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As per their website, their mission is to “document allegations of abuse, as well as individuals in a position of leadership who allegedly mishandled allegations of abuse within their organization.

Abuse and institutional failures are often hidden from public view. This organization exists to bring these matters into the light by collecting and organizing publicly available information concerning sexual abuse & misconduct in religious settings. They document allegations, investigations, legal proceedings, convictions, and documented efforts to conceal, enable, minimize or disregard abuse. By preserving these records, they seek to promote transparency, accountability, and the protection of those at risk.

Submit new information, report inaccurate information, or provide updates to existing profiles here.

Over at Only Sky, I highlight Emmy-winning filmmaker ’s latest film, the HBO Original Documentary The Welcome Table. In describing Fox’s work, journalist opined, “Superman could leap a tall building in a single bound. That ain’t nothing compared to Josh Fox. Fox created the anti-fracking movement in a single movie, Gasland.”

While this article is listed as “members only” subscribing to Only Sky is free. I started writing for Only Sky in 2022 and am grateful to be penning pieces for them following their relaunch in 2024. As noted on their website, their mission is to “explore life, culture, and the future through science, wonder, and human curiosity.” These themes resonate with my work as a religious satirist where I seek to smash those false religious idols who promote their platforms over prophecy. In these smashed fragments of a former faith, we can see glimpses of authentic connections via festivals, brewpubs & tasting rooms, D&D gatherings, and other grassroots-y gatherings. Here we can connect with others by exploring what we have in common in our shared humanity. The final chapter of Gaslighting for God: A Satirical Guide to Save Yourself From Spiritual Narcissists explores how we can connect in community despite our polarizing climate.

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To commemorate two milestone birthdays - mine at 65 and the US at 250, I’m offering a special Door-ish sale. The first nine people who purchase a vintage copy of The Wittenburg Door can receive a code for a free audiobook of Gaslighting for God: A Satirical Guide to Save Yourself From Spiritual Narcissists. A list of Doors available for sale can be found here. Just send me a message once you’ve purchased a Door and I’ll send you the code when I mail the issue to you.

One thing I’ve learned over the years is that satire is the salve that can soothe many wounds. This knowledge has saved my soul and sanity during these triggering Trumpian traumatic times ... and I hope the same salvation can be yours.

Top Photo courtesy of Pixabay, Other Photos taken by Becky Garrison

Following are some articles I’ve penned for Only Sky Media that touch on the intersection of wine and war.

In Drinking wine in a time of war, I reflect on my writing about the Pacific Northwest craft culture suggests that perhaps wine grown using organic and sustainable means can help connect us at a deeper level. That is, if we are willing to truly listen to the land. In this piece I cite two wineries Maysara Winery and who illuminate for me how the peace of winemaking is a sorely needed alternative to violent regimes warring in the name of God.

I further expound on the Persian hospitality I experience when visiting Maysara Winery in Persian hospitality: Connecting cultures through wine. Simply put, can ancient traditions of wine and hospitality bridge the divide between America and Iran?

While I used to keep my writing on #churchtoo abuses and the PNW craft culture separate, sometimes they intersect such as my piece Sexual violence against Palestinians: Justice for victims, or silence for abusers? In this piece, I question the blowback to Nick Kristof’s reporting on sexual violence perpetuated by Israeli soldiers on Palestinian prisoners.

Check out my latest conversation with where we ponder how we lost our moral compass.

Check it out at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube.

And check out Gaslighting for God: A Satirical Guide to Save Yourself from Spiritual Narcissists, now out in audiobook! The narrator Val did a not only did a kick ass job narrating the sucker but she also posted a lovely review of this book. And she’s also into wine as well. After you read her review, check out her substack and subscribe.

Other Gaslighting for God News

I was asked to speak about my story here ... Bold Journey: Becky Garrison

reviewed Gaslighting for God. Yes, The Door is still open. Come on in and check out their senses and.

And speaking of The Wittenburg Door, I have a number of vintage Doors for sale. See this link.

Join religious satirist and storyteller Becky Garrison for a conversation about her book Gaslighting for God: A Satirical Guide to Save Yourself from Spiritual Narcissists (Lake Drive Books, 2026). Learn how to not only survive but thrive during the US 2026 election cycle. In a world full of uncertainty, self-styled spiritual gurus join forces with partisan politicians to promote a faith-based form of salvation that’s godawful not godly. Garrison’s biting and hilarious exposé of how narcissism has become the unfortunate backbone of a politicized form of American spirituality. But this isn’t just a takedown—it’s a roadmap to escape toxic systems and find healthier, inclusive spaces for our lives going forward.

Garrison holds and MDiv/MSW from Yale Divinity School and Columbia University School of Social Work and is the author of nine books including the award winning Distilled in Washington: A History (The History Press, 2024) and Roger Williams’s Little Book of Virtues (Wipf & Stock, 2020). Her recent writing credits include work for Spirituality & Health, Only Sky, Religion Dispatches, Good Faith Media, Beverage Master/The Grapevine Magazine, Northwest Travel & Life, Edible Seattle, The Alcohol Professor, and SIP.

Her book will be available for sale at the event.

Admission: $10, or FREE for CFI Members. Membership is $60/year. Find out more and join here: https://cfiwest.org/donate/

Tickets are sold at the door only.

Gaslighting For God

Date: Sunday, May 17
Time: 11:00 am - 12:30 pm

Center for Inquiry West
2535 West Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90026 United States
Get Directions

Organized by:
Center for Inquiry West
Phone: (323) 666-9797
Email: info@cfiwest.org

Commission inquiries at Mayatoons.bsky.social

Delighted to chat with @Cara Cardoni on her podcast “Fool’s Gold: Discernment in the Age of Grift.’ We delved into my book Gaslighting for God: A Satirical Guide to Save Yourself From Spiritual Narcissists (Lake Drive Books, 2026) with a particular focus on my reporting on ISTA (International School of Temple Arts). Cara was an instrumental figure behind creating 3SC (Safer Sex-Positive & Spiritual Communities), a volunteer survivor advocacy organization formed in May 2022 to address reports of harm occurring at ISTA and Highden Temple.

Our convo is available on You Tube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Also, check out Cara’s conversation over at the Little Bit Culty podcast where she is joined by “Lina,” the survivor profiled in The Cut’s expose on ISTA.

Blast from the past ... This is a clip from the 2008 documentary “The Ordinary Radicals” produced and directed by Jamie Moffett. I recount my experience connecting with “ordinary radicals” in Jesus Died For This?: A Satirist’s Search for the Risen Christ, a book first published in 2010 and then republished in 2025 by LakeDriveBooks.

