the Leininger connection to Doug Phillips, evangelist for another spiritually abusive system, to say the least. The fact that Phillips love Dabney so intensely (referencing Dabney without qualifying statements about race or slavery) doesn't help matters either.

The billionaire, James Leininger, MD , sits on the IBLP board, yet approves of the outright silly medical and health instruction propagated by Bill Gothard (see the MCO blog article for references). As a Registered Nurse and a Doctor of Naturopathy, I believe that I am qualified to make an evaluation and offer an opinion. Gothard's health recommendations differ little from the spiritualist Louise Hay. As a trained hypnotherapist, I've spent a great deal of time evaluating the concept of disease owing to emotions and lifestyle after the tradition of Hay and other hypnotherapists. Both systems differ little from the Word of Faith movement, save that Gothard's and Hay's ideas are based in concepts of spiritism. Considering that I grew up in the teachings of Pentecost and participated as an adult in the Word of Faith movement for more than ten years, I know that tune well also. I'd rather be a Tulsa groopie than follow Gothard any day, but I believe that both are spiritually abusive and extreme in their teachings. And yes, I am an IBLP graduate as well.

At the time of this writing, I display an "Anyone But Hillary" icon and link to a site where they sell bumper stickers, buttons and attire displaying the motto. I posted it here as a half-hearted joke. With the knowledge of Huckabee's connection to Bill Gothard, and in consideration of Doug Phillips and his connections to both Bill Gothard and Jim Leininger, I am inclined to display an "Anyone But Huckabee" button as well. Thought reform (under Gothard's program) does not for a good president make in my book!

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Jefferson, A Berean?

And who is thus to dogmatize religious opinions for our citizens? Whose foot is to be the measure to which ours are all to be cut or stretched?

Is a priest to be our inquisitor, or shall a layman, simple as ourselves, set up his reason as the rule for what we are to read, and what we must believe?

It is an insult to our citizens to question whether they are rational beings or not, and blasphemy against religion to suppose it cannot stand the test of truth and reason.

Thomas Jefferson

Letter to N. G. Dufief, Philadelphia bookseller (1814) who had been prosecuted for selling the book Sur la Création du Monde, un Systême d'Organisation Primitive by M. de Becourt, which Jefferson himself had purchased.

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Webshot of the Tip of the Iceberg?

26Feb19:  I now understand that Carmon Friedrich is now a very outspoken critic of the Quiverfull Patriarchy Movement that was the initial impetus for starting this blog.  Hooray, Carmon.! As I've said many times, not only is the learning curve of this whole world very steep, the rabbit holes are that much deeper.  So many people get involved with this ideology without informed consent and without a good understanding of what the leaders actually believe.  (They keep the less pleasant elements of the lifestyle private and quiet until their acolytes are hooked and entrenched.)

I offer it here as a testimony to Carmon's honesty and good character -- and her willingness to be humble about her past.  I think that I read somewhere that we overcome evil by not only the Blood of the Lamb, but also through the word of our testimony.  May she be the example for many who make the journey out of the confusion.



Original post from January 2008.  It was originally entitled 
"Tip of the Kinist Iceberg."

I have a shot of the whole webpage, but this one will allow you to click on the image and actually be able to read it. I expect that in a day or so, when the Buried Treasure Books website comes back online, that this page of comments will be long gone.

.

Now, considering how instrumental Carmon Friedrich was to Stacy McDonald and Jennie Chancey as they wrote their book "Passionate Housewives Desperate for God," I wonder if dear Matt Chancey knows that their friend Carmon Friedrich rubbed elbows with Harry Seabrook just like the Epsteins did?

.

Hmmm. Is this "guilt by association," too?

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.

.

COMMENTS:

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Comment 1 by Corrie:

See Corrie's comment above, reproduced as an individual blog post.

.

.

Kathleen (Kate) said...
Cindy,Thank you for posting this. The revelation of these connections is another step in the Body of Christ to determine between wisdom and folly. I for one, made the decision a while back to reveal some of my early dealings with bad "theologians" and have publically and privately repented, when I was brought to truth. For some of them, I was even unaware of their hidden beliefs and associations. My guess is that kinists and patriarchs know that their beliefs are not as palatable as they'd like to market them.
January 8, 2008 7:36 AM

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The Tip of the Kinism Iceberg?

