This Website was created by Brother Pariyah as a means to address the sad reality of spiritual abuse going on in churches and the American Christian community at large. By sharing his insights and observations, gained from many years of encountering spiritual abuse in its various forms, it is hoped that greater understanding and healing by the grace of God will come to those who have suffered under similar circumstances.

To be clear, this site is not an attack on Christianity, organized religion, or any specific church, spiritual leader, or religious movement. Rather, it addresses the dangers of spiritual abuse and cultish behaviors within churches from the perspective of someone with a lifetime of first-hand experiences and eyewitness observations. It is hoped that this Website will help heal the psychological wounds suffered by spiritual abuse victims and help restore the joy that believers should possess.

A person’s spirit can endure sickness, but who can survive a broken spirit? Pro. 18:14 (CSB).

Brother Pariyah personally knows only too well what it is to be brokenhearted from the actions of my fellow brethren. Perhaps that is why the message of Isa. 61:1-3, from which our Savior read in the Nazareth synagogue, resonates so strongly with him. Forgiveness is by no means easily done, especially when the offender, a fellow believer or group of believers, shows no remorse and acts with a hateful, belligerent, or callous attitude. Nevertheless, it would seem that forgiveness is indeed a salvation issue, as we see in Mat. 6:12-15.

So often, when people are put into positions of authority, they abuse their power and mistreat others. It’s something that keeps repeating itself throughout history. As the saying goes, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”‍ So true. ‍

It’s not surprising that the history of Christianity is one of denominational schisms and also of divisions among individual congregations. Too often, Christianity has not lived up to its claim of being “the religion of love.” It seems too often fellow believers typically don’t get along well, especially in circles in which the Holy Spirit is prevented from leading. And even then, the Book of Acts shows that the Apostolic movement of the 1st Century had occasions of strife between individuals. People need to be Messiah-minded and say, “Yet not what I want but what you want.” Mat. 26:39 (ISV).

A brother offended is harder to win than a strong city, And contentions are like the bars of a castle. Pro. 18:19 (NKJV). When believers refuse to forgive, it seems they are in danger of rejecting the Holy Spirit, which is a very serious matter in the Almighty’s eyes, according to the principle expressed in 1Th. 4:1-9.

When we examine Mat. 25:40-46, it’s so very saddening that the mistreatment — or perhaps better understood as the lack of proper treatment — of those whom Jesus calls “the least of these My brethren” will lead to the damnation of those at fault. Those willfully engaging in spiritual abuse have been duly warned and need to change their wayward ways now — while they still have time.

Some have suffered so much abuse at the hands of organized religion that they have opted out. They want nothing more to do with denominations, churches, congregations, or fellowships. They now just want to be left alone. And so, on it goes with the Devil scattering the Lord’s flock and making it vulnerable to the ‘hungry beasts’ out there.

Brother Pariyah urges the household of faith to gently and respectfully use the Holy Scriptures to confront spiritual abuse when they come across it in their spiritual journeys. Bible believers are to be watchmen on the walls to watch for the warning signs of abusive behaviors and attitudes. Our duty is to sound the alarm when we come across these dangers.

The Church, or ekklesia (G1577) in the Greek NT, is to build up the body of believers. Sadly, Satan’s agents have surreptitiously infiltrated and dissembled. These ravenous wolves not only have caused divisions by spreading false doctrine but also have shamefully mistreated and lorded over those to whom they were to minister and serve. Or like the priest and the Levite in the Parable of the Good Samaritan, they have willfully neglected assisting those in dire need whom they came across, Luke 10:30-37.

So keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock which the Holy Spirit has placed in your care. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he made his own through the blood of his Son. I know that after I leave, fierce wolves will come among you, and they will not spare the flock. The time will come when some men from your own group will tell lies to lead the believers away after them. Watch, then, and remember that with many tears, day and night, I taught every one of you for three years. And now I commend you to the care of God and to the message of his grace, which is able to build you up and give you the blessings God has for all his people. Acts 20:28-32 (GNT)‍ ‍

‍If you wish to share your story, or have inquiries, or need prayer, or just would like someone sympathetic to communicate with, feel welcome to write to Brother Pariyah at the email address connected with this site: PariHagaphen@myyahoo.com. Communications are generally checked on a weekly basis. Keep up the good fight of faith and be blessed in the name of Y’shua HaMashiach (Jesus the Christ). YHWH Shalom!