A megachurch's ministry program used inappropriate tactics to 'train' teens, ex-interns say

[We Never Know]

Its seems religion is always making the news in a bad way.

"Teenagers pitted against each other during "fight nights" staged by a youth pastor running a Christian leadership training program.

"Boot camps" where the trainees learn the way of the Cross by exercising until they vomit or soil themselves — and by hefting heavy logs on their shoulders through the sweltering summer heat.

Participants who are Black or suspected of being gay taunted with racist and homophobic slurs and female interns fat-shamed.

These are just some of the alleged abuses that were described for this article by more than a half-dozen people who took part in the “220i” leadership program that the Bethany Church, based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, ran from 2005 to 2013. The program promised to turn participants — referred to as interns — into minister material while also providing them with marketable skills like media production."

A megachurch's ministry program used inappropriate tactics to 'train' teens, ex-interns say

 

[The Hammer]

:'(

 

[epronovost]

Were they training soldiers or pastors and their aids? Why the military like physical drill?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Unfortunately, that's not an isolated incident. Things like that happen across America, sometimes to dangerous and fatal ends, and are largely shielded from regulation and oversight due to "freedom of religion."
@SomeRandom, here's some more blood curdling, harrowing tales from the American Evangelical.

 

[SomeRandom]

Unfortunately, that's not an isolated incident. Things like that happen across America, sometimes to dangerous and fatal ends, and are largely shielded from regulation and oversight due to "freedom of religion."
@SomeRandom, here's some more blood curdling, harrowing tales from the American Evangelical.

All I can say is

I’m all for religious freedoms. But there needs to be boundaries lest something like this doesn’t happen.
Seriously, this sort of thing makes me involuntarily think of things like the Handmaid’s Tale

 

[Shadow Wolf]

All I can say is
View attachment 50685

I’m all for religious freedoms. But there needs to be boundaries lest something like this doesn’t happen.
Seriously, this sort of thing makes me involuntarily think of things like the Handmaid’s Tale

Child abuse and letting them needlessly die is a "religious right" here.

 

[SomeRandom]

Child abuse and letting them needlessly die is a "religious right" here.

Eew

 

[Twilight Hue]

Were they training soldiers or pastors and their aids? Why the military like physical drill?

Onward Christian soldiers.

Reminds me of Becky Fischers Jesus camp insanity where they had little kids in camouflage and fatigues.

 

[Fool]

Its seems religion is always making the news in a bad way.

"Teenagers pitted against each other during "fight nights" staged by a youth pastor running a Christian leadership training program.

"Boot camps" where the trainees learn the way of the Cross by exercising until they vomit or soil themselves — and by hefting heavy logs on their shoulders through the sweltering summer heat.

Participants who are Black or suspected of being gay taunted with racist and homophobic slurs and female interns fat-shamed.

These are just some of the alleged abuses that were described for this article by more than a half-dozen people who took part in the “220i” leadership program that the Bethany Church, based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, ran from 2005 to 2013. The program promised to turn participants — referred to as interns — into minister material while also providing them with marketable skills like media production."

A megachurch's ministry program used inappropriate tactics to 'train' teens, ex-interns say

many shepherds are more interested in feasting on the sheep than feeding them healthy foods.



Ezekiel 34

 

[Revoltingest]

Participants who are Black or suspected of being gay taunted with racist and homophobic slurs and female interns fat-shamed.

Do they taunt the white boys with....
"Privilege!"
"You can't dance!"
"Nerd boy!"

 

[SomeRandom]

Do they taunt the white boys with....
"Privilege!"
"You can't dance!"
"Nerd boy!"

Given that it’s religious, wouldn’t it be moreso that they’re evil sinners?
I assume they’d all be nerds so the taunt would be something they’ve built immunity to

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Do they taunt the white boys with....
"Privilege!"
"You can't dance!"
"Nerd boy!"

I've never come across that in my time as one of them.
And some kf these denominations do promote racism. Southern Baptists, for example, schismed away from the Baptists because they supported slavery abolishment while the Southern ones supported it. They tend to be very big into the idea of "not mixing tribes" to the point class lessons for me involved stories of a fictional community that did portray a segregated society.

 

[Revoltingest]

Given that it’s religious, wouldn’t it be moreso that they’re evil sinners?
I assume they’d all be nerds so the taunt would be something they’ve built immunity to

They'd all be evil sinners.
The theme appeared to be something more personal.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Given that it’s religious, wouldn’t it be moreso that they’re evil sinners?
I assume they’d all be nerds so the taunt would be something they’ve built immunity to

They have a pastor beating it into their heads all their righteousness is but filthy rags, they are sinners who deserve to go to Hell, they are flawed sinners not worthy of god or his grace, and they are all damned because of what Adam and Eve did, we i inherited sin through them and are guilty just for being born.
Call them sinners? They already accept that and have had an soul-killing piousness installed to accept it like a fact and accept it with humility.
Calling them things like sissies and faggots is more likely to happen.

 

[Revoltingest]

They have a pastor beating it into their heads all their righteousness is but filthy rags, they are sinners who deserve to go to Hell, they are flawed sinners not worthy of god or his grace, and they are all damned because of what Adam and Eve did, we i inherited sin through them and are guilty just for being born.
Call them sinners? They already accept that and have had an soul-killing piousness installed to accept it like a fact and accept it with humility.
Calling them things like sissies and faggots is more likely to happen.

I wonder what they'll do with all this self loathing,
fire, & brimstone.....become mass murderers,
suffer depression, or become marketing executives?

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I wonder what they'll do with all this self loathing,
fire, & brimstone.....become mass murderers,
suffer depression, or marketing executives?

Many do develop mental health issues including depression, anxiety, and low self esteem and confidence.
Many leave religion entirely (which actually does come with social drawbacks as that does ultimately severe ties to what is still an important community hub that we haven't replaced yet)
LGBT youth tend to have it the worst, with bullying, being tortured and having it called "therapy," and even this terrible feature where even a parent will have their natural bonds and empathy with their own child severed to the point the child is disowned and made homeless.
And they aren't big into higher education and don't really promote or push it so lots of people I was around did things like retail, hair salons, or menial office work. That I'm aware of I never met any mass murderers or marketing execs. But many women who believe they must be shackled to the home and domestic servitude, as anything else is not what god wants or intends and that means god will send her to hell and probably her husband as well for marrying a ungodly harlot.

 

[SomeRandom]

They have a pastor beating it into their heads all their righteousness is but filthy rags, they are sinners who deserve to go to Hell, they are flawed sinners not worthy of god or his grace, and they are all damned because of what Adam and Eve did, we i inherited sin through them and are guilty just for being born.
Call them sinners? They already accept that and have had an soul-killing piousness installed to accept it like a fact and accept it with humility.
Calling them things like sissies and faggots is more likely to happen.

That’s pretty despicable to do to teens, ngl

 

[Shadow Wolf]

That’s pretty despicable to do to teens, ngl

Children, teens, and adults.

 

[SomeRandom]

Children, teens, and adults.

Yeah religion was a mistake.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Yeah religion was a mistake.

I keep telling the English they need to take this back. They sent it here. It's rightfully their mess. They should deal with it. But they won't.