narcissistic abuse
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Five Signs of a Spiritual Narcissist
While the spiritual narcissist has much in common with your regular garden variety narcissist, a spiritual narcissist tends to hold sway over more people. You can find them in just about any religion and denomination. Religion is often a big draw for narcissists. Spiritual authority is nebulous; many people who claim to have it, do not. But with enough bluster and authoritarian posturing, it can sure seem like others have spiritual authority. Pastors are not the only ones who often qualify as spiritual narcissists. I have seen many Bible studies putter out as a member stage a takeover. Often church splits are a result of the maneuvering of this or…
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Five Traits of the Female Narcissist
My first encounter with a genuinely dangerous female narcissist was in the workplace. She was my boss and making a colossal mistake that involved the students under our care. When I pointed out the error repeatedly, she didn’t even consider for a moment that she might have made a mistake. I became the victim of a smear campaign which eventually culminated in her leaving. Facts are facts, after all, and mine were simply irrefutable. Because my first experience with narcissism was with my ex-husband, I was unprepared for a Jezebel to storm into my life. I think that we assume that most narcissists are male. Research suggests that 75% of…
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How the Church Promotes Abuse (without meaning to)
I dislike writing any criticism about the church. She is the Bride of Christ and as such, is holy and set apart. And these days, the criticism of Christians by other Christians is often abusive, condemning, and ugly. This particular issue, however, weighs on my heart and mind. I bring it up humbly, qualifying my topic with the knowledge that not all churches or Christians, by any means, have this problem. I minister to many women, and actually, quite a number of men. Each of them finds themselves mired in abusive marriages with unrepentant spouses. In some cases, the spouses regularly attend church and spout Bible verses all the time.…
