In a previous post I gave a quick overview of Teen challenge. In this post I wanted to draw you attention to a number of interesting points on the page that advertises their services.
Half way down the page is this Gem;
The work of Teen Challenge is evangelism. Telling people the good news in a world that is full of bad news can be done in many ways. Street Evangelism is one way. [source]
Note its not part of the work nor an aspect but spells out quite clearly that Teen challenge’s raison d’être is to evangelise. Jesus first, all else is secondary. This is unacceptable when dealing with people who have fallen on hard times, who have mental health issues and drug issues.
The client comes first, not slavish adherence to a book transcribed from the oral rantings of desert nomads. Mind you Pentecostalism is less a following of ancient oral traditions and more the regurgitated ramblings of modern self styled prophets with a pinch of biblical quotation thrown in for legitimacy.
Next Another priceless and bald faced admission
Counselling is available at most centres. We are not a "professional" service, in the sense of academic qualifications. Most of our counselors have learnt their skills the hard way. They are effective, efficient, confidential and full of the Holy Ghost. [source]
The gall of these people to flaunt the fact that they do not have qualifications, to thumb their nose at years of study and the latest advances that science/study has to offer. To claim that all you need is the holy spirit.
Tell me how does one test for the holy spirit? Instead of funnelling money back into the church, Teen Challenge if they had a conscience, would be combining the apparent experience of their "counsellors" with accredited training.
Now in line with their mission of evangelism they offer :
Training courses and seminars are run throughout the year. Each centre has its own specialties. The courses are varied, but each course has a strong Biblical base.
I wonder if they have qualified trainers? No, probably just more people filled with the holy spirit.
Even the Raven trailers, that provide warm hearty meals for the unfortunate are sullied by the motivation of Teen Challenge, as they only exist to act as a vehicle for spreading the word.
They also offer Turning point, a set of resources(propaganda to keep the godwinked focused on the right hand while the left hand is counting the cash), evangelical in nature with programs on such topics as:
- Committed couples
- Godly parenting
- Overcoming depression
One thing that did strike me as ironic is that they will thumb their nose at qualifications and the "secular" establishment they don’t mind slapping the veneer of Pentecostal Christianity over standard secular advice on depression for example.
But then this is what Pentecostalism is, a parasite sucking on the back of anything they can turn to their advantage.
And finally come the gulags…er I mean treatment programs for men and women. Does it strike anyone else as odd that Teen challenge is servicing adults?
We offer a Christian alternative in the treatment of dependent people. Our target age group is 18-35 years old, though exceptions are made. [source]
Perhaps its easier and less risky legal to service this group?
But they have unwittingly revelled the secret of the success of their program:
We believe that God is the ‘total cure for the total person’. This enables the people involved to become acceptable and functioning members of society, and fortifies them to live free of the old habits that bound them.
So it’s easy, if I can just find some of this god, I can set up my own program.
Related posts:
- Teen Challenge South Australia – Services In a previous post I gave a quick overview...
- Teen Challenge Centralia – WTF? As an update to The Teen Challenge set of...
- Teen Challenge focus – South Australia. I have written a number of articles on Teen Challenge...
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Oh, GOOD GRIEF!!
A few things that tick me off about
this rampant bit of propaganda:
Jesus is not responsible, necessarily for making one a “whole” person- that falls primarily on the person. Are you lazy &/or sitting back whining around? Are you going to college/university &/or helping someone whom has more “need” than you do (food, clothes, etc.)
Well, at least they’ve admitted they/their staff aren’t fully qualifed in the normal manner. But
when you are dealing with addictive
personalities/traumatized persons, you’d BETTER have accredited folk on your staff. I’m not so sure I’d prefer to have someone as MY
therapist that had learned their
way of thinking thru “hard knocks”.
THAT doesn’t qualify you to “guide”/redirect a persons thinking whose brain chemicals have
likely been altered by drugs and or
trauma. And if the brain chemicals
have been “altered” over a long period of time, by drug abuse or the pt.’s inner self going into “self protection mode” for yrs., no amount of Bible spouting is going to change that. The chemicals, in MOST cases, are unalterably changed, the pt does NOT “go back” to what they were before the mental illness presents.
So, it would appear the challenge to teens AND anyone else is really:
Find an accredited mental health professional that accepts Centrelink (and you should be able to get a list of professionals that do), make an appt. and begin
therapy. Therapists have NO business bringing “faith” into their practice. That would be somewhat like a preacher saying from the pulpit “Hey, you there,in
the 3rd pew- it’s my observation that you need to go see Dr. So and So!” So what- that’s NONE of the preacher’s business!!
When is somebody on MM/Teen Challenge’s Bd of Directors or a
“contributor” to STAND UP and demand a thorough accounting of where all the $$ is going?????
Apparently, the services are “free”
if you come up with 200., and sign over your insurance benefits, sign
for your supper and cut yourself off from everyone you had dealings
with beforehand. That is NOT treatment. THAT is ultimate control. If they were so concerned
about true treatment, after the initial “detox” time of 2-4 wks., they would, at some point, agree to
work in tandem with whatever professional the pt. had been seeing (if any) on the outside.
Oh, I forgot. They can’t do that,
now can they. Cause if they have and discourse with REAL professionals on a case, they might
be uncovered for what they are- a
bunch of boobs feigning “treatment”
to rake in $$$.
Near the end- that should be “sing
for your supper”…
Its disgraceful behaviour isn’t it. Some just think that good intention is all you need. We all know where the road leads that is paved with good intention.
I am angry at these organisations, but I am angry at our politicians as well.
I don’t care what your religion is if you are treating me I want you treatment based on evidence not “woo”, we don’t stone our children for unruly behavior, we shouldn’t treat mental illness as demonic possession.
Hmm…kinda makes ya wonder if the
real “demons” aren’t the ones passing out the “treatment” along with “conversion”/do it our way or
else–????
I guess one would have to try to discover if the politicians there
receive donations from MM/Hillsong, etc., and if so, is there a limit on how much one lobby
can donate? And if so, does MM have yet another tentacle that they
funnel political contributions thru?
Or, I guess another answer could be
that the MM & places/groups like it
aren’t on the politicians rader. Or they are, & it just isn’t a “priority” right now. It WOULD be if any of THEM had relatives in one those “circle the wagons” cults!