Replies

This is a self-justification piece for the abusive.

Is there a difference between abuse and "speaking hard truth." You bet there is!

1. Knowing the heart. The preacher is NOT the Lord Jesus. He does not know the heart as Jesus did. Preachers/Pastors are human, they can be wrong about their impressions, and the honorable ones admit that.

2. The definition of Abuse.

....a. Webster definition: language that condemns or vilifies unjustly, intemperately, and angrily ; physical maltreatment

....b. Definition in Christian Counseling: victimization and/or manipulation of others through verbal, emotional, sexual, or physical attacks on the person or the person's essential identity.

....c. Medical Definition: 1. Improper treatment or use; 2. Physical ill treatment; injury. 3. Vituperative words; coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; virulent condemnation; reviling. 4. Violation; rape; as, abuse of a female child. 5. Abuse, Invective. Abuse is generally prompted by anger, and vented in harsh and unseemly words. It is more personal and coarse than invective. Abuse generally takes place in private quarrels; invective in writing or public discussions.

The relevant questions:

1. Was it possible for Jesus to abuse?
2. Is it possible for human pastors/preachers/priests and other religious persons to abuse?
3. If possible for religious humans, how is it (a) recognized, (b) opposed, (c) treated?
4. How does one heal the victims of religious physical, sexual, emotional, and verbal abuse?

Luke 7:34

2. The definition of Abuse.

....a. Webster definition: language that condemns or vilifies unjustly, intemperately, and angrily ; physical maltreatment

Unjustly is the key word there..certainly Jesus was as harsh in His judgements as he was loving and tender with the broken
So the question is what is "just" , what is "unjust" was it "just and fair when Jesus turned the rich young ruler away? Or when he called religious leaders vipers? certainly the deceived did not think it was "fair"

....b. Definition in Christian Counseling: victimization and/or manipulation of others through verbal, emotional, sexual, or physical attacks on the person or the person's essential identity.

Take your pyscobabble other places ok?
Jesus never analized people He addressed their sin and deception...and I happen to think that might just still help more than the "I know what you are feeling " junk

....c. Medical Definition: 1. Improper treatment or use; 2. Physical ill treatment; injury. 3. Vituperative words; coarse, insulting speech; abusive language; virulent condemnation; reviling. 4. Violation; rape; as, abuse of a female child. 5. Abuse, Invective. Abuse is generally prompted by anger, and vented in harsh and unseemly words. It is more personal and coarse than invective. Abuse generally takes place in private quarrels; invective in writing or public discussions.

Well you do need to address the rape issue with your priest (and minister )friends that might be guilty of a crime
At least God could use you there...
As for the written communication you need to read some of the epistles..
1Cr 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas [there is] among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
No word mincing there

The relevant questions:

1. Was it possible for Jesus to abuse?

By defination God could not be abusive

Mat 23:13   But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in [yourselves], neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

Mat 23:14   Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

Mat 23:15   Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Mat 23:16   Woe unto you, [ye] blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

Mat 23:17   [Ye] fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

Mat 23:18   And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

Mat 23:19   [Ye] fools and blind: for whether [is] greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

Mat 23:20   Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

Mat 23:21   And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

Mat 23:22   And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

Mat 23:23   Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier [matters] of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

Mat 23:24   [Ye] blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

Mat 23:25   Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

Mat 23:26   [Thou] blind Pharisee, cleanse first that [which is] within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

Mat 23:27   Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead [men's] bones, and of all uncleanness.

Mat 23:28   Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

Mat 23:29   Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

Mat 23:30   And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

Mat 23:31   Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

Mat 23:32   Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

Mat 23:33   [Ye] serpents, [ye] generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

Mat 23:34   Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and [some] of them ye shall kill and crucify; and [some] of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute [them] from city to city:

Mat 23:35   That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

2. Is it possible for human pastors/preachers/priests and other religious persons to abuse?

It is possible in two ways..one is not to offer an opportunity to someone to reconcile to God.. to condemn the sin but offer no remedy

And the greatest abuse is to ignore or minimize the sin of one of their sheep ..to refuse to go and bring it home

3. If possible for religious humans, how is it (a) recognized, (b) opposed, (c) treated?

God will see to it
Jer 23:2 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD.

4. How does one heal the victims of religious physical, sexual, emotional, and verbal abuse?

"one" doesn't..God does