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%ADDICTIVE RELIGIOUS LEADER SELF ESTEEM GUILT SHAME+940726
 %CODEPENDENT MARTYR COMPLEX FIXATION CONTROL POWER 940726

     Many religious leaders find it useful to  promote low
self-esteem   among  their  followers---for   then   their
followers  are  easier  to  control.    For  this  reason,
religious  teachings  often  focus more on creating shame,
guilt  and  low self-esteem---than upon  promoting healthy
self-images and esteem.   This is similar  to  the way  in
which an  addictive  husband  often  focuses on generating
shame,  guilt,  and low self-esteem in his wife---so as to
better be able to control her.

     Too  many religious followers,  like too many  wives,
are  prone  to  play the codependent role  in  support  of
addictive religious leaders.  Together they form addictive
religious organizations just as many addictive leaders and
codependent  supporters  work  together  in "The Addictive
Organization"  as  described by  Anne Wilson Schaef in her
book by that title.

     The   temptations  to  come  together  and  form   an
addictive organization are perhaps  greater with religious
organizations  than  with secular  organizations---because
the   religious  organizations  are  in  the  business  of
salvation  and ultimate concerns where the stakes are very
high.    If  the  teachings of  a  religious  organization
fail  to  address  the  temptation  of  leaders   in
religious organizations to form an addictive organization-
--that is a  sign  that the temptation has been effective.
Beware of such  religious organizations!

                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
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