{"id":93,"date":"2015-05-25T16:29:42","date_gmt":"2015-05-25T21:29:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/?page_id=93"},"modified":"2025-08-18T07:12:59","modified_gmt":"2025-08-18T12:12:59","slug":"toxicity","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/toxicity","title":{"rendered":"Religion is Toxic"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>DIAGNOSING TOXICITY<\/strong><br \/>\nAn honest assessment of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/toxic\">toxic<\/a>, abusive power of religion can be described in ways by which religions use\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.decision-making-confidence.com\/cult-tactics.html\">cult-like methods of fear and guilt<\/a> to attract, retain and control members:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>People join religion out of fear of going to hell.<\/li>\n<li>People join religion because they feel guilty about the things they have and have not done in their lives and fear that God will punish them for their shortcomings.<\/li>\n<li>People adopt religious beliefs and engage in religious practices out of fear of rejection they imagine they would experience if they did not openly demonstrate to co-religionists that they share those beliefs and respect those practices.<\/li>\n<li>People follow religious rules because they fear that God will not love them and reward them if they do not follow those rules.<\/li>\n<li>People stay in religion out of fear of rejection by friends and family if they would leave.<\/li>\n<li>People stay in religion because they don&#8217;t know who would conduct a funeral for them and say nice things about them after they die.<\/li>\n<li>See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-deception\/3\">this link<\/a> for more fears, concerns and questions that keep people in religion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>All of this fear has the effect of poisoning the mind in a way that creates a very negative, pessimistic world view based on fears planted by religion. None of this thinking reflects a Godly world view based on love. This is why God wants to cast out religion based on fear and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=1-john+4:18;+romans+8:15\">replace fear with his love<\/a>. And he is doing this one person at a time when he <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/god-is-calling-people-out-of-religion\">calls his people to come out of religion<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The process of being called out begins with <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/2\">doubts about religion <\/a>that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/acts\/26-14.html\">God plants in the minds of people<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY TIP: See the article <a href=\"https:\/\/www.barna.com\/research\/two-thirds-christians-face-doubt\/?utm_source=Barna+Update+List&amp;utm_campaign=cc3316fe78-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2017_07_25&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_8560a0e52e-cc3316fe78-171895037&amp;mc_cid=cc3316fe78&amp;mc_eid=b6f29ca619\">Two-Thirds of Christians Face Doubt <\/a>for a report on how common doubt is among Christians.<\/p>\n<p>Jews seem to have a more redemptive view of doubt as we see in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chabad.org\/library\/article_cdo\/aid\/841767\/jewish\/How-Do-I-Deal-With-Doubt.htm\">How Do I Deal With Doubt?<\/a> Their view more agrees with the Godly perspective which says that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/2\">doubt leads to salvation<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The nature of doubt is that it does not come all at once. It begins with a little here and a little there. If quenched, it will go nowhere, or at least delay coming to spiritual maturity. If nurtured, however, it will become fruitful as God slowly, but surely, leads us away from the wilderness of religion where we listen to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\">false prophets<\/a> into the promised land where we <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/how-to-hear-gods-spoken-voice\">hear his spoken voice<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Along the way, doubt, when combined with<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/study\"> study<\/a> in pursuit of truth, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/greek\/nas\/mathetes.html\">disciples<\/a> who are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34;+hebrews+10:15-17;+hebrews+8:7-13;+1-thessalonians+4:9;+1-john+2:27;+john+14:11-17;+john+14:26;+1-corinthians+2:12;+john+16:13;+psalm+25:4-5;+1-john+2:20\">taught directly by God<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\">true prophets<\/a> &#8212; not false prophets &#8212; will come to the following realizations:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>They realize that religion has controlled how they think about people who do not share their particular religion.<\/li>\n<li>They realize that religion has controlled to some degree how they use their time and money to support the religion.<\/li>\n<li>They realize that they have been <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-deception\">deceived<\/a> by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\">false prophets<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>They realize that religious leaders selectively use scripture to justify the fear and control they use to attract and retain people to support their religious organization.<\/li>\n<li>They no longer find the literal words of the Bible to be believable.<\/li>\n<li>They are only satisfied with what they learn from God&#8217;s spoken voice or through his true prophets.<\/li>\n<li>They see hypocrisy in religion.<\/li>\n<li>They see the ever-present, pervasive <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-commerce\">commercialism<\/a> in religion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Disciples come to understand these truths only because <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+29:1-4;+matthew+13:13;+acts+28:26-27;+romans+11:1-9;+isaiah+6:1-10;+ezekiel+12:1-2\">God has opened their spiritual eyes and ears to hear his voice<\/a>. People who are intoxicated with religion, however, do not see these problems with religion and cannot understand why anyone would want to leave their religion. Religious indoctrination has blinded from seeing the truth.<\/p>\n<p>Ex-religionists, on the other hand, do see, or at least have begun to see, how they have been victims of fear, guilt\u00a0 and control perpetrated on them by religion. Therefore, ex-religionists will understand why <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-the-enemy\">religion is the enemy<\/a> and why God uses the terms of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-injustice-and-slavery\">slavery and bondage to describe the effects of religion.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The toxic nature of religion poisons a healthy spiritual relationship with God while convincingly and deceptively representing religion as a benefit.\u00a0 It is a\u00a0 place for people to report personal experiences &#8212; successes and struggles &#8212; in their addiction to toxic religion so that others might learn to recognize religious toxicity and be encouraged to endure in their own challenge to overcome addiction to religion (i.e. detoxify).<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>RELIGIOUS STRONGHOLDS<\/strong><br \/>\nToxicity is not a term that is often used in the context of religion. Since <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Toxicity\">toxicity<\/a> is a term that is loaded with negative imagery, we would expect religious people to accept that it applies to religious cults but not to their own religion which they consider to be pure, righteous and above criticism.