26Feb19:  I now understand that Carmon Friedrich is now a very outspoken critic of the Quiverfull Patriarchy Movement that was the initial impetus for starting this blog.  Hooray, Carmon! 

As I've said many times, not only is the learning curve of this whole world very steep, the rabbit holes are that much deeper.  So many people get involved with this ideology without informed consent and without a good understanding of what the leaders actually believe.  (They keep the less pleasant elements of the lifestyle private and quiet until their acolytes are hooked and entrenched.)

I offer it here as a testimony to Carmon's honesty and good character -- and her willingness to be humble about her past.  I think that I read somewhere that we overcome evil by not only the Blood of the Lamb, but also through the word of our testimony.  May she be the example for many who make the journey out of the confusion.

Original Post from January 2008

Iceberg near north-eastern coast

of Baffin Island

photo taken by Ansgar Walk

Since all this kinism talk, many "things kinist" have been disappearing from all over the internet.

Websites hosted by kinists have been disappearing or have become password protected. Chad Degenhart has password protected his Date-Dabitur. His friends have appeared on all sorts of blogs defending him, arguing everything from the fact that he's had a less than desirable childhood or that he is a wonderful friend and good person. That may all be very true, but is it just an excuse to embrace what I believe is a convenient, candy coated racism? Do these things give a Christian the license to take the Word of God and twist it to justify a social belief or to continue under Old Testament Law? Even in the Old Testament, Isreal would receive converts to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

I
've recently watched several commenters on another blog state that they are not kinists but then proceed to berate anyone who says anything negative about known kinists or kinism. I've watched them say that they deny kinism personally but then argue that anyone who voices an opinion against this repugnant ideology joins a ranting chorus of shrikes, all while stating that everyone but them is illogical and hysterical. When the first approach of arguing kinism as a valid Christian belief system fails due to rejection by the audience, I watched these kinist supporters then switch to ad hominem tactics to marginalize and trivialize those who spoke out against kinism or kinists or those who supported kinist friends. The next tactic seemed to be the downplaying of kinism as a growing influence in the Christian world, or more specifically, among Dominionist, Christian Reconstruction and Agrarian circles where it originated. Hmmm.

The now defunct kinst page on Wikipedia stated that kinists are primarily composed of those of Anglo-Saxon ethnicity, and those who embrace Reformed Theology as well as Theonomy. So if you are interested, take note while you still can. Someone sent me an email noting that a well-known patriarchalist who runs a home business had her blog off-line all weekend. And it makes you wonder. I wonder how many Christmas card I get from kinists and don't know it? Now, I'm sure they connected over agrarian interests, but I can't help but wonder if all the Chad Degenhart and Harry Seabrook links are coming down as I type.

Here's an interesting cache -- take a look while you still can -- before all you can get is a message stating something about robot.txt and all traces of it vanish.

From Buried Treasure Books:

5 Responses to “The Gates of Hell” Stephanie Seabrook Says: December 19th, 2003 at 6:12 am Hi Carmon. I was just reading Luther’s quote to the children this morning and said it would make for nice memory work and copywork this next week. Dawn thought that was a rather profound statement from Martin Luther King. LOL She very quickly realized what she had said. Needless to say she is not much of a morning person. Have a wonderful weekend. Harry Seabrook Says: December 19th, 2003 at 6:20 am Argh! I’m pulling out what little is left of my hair! Carmon Says: December 19th, 2003 at 11:18 pm Harry and Stephanie,Don’t pull out any hair, Harry, then you won’t be hairy any more ;-). I’m looking forward to reading this year’s Christmas letter…you guys are hilarious. Nickey,I think the restriction applied to government schools, right? Chirac said that France was a secular state and that those religious symbols were opposed to that secularism. At least he’s honest. The government schools here promote the religion of humanism, but many conservatives still see them as "sacred cows" that must be supported.