At this time I still believed that the church was indeed undergoing a transformation and might be reformed into actually resembling the body of Christ.

Cutting-edge ventures aimed at rebranding the church as “cool” used to draw in those disenchanted with traditional forms of institutional church, but these methods no longer appealed to twenty-first-century pious peeps. The liberal mainline Episcopal Church of my youth that once marched in solidarity with Martin Luther King, Jr., was now walking biblically bowlegged, so to speak (sans a few prophetic outliers like Manhattan-based St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery).

Conversely, conservative forms of religion, appealing to many, were appalling to many more, many of whom said they were “done” with religion and went on to live entirely secular lives . Once these people stop checking off the correct Christian category, the institutional church drops them from their membership list as though they committed a serious spiritual sin . Some religion writers call these secular people “nones” because that’s what they put on the census forms under “religion.”

In my reporting on American Christianity, I observed how these “nones” and “dones” felt free to choose a path that spoke to them, one without guilt-ridden dogmas. Some find occasional comfort in a church, synagogue, temple, or mosque that truly welcomes all, one that aims to be a place of healing, not a means of harm to others. Others choose to worship, reflect, or meditate outside of traditional religious structures. Simultaneously, for the first time in U.S. history, atheists began to come out of the closet in droves.

Unfortunately, in reviewing Jesus Died for This? before its republication by Lake Drive Books in 2025, I felt my heart sink when I realized the extent to which I’d been hoodwinked. Throughout the book, I referenced those whom I thought were peers and whose work I once praised, who proved to be plastic when they got their shot in the media spotlight. Others showed their narcissistic side in more subtle but equally sickening ways. When I first began to experience such negative energies, I’d pray for the day when we could all come together and rekindle that spiritual spark that once drew me to their work in the first place. But I’ve learned to stop dreaming. Whenever I’d show up to one of their gatherings, they’d talk and talk and talk about their mission to build a better church, but in the end, it all proved to be a mirage. No amount of wishing can bring back that magic.

In the same spirit, I’ve given up any hope that those in my life who possess extreme narcissistic characteristics will change. This awareness allows me to forgive them without expecting any connection I thought we once had. Yes, I’d embrace such an authentic change of heart, but I no longer hold out hope for an apology, knowing the odds of such a genuine reconciliation are akin to winning the lottery.

Freed from this empty hope, I can move on in faith.

With my latest book Gaslighting for God: A Satirical Guide to Save Yourself From Spiritual Narcissists (Lake Drive Books, 2026), I profess I longer believe the institutional church can be saved. But I remain even more convinced than I was in 2008 when this video was released that I believe in us to be the change we are waiting for. (Credit to as the originator of this phrase.)

From the show notes:

Some people leave the church quietly. Becky Garrison stayed and took notes.

A satirist, journalist, and Yale Divinity School-trained religious critic, Becky spent over a decade as Senior Contributing Editor at The Wittenburg Door — the nation’s oldest, most irreverent Christian satire magazine — before the institution gave her more material than she bargained for. Her latest book, Gaslighting for God, is part exposé, part survival manual, and somehow genuinely funny. Because when the narcissist is behind the pulpit, sometimes the only sane response is satire.

Becky joins Behk & LAH to talk about what happens when the tactics we recognize in toxic relationships — the love bombing, the narrative rewriting, the coercive control, the manufactured reality — get wrapped in a scripture verse and called sacred. She traces her own journey from preacher’s kid to what she now calls an “epiphytic agnostic Anglican,” explains why progressive spiritual spaces can be just as dangerous as conservative ones, and makes the case that your gut instinct is one of the most underrated tools you have.

The conversation goes deep — from the NXIVM case and the prosecution of Keith Raniere, to the OneTaste orgasmic meditation case and why charging Nicole Daedone with human trafficking rather than prostitution was a critical distinction for survivors, to the Archbishop of Canterbury’s resignation following a pattern of sexual abuse among clergy in the Church of England. Becky also breaks down why narcissistic collapse looks exactly like a three-year-old’s temper tantrum, why you cannot rationalize with someone in the middle of one, and why learning to recognize the pattern is genuinely liberating.

Her parting advice: trust your gut. We are taught not to. But your intuition — nurtured, cared for, and freed from the trigger responses of unhealed trauma — is the most powerful narcissist detector you have.

Narcissists, Gaslighters, & Cheaters, Oh My! — real folks, real stories, survival & healing.

Resources & Links:
📖 Get the book: Gaslighting for God — Lake Drive Books
🌐 Website: beckygarrison.com
✍️ Substack: beckygarrison.substack.com

Cases mentioned in this episode: 🔗 NXIVM / Keith Raniere — women’s empowerment organization prosecuted for sex trafficking and racketeering 🔗 OneTaste / Nicole Daedone — orgasmic meditation organization prosecuted for human trafficking 🔗 Archbishop of Canterbury resignation — following reports of sexual abuse patterns among Church of England clergy

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions of spiritual abuse, religious trauma, coercive control, sexual coercion, human trafficking, narcissistic abuse, and references to political and institutional abuse of power. Listener discretion is advised.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence of any kind, you are not alone. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788 for free, confidential support — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Behk and LAH are not doctors or therapists. Nothing shared on this podcast should be taken as medical or professional advice.

In a fitting touch of irony, my conversation with Rachel Bernstein on her IndoctriNATION podcast dropped on April Fool’s Day. But our convo was no joke.

As per the show notes.

In this episode, Rachel Bernstein interviews Becky Garrison, author of “Gaslighting for God,” about spiritual narcissism, charismatic leaders, and how abuse is hidden behind a persona with little accountability. Garrison describes her background in religious satire, family alcoholism, and how research into trauma and somatic therapies helped her recognize narcissistic patterns without becoming triggered. They distinguish lying from gaslighting as deliberately altering someone’s perception of reality and discuss DARVO and institutional cover-ups, including examples involving clergy, money, and celebrity wellness figures. Garrison emphasizes prevention through education, following the money, testing groups with “gentle no” boundaries, watching for coercive demands (time, money, access), avoiding parasocial attachments, and finding support communities after leaving toxic leaders or groups.

Check it out on the platform of your choice.

Recently I’ve had the lovely experience of reconnecting with for some chats on his podcast. We first met back around 2008 at a Killing the Buddha event in New York City when both of us were still penning works for the Christian market. As you can hear in the podcast, we’ve both moved on as spiritual seekers operating outside institutional church structures.

The show notes do an excellent job of summarizing the gist of a 2 1/2-hour-long convo ...