<\/p>\n<p>People who are unable to find fault with their religion show clear evidence that they are intoxicated with it. Irrepressible pride in the belief that their religion, whether Judaism, Christianity, or any other religion, is the one, pure religion that God blesses is a key factor indicating that religion is toxic. They are unshakably convinced that people who subscribe to their brand of religion are God&#8217;s elite, chosen people. They are locked into <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=2-samuel+22:26-48;+psalm+18:31-48;+psalm+89:40;+isaiah+13;+isaiah+34:1-13;+jeremiah+51:1-58;+lamentations+2;+ezekiel+19:1-9;+ezekiel+33:21-29;+amos+3:1-11;+micah+5;+2-corinthians+10:1-7\">strongholds of thinking that God has vowed to destroy<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY TIP: See\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-a-stronghold-of-wrong-thinking\">Religion is a Stronghold of Wrong Thinking.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The Bible symbolically refers to this pride as the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=leviticus+10:9;+numbers+6:1-3;+deuteronomy+29:6;+judges+13:1-14;+proverbs+20:1;+proverbs+31:1-5;+isaiah+28:1-13;+isaiah+5:1-22;+isaiah+24:9;+isaiah+29:1-9;+isaiah+56;+ezekiel+44:15-23;+hosea+4:11-18;+luke+1:15;+ephesians+5:18;+1-timothy+3:1-3;+titus+1:7\">strong drink (i.e. wine)<\/a> of religion that has intoxicated Old\/First Covenant religionists (i.e. Israel)\u00a0 from Bible story days to the present. This intoxication is what enables cults of all kinds to attract followers and incite them to do all manner of things that they would not do on their own initiative. In particular, it is the intoxicating wine of Judaism and Christianity, but it also applies to any religion.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>ALL RELIGIONS ARE CULTS<\/strong><br \/>\nWhen we look at the <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cult\">definition of cult<\/a>, we find that Judaism and Christianity both fit the mold of a <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cult_%28religious_practice%29\">religious cult.<\/a> When we look at<a href=\"http:\/\/people.howstuffworks.com\/cult.htm\"> how cults begin and how they function<\/a>, it is easy for ex-religionists to see how all religions fit that mold. And with respect to the issue of toxic religion, it is easy to see how the issue of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/indoctrinate\">indoctrination,<\/a> a key feature of cults, applies to religion.<\/p>\n<p>Cult-like doctrines and behaviors are always found in Old\/First Covenant religions that emphasize common worship under the direction of a <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Charisma\">charismatic<\/a> leader or leaders. Leaders with irresistible <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-injustice-and-slavery\/6#charisma\">charisma<\/a> are common to all cults &#8212; including Judaism and Christianity.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\"><a id=\"charismaticcultleaders\"><\/a>COMMENTARY ON CHARISMATIC CULT LEADERS: The strong attraction and deep affection that religious people have for their leaders is symbolically represented in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/genesis\/3.html\">Genesis story<\/a> where Eve and Adam eat\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/breadfood-and-wine\/3#treeofknowledgeofgoodandevil\">fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">Adam and Eve symbolically represent <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/2#oldcovenant\">Old\/First Covenant<\/a> religionists who choose to listen to false prophets instead of eating God&#8217;s words (i.e. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/breadfood-and-wine\/3#treeoflife\">fruit of the the Tree of Life<\/a>.\u00a0 In this story, God forecasts the tendency to seek out and follow religious leaders when he says that<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/genesis\/passage\/?q=genesis+3:13-16\"> Eve&#8217;s (i.e. the church&#8217;s) desire will be for her husband<\/a> (i.e.\u00a0 religious leaders).<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">This story is a parable that anticipates unrestrained submissiveness to religious leaders. God calls it<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=2-peter+1:4;+1-john+2:16\"> lust that is found<\/a> in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/world\">the world of religion,<\/a> and all religious people, both men and women, are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+12:29-31;+psalm+9:16;+deuteronomy+7:25;+proverbs+12:13;+ecclesiastes+9:12;+proverbs+29:6;+ecclesiastes+7:26;+isaiah+28:13;+isaiah+8:15;+psalm+9:15\">ensnared<\/a> by it. But it isn&#8217;t just religious followers who are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+12:29-31;+psalm+9:16;+deuteronomy+7:25;+proverbs+12:13;+ecclesiastes+9:12;+proverbs+29:6;+ecclesiastes+7:26;+isaiah+28:13;+isaiah+8:15;+psalm+9:15\">ensnared<\/a> by lust. Religious leaders are part of the equation. The praise, submission and money that people give to their leaders is an enticing <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS838US839&amp;ei=6lWKXIBWz5DQ8Q-OubLoAg&amp;q=aphrodisiac+meaning&amp;oq=aphrodisiac%C2%A0&amp;gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0i67j0l9.1857860.1857860..1860664...0.0..0.124.124.0j1......0....2j1..gws-wiz.......0i71.OX5sOYIfUSU\">aphrodisiac<\/a> that fuels their desire for intimacy with their followers. Having people seek and pay for their teaching every Saturday or Sunday boosts and sustains\u00a0 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/pride\">pride<\/a> in a toxic way that religious leaders cannot resist. And so it is right to say that\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/3\">false prophets are temple prostitutes. <\/a>And like any prostitute, they need to look good (i.e. they need to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/fakefaith\/2018\/02\/18\/making-a-name-for-yourself\/\">practice religion<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+5:31;+2-thessalonians+2:11-12;+ezekiel+13:6;+micah+2:11;+isaiah+30:9-12;+psalm+12:1-2;+romans+1:21-32;+1-kings+22:1-13;+jeremiah+6:14;+jeremiah+23:9-40;+romans+16:17-18;+numbers+14:1-12;+nehemiah+9:17;+judges+17:7-13\">tell people what they want to hear<\/a>) in order to maintain their attractiveness.\u00a0They fit the classic definition of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\/pharisees-and-scribes\">scribes and pharisees<\/a> to whom Jesus spoke <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/luke\/6-26.html\">woes if all people speak well of them<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">The financial stability of all religion depends on the charisma of the leader. As soon as the leader loses favor with his\/her followers (i.e. those who listen to his\/her teaching, praise and esteem them, and support them financially), they stop listening, stop giving money, and remove them from the congregation. When this happens, the followers look for another charismatic leader and the leader tries to recruit other followers. These are the hidden dynamics of what religious people\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=euphemist&amp;oq=euphemist&amp;aqs=chrome..69i57.2484268j0j7&amp;sourceid=chrome&amp;ie=UTF-8\">euphemistically<\/a> call evangelism and church planting.