In describing the cycle of abuse, central to religious trauma syndrome among Phenomenalist Christianity,

noting that other authoritarian religions have equally toxic doctrines,

author and psychologist Marlene Wynnell writes,

The doctrines of original sin and eternal damnation caused the most psychological distress

by creating the ultimate double bind. You are guilty and

responsible and face eternal punishment. Yet you have no ability to do anything about it. You must conform

to a mental test of believing for in an external unseen source for salvation and maintain this

state of belief all the way until death. You cannot ever

stop sitting altogether, so you must continue to confess and be forgiven, hoping that you have

met the criteria despite complete lack of feedback about whether you will actually make it to heaven.

Salvation is not a free gift after all. For the sincere believer,

this results in an unending cycle of shame and relief. However you feel today about the religion

that you were born into, whether you believe, have ever believed, or were told that you must believe,

I want to say there is healing on the other side. I'm Christy Powell, and this is talk heathen, so let's talk about it at 512-991-9242, because the show is coming right now. All right, I'm not going to do the big loud shout with my voice come on its way out today,

but I do want to say welcome to everyone. Today is June 16th, 2024. I'm your host, Christy Powell,

and joining me today is Jamie Forbes, the Blind Limey. Hey, man. How you doing? Yeah, I'm excited to be here. I'm excited to celebrate Father's Day with you. Here we are in the middle of Pride Month. And we've got, I guess, religious trauma on the mind right now. I think there's a lot of family stuff, a lot of big stuff to get into. Yeah, and I'm happy to be hosting, well, co-hosting with you, Chris, because it's always

nice to have someone who, if an opportunity caller calls in and is unruly, not only can you tell

them where to stick it, but you can give them the psychosocial fallout backed by papers on what

will happen when they stick it. Yeah, when to stick it, how to stick it, how to heal from the

sticking it. Yeah, when to stick it, how to stick it, how to heal from the sticking it.

Why?

Yeah.

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