In the first hour, we get into spiritual narcissism, not as an abstract idea but as something that shapes real communities and does real damage. We talk about MAGA as a kind of cult identity, Trump as a case study in personality-driven power, and how prosperity gospel culture helped prepare the ground for all of it. We also get into religious trauma and why, at least for me, institutional Christianity isn’t something that can be fixed from the inside. And we don’t let progressive spaces off the hook either. The same patterns show up there too, just with a different language.

In the second hour, we stop diagnosing and start asking what now. Becky talks about why she’s still hopeful despite everything, and we get into the limits of satire in a culture that already feels like parody. We talk about the collapse of celebrity-driven leadership, the exhaustion people feel with national politics, and why real change may be happening in smaller, local, less visible ways. It’s less about movements and more about relationships. Less about influence and more about staying human.

Check the show out here on your platform of choice.

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

You Tube

Frank Schaeffer’s website

It Had to be Said: Frank Schaeffer’s Substack

After we did this podcast, the news about Caesar Chavez broke. Other outlets have done due diligence in reporting on the details and how swiftly communities are responding to replacing the symbols honoring him to better reflect the broader moment for good. (And yes, we should ask how quickly this removal would have gone if Chavez were a member of the Epstein class.)

Here I’d like to offer a gentle reminder to those in shock about the Caesar Chavez saga … this is the tip of the iceberg. I’ve lost count of the number of people (mostly women) who told me stories involving those who were saviors when in the spotlight but spiritual narcissists in private. I’m using the word “spiritual” to describe Chavez’s impact on many such as my late parents whose work inspired them to work toward a better world.

When I hear stories of abuse involving those in the spotlight, I look for patterns. Yes, false allegations do happen but they’re rare. In my 30+ years reporting on religion, I can count on one hand the number of times I heard allegations leveled against someone in pastoral power that were later proven to be false. In these instances, one could identify some underlying cause such as a case of Munchausen Syndrome or a parasocial relationship that turned toxic once their affections were not returned. But I’ve lost track of the # of times someone tried to get justice for abuses they suffered in a church or other spiritual setting but was dismissed, shamed, mocked, and worse.

So when you hear someone speak out about abuse, don’t ask for evidence. Just listen. Don’t judge. Just listen. Keep listening. Be especially mindful when you start to hear multiple people coming forward who don’t know each other but have very similar stories. This is a major red flag that something is amiss.

While you’re listening, see what happens when you switch from calling those impacted by abuse “survivors” instead of “victims.” Along those lines, why are male children who are sexually abused called “boys” but female children who are similarly abused called “young women?” Let’s name this dynamic of predation by the powerful for what it is …”child abuse.” Even if the person is a legal adult, they are caught in a power love bombing/trauma bonding dynamic where they’ve been convinced that walking away will have disastrous professional and personal consequences

Then watch how the person being accused of said abuses responds. Odds are they’ll start doing the DARVO dance (Deny, attack, reverse offender and victim). If so, walk away. You cannot argue with someone who can only see life from their own perspective. Your soul and sanity will thank you.

Yes, we’re in the midst of a global reckoning that goes well beyond politics. Yes, I see the Epstein Class undergoing a Caligula-style collapse. (Though given our country’s treatment of crimes against women, my hunch is we’re looking at an Al Capone scenario — if you can’t get them on the major crimes, then get them on the financial ones.)

But as all this comes down, you can’t be selective by giving a pass to those whose theology and politics align with your worldview. And NO this is not a witch-hunt but rather a rising of all those voices that were told to “be nice.” Let’s drop the word “nice’ as this word is too often used to downplay cries for justice. Instead, let’s aim for “kind.”

Pro tip to any progressives (and yes I used to consider myself to be a progressive Episcopalian until I became an apophatic agnostic Anglican) … if you are critiquing the conservative/moderate evangelicals for their sexcapades as perps (or in this case enablers), please, please, please take a look at the specks in your own eyes.

Take the abuses within the Church of England that led to the Archbishop of Canterbury’s resignation (Bear this in mind as you wax over the historic installation of the first female Archbishop in the church’s history including her historic pilgrimage. Celebrate progress but not at the expense of erasing the past. Trust me, the abuses remain imprinted in the bodies of those impacted by pastoral peccadilloes.)

In a similar vein, for any progressive still supportive of ANYONE who made their mark via the US Emergent church, please know there’s a long history of both on and offline abuses within this network that includes some of your favorite icons.Think why you continue to buy their bunk instead of believing those detailing their unbiblical behaviors? (For a more detailed analysis here check out my Spiritual Narcissism Case Study: Unpacking Mars Hill Church’s Missional Madness (Parts 1–3).

It’s time now to pick your lane. Do you stand with those who chose to maintain the status quo by fiddling Nero-style as the world burns behind them? If so, enjoy the fireworks cause it’s this kinda faith is flaming out as we speak.

Or do you stand with survivors in the fight for a world led by those who can express empathy or compassion? This is where I see the real transformation happening — once we smash the false idols erected by spiritual narcissists, then we can see glomming within the broken shards glimpses of good (or god depending on your spiritual leanings.

Jennifer J. Freyd, PhD coined the term DARVO to describe a pattern that is all too common in abusive scenarios. She defines DARVO as follows:

DARVO refers to a reaction perpetrators of wrong doing, particularly sexual offenders, may display in response to being held accountable for their behavior. DARVO stands for “Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender.” The perpetrator or offender may Deny the behavior, Attack the individual doing the confronting, and Reverse the roles of Victim and Offender such that the perpetrator assumes the victim role and turns the true victim -- or the whistle blower -- into an alleged offender. This occurs, for instance, when an actually guilty perpetrator assumes the role of “falsely accused” and attacks the accuser’s credibility and blames the accuser of being the perpetrator of a false accusation.

In reviewing the responses of those who appear to have an ongoing relationship with Epstein, DARVO appears to be their primary tool utilized to deflect their participation as part of the Epstein class.

Case in point - take the faux apology offered by internationally celebrated linguist Noam Chomsky’s wife Valeria Wasserman regarding Chomsky’s ongoing correspondence with Epstein. FYI-As Chomsky is incapacitated following a stroke, his wife is answering on his behalf, though do bear in mind that she is also featured in the files multiple times.)

DENY

Valeria might not deny that Chomsky connected with Epstein. (Kinda hard to ignore this fact given Noam Chomsky is listed in the files 3,974 times with his last contact in 2019 after he was convicted twice of sex trafficking children.) Add up Valeria and the Chomsky kids and we’re looking at 6,276 references.) But she definitely deflects and diminishes how Epstein’s association with a figure such as Chomsky gave a convicted sex offender considerable credibility and legitimacy.