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">We find this principle in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=genesis+38:21-22;+deuteronomy+23:17;+1+kings+14:24;+1+kings+15:12;+1+kings+22:46;+2+kings+23:7;+job+36:14;+hosea+4:14\">Old Testament references to cult prostitutes <\/a>who symbolically represent religious leaders who sell religious &#8212; not sexual &#8212; services (e.g teaching, supervision of religious ceremonies and rituals, etc.) in a religious setting (e.g. temple, shrine, church, etc.). We also find these <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=matthew+21:31-32;+luke+15:29-30;+1-corinthians+6:15-16;+hebrews+11:31;+james+2:25;+revelation+17:1-16;+revelation+19:1-2\">religious leaders in the New Testament<\/a> where Christians find it impossible to symbolically interpret <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/3#adulteryandprostitution\">prostitutes and harlots as religious leaders<\/a> engaged in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-commerce\">commercial religion<\/a>. Their indoctrination into literal interpretation of the Bible and\u00a0 their unwavering trust in their religious leaders will not allow them to see the symbolism.<\/p>\n<p>The common feature of Judaism and Christianity that qualifies them as cults is that they always have cult leaders (e.g. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\/apostles\">Apostles, Bishops, Elders, Overseers, Rabbis, Priests, Pastors, Popes, Missionaries and Evangelists<\/a>). This contrasts with the distinctive feature of the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=ezekiel+11:16-21;+jeremiah+31:31-34;+matthew+26:26-28;+luke+22:20;+1-corinthians+11:25;+hebrews+8:10-13;+2-corinthians+3;+ezekiel+36:16-36;+ezekiel+37:12-13;+ezekiel+39:24-29;+isaiah+44:3;+malachi+3;+malachi+4\">New Covenant<\/a> which is that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34;+1-john+2:27;+john+14:26;+1-corinthians+2:12;+1-thessalonians+4:9\">God teaches people directly through his spirit without a human teacher. <\/a>Thus, in Biblical language, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=1-corinthians+13:8-13;+2-corinthians+3:4-14;+hebrews+8;+hebrews+9:1-11;+philippians+3:7-16;+romans+2:27;+romans+7:6;+matthew+6:1-5;+matthew+6:16;+matthew+23:1-5\">Old Covenant<\/a> is the deviant religion because religions always have human leaders. Therefore, the New Covenant is the desired standard against which the deviant religion (i.e. cult) is compared. God has special names by which he identifies these religious leaders: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\/serpent-devil-satan-adversary-demons-evil-spirits-and-anti-christs\">Serpents, Devil, Satan, Adversary, Demons, Evil Spirits and Anti-Christs.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The other defining feature of Judaism and Christianity that qualifies them as cults is the ever-present <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Cult_(religious_practice)\">cultic practice of communal worship<\/a>. Singing, praying, eating, worshiping and doing many other kinds of religious activities together on a regular basis are the social glue that keep cults and religious organizations strong.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY TIP: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/the-law-is-a-stumbling-block\/3#whatgodsaysabouttraditions\">this link for what God says about religious traditions.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Cult leaders and religious leaders understand this principle and always make it a key feature of their practices. Cult members reinforce one another to believe that what they are doing is right and quietly but effectively pressure\/coerce (i.e. abuse through social power and control) one another to remain faithful to the cult because their personal security is dependent on the vitality of the organization. Their personal identity is totally embodied in the identity of the cult (i.e. religion.)<\/p>\n<p>Because New Covenant disciples <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=john+4:19-24;+galatians+5:25;+philippians+3:1-3;+psalm+51:16-19;+psalm+34:18;+psalm+73;+psalm+109:1-22;+lamentations+3:1-18;+acts+2:37-40;+john+16:5-8\">worship in spirit and truth<\/a>, they do not buy into the rules, deceptions and practices found in religious cults for the following reasons:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>They <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34;+1-john+2:27;+1-corinthians+2:12;+john+14:26\">receive all of their instruction from God&#8217;s voice<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>They<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=psalm+118:5-9;+isaiah+2:22;+psalm+146:3;+2+chronicles+32:7-8;+psalm+40:4;+psalm+108:12;+isaiah+31:1-3;+jeremiah+17:5;+2+chronicles+14:11;+psalm+60:11\"> do not trust religious leaders for instruction.<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Their identity is in God &#8212; not in an organization.<\/li>\n<li>They<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=matthew+6:1-16;+matthew+23:1-8;+john+7:1-10\"> worship in spirit in ways that are invisible to other humans &#8212; not in public ways that can be seen.<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Because <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34;+jeremiah+32:36-42;+ezekiel+37:26;+luke+22:20;+1-corinthians+11:25;+2-corinthians+3:6;+hebrews+8:8-13;+hebrews+10:16-17;+ezekiel+16:59-63\">God&#8217;s laws are written on their hearts<\/a>, they <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=isaiah+29:1-13;+matthew+15:1-6;+mark+7:1-13;+colossians+2:1-8\">do not embrace religious beliefs or conform to traditional religious practices.<\/a><\/li>\n<li>They are not dependent on social glue (e.g. communal worship,<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/circumcision\"> traditions<\/a>, fellowship, etc.) to have a sense of being close to God.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>ADDICTED TO RELIGION AND AFRAID TO QUIT<\/strong><br \/>\nIf religious people have trouble accepting that their religions are toxic cults, they will also be thoroughly outraged at the suggestion that the term <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Addiction\">addiction<\/a> could also be applied to their religion. How could anything that is so good, wholesome and Biblical be toxic? Such claims would be regarded as attacks of the devil who is trying to destroy God&#8217;s church. Sadly, this tendency to deflect responsibility from themselves to another entity is clear evidence that they are addicted but don&#8217;t know it.<\/p>\n<p>Addiction is a term that is loaded with negative imagery usually associated with weak, shiftless junkies whose focus is always on the next fix. Surely these qualities could not describe sincere, devoted Jews or Christians who claim that the reasons for their religious affiliations are totally honorable and all about God. A <a href=\"http:\/\/www.gallup.com\/poll\/27124\/just-why-americans-attend-church.aspx\">poll of Christians, however, shows that reasons for belonging to church are more about personal needs<\/a> than about God. We suspect that the same motives could be assigned to Jews also.<\/p>\n<p>Considering all of the above, it would not be an outrageous speculation to suggest that all religious people would quickly reject the notion that their religion is toxic. Furthermore, they would reject that they could be addicted to their religion because it has caused a toxic dependency that they cannot resist or shake off &#8212; even if they wanted to. That is what they would say, but what would happen if they were put to the test of going cold turkey without religion? Could they do it?<\/p>\n<p>Before asking if they could live without their religion, we need to ask if they would even be willing to try to live without their religion. A resolved unwillingness to even try to live without religion is a clear indication of toxic addiction.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"addictiontest\"><\/a>We can get some ideas about the degree with which we are addicted to religion by knowing how a religious person would answer these questions:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Do you think that God would be angry or disappointed with you if you do not follow the traditional religious rituals prescribed by your preferred religion?<\/li>\n<li>Do you think that your life would be incomplete if you did not observe the religious traditions you love?