Brad Sargent/futuristguy

Acts 29 VP Tyler Jones has been removed from leadership after confessing to a "long-term extramarital relationship"

"Countless resources shine light on dark details of malignant individuals and institutions. But Becky Garrison uniquely equips us with her master class in surgical satire. Gaslighting for God pokes holes in their persona puffery, unmasks their manipulations, and defangs their Medusa snakes of disinformation." Brad Sargent, abuse survivor blogger at "futuristguy"

in a way that mere non-fiction can't quite do. This is a read we need!

Check out the *Gaslighting for God* publisher’s page at Lake Drive Books.

www.lakedrivebooks.com/books/gaslig...

In *Gaslighting for God*, she uses her in-depth knowledge of narcissism and perceptive analysis to turn Kingdom Klieg lights on abusive leaders in Christianity and other spiritual spheres. Her searing satire helps flay and display what motives and methods underlie such malignant ministers, ....

Book front cover for Gaslighting for God: A Satirical Guide to Save Yourself from Spiritual Narcissists, by Becky Garrison.

Table of Contents for Gaslighting for God by Becky Garrison. Introduction: Spiritual Narcissists Among Us 1. What’s the Big Deal About Narcissism? 2. Prey Not Pray: Unpacking the Unspiritual Dimensions of Narcissism 3. Identifying the Types of Spiritual Narcissists * Blinded by My Light: Exhibitionist Narcissists * Preaching to the Prosperous: Grandiose Narcissists * The Corporate Christian: Royal Narcissists * The Persecuted Poser: Victim Narcissists * Comfy Christianity: Seductive Narcissists * Kinder, Gentler, More Compassionate Communities: Communal Narcissists * Might Makes Right: Malignant Narcissists 4. Leaving Christianity? 5. Enlightened Energies or Predatory Posing? 6. Breaking the Cycle: Goodness, Not Gaslighting 7. Connecting in Community Appendix A: Spiritual Narcissism Case Study: Unpacking the History Behind Mars Hill Church’s Missional Madness Appendix B: Resources for Beginning the Healing Journey Acknowledgments Notes

Book back cover for Gaslighting for God: A Satirical Guide to Save Yourself from Spiritual Narcissists, by Becky Garrison. Includes a shortened endorsement quote from Tia Levings: "Gaslighting for God is laugh-out-loud funny, which is great for those of us who've survived religious trauma and need to laugh it out sometimes, so we're not always crying. But don't let Garrison's clever wit fool you-this book is also a deep and sharply insightful commentary on narcissistic leadership, including valuable and practical ways to spot a predator in pastoral clothing." Tia Levings, author of the NYT Bestselling A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy and I Belong to Me: A Survivor's Guide to Recovery and Hope after Religious Trauma.

GASLIGHTING FOR GOD: A Satirical Guide to Save Yourself from Spiritual Narcissists, by Becky Garrison (Lake Drive Books, 2026).

I've been friends with Becky Garrison for 20+ years and she is someone I've learned much from on topics related to abuse, trauma, and recovery.

Quote from Good Futures user saying the curriculum encourages creativity in an accessible structure for clergy and laity.

Who better to tell you about Good Futures Accelerator than the churches that have completed Good Futures?

Good Futures is a resource that can help churches explore new ways to use their building and land for mission and revenue

rootedgood.org/good-futures

Good Futures Accelerator isn’t just an idea — it’s researched, tested, and it works. ✅
The best proof? The churches using it.

If your building is underused and you desire deeper connection to your community, turn usable space into purpose + people + impact.
rootedgood.org/good-futures

Could social media reflect God’s goodness?

Laura Barringer, co-author of A Church Called Tov reveals practical ways to engage online with wisdom and grace, turning our social battlegrounds into places filled with encouragement.

Watch now on YouTube.
https://youtu.be/cThyXhDChIA?si=Rw3TixB0J7fOjgzn

ArrakiSpice!

Mystery Multiplies (a poem)

#poetry
substack.com/profile/2190...

The R.L. Stollar Update #1 Hello friends, colleagues, and followers! I am starting something new: The R.L. Stollar Update.

Treating children like human beings with human rights does not require studying fancy theologies or philosophies or learning parenting kung fu. It really comes down to something quite simple: the Golden Rule.

The R.L. Stollar Update #1 Hello friends, colleagues, and followers! I am starting something new: The R.L. Stollar Update.

This year’s Theology Beer Camp features not just one, but two, progressive Christian podcasters accused of abuse. It's so disappointing to see exvangelicals and progressive Christians continue the exact same patterns of enabling and empowering abusers.

When Marvin Olasky Platformed Doug Wilson World Magazine was intimately involved with promoting Christofascism throughout Marvin Olasky’s leadership.

No one forced Marvin Olasky to recruit Doug Wilson for a book series that ultimately made Wilson the kingpin of classical Christian education—a movement worth approximately $10 billion today with over 677,500 children enrolled.

Above: front cover elements. Below: Some page spreads.

Eventual plans are to update my LOTR Collector Notes fansite and other media-related fansites. Lots of notes from over the years to compile and post about related literature, movies, press kits and promotional materials, licensed products, etc.