ATTACK

Valeria and Noam don’t directly attack the Epstein survivors. But given that both are linguists, their use of ‘women” instead of “children” or “girls” to describe Epstein’s survivors is particularly jarring not to mention dismissing the need for survivor justice under the guise of a critique of cancel culture.

REVERSE OFFENDER AND VICTIM

In re-reading Valeria’s comments, I’m struck how she posits her husband as an unwitting victim when in fact Chomsky served as an enabler by giving Epstein considerable street cred.

IMO actions speak louder than words. If ANYONE who benefited from their association with Epstein is genuinely sorry for their actions, then they will offer not only offer a genuine apology (which this is not) but also explore what they can do from a restitution standpoint.

“As always follow the money and you can see what they truly worship.” -- Becky Garrison, Gaslighting for God: A Satirical Guide to Save Yourself from Spiritual Narcissists

Over at Only Sky I use the example of Deepak Chopra’s frat boy bromance with Jeffery Epstein as the spring board to ask a critical question. “Why do so many Americans blindly follow self-proclaimed thought leaders. They offer promises of enlightenment, self-discovery, and the opportunity to co-create a new world or way of being ... only to turn out like Chopra to be malignant monsters. As this spiritual saga unfolds, we see that Chopra is but one cog (albeit an 800-pound gorilla sized one) in the MLM monied mindfulness machine. (FWIW-This parallels the dynamic I observed within the Christian Industrial Complex that elevated those choosing their platform over prophecy. In both cases, you end up with a sugary spirituality that might taste good going down but will end up giving you a case of the religious runs.)

So this raises a larger question ... Can break our cycle of guru dependency? At the conclusion of this article, I propose a little social experiment. From the Spring Equinox (March 20th) until the Summer Solstice, (June 20th) see what happens when you stop following the hottest spiritual superstar on social media. Instead, try tuning in to grassroots ventures happening in your own community. Along the same lines, instead of trying to mold yourself so you can be part of the “cool kids” crowd, see how your body responds when you make actual connections with teachers who can express empathy and compassion. Your soul and sanity will thank you.

For those interested in unpacking how this case is bringing to light a much larger pattern of abuses within the spirituality and wellness industry, I recommend following , Dr. Scott Mills, Dr. Lisa Rankin, , and Rachel Cannard.

Gaslighting for God: A Spiritual Guide to Save Yourself from Spiritual Narcissists is available via multiple online retaillers.

Recently I had the delightful experience of being a guest on Stuart Delony’s satirical podcast Snarky Faith. Remember those days when we all thought Left Behind was Kirk-craptastic? As it turns out, Trumpian theology has proven that religious reality here in the US is far more spiritually sh*tty than any of the Christian crapola I had been satirizing over at for decades. No wonder the Northeast got hammered this winter - my ancestor Roger Williams along with the founder fathers are turning over in their graves so fast it’s creating one helluva nor’easter.

Thanks to Stuart and me, you can now have the necessary tools your need so you can both spot spiritual narcissists and learn how to survive this upcoming apocalypse. So give us a listen on Simplecast, Apple Podcasts, or You Tube.

My conversation with Stuart reminded me of two top ten lists I compiled for my book Gaslighting for God (). Here there are again for your pious pleasure.

Caption generated by DeepAI

Top Ten Signs Your Church Might Be Led by a Spiritual Narcissist

10. Always emerges as the victorious warrior during theological smackdowns.

9. Their missional motto : “I said it. I believe it. That settles it .”

8. In lieu of church bingo, they play the shame game.

7. Their tattooed theology is in tatters.

6. Favors Bible beatings over blessings.

5. The church sign may say “Welcome ” but their greeters are the Frozen Chosen.

4. Always leaving on their private jet plane.

3. Claims their book sales are doing better than the Bible.

2. Feels up and then fleeces their flock.

1. More ostentatious than Osteen.

Caption generated by DeepAI

Top Ten Signs Your Godly Guru Is Actually a Spiritual SOB

10. Holds sacred circles inside their echo chamber

9. Thinks boundaries are for babies

8. Manifests sex magick while on mushrooms ’n’ MDMA*

7. They’re predatorily perfect

6. Takes followers for a singularity ride along the spiritual bypass

5. Transforms their TM skills into Total Money

4. Trademarks their tantric touch

3. Favorite yoga position is the reacharound

2. Horny, not holistic

1. They’re blind in their third eye

*For those not into party drugs, MDMA (3,4-Methylenedioxy-methamphetamine) is commonly known as ecstasy (tablet form) and molly (crystal form).

(Christian Digital Soup Cartoon)

At the top of my Facebook feed this morning was a post informing me that a book of reflections from the late Rachel Held Evans‘ blog along with other contributors was released yesterday (February 24, 2026). In a world that’s lost its soul, I get the appeal of a book penned by an author whose words fed the souls of many Christians, especially young evangelical women. Seems many of us starved for something beyond the Jesus junk, #churchtoo Christianity, and exploitative evangelicalism served up Christian Industry Complex and the institutional church.

But in this case, this faith-based fare might taste good going down. But in the end, this food is theologically tainted. Hence, in the interest of spiritual safety I feel I must speak out lest as consuming this fare could give you a sacrosanct stomachache in the end.

Upon first glance, any form of the faith served with a progressive veneer presents itself as a kinder, gentler form of Christianity. Less God, more granola. However, while sex-shaming culture that keeps women silent may be more prevalent in conservative churches, one can find a kinder, gentler form of male privilege that favors the abuser over the abused in more seemingly progressive Christian settings.

Into this space women like Evans function as suitable helpers by chose to prop up those in power while downplaying and even blocking any concerns about the behaviors of those within the inner circle. For example, as I commented as early as 2016 in articles for The Humanist, The Baffler, this substack, and the appendix to my book Gaslighting for God: A Satirical Guide to Save Yourself From Spiritual Narcissists, the US Emergent church has a long history of on and offline abuses dating back decades.

In my reporting, I noted that when medical and legal evidence began surfacing around 2008 that was abusing his now ex-wife, leaders connected to this brand immediately jumped to his defense. Bestselling authors Rachel Held Evans and chose to stand behind him. Jones, along with his then co-partner and former pastor , afforded them platforms, endorsements, and other accouterments needed for one to become a best-selling author.” (For those looking to research this extensive saga further, I’ll refer you to futurist Brad Sargent’s research at Diagnosing Emergent.)

Yes, I get the dilemma of reporting on those #church abusers or enablers that are no longer on the Christian center stage due to death, chronic illness, or retirement from public life. But despite their silence, the survivors of #churchtoo abuse still hear this abuse resounding throughout their bodies.

