Abstract

The manipulation of religion for selfish ends such as domestic violence is a phenomenon that exists within Christian homes. This domestic violence occurs under the guise of religion, with the perpetrators’ quoting religious texts to justify their actions. This article examines some of the religious texts used by perpetrators of domestic violence to pinpoint its nature, implication, and management through the Christian religious body such as Christian religious body implies the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Nigeria. The current study utilized the descriptive phenomenological method. Findings reveal that there is no religious text from the Holy Bible that supports domestic violence. This article recommends that Christian religious bodies should condemn and punish any of their adherents who interpret religious texts for their selfish ends and also intensify their teaching of positive values by organizing programs that will foster campaigns against domestic violence. The article concludes that religious manipulation has aided domestic violence within Christian homes. It argues that domestic violence that occurs within homes promotes violence in society; thus, all stakeholders need to undertake meaningful measures that will expunge this ugly menace from our society. The article concludes by arguing that if the church puts in all the needed effort to condemn, correct, and influence people who perpetrate domestic violence, it will, in turn, curb the use of religion for domestic violence. This will also lead to the fading away of the ideology of man’s superiority over woman since the ideology will no longer be used and transferred to the next generation.