When one has absolutely no doubts in their version of “truth” they stop searching for answers and they refuse to question, or recognize beliefs and practices that are abusive, or acknowledge the suffering they create.

Stepping up and sharing; being one of the first to bring up a topic such as religious abuse, falls under the category of what I call being courageously fearful — being scared shitless, but still facing whatever the challenge may be.

Unquestionably, an immense obstacle to the recognition of abuse, and to providing support to someone, is their silence about the ordeal.

Unfortunately, to date spiritual trauma is not readily recognized by society since the general perspective is that religion, for the most part, is a positive, or at least nonthreatening personal experience so the maltreatment of millions goes unrecognized.