Moving forward, who will you follow? Will you continue gravitate towards those who have the mic even when “concerns” get raised about their role in perpetrating or enabling #churchtoo abuses? Is being part of the cool Christian kids’ club so important to your identity that you’re willing to ignore the crisis of those affected by your icon’s missional misdeeds? Are you at least willing to hear a different theological tune, one that cries out in the wildness for justice?

See what happens when you shift your focus and let the songs of spiritual survivors’ sit in your soul and simmer. Soak it in. Let it bake out all your branded beliefs. What emerges won’t be bestselling aka “US Emergent,” but it will be blessed. This truth born from tears tastes like holy honey that can truly keep one spiritually satiated.

In recent years, I’ve become acquainted with the latest research in narcissism and trauma, as well as somatic therapeutic modalities used to help heal those impacted by religious abuses inflicted by religious leaders. This work has greatly informed my work as a religious satirist, as it allows me to understand why some spiritual gurus use their charisma both to woo and wound others.

Also, I can see how my prior traumas led me to lash out when those self-appointed Christian gurus, who demonstrated signs of spiritual narcissism, demeaned and demonized anyone who questioned when their moves were more commercial than Christlike. Since acquiring this knowledge coupled with somatic therapy (in my case EMDR did the trick), I’ve learned to depersonalize such spiritual slams, and can now call Christian crud on the carpet without allowing the impact of their toxic theology to enter my body.

When conversing with others about these discoveries, I’ve noticed how they have similar ah-ha moments once they learned that they were not the “problem” for speaking out when they observed something felt amiss. Rather, they were in spiritual settings that left them drained and damaged.

In this spirit, I’d like to offer a series of reflections that I hope will illuminate how spiritual narcissism plays out in church settings (and secular spiritual communities frequented by ex-Christians), as well as offering resources for both healing from these unbiblical bullies and then finding safer places to play.

During Lent 2026 February 18-April 5, 2026), I will be offering a series of weekly postings here along with daily reflections on my Instagram and Facebook Author Page addressing the topic of spiritual narcissism. Feel free to follow along in whatever format works best for you. I welcome comments though though be mindful this is a public forum. So, do not share any information you wish to keep private. Also, bear in mind that I’m a satirist not a spiritual healer.

As I am launching this on Ash Wednesday, I’d like to open with a brief overview of spiritual spiritual narcissism. What is spiritual narcissism?What are some examples of spiritual narcissists? And where can people go to find healthy communities. These questions were explored on the Good Faith Media podcast with Mitch and Missy.

Check it out here. Good Faith Media: Bad Bunny + Becky Garrison

A few mentions ...

At 45:54 I reference Brad Sargent/Futurist Guy‘s research into communities and the need for spiritual seekers to do their own work, so they can have a clearer sense of what they’re looking for in a community.

Starting at 47:44 minutes, I chat up about how wineries like and Maysara Winery curate their tasting rooms with an eye toward forming community and connecting to nature.

Dear Friend,

We are living through an era of extraordinary religious self-absorption. Church life increasingly revolves around personality rather than practice, loyalty rather than love. Congregations fracture not over theology but over allegiance. Leaders are fawned over, protected, and excused. Abuse is minimized. Dissent is framed as betrayal. And “faith” is reduced to defending power instead of truth.

This dynamic did not appear overnight. But it has reached a dangerous intensity in a political moment where the majority of American evangelicalism has offered near-total allegiance to a grandiose strongman—Donald Trump—despite his documented cruelty, corruption, authoritarian impulses, and history of sexual abuse.

In religious spaces, moral accountability has been suspended in the name of access, influence, or imagined divine destiny. Each week brings new evidence of how this bargain corrodes both democracy and the soul.

When religious communities repeatedly grant spiritual cover to authoritarian tactics, the consequences do not remain abstract. They manifest in real harm, real fear, and real death. Faith that refuses to interrogate power becomes an accomplice to it.

This is the landscape into which Gaslighting for God: A Satirical Guide to Save Yourself from Spiritual Narcissists by journalist and author Becky Garrison now enters—and it could not be timelier.

Garrison has spent decades reporting from inside American Christianity, first as a religious satirist for The Wittenburg Door and as an author. In her latest book, Gaslighting for God, she names what so many feel but struggle to articulate: that much of what passes for “spiritual leadership” today is better understood through the lens of narcissism—specifically, spiritual narcissism.

With biting satire, rigorous research, and hard-earned wisdom, Garrison dissects the behaviors that dominate unhealthy religious spaces: charismatic leaders who demand unquestioned loyalty; institutions that silence whistleblowers; communities that confuse emotional manipulation with divine authority. She identifies patterns—grandiose, victimized, communal, malignant—that recur across denominations and ideologies, from conservative megachurches to supposedly enlightened progressive spaces.

Crucially, Gaslighting for God is not just diagnostic; it is practical. Garrison offers readers language for experiences they’ve been taught to doubt, tools for recognizing abuse in real time, and pathways toward healthier forms of community. This is not a call to cynicism or isolation. It is a call to discernment.

Historian Randall Balmer has warned about the theological costs of conflating Christianity with power, observing that when faith becomes a vehicle for political domination, it loses its moral center. He calls Gaslighting for God “a wise and knowing exposé of religious narcissists.”

Author Tia Levings writes, “A deep and sharply insightful commentary on narcissistic leadership.” Levings, herself a survivor and chronicler of religious trauma, recognizes what makes this book different: it refuses both denial and despair.

At a time when authoritarianism increasingly borrows religious language to sanctify cruelty—and when some believers are willing to elevate a felon to the status of a divinely ordained savior—Gaslighting for God insists on a better question: What kind of faith tells the truth about power?

For readers who feel disoriented, exhausted, or quietly alarmed by what they see unfolding in religious and political life, this book offers clarity without condescension and solidarity without spin. It names the gaslighting. It exposes the manipulation. And it reminds us that spirituality rooted in empathy, accountability, and shared humanity still exists—and is worth seeking.

Gaslighting for God by Becky Garrison is now on sale.

Gratefully,

David Morris, Publisher, Lake Drive Books

My book Gaslighting for God: A Satirical Guide to Save Yourself From Spiritual Narcissists is now a reality and available for order! For all those looking to ditch the spiritual snake oil and reclaim your path, come join me on this journey to escape toxic systems and find healthier, inclusive spaces for our lives going forward. To commemorate this launch, the following is the introduction to this book for your review. If you like what you read, love to continue the conversation via your online platform(s) of choice...

