Teen Challenge Survivors Can Make Victim Statements in Court

[none-ya]

You could leave? I thought you were court ordered.

[TC_Saved_Me]

Yeah, I was court ordered.  That's how prideful I was.  I was willing to take my chances at going to jail instead of finishing Teen Challenge.  It also shows you how hard that program is to complete.  That program is no joke!  That's why the success rates are so high for people who stick it out and actually finish the program.

It works like any other court order.  If I did not live up to my end of the judge's agreement with me, he would have issued a bench warrant for my arrest.

[none-ya]

All the court ordered kids in the seed and many other programs were not allowed to leave,even if they wanted to go to jail instead. I know, I was one of them. I DID escape,and I DID go to jail. I don't regret it for one minute.At least in jail they fed us.

[N.O.S.O.B.]

[N.O.S.O.B.]

[Anonymous]

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[Anonymous]

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[TC_Saved_Me]

All the court ordered kids in the seed and many other programs were not allowed to leave,even if they wanted to go to jail instead. I know, I was one of them. I DID escape,and I DID go to jail. I don't regret it for one minute.At least in jail they fed us.

Well, I do not know how the program for kids works.  I would assume that Teen Challenge staff is legally mandated to follow certain protocol for court order juveniles.  

I was 24 years old when I went into the program though, and had the choice to leave if I wanted to.  That's just the way our judicial system works, it has nothing to do with Teen Challenge.

Look, I didn't come in here to discuss semantics.  I understand that there are at least a few bad apples on every tree...  I just wanted to share a personal, positive testimony about this program because I would probably have overdosed or been locked behind bars by now if it weren't for Teen Challenge.

Every organization on the planet has some bad seeds, including most religious organizations - I just hope that people aren't berating this program because it is faith-based.

I know probably 20 people just off the top of my head who probably wouldn't be where they are today if it weren't for Teen Challenge.  I just want to urge everyone on here to get all the information, get every side to the story before they start to form any negative opinions of this program.  I can personally get several Teen Challenge graduates to share their testimonies on here, and maybe that would change your opinion..??

Teen Challenge has over a thousand centers world-wide.  Are there some centers that are run better than others?  Absolutely.  Are there some centers that are lead by people who make poor financial decisions or moral decisions?  Probably.  But they are changing thousands of lives!  That has to be worth something...

[TC_Saved_Me]

http://www.raven1.net/mcf/ciabwash.htm

That's the model TC's base their "therapy" on. They call it behavior modification.  We don't call it brainwashing, the government does

I am not going to even begin to make the claim that I read that entire memorandum.  As someone who has actually been involved with Teen Challenge however, I must say this could not be further from the truth.  Teen Challenge, while similar to "Behavioral Therapy," in that they reinforce positive behavior through rewards - while disciplining bad behavior, is basically a very strict (almost militaristic) bible school.

Each student gets a job that he is responsible for doing (whether it be working on the grounds crew, or answering the phones).  There are daily chores.  There are three phases of classes (4 classes for each phase).  Three mandatory meal times per day.  Three mandatory chapel services to attend a week.  Scripture memorization, testimonials, etc.  And there are rules to follow.

They do not "teach" anything except for how to serve God.  Read your Bible, pray, worship God.  That's it.  Some call it a monestary for people with addictions.  Some call it a "Christian bootcamp."  While others call it a "Christian Life School."  I say that it's a little bit of all of those.

[Ursus]

I took offense when being accused of being "brainwashed," so I considered some scripture, and it actually says in Romans 12: 2, "Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

So, after considering my accusers comments about being "brainwashed," I decided that his/ her accusation actually does line up with what the Bible teaches.  So, I HAVE in fact been brainwashed!

Sorry, could you please point out WHERE in this thread ... someone accused you of being "brainwashed?" Or any comments to that effect, which may have prompted your taking offense?

It seems to me that *YOU*, in fact, were the only one doing the accusing, eh?

It certainly makes me wonder as to the truth of these alleged accusations about you (which I've tried very hard to find, but cannot), given that they are apparently more on your mind than anyone else's...

[none-ya]

TC-Saved-Me wrote
I know probably 20 people just off the top of my head who probably wouldn't be where they are today if it weren't for Teen Challenge.

I bet they used the old dead-insane or in jail speech.

[none-ya]

Or better yet,dead-insane or in CHURCH.

[Judge Joe]

Hmmm... Now that I think about it, I WAS brainwashed!  

My brain used to think about crack, weed, blunts, bongs, sex, and 40 oz's!  

Now my brain thinks about scripture!

Thank you for raising my "awareness" of this "brainwashing!"

Who paid the monthly fees when you attended Teen Challenge?

[TC_Saved_Me]

Hmmm... Now that I think about it, I WAS brainwashed!  

My brain used to think about crack, weed, blunts, bongs, sex, and 40 oz's!  

Now my brain thinks about scripture!

Thank you for raising my "awareness" of this "brainwashing!"

Who paid the monthly fees when you attended Teen Challenge?

There are no monthly fees.  For the Philadelphia Teen Challenge (where I first enrolled), it is a one-time fee of $450.00 - that covers the entire year-long program.  For the Southern California Teen Challenge (where I ended up after leaving the Philly house), it is a free program.

[TC_Saved_Me]

I took offense when being accused of being "brainwashed," so I considered some scripture, and it actually says in Romans 12: 2, "Do not conform any longer to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind."

So, after considering my accusers comments about being "brainwashed," I decided that his/ her accusation actually does line up with what the Bible teaches.  So, I HAVE in fact been brainwashed!

Sorry, could you please point out WHERE in this thread ... someone accused you of being "brainwashed?" Or any comments to that effect, which may have prompted your taking offense?

It seems to me that *YOU*, in fact, were the only one doing the accusing, eh?

It certainly makes me wonder as to the truth of these alleged accusations about you (which I've tried very hard to find, but cannot), given that they are apparently more on your mind than anyone else's...

You're right.  I was confused when I kept seeing a guy named: "N.O.S.O.B. (National Open Symposium On Brainwashing)" quoting everything I posted.  He wouldn't make any comment, just quote me, and repost my comments.  He never accused me of being brainwashed though.  That was my own paranoid, defensive-minded way to read his posts.  My bad.