S3E11 Abuse of Conscience: How Faith is Manipulated

Friends,

In this episode of the ongoing series on spiritual abuse, I sit down with Catholic Counselor Paul Fahey to explore a subtle but deeply impactful layer of harm: the abuse of conscience.

Many of us were taught to “follow our conscience,” but few of us were ever taught how a conscience is properly formed — or how it can be manipulated. When spiritual authority bypasses freedom, pressures compliance, or equates disagreement with sin, faith formation can quietly become control.

Paul defines conscience through a Catholic lens and offers concrete examples of how it can be distorted in families, churches, and religious communities. We also discuss how parents can faithfully teach their children without crossing the line into coercion, and why healthy formation always respects human dignity and freedom.

If you have ever struggled with religious guilt, fear-based teaching, or confusion about trusting your own moral judgment, this conversation will bring clarity and hope.

Paul Fahey's Link(s):

Email: paul@faheycounseling.com

Article: https://wherepeteris.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/The-Place-Where-You-Stand-is-Holy-Ground.pdf

Presentation: https://youtu.be/HjuL6lIKM28?si=yKvqiC31Ph-WN45P

Reference(s):

The Role of Conscience: https://www.usccb.org/resources/Role%20of%20the%20conscience.pdf

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A Final Word: Thank you for listening, Friend. Remember: Forgiveness is for YOU.