Introduction: Spiritual Narcissists Among Us

In 1994, I thought I had found my calling as a religious satirist when I sold my first article to The Wittenburg Door, at the time the world’s largest, oldest, and only Christian satire magazine. After rising to the rank of senior contributing editor, The Door slammed in my face when it closed shop in 2008.

By the time I moved to the Pacific Northwest six years later, I had stopped calling myself a professional Christian. The Christian media industry (nicknamed the “Christian Industrial Complex” by author Warren Cole Smith, among others) had imploded under the weight of its unholy hubris. Believers were fleeing from institutional churches like rats from a sinking ship, myself included. With limited employment opportunities in the Bible biz, I said to myself, “I’m done satirizing this God game.” I could see the writing on the wall: the institutional church was going under, Titanic-style, with no lifeboats in sight.

Cutting-edge ventures aimed at rebranding the church as “cool” once drew in those disenchanted with traditional forms of institutional church, but these methods no longer appeal to twenty-first-century pious peeps. The liberal mainline Episcopal Church of my youth that once marched in solidarity with Martin Luther King, Jr., was now walking biblically bowlegged, so to speak (sans a few prophetic outliers like Manhattan-based St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery).

Conversely, conservative forms of religion, appealing to many, were appalling to many more, many of whom said they were “done” with religion and went on to live entirely secular lives. Once these people stop checking off the correct Christian category, the institutional church drops them from their membership list as though they committed a serious spiritual sin. Some religion writers call these secular people “nones” because that’s what they put on the census forms under “religion.”

In my reporting on American Christianity, I observed how these “nones” and “dones” felt free to choose a path that spoke to them, one without guilt-ridden dogmas. Some find occasional comfort in a church, synagogue, temple, or mosque that truly welcomes all, one that aims to be a place of healing, not a means of harm to others. Others choose to worship, reflect, or meditate outside of traditional religious structures. Simultaneously, for the first time in U.S. history, atheists began to come out of the closet in droves.

I had to wonder why more and more people were distancing themselves from religious institutions. Soon enough, through my ongoing connections with trauma experts and survivors of spiritual abuse, I became increasingly aware of how spiritual narcissists have dominated the American Christian culture I had been satirizing since I penned my first piece for The Wittenburg Door back in 1994. Even though I could now see some patterns emerging that helped explain this dynamic, I had no viable outlets where I could place these stories other than the infrequent piece for Spirituality & Health. I now had the tools I needed to make at least some sense of this missional madness, but it seemed no one else was interested.

However, when I got word in 2021 that The Door was reopening in an online format, I agreed to serve on the Board of Directors, hoping this development was more than just a blessed blip. Then, in 2022, I began writing for the humanist online platform OnlySky. Here I focused on covering sex, including #churchtoo abuses, and drugs (cannabis and psychedelics) for their Taboo section. But within a year the site went dark due to a lack of funding. I had to assume my second life as a religious satirist was just a fad and not the start of something bigger.

And then—surprise!—OnlySky reemerged in a restructured format in conjunction with a burgeoning interest by other outlets in works reporting on #metoo abuses within supposedly sacred settings. Concurrently, a #churchtoo tsunami invaded the shores of my social media feeds. All these developments told me that perhaps, just maybe, I needed to dip my toe back into this God game.

So here I am, back and barefoot.

This time I’m returning as an outsider without the label of “Christian author,” though even during my twenty-five-year stint as a religious satirist, I was never Bible-blessed enough to morph into a New York Times bestselling, branded Christian celebrity. Seems I’ve been on the outs from the get-go.

With Gaslighting for God: A Satirical Guide to Save Yourself from Spiritual Narcissists, I shift from satirizing those Christian leaders who put profit over prophecy to viewing these charismatic charlatans through the lens of spiritual narcissism. The title of this book stems from the blowback I get whenever I call someone’s not-so-sacred sh*t on the carpet. For as long as I can remember, my B.S. detector has a propensity to go into overdrive whenever I encounter an individual or institution that gives me a case of the unholy heebie jeebies. Even when I can’t quite identify the specific reasons why I’m getting these somatic sensations, I’ve learned over the years to trust my gut when something feels amiss.

This inner intuition, coupled with the intense desire to speak truth to pastoral power that I inherited from my twelfth-great-grandfather Roger Williams (a seventeenth-century religious freedom pioneer), led me to become a religious satirist. The same instincts also informed me when it was time to leave the institutional church and become a traveling pilgrim just like my ancestor. In this journey I went from calling myself a pre-natal Episcopalian (do the ecclesiology and the science), courtesy of my late Episcopal priest/sociology professor father, to describing myself as an apophatic agnostic Anglican.

I can still trace what the Celts called the thin line separating this world from the next as I embrace both the Cloud of the Unknowing and my Anglican heritage—but I’ll break out in unholy hives if I’m forced to sit on a hard wooden pew surrounded by even more hardened, knotty souls. I’m more liable to encounter the divine while kayaking or fly-fishing down a river, camping surrounded by the Douglas Firs that serve as my cathedral, walking along the Pacific Northwest’s ragged coastline, getting lost in a spirit-filled festival, or celebrating with my chosen community at my local cidery, brewpub, or tasting room.

Every day people are straying away from the church and going back to God.—Lenny Bruce

Yet my B.S. detector kept going off whenever I was in the presence of “enlightened” energies such as tantra pujas, ecstatic dances, and mindfulness meditation circles—especially those with a bastardized Buddhist bent. Why was I so drawn to these supposedly welcoming and inclusive spiritual settings that brought me to a state of bliss but also kept triggering me?

My search for answers to this question began after I connected with a licensed (supposedly trauma-informed) therapist at these happenings and our professional and personal relationship imploded in 2016. Thanks to a narcissistic abuse support group I joined shortly thereafter, I realized this person possessed personality traits found among those who possessed extreme narcissistic traits. Whenever I found myself surrounded by narcissistic energies, my mind might have believed that I should depart from this setting, but my body didn’t behave. So I stayed. Gradually I developed the self-awareness and ability needed to keep my triggers under control. Yet I still felt an overwhelming anxiety hiding behind my Southern smile whenever I was in a narcissism-riddled scenario that didn’t sit well with my soul. In my attempts to keep my anxiety at bay, I would talk through my discomfort, a dynamic that too often made people think I was self-centered by hogging the conversation when I was feeling self-conscious instead.

Finally, I found healing from my childhood traumas via somatic therapies on the advice of another allegedly trauma-informed therapist I met during my reporting on the Portland sex-positive community. Surprise, surprise, this therapist proved to be cut from the same narcissistic cloth. But something told me that despite meeting two therapists who did not practice what they preached, I needed to find a way to fully release my traumas from my past and stop carrying this leftover luggage with me into the future.

