Examining Biblical No-Nos: How Generational Trauma May Have Shaped Early Biblical Beliefs

A priest inside a church waving his finger as if to say No!

As I explained in the Mind Files Minute Video entitled The Spiritual Component, people who experienced abuse and trauma in their childhood often turn away from God because they were given a definition of all things related to God – including informative passages and teachings from the Bible - by someone they perceived as an authority figure, and they readily accepted them as truth. But what if that authority figure didn’t review, reassess and resolve the fear files in the filing cabinets of their mind before passing on the information to you?

I can’t stress enough the importance of reminding yourself that everyone has their own set of Mind Files. Everyone. That includes the professors and teachers you studied under, as well as all of their professors and teachers. Ultimately, everyone who came out of any educational institution, which is all of us because we all attended school, was given ideas, opinions, beliefs and rigid perspectives that belonged to someone else, and we readily adopted them as our own without question.

At some point in your life – especially if and when you reach a time where healing from your childhood becomes important to you, you must review and reassess what you were taught.

Unhealed abuse and/or trauma result in one of two kinds of personalities: the victim and the warrior. The victim type gets stuck in the blame game, and the warrior type becomes overly aggressive – challenging anyone and everyone about anything and everything. However, because both types are drawing from fear-based belief systems, both personality types exude defiance, albeit in slightly different ways. If you follow my Facebook page, you might have seen this graphic:

A woman dressed in blue with her hands on her hips, expressing a defiant look

People who have received chronic criticism, been shamed, and have been led to believe they are an outsider tend to gravitate towards outsider things – deliberately - as an act of defiance against the authority that criticized, shamed and labelled them. These often include spiritual belief systems rooted in ideas labelled taboo by Christianity.

Ultimately, if you’re really intent on healing, you will find your way to Jesus and the Bible, because the teachings of Jesus are the path to healing from abuse and trauma.

In today’s blog, I’m delving into the Biblical idea of sorcery and how the concept that was passed on through the ages adds to a tendency to dismiss the importance of reading the Bible.

WHO WAS THE ANCIENT SORCERER?

In the ancient world, the term “sorcerer” didn’t refer to a fantasy villain but to healers, diviners, and spiritual guides who wielded rituals for balance and well-being. Yet in the Bible, sorcery is repeatedly condemned, lumped in with idolatry and deception. These prohibitions weren’t born from theology alone—they emerged from the emotional and psychological aftermath of slavery in Egypt. By unpacking these ancient biases, we can uncover how trauma shapes our spiritual boundaries and recognize parallels in our modern views of intuition and psychic gifts.

Unresolved Mind Files: Egypt and the Shadow of Slavery

The Israelites’ collective trauma—centuries of slavery in Egypt—left deep psychological imprints. Egypt wasn’t just a place; it was a symbol of oppression, betrayal, and spiritual corruption. So, when the biblical texts were written, anything resembling Egyptian ritual—incantations, divination, healing magic—was viewed through a distorted lens.

These ancient authors weren’t just writing theology. They were writing from pain.

What we might call sorcery today—herbal medicine, dream interpretation, energy healing—was common in Egyptian spiritual practice. But for the Israelites, these rituals became associated with control, manipulation, and danger. Their trauma created rigid boundaries around what was “holy” and what was “forbidden.”

 The Israelites’ experience of slavery in Egypt wasn’t just physical bondage; it was emotional and psychological captivity. And like all trauma, it left behind unresolved mind files—mental and emotional imprints that shaped how they saw the world, themselves, and others.

 

Oppression Distorts Perception

Living under oppression forces people to focus on what they don’t have—freedom, safety, dignity, and autonomy. Over time, this deprivation can lead to exaggerated and romanticized ideas about power over others, what constitutes healing, and the definition of spiritual control.

• The rituals of Egyptian priests—who wielded influence, performed healings, and claimed divine connection—may have seemed both threatening and alluring to the Jews of that time.

• These figures represented everything the Israelites lacked: agency, status, and direct access to the sacred.

• In trauma psychology, this is known as idealization—a defense mechanism where the mind magnifies certain traits or practices as a way to cope with feelings of powerlessness.