LORD OF THE RINGS. Filming of Peter Jackson trilogy began Oct 11, 1999. The Balrog Gatefold Folder [created for May 1999 Cannes Film Festival] is earliest concept art promotional piece I know of. Link shares what I've learned about it over the years.

lotrcollectornotes.wordpress.com/110-press-ki...

I am going to bea keynote speaker at the Prancing Pony Podcast Moot 2025 this December 18-21. The theme of the moot is “Creating Historical Depth within Fantastical Worlds.”

theprancingponypodcast.com/moot/

My working title is:
“From Words to Worlds: Elvish Roots of Tolkien’s Mythology.”

Exactly 26 years ago today, on October 11, 1999, filming began for The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Over a quarter of a century has passed, yet no film has topped its epic legacy it remains one of the greatest cinematic achievements of all time. 📽️

* A range of potential actions in pushing back against malignant individuals and toxic infrastructures in a Pyramid of Abuse.

I hope you'll find this post and the follow-up series stimulates your thinking about sick versus healthy systems, and how we can resist those that are toxic.

* How a person at any level in a Pyramid might reach a crisis of conscience, and the options that forces the Conflicted to face.

* Processes of discerning and deciding on direction, going forward.

* Agents of Damage, Agents of Healing, and creating a Circle of Support for Survivors.

I've looked for patterns in decisions I was confronted with when I realized I was in a toxic system. I've cataloged the kinds of resistance actions I took both inside and outside of those organizations. I've worked on a follow-up series that tentatively delves into these topics:

Part of what's taken so long is doing a deep dive into 5 major experiences I've endured of spiritual abuse in churches, church plants, Christian non-profits. These totaled 20 of the last 50 years. (Thankfully, these were countered by years in much healthier ministry settings.)

Finally, finally ... an updated version! For 6+ months, I've worked on a blog series updating this graphic, then focusing on what I used to call "Loyal Opposition" but have renamed the "Conflicted" (those inside a toxic system that have to decide how to resist its domination).

Graphic of a pyramid of abuse, showing four layers of roles people play in toxic systems. 1 Those who plan and perpetrate abuse. 2 Those who protect the system and perpetuate abuse. 3 Those who manipulate others in what they can say do and be. 4 Those who are pawns that keep resources and new people flowing into the system. Those in the top roles own the most direct culpability for inflicting harm on people. Those in the bottom roles have lesser responsibility for abuse even though they are complicit in enabling the toxic system.

NEW VERSION OF "PYRAMID OF ABUSE." I’ve blogged about spiritual abuse ~20 years. From feedback, it’s clear the most widely helpful resource I’ve produced has been my Pyramid of Abuse graphic, and the descriptions of roles people play in a toxic system.

futuristguy.wordpress.com/2025/09/29/1...

It’s tough as an artist to share freely when my cartoons keep getting taken down or my watercolors aren't controversial so aren't promoted like my cartoons. Lately, I have spent more time worrying about the algorithm than sharing what matters.
I know I'm not alone in feeling this way.

Happy Hobbit Day! Today we celebrate the birthdays of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, two hobbits whose journeys shaped the fate of Middle-earth. 🥳

I've collected several recipes for Lembas bread and will be baking a few of them, and testing to see which do the best at sustaining us.

The big question is, does Breakfast require four pieces ... ?

Happy #HobbitDay to all!

On 22 September: Bilbo and Frodo Baggins were born. As Ring-bearers, born 78 years apart, their birthdays were honoured as Cormarë, and Tolkien societies worldwide continue to commemorate. How will you celebrate? #Tolkien #BookSky

DOJ Deletes Its Own Study From Website Showing ‘Far More’ Domestic Terrorism Committed by ‘Far-Right Extremists’ Within the past few days, the Department of Justice deleted one of its own studies from its website showing that "far-right extremists have committed far more ideologically motivated homicides than…

DOJ Deletes Its Own Study From Website Showing ‘Far More’ Domestic Terrorism Committed by ‘Far-Right Extremists’

Image of a historical document titled 'Die Nürnberger Gesetze' (The Nuremberg Laws), presenting various charts and texts in German that outline racial policies enacted in 1935 Nazi Germany.

A scanned image of a historical German document dated September 1935, containing dense text and several sections marked by numbers and titles in bold, likely from a legal or governmental publication. The Nuremburg laws.

A scanned image of a historical German document dated September 1935, containing dense text and several sections marked by numbers and titles in bold, likely from a legal or governmental publication. The Nuremburg laws.

15 September 1935 | The Nuremberg Laws - discrimination, racist & antisemitic laws, were enacted by the Reichstag in Nazi Germany. The laws excluded German Jews from Reich citizenship, disenfranchised them, and deprived them of most political rights. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremberg_Laws

On 1 September 2011: A Tolkien Tapestry is published. The book features artwork from artist Cor Blok, whose artwork was seen - and bought! - by #Tolkien. The book includes 100 images from Blok, as well as some insight into Tolkien's views on illustrating his work. #BookSky