<\/li>\n<li>Do you think that your friends and family would be angry or disappointed with you if you do not follow the traditional religious rituals prescribed by your preferred religion and believe in its doctrines?<\/li>\n<li>Do you think that it is impossible to worship God without belonging to a church or synagogue?<\/li>\n<li>Does your faith depends on being part of a local religious organization and participating in its activities?<\/li>\n<li>If you are a Christian, do you think that God would not love you as much if you did not bring your tithes to church. Or, if you are a Jew, do you think that God will still love you if you do not pay your <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewfaq.org\/shul.htm#Structure\">annual membership dues<\/a> to your synagogue?<\/li>\n<li>Would you feel odd, disconnected and spiritually adrift if you were not an active member or adherent of a local church of synagogue?<\/li>\n<li>Would you feel like you are not growing spiritually if you do not regularly hear teaching from a pastor or rabbi?<\/li>\n<li>Do you think that you need a religious leader to hear from God and interpret the Bible for you?<\/li>\n<li>Would you feel like you were not a true believer if you did not pray regularly?<\/li>\n<li>Would you feel like you are not a true believer if you did not read the Bible with some regularity?<\/li>\n<li>Are you unwilling to sacrifice regular fellowship in a worship setting with co-religionists?<\/li>\n<li>Are you unwilling to go give up the religious music that stirs your soul?<\/li>\n<li>Are you unwilling to quit doing all of your religious activities and do nothing religious?<\/li>\n<li>If you are a Christian, would you be concerned that you would not have a religious leader to Christen or baptize your children? Would you wonder who would hold a funeral service for you when you die?<\/li>\n<li>Would you feel like your life is incomplete if you did not practice religion?<\/li>\n<li>Would you feel lonely and socially disconnected if you do not have religious friends to meet with and do things with?<\/li>\n<li>If you are a Jew, would you be concerned that you would not have a rabbi to circumcise your male child and guide him in his Bar Mitzvah? Would you be concerned that your female child would not have a rabbi to guide her in her Bat Mitzvah?<\/li>\n<li>Would you wonder what you should call yourself (i.e. Jew, Christian, something else) if you were not religious?<\/li>\n<li>If you are a Christian, would you feel like you are a backslider if you did not attend church on Sunday?<\/li>\n<li>If you are a Jew, would you feel like you are a backslider if you worked on Saturday, ate pork, or failed to observe other religious laws?<\/li>\n<li>See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-deception\/3\">this link<\/a> for more fears, concerns and questions that keep people in religion<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>When we look carefully at each of these questions we see that they all deal with guilt and fear. Each one could be rephrased in the following language using guilt or fear and still embody the same meaning.<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Do you fear that God would be angry or disappointed with you if you do not follow the traditional religious rituals prescribed by your preferred religion?<\/li>\n<li>Do you fear that your friends and family would be angry or disappointed with you if you do not follow the traditional religious rituals prescribed by your preferred religion and believe in its doctrines?<\/li>\n<li>Do you fear that you would not have any friends and no social life if you were not part of a religious community?<\/li>\n<li>Do you fear that it is impossible to worship God without belonging to a church or synagogue?<\/li>\n<li>Does you fear that failure to be a part of a local religious organization and participating in its activities indicates that you do not have real faith?<\/li>\n<li>If you are a Christian, do you fear that God would not love you as much if you did not bring your tithes to church. Or, if you are a Jew, do you fear that God will still love you if you do not pay your <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewfaq.org\/shul.htm#Structure\">annual membership dues<\/a> to your synagogue?<\/li>\n<li>Would you feel guilty about dishonoring the religion of your parents if you were not an active member or adherent of a local church of synagogue?<\/li>\n<li>Would you fear that you are not growing spiritually if you do not regularly hear teaching from a pastor or rabbi?<\/li>\n<li>Would you fear that you are nonspiritual if you did not depend on a religious leader to hear from God and interpret the Bible for you?<\/li>\n<li>Would you feel guilty if you did not pray regularly?<\/li>\n<li>Would you feel guilty if you did not read the Bible with some regularity?<\/li>\n<li>Would you fear that your spirituality was in decline if you did not regularly engage in worship setting with co-religionists?<\/li>\n<li>Do you fear that your spiritual life would seriously decline if you did not regularly sing religious songs that stir your soul?<\/li>\n<li>Do you fear that if you quit doing all of your religious activities God would not love you?<\/li>\n<li>If you are a Christian who has children, would you fear for your children&#8217;s spiritual well-being if you did not have a religious leader to Christen or baptize them?<\/li>\n<li>Do you stay involved in religion because of fear that there would be no one to hold a funeral service for you when you die?<\/li>\n<li>Would you feel guilty and out of touch with God if you did not practice religion?<\/li>\n<li>If you are a Jew, would your friends and family make you feel guilty if you did not have a rabbi circumcise your male child and guide him in his Bar Mitzvah? Would friends and family make you feel guilty if you did not have a rabbi to guide her in her Bat Mitzvah?<\/li>\n<li>Do you fear that you would not have a spiritual identity if you did not identify yourself as a Christian or as a Jew?<\/li>\n<li>If you are a Christian, would you fear that you would not be seen as a true believer if you did not attend church on Sunday?<\/li>\n<li>If you are a Jew, would you fear that other Jews would find you to be a backslider if you worked on Saturday or ate pork?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>The way we see it, everyone who answers &#8220;yes&#8221; to one or more of these questions is addicted to religion. They have <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/death-resurrection-life\/2#lifedeathblesscurse\">chosen death and curses through religion instead of life and blessings<\/a> as New Covenant disciples. Such people are convinced that religion has a critical and absolutely necessary place in their life. And if they are convinced, it can be said that they are addicted and\u00a0 intoxicated with belief that religion is absolutely necessary to their spiritual well-being. And so that is why they would <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-deception\/3#hangingontolife\">hanging onto their religious life as though it were life itself<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>We make this argument on the basis of what we see in addicts to alcohol, drugs, gambling or sex: They are unwilling or unable to quit doing or taking the thing to which they are addicted. You are either addicted drugs, alcohol, gambling, religion or sex or you are not. There is no in-between unless you are in some kind of recovery program in which you are working your way toward freedom from your addiction.