How dare i suggest that the ifb church movement has an abuse problem. Popular spiritual abuse books goodreads share book. Jocelyn zichterman this book is a memoir and account of the independent fundamental baptist church and its shocking history of religious abuse. Sarah smith of the star telegram exposes hundreds of. In order for ministries and churches to thrive, we must be vigilant to highlight those entities that abuse others. My life insideand escape fromthe secret world of the independent fundamental baptist cult zichterman, jocelyn on.
Zichterman was a critical source and interview for the abc news 2020 investigative hour shattered faith as well as the ungodly discipline series featured on cnns anderson cooper 360. Thankfully, i had been taught good doctrine before i attended an ifb church. I fired god by jocelyn zichterman book read online scribd. Founded by the fiery preacher bob jones, with several hundred thousand members, ifb congregants are told they must not associate with members. Jocelyn zichterman is an abuse advocate and whistleblower fighting against the ifb church. Unpacking the 2020 expose of abuse in ifb circles comment navigation ifb.
The problem with some independent fundamental baptist churches. It does us no good to sweep spiritual abuse under the rug and pretend it didnt happen. Please scroll down to find a list of articles for your convenience. David had established boundaries and was keeping himself away from saul, who sought to kill him. Today, ryder runs out of the shadows, a nonprofit group she started with other church abuse victims that helps sexual abuse survivors, particularly from the ifb movement. One young lady began attending a non ifb baptist church. International free baptist church is a body of bible believing servants. I think the ifb system is very insidious because they actually believe correctly on most bible doctrines. You are now considered by me a hack and i will no longer promote your books.
Describing the process of making her decision to leave, patricia said. Desperate, jeannie marie turned to her church for help, learning about a christian reform school. This is seen in how parents discipline their children and how husbands lord over and control their wives. Independent fundamental baptist ifb deception exposing the dangerous teachings of the independent fundamental baptist ifb denomination. I fired god and millions of other books are available for amazon kindle. The book documents cases of churches and other organizations said to be spiritually abusive and the effects these groups have had on their members. The amount of sexual abuse is directly proportionate to.
The trinity baptist church sex scandal was a united states sex scandal that came to national attention in 2011. Your experience with the ifb is not much different than mine. What binds ifb churches together is their literalistic interpretation of the protestant bible, a book they believe is inspired, infallible, and inerrant. Independent fundamental baptist ifb why i quit going to. Linda hyles murphery begins to tell her story in book form at the link below. Does the ifb church movement promote ritual child abuse. You do find survivors of ifb abuse ostracising non believers. If youd like to better understand how abuse gets coveredup in independent fundamentalist baptist churches, i suggest jeri massis book, schizophrenic christianity. Jocelyn zichterman was born, raised, married into, and finally, with her family, fled the independent fundamental baptist church. Who are the independent baptists, and what do they believe. Ifb is a highly conservative baptist church which maintains old testament ideals on how to raise children, treat women, and go about day to day life. The problem with some independent fundamental baptist churches by franklin. Even so, the authors allegations that the ifb provides a soil rich for abuse and.
That was only the first step in andersons church discipline, one of many ritual practices in the independent fundamental baptist church ifb, which anderson. The husband continues sexual intercourse with her while she is reading a book or even when she is crying, leaving the wife to feel like his whore, or his piece of trash. Because an experience is included here, it is not meant as an endorsement from me, nor is it necessarily indicative of my views. The fundamentally toxic christianity john shore patheos. He was not turning the other cheek in the way the ifb church explains it. Thus, when it comes to training and raising children, ifb christians look not to the world, but to the bible. Domestic violence in the ifb church movement suzanne. By bob allen as the oscarnominated movie spotlight shares the story of the boston globe s 2001 expose of child molestation and cover up in the catholic church, a new book by a baptist author makes the case that clergy sexual abuse isnt just a catholic problem. Anne, now 18, said she numbed the pain with drinking and rebellion, which terrified her mother.
The first article, let us prey, appeared in chicago magazine in december 2012. Zichtermans compelling and moving book will appeal to readers of memoir. Ifb preachers have been known to accuse victims of turning against them simply because they want to reject god and live like the world. Domestic violence in the ifb church suzanne titkemeyer. Hardcore christian patriarchy and abuse liberty for.
This is despite the fact that david had the capability of killing saul. Hundreds accuse independent baptist pastors of abuse. Book documents molestation in conservative baptist churches. Spiritual abuse independent fundamental baptist ifb.
I spent too much time with an ifb website that was already getting too personal with people and doesnt do research either. Even so, the authors allegations that the ifb provides a soil rich for abuse and domination are. She has also been a source for the new york times and the huffington post, among many other. Sep 7, 2019 explore evodiorios55s board ifb churches, followed by 308. Throughout the book, the focus is squarely placed upon those who misuse their positions of authority. Does the independent fundamentalist baptist ifb church movement have a domestic abuse problem. Please also find a great directory of books related to spiritual abuse at healingspiritualabuse. Exmembers of unhealthy churches share their experiences please note that the following experiences are the personal accounts of each person and reflect the views of the authors. Independent baptists, often also known as independent fundamental baptists ifb, are a group that started within the greater baptist denominations in the late 19th to early 20th century.