Unpacking My Trauma Baggage

When I began to unload my sacramental suitcase, I found myself struck with a sudden case of devotional diarrhea. Why in god or goddess’s name did I ever hang on to these theological trinkets thinking they were all golden and good? Even if I chuck this ungodly garbage, how do I get rid of this sacrosanct stench that won’t go away no matter how many times I cleanse myself? Is it possible for me to take a more breathable and believable backpack with me in my spiritual journey?

In my attempts to answer these questions, I’ve become acquainted with the latest research in narcissism and trauma. Also, I’ve explored somatic modalities used to help heal those impacted by abuses inflicted by spiritual leaders possessing extreme narcissistic tendencies. This work has greatly informed my writing as a religious satirist as it allows me to understand why some self-anointed spiritual masters both woo and wound others.

Key to this interplay is the concept of “charisma.” We tend to think of certain people as having a charismatic magnetism that draws people to them. But this appears to be a chicken-or-the-egg dilemma. Are certain people innately imbued with a particular appeal? Or as sociologist Max Weber (1864–1920) argued that charisma is not a quality of a person but an attribute (of ‘power’) that is bestowed on someone by others. Given the extremely limited work I can find exploring the dynamics of those who possess charisma and also score high on the narcissism scale, more research needs to be done in this regard.

As I delved into the growing mound of resources about #churchtoo and other forms of spiritual abuse, I noticed a particular pattern starting to emerge: survivor stories give hope to others suffering from missional mistreatment by letting them know they are not alone and that recovery is possible. These books can be highly instructive, provided the author has recovered enough from their traumas so that they can tell their tale without inflicting further pain on themselves and others. If not, they tend to come off as wounded unhealers, to put it kindly.

Yes, when re-reading some of my earlier musings on religion in America, I can see how I too came off as a bit Christian cray-cray. Even though I don’t have a diagnosed mental illness, my over-the-top anxiety would spring up whenever I found myself in spiritual situations filled with narcissistic energies. Such spaces re-triggered my childhood traumas caused by growing up in an extended family that loved their liquor with some of them also loving their Lord.

Thanks to the growing awareness around #churchtoo abuses, an increasing number of people know something is amiss at their given place of worship. But until recently, they couldn’t identify the dynamics behind their discomfort. Once survivors develop the awareness that their seemingly enlightened experiences were abusive, not angelic, books on religious trauma can help give them the tools they need to begin healing from toxic religious settings. The discernment gleaned from such reading will prove to be vital as they sift through the plethora of resources promoting “spiritual healing.” In my reporting on wellness and sacred sexuality spaces, I’ve seen ample signs of woo-woo weirdness, uncredentialed crud, and even licensed clinical therapists who weaponize their training in pursuit of their own desires over addressing the needs of those under their care. Fortunately, there is a growing mound of books penned by credible sources who have been tackling the latest research into religious trauma, and they have begun to publish constructive content.

However, I don’t see much in terms of a practical how-to guide to deal with those instances when your spidey sense goes into overdrive and you feel something is terribly wrong. Even when you realize you’re dealing with someone whose behavior seems to go well beyond your garden-variety theological twit or smarmy shaman, you can’t quite put your finger on why you’re having such a strong gut reaction toward a certain person or setting.

How can anyone exude this Chakra or Christlike charm in public while lashing out Lucifer-like the nanosecond something doesn’t go their way? On the one hand, you know how speaking out against their spectral sh*t will most likely get you kicked to the curb where you can sit with the other missional misfits, but you also know you’ll lose your sanity if you continue walking around on eggshells knowing any missteps on your part could awaken their inner spiritual narcissist.

What are the signs that a divine leader has gone from being a pied piper drawing people toward the light to yet another spiritual shill out for their own self-aggrandizement and personal gain? And why in god or goddess’ name do people flock to such unpastoral P. T. Barnums?

Gaslighting for God will begin to answer these questions by identifying the narcissistic tendencies I’ve witnessed in my capacity as a religious satirist over the decades reporting on unholy hucksters. I will examine those placed in positions of power within Christian and other spiritual settings who lack any self-awareness regarding their inability to express genuine empathy or compassion toward others, as well as the planet as a whole.

For those who feel they could never entangle themselves in this web of lies and strange behaviors, Thomas Erikson, author of Surrounded by Narcissists: How to Effectively Recognize, Avoid, and Defend Yourself Against Toxic People, reminds us that narcissists seek out people who are their opposites: “We are empathic, and we want the best for others. Our hearts, if you will, are too big. We feel compassion for the weak, we possess emotional intelligence, and we have genuine confidence, which the narcissists can’t emulate.” (p. 106) Even if you are turned off by a narcissist’s moves, unfortunately, they may be all too interested in attaching themselves to you by charming the pants off you figuratively, and sometimes literally. The more empathetic you are toward them, the more the subtlety of their tactics may leave you wondering what hit you.

I hope this book will aid those interested in exploring their spirituality in identifying the spiritual narcissists in their midst by giving twenty-first-century spiritual seekers the tools to not only survive but thrive when confronting these destructive energies. I will also touch on those who have left Christianity and see how they are subjected to the same toxic institutional dynamics. Then, I will offer signs of healthy spiritual communities led by those with the capacity to demonstrate true empathy. Finally, I will provide a list of resources for those harmed by spiritual abuses so they can explore how to help themselves heal from their wounds.

My dual MDiv/MSW degree from Yale Divinity School and Columbia University’s School of Social Work coupled with my work for The Wittenburg Door, Spirituality & Health, and other spiritual outlets might make me uniquely suited to diagnose spiritual narcissists. However, I will not play armchair analyst. For starters, I’m a religious satirist, not a licensed social worker. My calling is to serve as a guide for those seeking authentic spiritual communities by speaking truth to power through the vehicle of satire.

Hence, I have zippo interest in joining the growing hordes of self-appointed holy hucksters marketing themselves as religious trauma/narcissism experts and other Oprah-esque therapeutic trash. And don’t get me started on the devotional drivel that passes these days for spiritual self-help. Yes, there are a few diamonds in the rough, but most of what’s out there ranges in quality from cubic zirconia to TikTok trinkets. Almost without exception these works should be reclassified in the fiction section, or better yet used as kindling where they can at least do some bit of good. Pass me the Pepto. Please.

My one bit of advice for those who wish to delve into the growing body of work focusing on narcissism and trauma (especially spiritual narcissism and religious trauma) is caveat emptor: let the buyer beware. Yes, it’s ironic for an author to pen a book on this topic while encouraging readers to be mindful of their media consumption. But skim through the hordes of material on these topics, and you’ll see how much of it is indeed schlock in desperate need of an editor, let alone a proper peer-review process.

