8 signs your church may be abusive

Some churches can be putting members in an abusive environment.

It is unfitting for a religious institution to cause its constituents to panic, but this was the case for Esther. Familiar faces, the divine interior and architecture, the rich colored wood, the cadence of the hymns might seem harmless to the normal churchgoer.

MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic Online) - However, they remind Esther of an offensive past. She shared with Crosswalk.com that she was brought up in a "homegrown, fundamentalist Christian group," where she learned to distrust herself and learned nothing about forgiveness. Now that she's finally learning to trust God, she has made it her objective to help others who may find themselves in an abusive church setting.

According to Esther and Crosswalk.com, here are the top 8 red flags that one should look out for:

1. Personality Centric: a pastor with a charming, charismatic, intense, persuasive and intelligent personality holds unquestioned sway over his/her congregation. He/she is treated like a celebrity. Not held accountable. Not held to same standard of morality as the rest of the congregation.

2. Operates Independently: without oversight

3. Engulfment: members only

4. Stalking: keeping tabs on members

5. Coded Language: members-only jargon

6. Unrealistic Promises: unhealthy focus on wealth and blessings

7. Courting Rituals: dating by approval only

8. Shunning: not accepting those who leave or are outside the church

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