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Rating: 
Summary: Most irrational book I've read in a long time
Review: I have some friends whose pastor seems very heavy-handed and they are starting to get bitter towards church. I was looking for a book to help them sort through these experiences and offer ways to deal with them. This book is not it.
To the author, it is already a "danger sign" when people in church all have "the big black Bible of the proper version, dog-eared and marked up" or all wear "suit and tie" or "jeans and t-shirt" (p.77). In other words, any time a church develops some commonalities, this is a "danger sign" for spiritual abuse to those who come in from the outside.
Also, "we all have to rethink how we address our leaders" (p. 79), because already calling the pastor "pastor" is potentially abusive.
After reading how the author describes everything that is supposedly spiritual abuse, I cannot put together a picture of what a healthy church would look like at all. [He does state "all churches are abusive to some degree" (p. 95).]
If I could give -5 I would.
Rating: 
Summary: it's pretty good
Review: It'd help me identify that my church was similar as the one identified in the book. I thought it was literally talking about my church which used high degree of authority, controlling our lives, and losing our freedom. I went to this church as a new Christian not really knowing what it is like to be in a body of Christ. This book helped me identify that i wasn't alone in this kind of abuse. Although it did that it does not help when it coems to bringing healing from it. it does a very good job of identifying it and describing the ones who inflict spiritual abuse upon the persons and identifythe types of victims, however it doesn't help bring solutions in healing. I kind of got really discouraged considering, although I had been out of that church a half a year ago, my Christian walk is suffering out of confusion. I wish he'd do more of how to be healed and after being in a spiritual abuse which i think most people would find it helpful.
Rating:
Summary: it's pretty good
Review: Ken Blue disucssed not only the abused side of spiritual abuse, but also covered the abuser. This was a balanced look at where spiritual abuse comes from, and steps to take to be healed from it. It had an awesome emphasis on the grace of God. All those who have been feeling like the church has done more harm than help to them should read this book. There is a firm biblical foundation in all that is written. It was an awesome book to read to get a better understanding of what is really going on whith the church, and how people are able to abuse church goers so easily. I would recommend it to all people who are in the church, be they part of the church staff or occasional church goers.
Rating: 
Summary: Awesome Book
Review: Ken Blue disucssed not only the abused side of spiritual abuse, but also covered the abuser. This was a balanced look at where spiritual abuse comes from, and steps to take to be healed from it. It had an awesome emphasis on the grace of God. All those who have been feeling like the church has done more harm than help to them should read this book. There is a firm biblical foundation in all that is written. It was an awesome book to read to get a better understanding of what is really going on whith the church, and how people are able to abuse church goers so easily. I would recommend it to all people who are in the church, be they part of the church staff or occasional church goers.
Rating:
Summary: For the Love of God
Review: The book deals effectively (though sometimes too expansively) with narcissistic and messianic leaders of churches and congregations. Priests, leaders of the congregation, preachers, evangelists, cultists, politicians, intellectuals - all derive authority from their allegedly privileged relationship with God.Religious authority allows the narcissist to indulge his sadistic urges and to exercise his misogynism freely and openly. Such a narcissist is likely to taunt and torment his followers, hector and chastise them, humiliate and berate them, abuse them spiritually, or even sexually. The narcissist whose source of authority is religious is looking for obedient and unquestioning slaves upon whom to exercise his capricious and wicked mastery. The narcissist transforms even the most innocuous and pure religious sentiments into a cultish ritual and a virulent hierarchy. He preys on the gullible. His flock become his hostages. Religious authority also secures the narcissist's Narcissistic Supply. His coreligionists, members of his congregation, his parish, his constituency, his audience - are transformed into loyal and stable Sources of Narcissistic Supply. They obey his commands, heed his admonitions, follow his creed, admire his personality, applaud his personal traits, satisfy his needs (sometimes even his carnal desires), revere and idolize him. Sam Vaknin, author of "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited".
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