<\/p>\n<p>With respect to religion, you are still addicted until you can <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/death-resurrection-life\/2#lifedeathblesscurse\">choose life instead of death<\/a> and say no to all the above questions without any hesitation. You need to get sober from religion and stay sober with no backsliding. Only then will you experience true freedom from religion. For as long as you are tempted in even the smallest way to return to your religious ways, you are still addicted, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-injustice-and-slavery\">enslaved and oppressed by religion<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, we would say that anyone who is unwilling or unable to quit religion and stay sober is addicted to it just like a drug addict is addicted to drugs. It is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/analogous\">analogous<\/a> to the first step of the 12 step process associated with Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) which can be rephrased as follows:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\u201cWe admitted we were powerless over &#8220;religion&#8221; that our lives had become unmanageable<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">AUTHORS&#8217; NOTE: The analogy to AA or any other treatment program applies neatly with Religion Detox Network&#8217;s goals. Just as it is nearly impossible for an addict of any drug to get sober alone, it is also nearly impossible for ex-religionists to stop using religion without some help from friends.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 210px;\"><em>The Religion Detox Network exists to help religious addicts develop meaningful relationships with people who have successfully transitioned out of religion or are moving in that direction. This kind service is necessary because there is no program or agency to help people who want to get free from religion. The networking features of the Religion Detox Network are designed to fill this void so people who are trying to get free from religion will have someone to walk with them through the process.<\/em><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 210px;\"><em>Even though getting free from religion with the help of others is helpful, however, it must be said that the more critical path to freedom is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\">listening to God&#8217;s voice<\/a> while engaged in personal Bible <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/study\">Study.<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p>The notion of being powerless over religion is a hard concept for religionists to accept. It argues against the generally accepted belief that religious activities are critical to faith and a good relationship to God. This perverted relationship of religion and faith (not faith as God sees it but faith as man sees it) exists because hundreds of generations of human teachers (i.e. <a href=\" http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\">false prophets<\/a>) have preached convincingly that religion and faith are one and the same thing even though the Bible says that they are as opposite as night contrasts with day and good contrasts with evil.<\/p>\n<p>Because of wrong teaching that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\">religion and faith are identical<\/a>, there is a sense among religionists that being under the control of religion and a religious leader is good, right and necessary. Religionists believe that if they perform the religious activities found in the Bible (e.g. pray, sing, baptize, communion, circumcise, etc.) and use God&#8217;s name in worship, they are under God&#8217;s control\/influence. Nothing could be further from the truth. They are really just practicing religion according to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#religiouslaws\">traditions and teachings of men (i.e. religious laws)<\/a>.\u00a0 What ultimately controls all the activities in the above list is tradition. And we know <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=john+15:1-9;+mark+7:1-23;+2-timothy+3:1-7;+colossians+2:8;+matthew+15:1-20;+jeremiah+10:1-5;+isaiah+1:10-20;+1-peter+1:17-19;+amos+5:21-25;+isaiah+29:13-14\">how God feels about tradition.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, when we look at the list of questions above, we see that all items are under human control and\/or involve use of some kind of physical act or object. And we know <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=psalm+118:5-9;+isaiah+2:22;+psalm+146:3-4;+2-chronicles+32:7-8;+psalm+40:4;+psalm+108:12;+isaiah+31:1-3;+jeremiah+17:1-7;+2-chronicles+14:11;+psalm+60:11-12\">how God feels about his people taking direction from humans<\/a>. The way God puts it, all of these activities are matters of the flesh &#8212; not of the spirit. God feels so strongly about the control that religious leaders have over his people that he calls the condition <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-injustice-and-slavery\">slavery, oppression <\/a>and bondage to sin. We clearly see his strong condemnation of religious leaders in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/revelation\/passage\/?q=revelation+2:1-17\">Jesus&#8217; discourse with the churches in Ephesus and Pergamum<\/a> and in his <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=matthew+6:1-16;+matthew+23;+luke+6:24-26;+luke+11:42-47\">stern rebukes of the Pharisees<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Despite God&#8217;s strong feelings about human leaders, God and religion are still fully integrated and inseparable in the minds of religious people. In their minds, if they have religion, they have God. The have been taught to think that if they practice religion, they know God and have a relationship with him. Religionists believe that interacting with other like-minded believers in religious activity is equal to interacting with God because in religious fellowship they experience warm fuzzy feelings that they attribute to God. They conclude that if doing religion feels good emotionally and physically, God is pleased with them and blesses them with those warm fuzzy feelings. They like to think that what is happening to them is spiritual,\u00a0 but it is really just their flesh responding to the social and psychological effects of doing something with other, like-minded people. Social scientists have observed these effects in the following research:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li><span id=\"joh7-9\"><span id=\"mt24-23\"><span id=\"mt24-27\"><span id=\"mr13-23\"><span id=\"lu17-26\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Catherine_Bell_(religious_studies_scholar)#Ritual_Theory,_Ritual_Practice\">Interactive Ritual Theory <\/a><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Catherine_Bell_(religious_studies_scholar)#Ritual_Theory,_Ritual_Practice\">Ritual<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/press.princeton.edu\/titles\/7769.html\">Interaction ritual chains \/ Randall Collins<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Catherine_Bell_(religious_studies_scholar)#Ritual_Theory,_Ritual_Practice\">Sub-Cultural Identity Theory<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Catherine_Bell_(religious_studies_scholar)#Ritual_Theory,_Ritual_Practice\">Religiosity<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Catherine_Bell_(religious_studies_scholar)#Ritual_Theory,_Ritual_Practice\">Religious Preferences<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Catherine_Bell_(religious_studies_scholar)#Ritual_Theory,_Ritual_Practice\">Religious Behavior<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Catherine_Bell_(religious_studies_scholar)#Ritual_Theory,_Ritual_Practice\">Attachment Theory <\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>People who do not understand the difference between observable religion\u00a0 and invisible faith believe that religion is absolutely necessary to acquiring knowledge of God and that worship of God is absolutely linked with the practice of religion. For religionists, this is the way it has always been. For the deeply religious, there is no room for consideration that it could ever be any different. This assumption works fine until we consider two matters.