Hijos
del Altísimo (Children of the Most High) - http://www.altisimo.net -
Introduction
"They have greatly oppressed
me from my youth-- let Israel say--
they have greatly oppressed me from my youth, but they have not
gained the victory over me.
Plowmen have plowed my back and made their furrows long.
But the LORD is righteous; he has cut me free from the cords of
the wicked.
May all who hate Zion be turned back in shame. "
(Psalm 129:1-5)
This book is dedicated to those "wounded sheep" who are sufficiently honest to admit the pain they feel inside, sufficiently courageous to dig out the roots of their past, and sufficiently persevering to walk the path of helaing until the end. To all those who could substitute "Israel" and "Zion", in Psalm 129, with their own name.
The subject of this book is power abuse in a wide variety of
its expressions; its roots and its consequences; the spiritual
principles which apply to it; and the way to recovery for
victims.
I have been strongly confronted with this issue during my
missionary work in Peru, and am referring to Peru as an example
case of a whole nation affected by a history of abuse. So this
book is written in the first place for Peruvian readers. But the
principles of use and abuse of power are universal and apply to
every country and every individual person. Therefore, readers of
every country will benefit from these principles (especially
chapters 3 and 8), and will also find helpful illustrations in
the other chapters.
I am not pretending to realize an exhaustive study in the realms of history, sociology or psychology. My area of study is the relationship of our daily life with God, our Creator, and the reflection about this relationship, which is scientifically called "Theology". So my first goal in writing this book was to give an answer, at least tentatively, to the question: "How does God, the loving Father, feel and think about Peru, and about victims of power abuse in general?" It is necessary to take Jesus Christ out from between the covers of the Bible and the walls of religious buildings, where he has been buried, and to allow him to move freely as Lord in the midst of national reality.
My basic hypothesis is this: that power abuse was and is a key element in Peru's national reality. Different forms of abuse have penetrated into public and private life throughout history, have created patterns of behavior so deeply rooted that they are considered "normal" although they are not, and have caused deep wounds which need to be healed. In Peru has happened on a nationwide scale what happens in dysfunctional families and closed groups submitted to power abuse; Peru's "collective soul" shows the psychological marks of an abused person. Psalm 129 could also be read with the name of "Peru" instead of "Israel".
The antidote against abuse consists in the life and teaching of Jesus Christ, understood within the framework of divine principles about authority and power.
My starting point is the Bible as God's Word. I am convinced
that God revealed to us in the Bible, in essence, the answers to
all fundamental problems of our existence. This is in reality the
most scientific method of all: when studying any subject, taking
into account first what the Creator of this subject has to say.
(I will not, at this point, enter into apologetical discussions
about this conviction. I simply consider it fair to state my own
presuppositions on which my conclusions are built upon; as any
other author with other convictions should also openly state his
respective presuppositions, instead of hiding behind what he
calls "scientific opinion", as so many do.)
People who share this conviction are mostly found in Evangelical
churches. Therefore I am writing in the first place for
Evangelical readers. On the other hand, an Evangelical Christian
might be offended by my criticism of Evangelical churches. In
this case, please take into account that no institution on this
earth, not even a church, deserves our blind loyalty. In
reality we do a favor to the church when we honestly admit her
weaknesses, and contribute to making her more like the Lord wants
her to be.
Warning: Lecture of this book may open wounds. Peru's history is full of tears, wounds and pain. A large part of this book is a painful journey to the roots of our wounds. This is not pleasant, and we need courage to begin this journey. But I am convinced that these courageous pilgrims will be rewarded with wonderful healing. The last part of the book is dedicated to this healing offered to us by Jesus Christ, the Great Physician for our soul and spirit, and maybe we will discover that he is closer to the Peruvian soul (and to ours) than we thought.
Credits:
First of all I give thanks to my God and Saviour who gave me
life, healing, and the inspiration to write this book.
I give thanks to my wife Virginia for her encouragement and
patience during the time of working at this book; and for being
at my side as someone who is part, with her own person, of the
story told in this book.
It would be impossible to mention the names of all those people
who contributed in some way to the experiences and thoughts
expressed in this book, and by mentioning some of them I would
surely forget others. Therefore I want to express my thankfulness
to everyone who contributed to my understanding of Peru's past
and present, to my spiritual growth, and to my own restoration
and healing after the sad experienced described here.
Cusco, October 2002
(English version for Online publishing, December 2003)
Hans Ruegg.
Note: Quotes from English books in this book may not be completely identical with the original, since many of these quotes are back-translations from a Spanish edition.
Hijos
del Altísimo - http://www.altisimo.net -
Historical roots of power
abuse in Peru 
Copyright Notice: All materials contained on
the pages of "Hijos del Altísimo", where not
otherwise stated, are copyright by Hans Ruegg. You may
copy and distribute this material under the following
conditions: We offer our materials for free to everybody who wishes to use them, but we are also thankful for every voluntary support in benefit of "Hijos del Altísimo". |
The Incas - The conquest - The independence
Crime and violence - Dependence on foreign countries - Admiration of what is foreign - The prize of independence - Only dead heroes? - The King or the Law? - Education for abuse - Work: The exploitation continues - Of shepherds and sheep
God's plan about authority - The corrupted authority
Divine principles about authority:
- Authority is delegated by a
higher authority. - Exercising
authority means to decide and to rule. - True authority serves the
well-being of its followers.
The conflict between the two
systems of power - What abuse
really means
Consequences of abuse in the
lives of victims: - The
violation of personal integrity - The satanic attack against the will
- Unspoken laws -
The destruction of
trust
An encounter with the Lord - God prepares and guides - Becoming a Peruvian to the Peruvians - The pressure rises - Like the trial against Jesus - Appealing until the last instance - "Never talk bad about leaders"? - Beginnings of healing - The incredible journey around the world - "In the cave of Adullam", or: The cost of independence - Abuse until the last consequences - Finally things are getting straight - Conclusion
Biblical Principles - Machism - Domestic violence - Communication problems - Negligence and overprotection - Early Schooling - Knowing God the Father - The Prodigal Father - Authority and Love
Spiritual Abuse - Authoritarianism: The roots - Power in education - Authoritarianism in Evangelical churches - Manipulation and deception - Distrust and informers - The children: "Force them to come"? - The immorality of celibacy - Sacerdotalism - The "Super Leader Complex" - Matters of conscience - Cage mentality - "We must maintain the appearance" - "I know more about you than what you know yourself" - God makes no copies, only originals - The rich godfathers - Evangelicals and Politics
Conformism and negación - Hypersensitivity - Passive resistance - Vanity - Revenge - Lawlessness - The leader's dilemma
Admit your wounds, allow them to come to the light - Separe yourself from the foreign oppressing will - Surrender your free will to God - Receive healing from Jesus - Repent of your sinful reactions, and of the abusive patterns in your own behavior - The process of forgiveness - Rebuild the "walls" of your intimacy and privacy - Get trained in a new behavior - Receive love and acceptation from your Heavenly Father - Expressing feelings of anger in a healthy way - Mourn your losses - then leave them behind - Assume responsibility for your life
Leave the losses behind - National identity - Did you already forgive Pizarro? - A new perspective on leadership - God, the supreme example of leadership - Jesus Christ: the Servant King - The leader who raises up other leaders - Who is the real leader? - Decision making in the New Testament Church - A new vision of Peru
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