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Investigating Teen Challenge

Please post your experiences on the only blog that makes an attempt to prove that the Teen Challenge Program needs to be investigated! Read the first post entitled, 'Investigating the Teen Challenge Program'. The links on the right side bar offer other's reasons as well. (Claims of high success rates and high drop-out rates and accountability are what sparked this investigation.)

Monday, May 05, 2008

Dogemperor at Daily Kos: An In-Depth Series on Abuse at Teen Challenge

An In-Depth Series on Abuse at Teen Challenge

Part 1: Teen Challenge: The Assemblies' Own "Kiddie Gulag"

Part 2: Teen Challenge: Coercive Groups Disguised as Rehab

Part 3: Teen Challenge: A Typical Week in the "Jesus Gulag"

Part 4: Teen Challenge: Life Within the "Jesus Gulag"

Part 5: Teen Challenge: Possible Missionary Mill?

Part 6: Teen Challenge: The Depths of Coercion at a "God Warrior" Training Camp

Part 7: Teen Challenge: Sex Abuse and Sexual Predators

Part 8: Teen Challenge: Court-Ordered Coercion and CYA Indemnity Contracts

Part 9: Teen Challenge: Your Tax Dollars, Paying For Institutionalised Abuse

Links:
  • Bill HR 5876--A Chance to Protect Kids from Abusive "Kiddie Boot Camps"
  • Join Teen Challenge Lawsuit!

Posted by Karly at 2:44 PM 6 comments:
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TO ADD YOUR BAD TEEN CHALLENGE EXPERIENCE, PLEASE CLICK HERE:
http://teenchallengecult.blogspot.com/2007/02/did-you-have-bad-experience-at-teen.html

You can read more comments here:
TEEN CHALLENGE FAMILY MEMBERS HAVE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

You can also read more comments at:
Behind the Walls: The Teen Challenge You Won't See
Teen Challenge websites do not make the public aware that Teen Challenge is actually a Mission of the Assemblies of God Church!

Need proof? http://usmissions.ag.org/
Need more proof that Teen Challenge is a Mission of the Assemblies of God Church?
Assemblies of God U.S. Missions has six departments, which INCLUDES Teen Challenge-
http://usmissions.ag.org/top/faqs.cfm
Teen Challenge Director Fred Lamberson III said his other two facilities in Arcata and Eureka operate without a state license and without medical staff and, although 80 percent of the residents are recovering from drug or alcohol abuse, the facilities are “Christian discipleships,” not “drug and alcohol programs.”
  • *NEW* - "Investigating Teen Challenge" Web Forum

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About Me

Karly
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Links

  • A Teen Challenge Thread on Topix.net
  • A Teen Challenge Thread on Topix.net (2)
  • Association of Former Pentecostals
  • Civil Rights Litigation Clearinghouse
  • Dominionism 101
  • ex-cult Resource Center - The BITE Model
  • Ex-Pentecostal Forums - Message Board
  • Fornits Home for Wayward Web Fora Forum
  • Heal-Online.org - National List of Abusive Programs
  • Heal-Online.org - The Truth About Straight, Inc. & Teen Challenge
  • One of Fornit's Threads on Teen Challenge
  • OpenSecrets.org
  • Read the many opinions at bad samaritan.com
  • Religion and Child Abuse
  • Respect Our Faith
  • Teen Challenge Exposed
  • Teen Challenge Thread on the Ex Pentecostal Forum
  • Teen Challenge Topic at Fred's -#1
  • Teen Challenge Topic at Fred's- #2
  • Teen Challenge Topic at SoHum
  • Teen Challenge- Could It Happen Here?
  • Teen Challenge- Something to Think About
  • Teen Challenge: Lowering Health, Safety and Quality of Care Standards
  • Texas Freedom Network: Faith-Based Initiative
  • The Eagle On The Altar- Bush's Conversion Agenda for India: Preparing for the harvest ...
  • The Rick A. Ross Institute For The Study Of Destructive Cults, Controversial Groups and Movements

Bogus Success Rates?