<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>First, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/hebrews\/11-1.html\">faith, the substance of things not seen<\/a>, is a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=ephesians+2:8-10;+ephesians+6:23;+1-timothy+1:2;+titus+1:4;+1-corinthians+12:1-10\">spiritual gift from God<\/a>.\u00a0 Therefore, because <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/john\/passage\/?q=john+3:6-8\">spiritual things cannot be seen<\/a>, real faith cannot be seen.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Second, religion is always done with the physical body, often using observable religious objects\/devices (e.g. clothing, altars, buildings, food, drink, water, music, liturgy, traditions, etc.) which can be seen, touched, tasted, heard, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=codified&amp;ie=utf-8&amp;oe=utf-8\">codified<\/a>, and repeated according to codes and traditions created by and managed by religious leaders.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Somehow this contradiction never enters the mind of religious people who claim to have faith. For those who are unwilling to quit religion, this creates a serious dilemma.<\/p>\n<p>On the one hand, if they maintain their religious practices, they keep beliefs about their faith, and religion intact. They are willing to live with the contradiction. Such people are unable to admit that they might be wrong about their religion. This is evidence of the toxic hold religion has on them.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, if they do quit religion, they must simultaneously admit that their earlier assumptions about God and religion being linked were false. And if they also recognize that they have always been directed in their religious activities by human religious leaders instead of by God, they\u00a0 must also admit that they have always practiced deviant, Old\/First Covenant religion and never were New Covenant disciples. More shocking still, they must admit that they have <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-sin\/religion-is-idolatry\">idolized those human leaders<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>These are tough admissions for religious people to make. But people who have accepted these truths and have disengaged from toxic religion have made a critical step in the right direction toward becoming New Covenant disciples. If they don&#8217;t stall in their new-found freedom and continue to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/study\">study <\/a>to learn what it means to be New Covenant disciples, they will be taught by God directly and worship him without the aid of religion or a human teacher. That may not be what they had in mind when they quit religion, but that is what God has in mind for them and for those who have not yet quit religion. The Religious Detox Network is a resource for such people.<\/p>\n<p>Another problem exists for those who are unwilling or unable to quit their religion. If they can&#8217;t or won&#8217;t quit, they show that they are addicted to their faith (i.e. religious doctrines and practices). Even if their religious history has been all good and even if they do not have a sense of experiencing any <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-injustice-and-slavery\">adverse circumstances because of religion<\/a>, they prove that they are addicted when they categorically reject quitting or even modifying their religion. Such people are commonly called fundamentalists. Even when someone proves, or even suggests, to fundamentalists that religion is toxic to their spiritual health, they refuse to change and become even more resolved in their religion. They respond to such notions the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=matthew+22:1-15;+matthew+26:1-4;+acts+9:17-23;+matthew+22:15-22;+mark+12:13-17;+luke+20:20-26;+john+11:45-57\">same way that Pharisees responded<\/a> to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=matthew+6:1-16;+matthew+23;+luke+6:24-26;+luke+11:42-47\">Jesus&#8217; complaints about them<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Fundamentalists do not realize that it is possible to relate to God independent of religion. Their religion teaches that the only way to connect with God is through religion and that they need religious teachers to learn about God and his ways. They do not allow that God is able to connect with his people independently, without human assistance. In reality, they find God deficient in his ability to connect with and teach his people. In reality, they believe that they can do things that God cannot do. In reality, they set themselves above God. In reality, they make themselves to be gods.<\/p>\n<p>This thinking is evidence that they are intoxicated with religious thinking. If they are unable to see or think in a way which is different than the way their religion tells them to think, they are addicted to the religion that controls their thinking. Thus they do not understand that the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=matthew+12:22;+matthew+15:30;+matthew+21:14\">stories of Jesus healing blind men<\/a> are parables that speak about them being cured from their addictions to religion. And, remaining blind to the truth that religion is a curse, they remain deceived in their belief that it is a virtue.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, religion has taken over their thinking to the degree that the ability to even consider an alternative way of relating to God does not exist. They are in the great population of religious people who have <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=isaiah+6:9;+jeremiah+5:21;+matthew+13:13-14;+mark+4:12;+mark+8:18;+luke+8:10;+john+9:39-41;+john+12:40;+acts+28:26;+romans+11:8\">eyes to see but do not see. <\/a>This means that they can read the literal words of the Bible but do not interpret what they read with spiritual eyes.<\/p>\n<p>In their self-righteousness, fundamentalists believe they are faithful to God but they are really only faithful to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=isaiah+29:13;+matthew+15:9;+mark+7:7;+colossians+2:16-23\">religious doctrines taught by men <\/a>based on the literal words of the Bible. Being Old Covenant religionists who are taught only by men, they are not able to listen to God speaking to their heart according to the terms of the New Covenant. Holding fast as they do to these religious doctrines, fundamentalists have forfeited the ability to reason and apply free will while listening to God&#8217;s voice. The caution here is that if religion does your thinking for you, and if neither God nor anyone else can break through to change your mind or behaviors, you are addicted to religion.<\/p>\n<p>That is bad news for people who remain tied to their religions. The good news is that people who have disengaged from religion are beginning to hear from God directly. The Religion Detox Network is a place for those ex-religionists to communicate to one another what they are hearing from God about leaving religion and listening to him only.<\/p>\n<p>That is good for people who are in the process of quitting religion, but practicing religionists still have a dilemma that is complicated by convictions that the literal Bible justifies religious beliefs and behaviors. So what we seem to have is a situation which suggests that religious people are addicted to something that they are convinced God has instructed them to do &#8212; even though <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=john+4:19-24;+galatians+5:25;+philippians+3:1-3\">God actually instructs them very differently <\/a>and tells them that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=amos+5:21-27;+isaiah+1:10-17;+micah+6:1-8;+isaiah+66:1-3;+jeremiah+7:1-32;+1-samuel+15:10-24;+jeremiah+6:18-21;+isaiah+1:11-16;+amos+4:1-5;+amos+8:1-10;+leviticus+26:31;+jeremiah+14:1-12\">he hates their sacrifices, offerings and assemblies<\/a> that they convene in high places. This does not make sense at an intellectual level, but that is where religionists are and they are powerless to change their thinking &#8212; unless God intervenes and unless they are healed from their blindness.