And Try these Chad Degenhart links while they last:

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=Carmon+Friedrich+Chad+Degenhart&fr=yfp-t-501&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8 1. Buried Treasure Books: Weblog " Home Birth Homework kelly degenhart Says: March 2nd, 2005 at 10:02 am. Hi Carmon, ... you have to say and both Chad and I love your new bookshelves. ... Friedrich Library Tour ... buriedtreasurebooks.com/weblog/?p=1038 - 95k - Cached 2. Cumberland Books: Plain Talk Carmon Friedrich, proprietress of the Buried Treasure Books weblog, who shared ... Chad Degenhart, a thoughtful and well-read young father of six who joined me to ... www.cumberlandbooks.com/plaintalk.php - 18k - Cached 3. Buried Treasure Books: Weblog " Heavenly Minded for Your Earthly Good ... my Plain Talk conversation with Chad Degenhart about health insurance, I said ... Carmon, loved your post today. ... Friedrich Library Tour ... buriedtreasurebooks.com/weblog/?p=1831 - 62k - Cached 4. Home Page Archive Chad Degenhart considers a new area that church minstries might expand into ... [ more] ... Carmon Friedrich describes her family's experiences using the Robinson ... highlands.gospelcom.net/HomePageArchive.php - 264k - Cached 5. C.S. Hayden's Blog: September 2005 Chad Degenhart makes some interesting observations about Karl Marx and free trade. ... (Pieter Friedrich) Buried Treasure (Carmon Friedrich) Eugrahpia ... cshayden.blogspot.com/2005_09_01_archive.html - 109k - Cached 6. February 2006 Blog Archives 53 AM The latest addition to our home page is called Origin of the Specious. ... 48 AM Good to see Pieter Friedrich blogging again. ... www.daveblackonline.com/february_2006_blog_archives.htm - 174k - Cached 7. C.S. Hayden's Blog: November 2005 One of my friends from my church fellowship with whom I enjoy frequent engaging ... The Kansas school board's decision to allow criticism of evolution in science ... cshayden.blogspot.com/2005_11_01_archive.html - 233k - Cached 8. Amy's Humble Musings " Living Simple Since our friend Chad Degenhart first introduced us to this book, we thought it ... an unpublished review by Carmon Friedrich of Eric Brende's Better Off ... humblemusings.com/category/living-simple/page/3 - 97k - Cached 9. Amy's Humble Musings " Book Reviews Since our friend Chad Degenhart first introduced us to this book, we ... to an unpublished review by Carmon Friedrich of Eric Brende's Better Off (2004) ... humblemusings.com/category/book-reviews - 104k - Cached 10. October 2005 Blog Archives I'm not sure if you remember or not, but I spoke to you this past ... I've been meaning to let you know that I thoroughly enjoyed "It's Still Greek to ... www.daveblackonline.com/october_2005_blog_archives.htm - 271k - Cached 11. October 2005 Blog Archives I'm not sure if you remember or not, but I spoke to you this past ... I've been meaning to let you know that I thoroughly enjoyed "It's Still Greek to ... www.daveblackonline.com/october_2005_blog_archives.htm - 271k - Cached 12. Date-Dabitur " Blog Archive " Tabletalk ... one of my comments on Carmon Friedrich's blog, wherein I completely debunk ... Hi Chad, Could the mushroom comment come from one Joshua P? ... date-dabitur.com/?p=401 - 34k - Cached 13. How to Hire an Attorney - Individual Orientation ... Deforest Deforrest Defriez Degas Degenhart Degrant Degreiff Deguzman Dehai ... Friedl Friedland Friedlander Friedman