The author says that spiritual abuse can take place in the context of doctrinally sound, biblepreaching, fundamentalist. Todd cook, pastor of calvary baptist church of bensenville, illinois, and author of hope for the brokenhearted, a book about ministry to abuse survivors, agreed that independent baptists have. Patriarchy in church polity and home part one january 9, 2019, by chloe leave a reply. Exposing the dangerous teachings of the independent fundamental baptist ifb denomination. That all changed last week when i read jocelyn zichtermans 20 book. The national domestic violence hotline defines domestic violence as follows. Entering in through the rickety doors of the old church building, streams of colored light pour in from the stainedglass windows as if to distract onlookers from the curling burgundy paint, peeling off the side wall near the doors. I suffered from the residual effects harshly through my 40. Two outstanding articlesreally two of the best ive read in the last yearhighlight the trouble with hardline christian patriarchy.
Independent fundamental baptist ifb cult survivors of. The christian school you attended was connected to your church cult, or you were. Exposing the dangerous teachings and traditions of the independent fundamental baptist denomination. People who have had negative experiences with independent fundamental baptists support, recovery, sharing experiences and. People who think that sexual abuse and its systematic coverup is something that happens only in roman catholic. You will find, to the left, a tags cloud as well as a category drop down menu.
I fired god by jocelyn zichterman overdrive rakuten. I know ifb readers of this blog are howling over what i have written here. Let me tell you two stories that happened at an ifb church in my area to give you an idea of the rules of the ifb. Domestic violence in the ifb church the life and times. You went to an ifb independent fundamental baptist church three times a week. My life insideand escape fromthe secret world of the independent fundamental baptist cult. Show me a cult and i will show you 1 women abused beyond endurance. Overview of the ifb church independent fundamental. Jack schaap charged, paul chappell speaks out, and the. The patterns of abuse in ifb churches are quite similar to what we see in southern baptist churches. Its unlikely there isnt an ifb church within a halfhour drive from your house. Nine marks of an abusive church the wartburg watch 2020. Churches that abuse promote extrabiblical rules and standards and equate them as doctrine or at least as coming from god. A compelling memoir and investigation into the independent fundamental baptist church and its shocking history of religious abuse.
Many of the characteristics of ifb churches are characteristic of cult. This is not the type of abuse dealt with in recovering from religious abuse. A compelling memoir and account of the independent fundamental baptist church and its shocking history of religious abuse. In a moment of hurt and anger for what hes done to my wifeson i decided to post his name. It is about the sex abuse scandals in the independent fundamentalist baptist church ifb, a movement which promotes complete male authority, complete female.
When i turned 18, the dreams i thought i had were destroyed, and the things i believed about god were challenged in deep ways. Hundreds of sexual abuse allegations in fundamental. It seems to me that anyone truly concerned with abuse in church should in all fairness apply that concern to any. Too many people are focusing on their opinion of him rather than on the issues raised by this blog regarding ifb church abuse. Please also find a great directory of books related to spiritual abuse at resources. Independent fundamental baptist ifb cult survivors of canada.
Churches that abuse is a book which the christian church has long been waiting for a welldocumented and invaluable exposure of spiritual abuses resulting from powerhungry leaders who use guilt, fear, and intimidation to control their churches. It is as if there is a shelf where all your doubts and misgivings are placed while you are in that group. Jones university and any of its affiliates and leaders and any documented link between mack ford andor first baptist church of hammond, ind. The following endorsement were printed on the back of the books dust jacket. Let me open by giving readers the definition for domestic violence. The second recent story dealing with sexual abuse within ifb churches stems from a recent 2020 interview in which several women who were sexually and physically abused by ifb church members and pastors recount their stories. The reason i rate this 4 stars rather than 5 is because the case studies are primarily of very extreme groups and there is not quite enough on actual christian churches that abuse. How i left the ifb movement and chose grace i was raised in a conservative fundamentalist christian home. Former evangelical pastor bruce gerencser answers the question, does the ifb church movement promote ritual child abuse gerencser writes. Recently, i addressed the high profile scandal in the independent fundamental baptist world regarding pastor jack schaap and first baptist church, hammond, in. The author was born, raised, married into, and finally, with her family.
Nine marks of an abusive church posted on fri dec 17, 2010 by deb january 15, 2011 be not deceived, wormwood, our cause is never more in jeopardy than when a human, no longer desiring but still intending to do our enemys will, looks round upon a universe in which every trace of him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken. Florida, where he is an associate pastor and head of the churchs book. Patriarchy and domestic abuse part six ifb standards. Spiritual abuse is a major factor in people leaving the church for good. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell. Nevertheless, there is much to gleen here and i have used this book to show other folks what is going on so they can come to informed conclusions. The scandal centered on the way that trinity baptist church, an independent baptist church in concord, new hampshire, and its former pastor handled the 1997 rape and subsequent pregnancy of one of its members, a minor girl, by her. The book also discusses the extreme patriarchal views that are taught in the ifb. Domestic violence can be defined as a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner.
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