After the edit of Shanghai Road, I started my reading (because honestly I need to read at least 200 of my Kindle books before the Rapture). I finished my first last night. An important novel.
Perhaps the most interesting book dealing with something most Christians swerve away from. I mean, who wants to admit that the church could be a source of abuse of power?
"Under Authority" by Kimalee Finelli does just that.
Kate (Katie, to her father) grew up in a church which she quickly began to hate. It wasn't the church, it was the pastor, who skillfully deceived the parishioners' with Scripture, slowly brainwashing them into believing he was the final authority. Anyone who disobeyed his rules was subjected to being shunned or excommunicated from the church. Many folks followed the pastor to the word, while others began to see the truth.
Before one judges anyone who has been abused, remember, they were gaslighted just like an abusive spouse, an abusive political group, an abusive work environment. Emotional abuse is equally as oppressive as physical abuse.
So in "Under Authority," the author skillfully weaves a story as the MC, Kate, travels to her home town. First come a few short memories woven into the present. Then longer, then longer sections of this same woven tapestry. It's beautifully written and it's easy to see the MC wrestling with the ghosts of the past.
Highly recommend, especially if you suspect your church is in this group - watching for the shame that the pastor on down can shame and gaslight you into believing you must do x, y, and z. In my small small small similar situation, I recall being in a church where a woman told me I 'must' watch the children because I was 'made by God' to watch over children. I did that once and after that, no ... hey I had a kid with ADHD, he was worth five rambunctious boys. Now why would I want to watch over 20 more?! I wasn't gifted with patience (LOLOL) to be there. At that point, yes, I left.
In Under Authority, the abuse of power is far, far worse. We need to pray for those who are stuck in churches who gaslight and shame people into guilt. These are the very things that drive people from believing in the love of God.
You can find it on Amazon, here:
Comments