Friedrich Friedrick Friel Friend Frierson ... www.weblocator.com/names/25.html - 114k - Cached 14. Plain Talk with Chad Degenhart - $5.00 : Cumberland Books, In Pursuit ... ... Chad Degenhart - CD Sound Clip #1 Sound Clip #2 One of the ... Davy Crockett: His Own Story. Plain Talk with Cindy Rollins. Plain Talk with Carmon Friedrich ... cumberlandbooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=24 - 13k 15. BaylyBlog: Out of our minds, too...: Who's righteous--Al Qaeda or the U.S.? Posted by: Chad Degenhart | April 25, 2006 at 05:27 PM ... Carmon Friedrich. David Gadbois. Eric Rasmusen. Family Reformation. Grant Me a Boon. Jack Lewis ... www.baylyblog.com/2006/04/whos_righteousa.html - 58k http://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A0geu.hZDoJHEAcBTo5XNyoA?p=Buried+Treasure+Chad+Degenhart&y=Search&fr=yfp-t-501&ei=UTF-8 1. Buried Treasure Books: Weblog " Heavenly Minded for Your Earthly Good Archives — Light in Darkness " Heavenly Minded for Your Earthly Good ... my Plain Talk conversation with Chad Degenhart about health insurance, I said ... buriedtreasurebooks.com/weblog/?p=1831 - 62k - Cached 2. Cumberland Books: Plain Talk ... Friedrich, proprietress of the Buried Treasure Books weblog, who shared her ... Chad Degenhart, a thoughtful and well-read young father of six who joined me to ... www.cumberlandbooks.com/plaintalk.php - 18k - Cached 3. A Woman's Function is Laborious: March 2005 One woman's view of life as a wife and homemaker, a mother, a ... Thank you to Chad Degenhart for this wonderful quote! Also seen at Buried Treasures. ... womanlabor.blogspot.com/2005_03_01_archive.html - 66k - Cached 4. Highlands Study Center | 2003 Home Page Archive Chad Degenhart considers a new area that church minstries ... derive strength and encouragement at Buried Treasure, a weblog run by Carmon Friedrich ... highlands.gospelcom.net/home_page_2003_archive.php - 116k - Cached 5. Home Page Archive Highlands Study Center Home. FREE Resources. Information Packet ... Chad Degenhart considers a new area that church minstries might expand into ... [ more] ... highlands.gospelcom.net/HomePageArchive.php - 264k - Cached 6. C.S. Hayden's Blog: September 2005 Chad Degenhart makes some interesting observations about Karl Marx and free trade. ... Buried Treasure (Carmon Friedrich) Eugrahpia (Jonathan Girotti) ... cshayden.blogspot.com/2005_09_01_archive.html - 109k - Cached 7. Amy's Humble Musings " Living Simple Since our friend Chad Degenhart first introduced us to this book, we thought it ... their community at 60mph with their heads buried in comic books or magazines. ... humblemusings.com/category/living-simple/page/3 - 97k - Cached 8. August 2005 Blog Archives If Calvinism is an enemy to missions and evangelism, it is an ... We Christians must simplify our lives or lose untold treasures on earth and in eternity. ... www.daveblackonline.com/august_2005_blog_archives.htm - 216k - Cached 9. Buried Treasure Books: Weblog " Home Birth Homework I also highly recommend Kelly Degenhart's detailed explanation of why home birth ... the site and would have had to wait till Chad came home from work to help me) ... buriedtreasurebooks.com/weblog/?p=1038 - 95k - Cached 10. From the Bunker - 2006 Commentary Blog of writer and commentator Michael Bunker ... Harry over at Little Geneva, and I enjoy reading Chad Degenhart's blog alot. ... michaelbunker.com/b2evolution/index.php?m=2006 - 525k