<\/p>\n<p>These points about addiction to religion are so critical to spiritual health that they are worth repeating:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Anyone who is not willing to listen to the mere notion of quitting religious activity is addicted to religion.<\/li>\n<li>Anyone who has heard the arguments against religion and is unwilling to quit is addicted to religion.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Finally, since God and religion are interchangeable in the eyes of religious people, they might argue that they are addicted to God. That is a fine-sounding religious argument but it does not make any sense because the basis of relationship with God is that people <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+6:1-5;+matthew+22:37;+mark+12:30;+luke+10:27\">love him with their heart, mind, soul and strength.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Addiction to God does not fit into this pattern of love. God wants the love that people have for him to be from the heart and voluntary &#8212;\u00a0 not compulsive and involuntary like an addiction. Loving God comes from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/romans\/passage\/?q=romans+2:1-4\">awareness of his kindness in rescuing us from religion<\/a> &#8212; not because we practice religion.<\/p>\n<p>Love of God is an option that people can take or not, but addiction to religion is beyond control.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID ABOUT TOXIC RELIGION AND ADDICTION TO RELIGION<\/strong><br \/>\nA well-known <a href=\"http:\/\/www.cbn.com\/spirituallife\/churchandministry\/charisma_grady_toxicreligion.aspx\">religious author has made an attempt to document indicators of religious toxicity<\/a>. This is one-man&#8217;s opinion about a very touchy subject in religious circles. Several others have created tests (see links below) by which religious people may judge if they are addicted to religion.<\/p>\n<p>For the benefit of people who are not familiar with the idea of toxic religion, the Moderators offer the following links. Moderators do not unconditionally agree with anything presented in any of these links. They are for information only to help readers evaluate their personal religious health and are not included as absolute or scientific truths that can withstand the test of Biblical scrutiny.<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 3.38462%;\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 3.23077%;\"><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 93.0769%;\">\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.huffpost.com\/entry\/toxic-religion-life-church_b_1468798\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">Why Rules Create Toxic Religion<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.google.com\/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=1&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=0CB8QFjAA&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbn.com%2Fspirituallife%2Fchurchandministry%2Fcharisma_grady_toxicreligion.aspx&amp;ei=pa9kVdnxL4HKsAXkpYHYCA&amp;usg=AFQjCNFwMu9LhJjUSePrLObJ5LIoBBnh1g&amp;sig2=wbH1iMwHKNhlFmlFaseEaw&amp;bvm=bv.93990622,d.b2w\">The Warning Signs of Toxic Religion: Spiritual Life CBN.com<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/journeyfree.org\/rts\/rts-its-time-to-recognize-it\/\">RTS (Religious Trauma Syndrome)\u2013 It\u2019s Time To Recognize It <\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 20px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?client=firefox-b-1-d&amp;q=Are+Your+Spiritual+and+Religious+Beliefs+Toxic+or+Nurturing%3F\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Are Your Spiritual and Religious Beliefs Toxic or Nurturing?<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-family: Arial; font-size: 20px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/thewartburgwatch.com\/2010\/08\/03\/ten-characteristics-of-a-toxic-faith-system\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ten Toxic-Faith Characteristics<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>DETOXIFICATION<\/strong><br \/>\nOnce inoculated with religion, it is really hard to get it out of your system. Just when you think you might be free from it, you will be surprised, shocked and dismayed to find a residue of religious behavior or thinking in your life. Common indicators of the residual effects of religious intoxication include the following:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Desire to access the good feelings that come from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/music-singing-and-dancing\">religious music.<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Look for a human person who can teach you about God.<\/li>\n<li>Miss the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-deception\/5#sociologyreligion\">social benefits of religious gatherings<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Feeling like a social <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=matthew+10:34-36;+micah+7:1-6;+matthew+10:16-23\">outsider to family and friends<\/a> with whom we once shared religious beliefs and practices.<\/li>\n<li>Having a sense of lack of direction and cohesiveness in your life outside of family and work.<\/li>\n<li>You find yourself using religious language.<\/li>\n<li>You don&#8217;t know what to do during those times when you practiced religion.<\/li>\n<li>You find yourself praying like you prayed when you were religious.<\/li>\n<li>You feel like you are robbing God because you don&#8217;t give <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/sacrifices-tithes-and-offerings\">tithes and offerings<\/a> any more.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>These thoughts, feelings and practices do not go away easily and they can be bothersome to bear. And some of them may not go away at all &#8212; even if you never go to a religious gathering. But these facts testify to the toxic power of religion. They are all part of the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/death-resurrection-life\">death and resurrection, and new life process in which\u00a0<\/a>God <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/hebrew\/nas\/qodesh.html\">sets us apart (i.e. holy)<\/a> to himself.<\/p>\n<p>But the detoxification process is worth going through because it these profound upside effects:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>You will be increasingly aware of the hypocrisy in religion and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/pride\/19\">humbled for the fact that you proudly participated in it<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>You will be increasingly grateful that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+13:3;+deuteronomy+5:15;+deuteronomy+15:15;+deuteronomy+16:3;+deuteronomy+16:12;+deuteronomy+24:18-22\">God delivered you from religion.<\/a><\/li>\n<li>God will<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34;+jeremiah+32:40;+1-thessalonians+4:9;+1-john+2:27;+john+14:11-17;+john+14:26;+1-corinthians+2:12;+hebrews+8:10-11\"> write his laws on your heart and teach you about himself and his ways by his spirit directly &#8212; not through a human mediator.<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Your ability to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice#howtoheargodsvoice\">hear God&#8217;s spoken<\/a> voice will increase greatly.