So when the Israelites finally gained freedom, they didn’t just reject Egypt—they overcorrected. Anything resembling Egyptian ritual became taboo. Sorcery wasn’t just “other”—it was perceived as dangerous, deceptive, and spiritually corrupt.

Oppression doesn’t just break the body—it reshapes the mind. It teaches us to fear complexity and cling to absolutes.

Trauma and Rigid Boundaries

This reaction is deeply human. When people escape trauma, they often build rigid boundaries to protect themselves from ever going back. In the case of the Israelites, this meant drawing hard lines between “holy” and “unholy,” “us” and “them,” “truth” and “deception.”

• Sorcery, even when used for healing or guidance, was cast as rebellion against divine order.

• The emotional residue of slavery made it difficult to see nuance. The past was too painful, the threat too real.

This is where black-and-white thinking begins to take root—not just in individuals, but in entire cultures.

Black-and-White Thinking: Trauma’s Mental Armour

Black-and-white thinking—also called all-or-nothing thinking—isn’t just a quirky mindset. It’s a survival strategy, forged in the fires of early emotional experiences. For many people raised in environments marked by abuse, neglect, or emotional inconsistency, this binary lens becomes a way to navigate chaos.

Why We Develop It

1.       Avoiding Punishment

o    In homes where rules are unpredictable or punishment is harsh, children learn to simplify their behavior: Do exactly what’s expected or face consequences.

o    There’s no room for trial and error, no tolerance for mistakes. So the brain adapts: If I’m not perfect, I’m bad.

2.      Seeking Validation

o    When love and approval are conditional—based on performance, obedience, or emotional caretaking—children internalize a dangerous rule: I’m only worthy if I’m good.

o    This creates a loop of perfectionism and shame. Any misstep feels like total failure, because it threatens the fragile connection to caregivers.

3.     Creating Predictability

o    Trauma wires the brain for certainty. In a world that feels unsafe, ambiguity is terrifying.

o    So the mind builds a binary map: safe vs. unsafe, right vs. wrong, success vs. failure. It’s not accurate—but it feels protective.

4.     Emotional Regulation

o    Children in dysfunctional homes often lack models for healthy emotional expression. Their own feelings may be dismissed, punished, or ignored.

o    Black-and-white thinking helps suppress complexity: If I feel angry, I must be bad. If I’m sad, I must be weak.

 

The Cost of Simplicity

This mental shortcut helps children survive—but it doesn’t help them thrive. As adults, it can lead to:

• Perfectionism: Believing anything less than flawless is unacceptable.

• Relationship struggles: Viewing others as either heroes or villains.

• Self-worth issues: Feeling only valuable when performing or pleasing.

• Emotional extremes: Swinging between elation and despair with little middle ground.

Healing the Binary Mindset

Recovery means learning to tolerate gray areas—to sit with discomfort, ambiguity, and imperfection. It’s about rewriting the internal script:

“I can make mistakes and still be worthy.” “I can feel two things at once.” “I can be growing and still have setbacks.”

A Tyrannical Relationship Analogy: Mirroring Ancient Oppression

Imagine living under a partner or working for someone who rules like a despot:

• They set arbitrary commands (“Don’t smile today,” “Never speak to anyone else”) and punish you unpredictably for the smallest misstep.

• Praise and affection arrive only when you perform exactly as they demand; any hint of independence—or even a thought in your own head—can trigger anger or withdrawal.

• You quickly learn there are only two acceptable states: perfect obedience (and fleeting safety) or outright rebellion (and certain danger).

In this pressure-cooker environment, your mind’s process creates rigid perspectives as protective behaviours:

1.       You cease testing boundaries. Every gray area feels like a landmine.

2.      You equate any error with total failure—“If I don’t do it flawlessly, I’m worthless.”

3.     You stop trusting your own judgment or feelings; survival depends on seeing the world in stark black and white.

This mirrors the Israelite psyche under Egyptian tyranny. Constant unpredictability and brutal control bred a collective mindset of extremes—anything resembling the oppressor’s methods (healing rituals, divination, spiritual mediation) became synonymous with betrayal or danger.

