I’ve probably beaten this topic of leader abuse to death. Its good to remember this topic isn’t about others but about myself too. All are capable of violating another with our power. Power is that thing we wield but don’t really see from others’ points of view. I can feel powerless but still control others just the same (those who project a martyr complex can have great power to manipulate others. While we may not violate another in a grotesque way (e.g., sexual abuse), our violation may still damage others in its subtler forms. For example, when I stand over others in judgment I may act as if I am God Himself passing judgment and so do damage to their soul.
So, a good reminder from Miroslav Volf in his Exclusion and Embrace that our self-righteousness about others’ sins can cause tremendous division and pain among us. When we fail to :
“Forgiveness flounders because I exclude the enemy from the community of humans even as I exclude myself from the community of sinners.” (p. 124).
Musings on Faith and Psychology 