<\/li>\n<li>Your tendency to interpret the Bible literally will give way to symbolic interpretations that reveal the mystery of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/search\/?s=bibles&amp;q=dark+sayings&amp;t=nas&amp;c=all\">dark sayings<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=proverbs+1:1-6;+psalm+49:1-4\">, proverbs and riddles<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=proverbs+1:1-6;+psalm+49:1-4;+john+10:1-6;+john+16:23-30\">figures of speech, words of the wise and riddles, <\/a><span class=\"verse-12\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=job+33:9-19;+job+4:12-17;+job+33:15-18\">dreams and visions<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/hebrew\/nas\/chiydah.html\">, enigmas, <\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/daniel\/passage\/?q=daniel+5:1-17\">difficult problems<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/daniel\/passage\/?q=daniel+5:1-17\">, <\/a><\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=colossians+2:13-22;+hebrews+8:1-10;+hebrews+10:1-18\">shadows, <\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=romans+5:14;+hebrews+11:19\">types and patterns<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=numbers+23:7;+numbers+23:18;+numbers+24:3;+numbers+24:15;+numbers+24:20-21;+numbers+24:23;+deuteronomy+28:37;+1-samuel+10:12;+1-samuel+24:13;+1-kings+4:32;+1-kings+9:7;+job+13:12;+job+27:1;+job+29:1;+psalm+44:14;+psalm+49:4;+psalm+78:2;+proverbs+1:1;+proverbs+1:6;+proverbs+10:1;+proverbs+25:1;+proverbs+26:7;+proverbs+26:9;+isaiah+14:4;+jeremiah+24:9;+ezekiel+12:22-23;+ezekiel+14:8;+ezekiel+17:2;+ezekiel+18:2-3;+ezekiel+20:49;+ezekiel+24:3;+joel+2:17;+habakkuk+2:6;+micah+2:4;+matthew+13:3;+matthew+13:13;+matthew+13:18;+matthew+13:24;+matthew+13:31;+matthew+13:33-36;+matthew+13:53;+matthew+21:33;+matthew+21:45;+matthew+22:1;+matthew+24:32;+mark+3:23;+mark+4:2;+mark+4:13;+mark+4:30;+mark+4:33-34;+mark+12:1;+mark+12:12;+mark+13:28;+luke+4:23;+luke+5:36;+luke+6:39;+luke+8:9-11;+luke+12:16;+luke+12:41;+luke+13:6;+luke+14:7;+luke+15:3;+luke+18:1;+luke+18:9;+luke+19:11;+luke+20:9;+luke+20:19;+luke+21:29;+hebrews+9:9\">parables\/taunts\/proverbs<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=genesis+9:12-17;+genesis+17:11;+exodus+13:16;+numbers+6:7;+deuteronomy+6:8;+deuteronomy+11:18;+joshua+4:1-6;+isaiah+8:18;+isaiah+19:20;+isaiah+20:3;+ezekiel+17:2;+ezekiel+24:3;+galatians+4:24;+hebrews+9:1-9;+hebrews+11:19;+1-peter+3:20-21;+revelation+11:1-8;+revelation+17:1-5\">symbols, signs and allegories.<\/a><\/li>\n<li>You will be increasingly <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=habakkuk+1:13;+psalm+119:53;+exodus+32:17-19;+ezra+9:1-3;+nehemiah+13:23-25;+psalm+119:158;+psalm+139:21\">offended by the presence of religion <\/a>in the world.<\/li>\n<li>You will increasingly sensitive to the ways that<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-injustice-and-slavery\"> religion enslaves and oppresses people.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/psalms\/19.html\">Psalms 19<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/psalms\/119.html\">Psalms 119<\/a> resonate as truth in your life.<\/li>\n<li>You will <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/matthew\/23-37.html\">grieve for people who remain in bondage to religion.<\/a><\/li>\n<li>You will gradually see that the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-deception\/3\">religious life that you once valued and held on to so dearly<\/a> is much less important, or hopefully not at all important, to you.<\/li>\n<li>You become increasingly motivated to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+12;+deuteronomy+20;+numbers+21:1-3;+numbers+31:1-18;+numbers+32;+numbers+33:50-56;+deuteronomy+9;+joshua+7:1-15;+joshua+9;+joshua+11;+joshua+23;+judges+2:11-23;+1-samuel+15:10-26;+deuteronomy+7:1-6;+deuteronomy+31:1-8;+zechariah+12:9;+jeremiah+1:10;+jeremiah+51:15-23\">utterly destroy religion and all of the physical elements (e.g. altars, idols, temples, etc.)<\/a> that are found in the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=leviticus+26:14-33;+numbers+33:49-52;+deuteronomy+12:1-4;+deuteronomy+33:29;+1-kings+3:3;+1-kings+12:31-32;+1-kings+13;+1-kings+14:21-24;+1-kings+22:43;+2-kings+12:1-3;+2-kings+14:1-4;+2-kings+15;+2-kings+16:1-4;+2-kings+17;+2-kings+18;+2-kings+21:1-3;+2-kings+23;+2-chronicles+11:1-15;+2-chronicles+14:1-5;+2-chronicles+15:17;+2-chronicles+20:33;+2-chronicles+21:1-11;+2-chronicles+28:1-4;+2-chronicles+28:22-25;+2-chronicles+31:1;+2-chronicles+33:1-3;+2-chronicles+33:1-20;+2-chronicles+34:1-3;+psalm+78:58;+jeremiah+7:31;+jeremiah+17:1-3;+jeremiah+19:5;+jeremiah+32:35;+jeremiah+48:35;+ezekiel+6:1-13;+ezekiel+16:16;+ezekiel+43:1-7;+hosea+10:8;+amos+4:13;+amos+7:9;+micah+1:3\">high places that God told us to destroy. <\/a><\/li>\n<li>You see yourself as a warrior responsible for <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/forums\/topic\/freedom-from-the-sin-of-religion\">setting religious people free<\/a> from religion<\/li>\n<li>You can see yourself as a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\">True Prophet<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>You become increasingly comfortable with being set-apart for God.<\/li>\n<li>We will have even more compassion for those who are still intoxicated with religion.<\/li>\n<li>Mindful of how your religiosity has adversely affected others, you may want to apologize to people who have had to endure the distaste and maybe even pain of our public religious speech and behaviors.<\/li>\n<li>You will find yourself wanting to challenge <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=luke+11:37-54;+matthew+23;+mark+12:35-40;+luke+20:45-47\"> religious leaders because of their hypocrisy and the way that they treat the people.<\/a><\/li>\n<li>We will regret all the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=matthew+6:1-6;+matthew+6:16;+matthew+23:1-12;+luke+6:26;+luke+20:46-47;+luke+21:1;+john+5:41-44;+john+12:42-43\">public displays of religiosity that you performed to exalt yourself in the eyes of men so that they would speak well of you.<\/a><\/li>\n<li>You will have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=galatians+3:28;+1-corinthians+12:13;+colossians+3:9-11;+colossians+3:1-3;+ephesians+2:14-15;+galatians+2:4-6;+philippians+2:1-8\">no need to be known by your religious affiliation<\/a> but will be satisfied that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/third-commandment\">God&#8217;s name\/character lives within you.<\/a><\/li>\n<li>You will find that you are very much <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/fourth-commandment\">at rest regarding the old habit of engaging in religious activity<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>You will find that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\/4\">the fact that, because God has placed his character in your heart, all of your needs are satisfied. <\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>These are only a few of the countless benefits that accrue to people who are willing to go through the detoxification process. To list them all is impossible <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=isaiah+64:1-4;+1-corinthians+2\">because eye has not seen and ear has not heard all that God has prepared for New Covenant disciples who have God&#8217;s character written on their hearts.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DIAGNOSING TOXICITY An honest assessment of the toxic, abusive power of religion can be described in ways by which religions use\u00a0cult-like methods of fear and guilt to attract, retain and control members: People join religion out of fear of going <span class=\"excerpt-dots\">&hellip;<\/span> <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/toxicity\"><span class=\"more-msg\">Continue reading &rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":160,"menu_order":26,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-93","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/93","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=93"}],"version-history":[{"count":80,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/93\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14188,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/93\/revisions\/14188"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/160"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=93"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}