Nationally known drug treatment program, Teen Challenge, has encouraged this notion by claiming success rates ranging from seventy to eighty-six percent. But these figures dramatically distort the truth, as they represent the successful treatment rate of only those participants who do not drop out of the program before completion, which includes less than one-fifth (18%) of the total number of students who actually participated. -Statement of Samantha Smoot

13 Counts of Abuse?

"The Teen Challenge I was in is now being taken to court on 13 accounts of abuse..." by Nikki on October 1, 2005 5:41 PM

Shelly Says:

"If I were not a TRUE CHRISTIAN I would say a lot more uglier things about the whole situation." by shelly on December 26, 2005 3:10 AM

Judy Asks:

"No information was given to us about daily schedules or even if counseling was available. If anyone has info about the induction phase could you please email? Calls to his "counselor" and director mostly go unanswered. Thank You!" by judy on June 11, 2006 8:57 PM

A Family Member Asks:

"Why does my sister look so skinny and pale in the only 2 pictures they have allowed her to send to my family?" by loving sister on January 9, 2006 1:35 AM

Laurie Asks:

"My fiance is in there and I am not allowed to have any contact including letters for a year. Is that true???" posted by Laurie of Clearwater, FL Nov 30, 2006

-Forced to Solicit-

"I had a conversation with a young man yesterday, who was in Teen Challenge in New Hampshire for six months. He told me he was cut off from all contact with family. He said that they were also "forced" (his words) to solicit money every day, with alot of it skimmed off by 'counselors'." by Rick on November 8, 2006 10:57 AM

Mom Had to Hire An Attorney:

"I had to hire an attorney to get my 24 year old son out of Teen Challenge in Riverside, Ca. They ostracized him for not "speaking in tongues", and his "counselor" told me that speaking in tongues is a gift from God, your son could have it too, but he is rebellious!" by Bren on February 11, 2007 2:07 PM

Civil Rights Violations!

What's worse, is that I have heard that some Probation officers are CHOOSING Teen Challenge and demanding graduation OR else their "person on probation" goes to prison / jail. In other words, sign onto the "Assemblies of God" religion, walk the walk, "speak in tongues" etc.... or you'll go to jail. Doesn't this smack of civil rights violations!!!??? posted by Cherokee lady of Fowler, CA Tuesday Jan 23 (NOTE: Please read my blog post entitled "Proof That Courts Are Sentencing People To Teen Challenge")

Given False Information

"I feel I was given false info which lead me to give up my flat, leave my family and job, all to return to nothing." posted by Lindsey London, UK Monday Feb 5

Multiple cases of abuse:

"The (Teen Challenge) program we were in has multiple cases of abuse being set up against them. It's about time." by Nicole on June 8, 2006 9:01 PM

Forces god down people's throats

"Teen Challenge forces God down people's throats, and puts God into their tiny box, telling everyone that they know who God is and exactly what he thinks and believes. They look down on you and treat you like an idiot if you don't believe just like them. I can't tell you how much hurt and anger has come from my stay there." by Beth on May 31, 2006 4:31 PM

Obviously- This Lady's Been Brain Washed!

Those that say that they were in it and there was brainwashing... well they just need to get a better understanding of the word brainwashing... by Samantha on May 11, 2007

Sexual Abuse Cases

And if you really want to have a look at sexual abuse cases involving the Assemblies of God Church (which runs all of the Teen Challenge programs) then you should do some research because the amount of cases and convictions is mind-boggling!!! by Cameron on May 10, 2007

They could quote hundreds of Bible verses...

I'm a pastor who has had a couple of my members go to Teen Challenge. I will not judge what happened/s there because I don't know personally. I do know though that they have not done well after coming through the program and getting out. They have relapsed and nothing that was done there has stayed with them. They could quote hundreds of Bible verses but couldn't connect them with real life or behavior in any realistic way - it's all just rote memorization. I'm not impressed. posted by rev on Apr 18, 2007

Engaged to Fiance But Not Allowed to Visit Him!