Healing from Tyranny’s Echo

Just as escape from an abusive partner or workplace requires rebuilding trust in yourself and others, recovering from generational trauma means dismantling those rigid mental rules:

• Recognize the echoes of that tyrant voice (“One slip, and it’s over”).

• Practice small acts of autonomy—make a harmless choice without fearing reprisal.

• Remind yourself daily that safety and growth live in the middle ground: relationships can be imperfect, healing can be messy, and wisdom often comes wrapped in ambiguity.

By reframing both personal and cultural traumas through this lens, we shed the old armor of absolute boundaries and step into a broader, more nuanced faith and life.

From Sorcery to Healing Practices: A Modern Reframe

Root herbs (ginger) and other assorted natural remedies on a white table

What ancient Israelites labelled as “sorcery” —  herbal remedies, dream interpretation, psychic readings and energy healing ­–-­common rituals of Egyptian priests — have survived and evolved into healing systems recognized by many people in today’s scientific community.

In modern medicine and complementary health, we see clear descendants of those once-condemned practices:

• Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) • Acupuncture is endorsed by the World Health Organization for pain management and chemotherapy-induced nausea. • Chinese herbal formulas such as Shen Mai San are studied for cardiovascular support and fatigue reduction.

• Ayurvedic Medicine • Turmeric’s active compound, curcumin, has over 5,000 peer-reviewed studies highlighting its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. • Adaptogenic herbs like ashwagandha show promise in reducing stress, balancing cortisol levels, and supporting cognitive function.

• Naturopathic and Integrative Practices • Nutritional therapies—high-dose vitamin C infusions and targeted diets—play roles in supportive cancer care. • Mind-body approaches (guided imagery, dreamwork, biofeedback) improve anxiety, insomnia, and chronic pain. • Energy-based modalities such as Reiki and therapeutic touch are under investigation for enhancing postoperative recovery and reducing stress markers.

Rather than mystical trickery, these methodologies rest on centuries of observation, trial, and increasingly rigorous clinical research. What was once feared as forbidden magic now enriches a pluralistic healthcare landscape—inviting us to reconsider ancient taboos and honor the continuum between past wisdom and evidence-based healing.

Modern Sorcery: Manipulation and the Power of Narrative

In stark contrast to ancient healing practices, contemporary forms of sorcery are cloaked in familiar, everyday guises—appearing benign while subtly shaping our perceptions and beliefs. Today, manipulative forces weave harmful narratives through entertainment, media, and digital platforms, creating a new kind of spell cast upon the public consciousness.

The Mechanics of Manipulation

Modern spells often masquerade as concern for our safety, infiltrating minds that are already primed by fear. These narratives are skillfully crafted to reference and expand upon our deepest vulnerabilities, echoing unresolved wounds from our personal and collective past. This process, which may be called dark psychology, is deployed by individuals or groups intent on controlling thought and behaviour on a massive scale.

The result is a potent form of psychological influence: stories and information, designed with precision, are presented in ways that are readily accepted as truth. The subtlety and repetition of these messages reinforce their legitimacy, making it difficult to distinguish between genuine care and covert manipulation.

The Impact of Modern Sorcery

These orchestrated narratives do more than merely misinform—they actively shape the way communities see themselves and each other. By playing upon fear, division, and psychological wounds, such manipulation undermines social cohesion and the ability for independent thought. The intent here is not healing or empowerment, but rather to fracture and control, amplifying harm under the guise of protection.

This modern incarnation of sorcery, unlike its ancient counterpart, exploits the very mechanisms that once served to heal and unite, repurposing them for division and domination.

Healing the Divide: Embracing the Gray Areas

What if the biblical “No Nos” weren’t divine ultimatums but protective shields forged in ancient pain? By viewing these prohibitions through a trauma-informed perspective, empathy and personal understanding, we can begin to dismantle our own black-and-white thinking around Biblical teachings. We can honour the wisdom of our ancestors while embracing the mystery of the present.

Black-and-white thinking is like trying to paint a sunset with only two colours—you lose the gradients that give life its depth. True growth comes when we accept that power, healing, and faith all exist in shades of gray. Only then can we move beyond ancient fears and discover the full spectrum of human potential.