MSI Press Blog

  Why Might Emotional Abuse in a Christian Home Push a Child Toward Atheism? Emotional abuse—chronic criticism, manipulation, humiliation, or neglect—can deeply distort a child’s sense of self and safety. When this occurs in a home that claims Christian values, the resulting contradictions often undermine spiritual trust and coherence. 1. Contradiction Between Message and Method Christian teachings emphasize love, grace, and compassion. Emotional abuse communicates the opposite: rejection, control, and conditional worth. Children may experience cognitive dissonance : If this is Christian love, it feels cruel. The mismatch between proclaimed values and lived experience can lead to rejecting the entire belief system. This is especially potent when the abuse is framed as “discipline” or “godly correction.” 2. Erosion of Self-Worth Emotional abuse often targets identity: “You’re worthless,” “You’ll never be good enough,” “God is disappointed in you.” These messages can become interna...

  Why Might Sexual Abuse in a Christian Home Push a Child Toward Atheism? Sexual abuse by a caregiver in a religious context introduces profound contradictions between proclaimed values and lived experience. The resulting trauma can fracture a child’s ability to trust, make meaning, and feel spiritually safe. 1. Violation of Sacred Trust Sexual abuse is a betrayal of the deepest kind. When the abuser is a parent who claims Christian values, the child may feel that everything sacred has been corrupted . The caregiver is supposed to reflect divine love and protection. When that figure becomes a source of harm, the child may reject the entire spiritual framework associated with them. This is especially potent when the abuse is hidden behind religious language or moral authority. 2. Shame and Silence in Religious Culture Many Christian communities emphasize purity, obedience, and forgiveness. These values can unintentionally: silence victims discourage disclosure spiritua...

STEP #1:   I affirm that people are values-centered. STUDENT: Dr. Brink? Do you remember me? I came by last week and we talked about religion. BRINK: Of course, but as I said last time, to give you the entire answer as to why I am religious, or why you should be religious, is not something that we should attempt all at once. We need to approach this topic advancing slowly but surely, one step at a time. STUDENT: So, where do we start? BRINK: My first point is that humans are values-oriented beings. They seek values, uphold values, and when they are not oriented by values, they fall into alienation. STUDENT: That sounds like Chapter 13 on social psychology. BRINK: My, you have read ahead in your psychology textbook. STUDENT: So, what’s the next point? BRINK: Don’t be so quick to agree with me. If we have not fully established step #1, then we do not have a good footing for the next step. We need to break down step #1 into several sub-steps. In order for y...