Dear Current and Recent Interns,
I hate to burst your bubble, but by and large, there is no “line.”* I know you’ve been told that you are joining the ranks of people who are committed to a life of integrity, honor and legalism. You’ve been told that you are free to confront us on any sin issue in our lives, even without knowing anything about us, just because we are members of “the line.” You are told that you can count on members of “the line” to help you in times of crisis.**
It’s a great motivational tool. I can see why the HA uses it. It sure makes you feel important and special. And it probably gives you incentive not to screw up, because you are feeling the pressure of everyone else watching you. Come to think of it, that’s probably one of the biggest reasons they sell you that line (ha, no pun intended!).
In fact, I dare Teen Mania to find 100 interns that have been out of the program for at least 10 years that still subscribe to their teachings. That would mean people that permanently left campus by the year 2000. That is probably a pool of at least 1,000 interns. So I am only asking for a measly 10%. I truly doubt they could even manage to scrape that many together.
While “the line” is crumbling year after year, the circle is growing. It’s a circle of people who are recovering from the judgment and shame that legalism brings. We encourage and accept each other no matter where we are on the journey. You might not be ready to join us yet, but chances are that you will eventually. We are slowly shedding our TM baggage so we can stand with open hands and open hearts basking in God’s love for us. And it feels good.
*In TM speak, “the line” is all the interns who have gone before that wear the honor ring and commit to a life of honor.
** Terms and Conditions Apply. Support does not apply to the following conditions: pornography, premarital sex, extended depression, suicidal thoughts, divorce, baby out of wedlock, homosexuality, being sexually abused, losing your “fire” or other “un-honorable” activities.
24 comments:
Whatever happened to ‘judge not lest ye be judged’?
January 6, 2010 8:37 AM
Ben said…
I actually never put on the honor ring, or took the oath or anything, largely because of ‘the line’. as he talked about how everyone with the ring had a right to hold me accountable, I looked around the banquet and realized that this was pretty much the last group of people in the world that i wanted to be held accountable for ANYTHING by.
that, and there’s just no biblical reason to be following something as enslaving as the honor code.
January 6, 2010 9:10 AM
Nunquam Honorablus said…
I love being apart of this little namby-pamby powwow 🙂
And D, you’re SUPPOSED to judge fellow believers! That’s what Hasz says anyway. I forget from which Scripture he got that, but it sounded good at the time.
January 6, 2010 10:01 AM
D said…
It’s not judging, it’s being Held Accountable! “held accountable” … “judge” these words they are so wibbly wobbly.
January 6, 2010 10:37 AM
Nunquam Honorablus said…
So wibbly wobbly, in fact, that their meanings can change at a moment’s notice to fit man’s agenda and motives! Just like the infallible Word of God!
… wait a minute. ._.
January 6, 2010 10:50 AM
recovered9798 said…
love the “**“ …o how we are missing it, when we refuse to love through these things.
January 6, 2010 12:09 PM
Recovering Alumni said…
One thing that hasn’t been mentioned yet, but is really sad, is the sense of betrayal you feel when the people you turn to for support offer you a cold shoulder. I know stories first hand of interns who suffered several of the things in the ** section and who were subsequently ignored by TM staff – including both Dave Hasz and Ron Luce.
January 6, 2010 12:24 PM
Nunquam Honorablus said…
… what??
Oh, but bring that to Hasz and he’ll say, “WELP, that’s why it’s so important to hold The Line™ accountable!!”. He’s told us several times about the importance of keeping each other accountable to the “commitment we made to a lifetime of integrity”.
Yet when they seek accountability they’re tossed out like used toilet paper. Really? Ugh.
January 6, 2010 12:52 PM
Ben said…
for those interested, i found this good little study on judging (specifically relating to matthew 7), and it even addresses what matthew 7 means for the accountability of teachers: http://cicministry.org/commentary/issue94.htm
January 6, 2010 1:17 PM
Ex-Intern Aug 07 said…
Oh you’re forgetting the latest!! Unless you haven’t heard about it!
