God:

Anger at God

Feeling God has betrayed, deserted and/or abandoned me

Questioning God ("Why me?" "Where were you?" "Why did you allow this?" "Why didn't you protect me?" etc.)

Unable to feel God's love

Unable to feel God is really there

Believing God has placed me under a "curse" whenever any problem or disaster occurs

Feeling God does not approve of me or accept me

Feeling God is teaching me a "lesson" for my "sins" of leaving

Problems integrating the God I knew in the group and the God (or Jesus) I think I'm supposed to know now.¹

Feeling I lost the God I knew (especially if you were a prior Christian)

Unable to understand what God or Jesus are really like

Bible:

Unable to read the Bible (inability to concentrate, fear of being triggered back into the group mind set, reminding one of study in the group, etc.)

Feeling too tired to study the Bible all over again (after years of feeling you found its truth)

Guilt over not studying the Bible

Much confusion with Scripture (especially concerning law and grace)

Questions of whether the Bible is entirely true, part true, or has been changed over time

Churches:

Feeling "Where do I go now?"

Fear of all churches

Guilt for not attending a church

Wanting to replace everything I felt I lost in the group

Anxiety in attempting a new church or Bible study group

Anxiety in attending a new church on Sunday, instead of Saturday

Religious addiction (desire to immerse oneself in as many Bible study groups, church activities, etc. as possible)

Anxiety when reading any Christian literature that reminds you of the group's teachings/control

Wanting to reject all forms of belief

Wanting to be free of all churches

Ministers & Other Christians:

Fear or deep lack of trust of all ministers outside the group

Fear of being controlled or deceived by a minister outside the group

Feeling different around other Christians

Feeling alienated from other Christians in thought and practice

Feelings of inferiority or inadequacy around other Christians

Feeling shame and humiliation for having been in a deceptive, exploitive, fraudulent group and afraid to tell other Christians

Feeling no other Christian could ever understand the abusive involvement

Great hurt when other Christians don't understand

Feelings of sin for worshipping Christ the group's way

Prayer:

Feeling that God does not hear my prayers anymore (prayers going to the wall or ceiling and stopping)

Depressed, pressured, or ill feelings when attempting to pray, especially in the same position as in the group

Feeling guilt for not praying fervently enough, not long enough, not regular enough, etc.

Beliefs:

Desperation for "the truth" again

Very confused and not knowing who or what to believe

Blaming my "sins" for going into a deceptive, exploitive, abusive group

Blaming my "sins" for being disfellowshipped

Fearing the "Lake of Fire"

Fearing a loss of salvation

Searching out various non-orthodox belief systems

Spiritualizing everything (magical thinking)

Feelings of pain, betrayal and grief at how the group took the true Jesus of the Bible away from me

Wanting to drop out of religion all together

Other:

A compulsion to talk to everyone about my group experience (this is a hold-over from the group-instilled confessing behavior

Wanting to immerse myself in a round of activities so I won't have to stop and think and feel

A need to feel "used" by God

Wanting to be a part of something "important"

Not feeling a part of the human race

Wondering if it was a mistake to leave the group (thinking of returning)

Info compiled by D. W. and Mike
Exit & Support Network™

Footnote:

¹ These feelings are a result of the group leader being able to transfer the member's feelings for God to him and the government in the group. This is a mind control technique.

Recommended books:

The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse by Johnson & VanVonderen

Captive Hearts, Captive Minds (chapter 12 covers seeking professional counseling)

Recovering From Churches That Abuse (Read the book online)

Trauma and Recovery

Booklist for more titles on recovery.