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I Don't Have Enough FAITH to Be an ATHEIST

How to Recognize & Respond to Spiritual Abuse in the Church with Anna Kitko

I Don't Have Enough FAITH to Be an ATHEIST

Dr. Frank Turek

Religion & Spirituality, Education, Christianity

4.8 • 5K Ratings

🗓️ 30 May 2025

⏱️ 48 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Toxic religious environments are more widespread, more covert, and more dangerous than many people realize. But what can Christians do to safeguard themselves and loved ones from being victimized by their own churches and potential cults?To confront this growing crisis, Frank welcomes Anna Kitko, Chapter Director of Ratio Christi at the University of Tennessee–Knoxville, beEmboldened mentor, and an expert in coercive control and spiritual trauma. With deep insight into how abuse happens and how healing begins, Anna helps uncover the hidden patterns behind spiritual manipulation—and what to do about it. Tune in as she and Frank answer questions like:* What are the warning signs of a cult or spiritually abusive church?* What is the New Apostolic Reformation and why are these churches especially concerning?* What are the different types of cults and what's the largest cult group in the U.S. today?* What manipulation tactics do spiritual abusers use?* Why are even sincere Christians vulnerable to deception?* What is pseudodoxy—and how does it disguise itself as truth?* How can spiritual abuse harm your body physically, and not just your soul?* How do you escape spiritual abuse and how can we support others who need help?Don’t miss this eye-opening conversation that could protect you or someone you love, and if help is needed, please contact Anna using the resources listed below.Full-Circle Counseling & Wellness of East TN - https://www.fullcirclecounselingtn.com/ (https://www.fullcirclecounselingtn.com/)beEmboldened Ministries (virtual counseling) - https://www.beemboldened.com/ (https://www.beemboldened.com/)Ratio Christi at the Univ. of TN-Knoxville - https://bit.ly/3SZv7wx (https://bit.ly/3SZv7wx)Understanding Spiritual Abuse: What It Is and How to Respond - https://a.co/d/aRfouxK (https://a.co/d/aRfouxK)Bully Pulpit by Michael Krueger - https://a.co/d/85I9C7P (https://a.co/d/85I9C7P)Sons of Patriarchy - https://www.sonsofpatriarchy.com/ (https://www.sonsofpatriarchy.com/)

Transcript

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0:00.0

Spiritual abuse, cults, people that try and take control over your life in a way that is

0:15.0

illegitimate and immoral.

0:17.3

Does that happen?

0:18.8

Yeah.

0:19.3

Does it happen in the church?

0:20.8

Unfortunately, it does. What can we do about it?

0:25.0

How do you get out of it if you're being spiritually abused? How do you get out of a cult?

0:31.4

Well, I've spoken at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville a couple of times and the head of the Rastio Christi group there,

0:40.1

her name is Anna Kitko, does real dynamic work as the head of the Rastio Christie group,

0:47.3

but she does a lot more than that. She holds two undergraduate degrees, one in philosophy from the University of Florida.

0:57.0

She also has two master's degrees, one from RTS, Reform Theological Seminary.

1:03.0

And she has a master's in the psychology of coercive control from the University of Salford in Manchester, UK.

1:12.8

She's right now under supervision for getting her license as a clinical pastoral

1:17.5

therapist. It takes 3,000 hours of being under supervision before you get your license.

1:24.3

And check this out. Her expertise focuses on spiritual abuse, cultic and coercive control, brainwashing,

1:32.1

domestic violence, human trafficking, terrorism, complex PTSD, narcissistic personality disorder,

1:40.6

dissociation, and spiritual pathologies, and also very practical theology and culturally taboo

1:47.9

subjects so she really can't help us at all in this subject.

1:51.7

No, she can, and here she is, the great Anna Kitko, ladies and gentlemen, all the way

1:56.6

from Knoxville, Tennessee.

1:59.8

Anna, we had a great fun time at UT Knoxville about a month ago, and I just wanted to

2:05.6

have you on because I learned so much just talking to you offline about the work you're doing.

...

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