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Spiritual Harm in New Religions:
Reflections on Interviews with Former Members of NRMs
Phillip Charles Lucas, Ph.D.
Abstract
Interviews with former members of new religious movements indicates that for
many powerful spiritual experiences were prime motivations for joining and
remaining in their particular communities. But sometimes members of such
communities may experience spiritual harm as a result of a cessation of
perceived spiritual experiences, an abuse of spiritual authority by group
leaders, and disagreements over the frequency, intensity, and efficacy of
specific practices and rituals. Spiritual harm, especially after leaving a
community, typically manifests as identity confusion and an inability to trust,
particularly persons of religious or spiritual authority.
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