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Wherever Truth May Lead

We are not afraid to follow truth wherever it may lead,

nor to tolerate any error

so long as reason is left free to combat it.

Thomas Jefferson

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The Cult of One

Most people who find themselves in spiritually abusive situations rarely get there by accident. Though most opportunists find ways of making themselves indispensable during someone’s hour of need, most people get involved in groups or relationships because of unresolved issues of the past. I believe that God created the mind with an amazing desire and ability to heal itself, directing a person to a situation wherein the person can heal by recreating a familiar, unresolved scene with new characters later in life. People do this naturally, however without much work and knowledge of the dynamics of manipulation, people will be helpless to their natural inclinations and will likely behave just as they did within the original circumstances. I’ve added [my own notations] to Robert Lifton’s thoughts on how and why this occurs:

Ideological totalism itself may offer man an intense peak experience, a sense of transcending the ordinary prosaic, of freeing himself from the encumbrances of human ambivalence, of entering a sphere of truth, reality, trust and sincerity beyond any he has known or imagined…. 

[Manipulative systems offer] false promise of eliminating those imperfections and ambivalences which help define the human condition… [Behind all ideological manipulation is an] ever present human quest for the omnipotent guide – the supernatural force, political party, philosophical idea, great leader or precise science that will bring ultimate solidarity to all men and eliminate terror and death and nothingness… 

Early sense of confusion or dislocation, or an early experience of unusually intense family milieu control can produce later a complete intolerance for confusion or dislocation, and a longing for installment of milieu control… 

Fundamentally [a desire for totalistic ideology is] a product of childhood itself… of a prolonged period of helplessness and dependency…. [producing a] new adult embeddedness [carryover of security seeking from our youth], adult ideals and aspirations. 

From Robert J. Lifton in “Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism,” pg 485 in the chapter entitled “Ideological Totalism”

Likewise, in their book “Captive Hearts, Captive Minds: Freedom and Recovery from Cults and Abusive Relationships,” the authors Tobias and Lalich identify the one-on-one cultic relationship. They state that “cults can be large or small,” and small cults generally have a “guru” that controls individuals or small groups of individuals in what can be called a “family cult.” Identified as the authors as “probably the least acknowledged” type of cult, this type of one-on-one manipulative relationship between two individuals manifests all the same dynamics of a large group. Sadly, this can also occur when one leaves a spiritually abusive setting.
 When attempting to find support after leaving an abusive setting or circumstance, a person is very likely to encounter others who bear the negative effects of abuse themselves. One must be knowledgeable about the dynamics of manipulation to avoid getting caught in a new cultic relationship with other survivors, counselors or other well-meaning people who do not have expertise in recovery from manipulation and abuse.

They expound upon this concept in Chapter One of their book:

The one-on-one cult is a deliberately manipulative and exploitative intimate relationship between two persons, often involving physical abuse of the subordinate partner. In the one-on-one cult, which we call a cultic relationship, there is a significant power imbalance between the two participants. The stronger uses his (or her) influence to control, manipulate, abuse, and exploit the other. In essence the cultic relationship is a one-on-one version of the larger group. It may even be more intense than participation in a group cult since all the attention and abuse is focused on one person, often with more damaging consequences. 

Many marriages or domestic partnerships where there is spousal abuse may be characterized and explained in this way. Other one-on-one cults may be found in boss/employee situations, in pastor/worshipper milieus, in therapist/client relationships, in jailor/prisoner or interrogator/suspect situations, and in teacher/student environments (including academic, artistic, and spiritual situations - for example, a school professor, a yoga master, a martial arts instructor, or an art mentor). It is our hope that those who have suffered such individualized abuse will find much in this book to identify with and use in healing their pain. 

Since the upsurge of both public and professional interest in the issue of domestic violence, there has been some recognition to the link between mind control and battering. Men or women who batter their partners sometimes use manipulative techniques similar to those found in cults. The most common include "isolation and the provocation of fear; alternating kindness and threat to produce disequilibrium; the induction of guilt, self-blame, dependency, and learned helplessness." The degree to which these features are present in a relationship affects the intensity of control and allows the relationship to be labeled cultic. 

The similarities between cultic devotion and the traumatic bonding that occurs between battered individuals and their abusers are striking. An abused partner is generally made to submit to the following types of behaviors:

• early verbal and/or physical dominance
• isolation/imprisonment
• fear arousal and maintenance
• guilt induction
• contingent expressions of "love"
• enforced loyalty to the aggressor and self-denunciation
• promotion of powerlessness and helplessness
• pathological expressions of jealousy
• hope-instilling behaviors
• required secrecy

When psychological coercion and manipulative exploitation have been used in a one-on-one cultic relationship, the person leaving such a relationship faces issues similar to those encountered by someone leaving a cultic group.

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No Excuses and No "Rahab's Lie"

21MAR23 Update

Certain Theonomists teach that it is acceptable to lie under certain circumstances and deceive in order to accomplish the greater good, citing the story of Rahab as a proof text. I wholeheartedly disagree. Google “Rahab's Lie” sometime.

Links about Lying, Situational Ethics, and Interpretation:

• Doug Wilson
• “Lying, Warfare, and Peace”
• Truth About Moscow's Deceitful Theology, Part 1 and Part 2.
• There's also this.
• SBTS on Rahab's Lie

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