What if Slavic Christians were actually taught lies?

Dear Slavic Christian, if legalistic beliefs, fear of man, and religious obligations were stripped from us, what would be left of our faith?

Let this sink into your heart as it has into mine. 

God keeps revealing how destructively indoctrinated growing up in a Slavic home and church has been.

Here are some lies that came up (along with destructive messages my clients have mentioned in therapy that they’ve learned).

1. Salvation is based on works-so be in many ministries to earn your spot.

2. A woman’s salvation is based on how many kids she has.

3. A man’s identity is based on the number of children he has and his bank account.

4. Women and children are trophies; meant to be seen, flaunted, and not heard.

5. Women must be obedient slaves and sex objects for their husbands. Her pleasure doesn’t matter.

6. Taking care of one’s physical health is idolatry and selfish.

7. People in religious authority get away with sins that a congregant would be excommunicated for.

8. Never speak about what’s happening in your home or church-you’re divisive, embarrassing, and rebellious.

9. Communion is only for perfect Christians-if you’re struggling, you can’t participate.

10. Looking good is better than being authentic and vulnerable.

11. Being spiritual: speaking in tongues, reading your Bible, going to church, etc., is more important than loving your spouse and family through daily actions.

12. Leaving one’s church, despite not growing there spiritually, is worse than not attending.

13. American churches are deceived and are “New Age.” After all, no one but tongues-speaking Slavs is going to heaven.

14. Baptists are bad. Charismatics are bad. Seventh-day Adventists are bad. None of them will be in “the Bride of Christ.”

15. “Public school is bad,” but neglecting to discipline your children is the norm.

16. Being silently miserable in your abusive marriage is better than receiving professional help-let alone leaving.

17. Children must please and obey parents at all costs, “or they’ll lose their blessing and will be cursed.”

18. A woman must prioritize her husband and children without caring for herself, while her husband can have hobbies, spend money as he pleases, and have time to relax.

19. Birth control opens the door to Satan, but having “accidents” that you don’t want is a “blessing from the Lord.”

These lies keep individuals from living by grace through faith, so they keep suffering in fear and shame of being rejected by an angry God. If only we understood how much he loves us and even gave up His life to prove it. How would we live then? What would we believe then?

As for me and my house, we always come back to the basics by first asking, “Did God mean that when people preach He said…? Or is that their own opinion and interpretation that they made into law?”

I know it breaks His heart to see the Slavic churches in the state that they’re in as far as losing their first love towards Him and one another. The only thing that can be done is for His to shine His pure light of love into our dark places and expose the junk so freedom and faith can reign once again.