My boyfriend is there and it is true that even engaged people can't have contact. Only immediate family (mom dad bro sis) can have contact. My prayers are with you and your fiance! by Laura Monday June 18

Girlfriend Not Allowed to Visit You While In Teen Challenge

At the Riverside TC, if a guy wanted to have his girlfriend visit, she had to be a Christian ("walking with the Lord" was their term) and have a letter from her pastor, and pass an interview with the staff. I've never heard of an induction center letting girlfriends visit under any circumstances. Tuesday Jun 19 by Michael

very high drop out rate and statistics from 32 years ago!

It is also a FACT that the VERY high drop-out rate for Teen Challenge is tremendous and it is ALSO a FACT that Teen Challenge is bragging about statistics that are from 1975, which was 32 years ago! Those statistics were done on Teen Challenge graduates from 1968, which was 39 years ago!!! Out of those 186 people, a total of 143 people dropped out of the Teen Challenge program!!! Cameron May 9, 2007

have you been to teen challenge?

Why am I posting this?... well... probably for 2 reasons....
1. I want to come to grips with this disappointing experience by prompting discussion with any others who have experienced teen challenge.
2. I want to warn would-be attendees of teen challenge of what I observed and hopefully spare them the same disaster I experienced. Chaz

A Comment I Received

I received an e-mail describing one man's particular discipline in Teen Challenge. He states- "In fact, one of my worst disciplines in Teen Challenge was writing a full page essay 450 times in one week!"

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Investigating Teen Challenge
"I had to hire an attorney to get my 24 year old son out of Teen Challenge in Riverside, Ca. Our experience was a VERY negative one. My son WANTED to change his life when he entered Teen Challenge, however, we were shocked by the whole experience! They would make stuff up and punish my son at their whim. (Punishment gives you more time to serve, thus they get more money working you, so I have heard) Also, my son asked if there was counseling available, as he felt depressed. (They have no counselors, all that work there have gone through TC's one year TCMI program). He was told it was his own fault for being depressed as he didn't give himself to Jesus. They ostracized him for not "speaking in tongues", and his "counselor" told me that "speaking in tongues is a gift from God, your son could have it too, but he is rebellious!" When they overheard that he had asked me to request a program change with his probation officer (change to a secular drug rehab, NOT a RELIGIOUS program) they attacked him, told him that he needed to spend some time in PRISON to be broken down to accept Jesus, that going to other re-habs was spitting in the face of Jesus. They drove him to a bus stop, dropped him off, then LIED to me about the incident. This poor kid was hysterical. Thus the hiring of an attorney. My experience drew me to this conclusion: Teen Challenge basically pushes hyper-religiosity to replace addiction. They DO tell you that it was a calling by God to be there, and guilt you with their belief that you must come back there. They pressure you for recruitment. Their success statistics are not accurate, according to researchers. Those that lack resources for attorneys are victimized.... Yes, TC is probably better than jail for some, but the sad fact remains that TC is mentally abusive, and many of those lost souls that end up there do suffer so... My son was always sounding wound up, stressed out, confused.... He is now doing beautifully and is calm and getting the healing he needs. (He is OUT of Teen Challenge) So, for us, Teen Challenge was a nightmare! AND, many in there do not realize that it is a violation of their civil rights to push the religious dogma, IF IT IS TRUE that Teen Challenge did indeed receive faith-initiative money, which IS federal money. They crossed the line when they mentally abused my son by refusing to allow him the freedom to choose another program WITHOUT FEAR OF RETALIATION. They KNOW that these people on probation are on thin ice, and it empowers them to threaten them with "giving probation bad reports", and "I'm sending you to PRISON!" It was a terrifying experience, and I hope and pray that Karma, God, Jesus, EVERYTHING in the universe works together to expose abusive organizations that exploit broken souls!" by Bren on February 11, 2007 2:07 PM

Teen Challenge

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