Twisted Scriptures: A Path to Freedom from Abusive Churches

Chrnalogar's volume is addressed to those who might be in an abusive pastoral or ecclesial relationship. Her tone is direct but polite. The references are clear and well annotated. The research is very well documented. For a volume designed to assist people in a troubled relationship, this work also meets high academic standards. A great addition to any pastor's shelf regardless of denomination. Other reviews note that Chrnalogar is a Roman Catholic. It was clear to me that she was from the way she presented some of her thoughts and ideas. Don't let her denominational affiliation stop you from reading her work. This is first-class scholarship.

I wish I could have read this book about 30 years ago.For my own part, I was raised in a loving Christian home, but I had to put up with a lot of "do's" and "don'ts" in my church, most of which were not anywhere to be found in the Bible (including the statement that a praying knee and a dancing foot never grow on the same leg). My parents, however, were not controlling and we were a fairly happy family. Our comittment to Jesus Christ bound us even closer together.I went to Bible school and one of the courses I studied was enitled Biblical Interpretation. It was an excellent course and well taught, and we learned the logical, common sense way to interpret the Bible.However, I still managed to get involved in what I thought was a loving prayer group who later got caught up in the "Discipleship" controversey. I later was given the "left foot of fellowship" from the group when I made a remark that they interpreted as questioning their teachings. (By the way, the "left foot of fellowship" means that I was unceremoniously booted out!)If I had been able to have this book back then, I would have recovered from that bad experience much more quickly. But I am glad that others are able to read it and recover from their traumatic experiences.I am still 100% sold on the Christian faith, even though I'm not sold on some of the garbage that goes on in the name of Christianity.

An informative, highly original book, Twisted Scriptures gives information to help people evaluate what the Bible actually teaches, as opposed to what controlling religious leaders teach. This book exposes shepherding, a practice that has crept into many churches. Ideas which are widely taught and accepted as being from the Bible, but which are not Biblical, are refuted. The author shows that submission is to be made to God alone and to His Word, not to leaders who attempt to control people with guilt and manipulation. The author raises a clarion call for the freedom of the individual and his or her freedom of choice. A groundbreaking book. This book will protect you from religous abuse, and give you firm Biblical ground for your boundaries. If you have been manipulated by controlling religious leaders, this book will set you free.

Before this book came out, Mary Alice posted on the internet a few summary chapters of her upcoming book!Three month later I was desperate to find out more about what she had written because it seemed that she was following me around the last 7 years. She basically had a part of my lifes story!She had completed the manuscript, but had no time to complete the website summaries because this book was going to the press.I managed to get the manuscript because of the dire pain my family was going through by the abuse from a Word of Faith church that we attended. The church wanted to control our family. They did not respect a personal decision that my family had made and wanted to control us. The pastor finally gave us an ultimatum - "change your personal decision or get out of this church! I'm tired of people not listening to what I tell them to do!"Wow! I was shocked, but why should I have been? After getting the book, I read it 4 times more! This was my story and other peoples stories as well!As I looked back, I started to look back of 7 years of false doctrine presented by twisting scriptures in order to extract money from the people and slowly you started to notice that the pastor had the best car, the best suits, the biggest house and worst of all was the flaunting arrogance as he stood at the pulpit holding his lapel and stating - "one day God will supply you with a suit like mine!"It was unbelievable! God never provided him with that suit!When exerts of the book was presented to a deacon at that church, the comment was, "80% of the material in this book represents our church"!Great news! I was not dreaming, but that was not all! We somehow became a threat to the church and there were some who dared to report to us that for 6 months the pastor subtly continued to twist scriptures in order to isolate the church friends from us. The deception or fear instilled in the flock was unbelievable. Mary Alice touches the essence of this fear in h! er book.Once you go through the checklists and you realize that this book is about you and you step out and take a serious look at the control that occurred, then it is guaranteed that you won't look at that church again in the same light and a great weight will be lifted off of your shoulder.Mike

>>... I have read about half-way through the book "Twisted Scriptures" and have recommended the book to no less than a half-a-dozen people. It has been a God-send to me. Ø >>I read "Toxic Faith" about 5 years ago and it helped me to realize that my family and I were in an abusive system. Although the book touched on manipulation of scripture, Mary Alice Chrnalogar's book, "Twisted Scriptures" has really given me new life. The scriptures that used to haunt me no longer do because they are no longer twisted. So much made sense to me. Obeying, sacrificing, not touching God's anointed all now have new meaning because Mary places them in correct context. I pray that someday I will be given the opportunity to teach from this book. .....read the book... you will never, never be the same.