Too often in our current cancel culture the word “narcissist” gets tossed about casually, akin to how the Christian church and other spiritual sorts throw around words like “godly,” “enlightened,” and “believer.” In most cases, these pseudo-psychologists are referencing people who have an overly inflated and self-centered sense of self, not those who would fit the clinical definition for narcissism. I will attempt to do better by defining my terms: Throughout this book, whenever I use the word “narcissist,” I use it as shorthand for those instances I see signs of specific behaviors common among those who possess extreme narcissistic tendencies to the point that their work harms rather than heals.

Once I’ve outlined the basic tenets of narcissism, I will unpack the unique dimensions of spiritual narcissism. What makes this particular form of narcissism pernicious not pastoral? I will leave the actual clinical diagnosis of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) to those licensed therapists who are treating specific clients.

This will be followed by a compact guide to the various types of spiritual narcissists: exhibitionist, grandiose, royal, victim, seductive, communal, and malignant. To aid spiritual pilgrims in spotting spiritual narcissists, I will note their particular identifying markers, where they are found, and how to best approach them. Similar to a field guide that helps wilderness explorers identify healthy versus poisonous plants, this guide will delve into each type of narcissist using the categories used in the contemporary literature focusing on narcissism. By “literature,” I mean works penned by clinical therapists and others with actual expertise in this topic—none of this dubious diagnosing performed by a TikTok therapist.

Once spiritual seekers can ascertain when a particular setting does not bode well for their soul, I will offer hope for healing to recover from such egregious energies. While I acknowledge one can find abuses within any global religious or spiritual institution, I focus most of this book on U.S.-based #churchtoo abuses that continue to rock the Christian Industrial Complex. When applicable, I will touch on spiritual movements that attract those leaving Christianity who now find themselves repeating this spiritual spin cycle.

A key reason why this faith-based feculence continues is that those at the high end of the spiritual narcissism scale present a charismatic and compassionate facade that draws in their followers to hop on board their Missional Magical Mystery Tour. Their events are a helluva lot more fun when compared to your typical Sunday Service or boring Buddhist-lite lectures that too often come off as pruny, not praiseworthy. But should a whistleblower stand up and try to bring a particular spiritual icon’s darkness into the light, inevitably this sacred soul’s more sinister side will emerge, Tasmanian Devil–style.

On a personal note, this research enabled me, too, to see how my prior traumas led me to lash out whenever those self-appointed Christian leaders and other spiritual sorts demeaned and demonized me when I questioned why their moves were commercialized, not Christlike. Since acquiring this knowledge coupled with somatic therapy (in my case EMDR [Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing]) did the trick, I’ve learned to depersonalize such spiritual slams and can now call out such ungodly gook without allowing the impact of their toxic theology to enter my body.

When I converse with others about these discoveries, I’ve noticed how they had similar ah-ha moments once they learned they were not the problem for speaking out when they observed something was amiss. Like me, they were in spiritual settings that left them drained and damaged.

How can we discern if a spiritual setting is mercurial and monied instead of, well, you know, just messy like Mike Yaconelli? More importantly, once we extricate ourselves from such a setting, how can we avoid re-entering similar spiritual spaces led by nefarious narcissists? Consider the manufactured messages offered by those trying to market themselves as the latest, greatest Christian Crusader, Tantra Titan, or some other monied moniker. Upon closer examination, their impact-driven marketing plan proves to be yet another attempt to garner enough social media hype so they can keep on pushing their fabricated fluff.

In the past, whistleblowers and survivors of narcissistic abuse were silenced by these missional manipulators via their “hedge of protection.” This unspiritual shrubbery included such pernicious devices as NDAs, cease-and-desist summons, quasi-independent investigative agencies, crisis PR managers, and mandatory mediators, as well as the power of online media and fanatical fan bases to squelch any critiques. Along those lines, some self-proclaimed #churchtoo whistleblowers have their own abusive histories, as well as engaging in selective reporting that fails to address abuses in more progressive Christian settings.

There’s no spiritual swashbuckler on the horizon coming down the pastoral pike to rescue us, a la Westley from The Princess Bride. But lest we fall into a Pit of Despair, I see signs of hope on the horizon that have the potential to heal those affected by spiritual abuse. All signs point to a shift in public perception toward spiritual abuses as news cycles spew forth a steady stream of stories focusing on spiritual leaders caught buck nekkid—figuratively and at times literally. As expected, when confronted with their malicious misdeeds, these blasphemous bastards tend to go gonzo, irreligious rabbits caught in a Christian cage.

Thanks to the growing body of research into religious trauma and narcissism, we can learn how to avoid such toxic energies while we seek out places where we can not only survive but thrive on our spiritual journeys. Once we become aware whenever an individual, community, or even an entire institution exhibits signs of extreme narcissism, we can learn to walk away from those situations, even if they present themselves as healing oases filled with living water. When we step in a bit too deep, we realize they’re contaminated cesspools containing god or goddess only knows what. But once we leave behind that spiritual stench, we can seek out actual living water that can truly transform us and connect us together in our shared humanity.

Can localized grassroots movements bring about a global shift toward transformational change? Or will these sparks of hope crystallize into yet another institutional model that will elevate some while repressing others? Time will tell, but we’ll never know if we don’t at least try.

But before we all come together to hold hands and sing Kumbaya (on second thought, maybe not), we have some collective healing to do. I hope this guidebook will lead to a greater understanding of the dynamics behind spiritual narcissism so folks can react in healthy ways whenever they meet those who blow off the Buddha, cash in their chakras, or bastardize the Beatitudes. Unless we choose to live a hermit lifestyle or blindly inhabit a biblical bubble that’s more influencer- than inspiration-driven, we will continue to be impacted by these energies as we pursue our spiritual paths.

So think of this book as a can of religious Raid, an evangelistic extermination device that can help rid your soul of those Christian cockroaches, spiritual snakes, and other venomous vermin that have infested too many spaces to the point that such dwellings are no longer holy or even habitable.

Additional excerpts from Gaslighting for God: A Satircial Guide to Save Yourself From Spiritual Narcissists can be found here, here, and here.

Learn how Trump’s escalating behaviors point to more than just dementia but signs of malignant narcissism. This knowledge has saved my soul and sanity during these troubling Trumpian times and I hope the same for you.

Becky Garrison, author, journalist, satirist, and storyteller with focus on sustainability, community, and spirituality

Gaslighting for God: A Satirical Guidebook for Spotting Spiritual Narcissists (Lake Drive Books, 2026)

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