Cubicles of Charm and Crucibles of Condemnation
How charm and condemnation coexist in spiritually abusive organizations
The spiritually abusive organization becomes like a machine that views its people as objects to be separated into cubicles of charm or crucibles of condemnation based upon their willingness to unconditionally comply with the demands of the organization.
Filling the cubicles of charm are flattering messages, favors, and grandiose statements that tell supporters they are models for others, special, the greatest group to lead, and the reason for the organization’s success. Such messages are accepted, enjoyed, and returned without much regard for truth.
In the spiritually abusive organization, excessive charm quickly becomes excessive condemnation the moment loyalty is betrayed. Any non-supporters are quickly moved to crucibles of condemnation where the heat is turned up until the opposition is melted down.
This condemnation almost always happens in isolation behind closed doors where the organization is able to take greater risks. Those in the cubicles will quickly dismiss any reports of abuse because they have only known their climate of charm.
What the organization fails to understand is that the crucible of condemnation will eventually produce something new to them: people they can no longer charm, intimidate, or silence. People who know the truth and are compelled to make it known to others out of concern for the abused.
As the threat of losing support increases, so too does the spiritual abuse. The messages of charm sent to the cubicles will now include warnings of participating in gossip, reminders of their commitments, requests for patience and understanding, and reasons they need not be alarmed.
They will then misuse the Bible by boosting teachings on love, grace, forgiveness, and mercy while burying teachings on truth, justice, light, and accountability. Those in the cubicles are judged as either faithful or faithless on the basis of their obedience to these teachings.
Their manipulation becomes more devious as they boast in their connection to God and His Kingdom, establishing themselves as agents of God under spiritual attack from those who have emerged from the crucible and now want to derail their ministry.
Those dissenters are no longer just viewed as non-supporters. They are no longer just seen as opponents of the organization. They are now made to appear as the very enemies of God launching a coordinated attack against the kingdom. Those in the cubicles of charm are implicitly made to believe that siding with the opposition is a choice to be God’s enemy and siding with the organization is a choice to be God’s friend.
Disguised as angels of light, those who have harmed God’s people in crucibles of condemnation establish themselves as friends of God, and those who are seeking to stop the harm to God’s people are established as enemies of God.
They can maintain control if they convince people of this lie. But if they fail, the weight of the truth will eventually cause the machine to break down, the cubicles will collapse, the crucibles will be revealed, and the organization will lose its power to charm and condemn.