They now call the community of alumni “The Fellowship of the Ring”
Hahaha
January 6, 2010 2:14 PM
Nunquam Honorablus said…
Then it has all been in vain. The Fellowship has failed.
January 6, 2010 3:11 PM
Recovering Alumni said…
It looks as if Dave has accepted my challenge. A reader just alerted me to Dave’s facebook status this afternoon:
I would love to hear stories from HA Alumni about how your year in the HA has impacted your lives and how that year has helped you be successful. I would like to use these stories to encourage others who are considering the Honor Academy and current interns. Please email me your stories to david.hasz@teenmania.org, or …to my facebook email. This should be fun – thanks to all of you.
Good luck with that, Dave!
January 6, 2010 4:38 PM
Recovering Alumni said…
Ex-Intern Aug 07 – I’m confused, does that mean we should be throwing our rings into a burning pit of fire…? Not that I would mind….
January 6, 2010 4:57 PM
Ben said…
thing is, he didn’t specify when they were at the HA, so the challenge has not been accepted. it won’t be too hard to find people one or two years out who are still gung-ho about it, and who says they won’t just be GI’s?
January 6, 2010 5:16 PM
Anonymous said…
You can’t be serious. I know 50 alumni just myself that had a wonderful experience at the HA Pre-2000.
January 7, 2010 9:54 AM
Recovering Alumni said…
Anon – I see you are logging on from Lindale via the TM network. I have a hard time believing that
a) you even keep in touch with 50 people who left 10 years ago
b) they would be honest with you if they did have a bad experience because of who you are (presumably staff)
January 7, 2010 10:55 AM
Recovering Alumni said…
I actually do know some people from pre-2000 that still embrace TM teachings. Every single one of them also shuns anyone mentioned in **
I don’t call that success.
January 7, 2010 12:33 PM
Anonymous said…
Please cite the names of those pre-2000 alumni that have shunned the circumstances you mentioned in your post. I’m sure all of those alumni would like their name on here so they can hear how they have not showed the love of Christ to their fellow brother and sisters in the faith. I have yet to hear about someone purposefully shunning someone and not trying to help them.
January 7, 2010 1:18 PM
Recovering Alumni said…
Are you kidding? You really want me to publish names? I hardly think thats appropriate. You can email me if you want to talk about individual people.
I already mentioned that Dave and Ron have both particpated in the shunning…I can’t give details without breaking confidences, so I guess you’ll just have to take my word for it.
I will say that some (most?)of the people you hold up as model interns are some of the most arrogant people I’ve ever met…
January 7, 2010 1:25 PM
Recovering Alumni said…
J97 – shoot me an email. Recovering9798 wanted to get in touch with you.
January 7, 2010 4:15 PM
Curious George said…
Here’s 2 thoughts I offer to you.
1. Maybe alumni aren’t supposed to help those screw-ups who are going through the things listed in the Terms and Conditions because they simply weren’t taught how. Take homosexuality for example. When I think back on the years after I just got out, I remember the first dozen or so homosexuals I encountered in life. I was confused and had no idea of how to “reach them.” I thought back on my time at TM but was at loss for what to do. The things I was taught didn’t line up with the situations I was encountering.
2. My second thought is more frightening. Maybe leadership doesn’t want alumni to associate with the screw-ups who are dealing with things found in the Terms and Conditions because they will realize that there were serious problems with the HA. Heaven forbid that a strong alumni see someone dealing with depression and suicide caused by spiritual abuse from the HA and then begin down that very same road of doubt and questioning. They may then to see some of the significant pain caused by the HA, the significant lapses in judge and the serious flaws in the theology of HA.
Keep in mind these are just thoughts, but what if…
January 7, 2010 9:03 PM
h. said…
Curious George–
regarding your point 1, i think you’re on to something there. it was all well and good to be “on fire for the Lord” and doing “His work” and whatever else we were told, but in the end we really only communicated with other believers and lived in this tightly insulated bubble. I work in a HIGHLY secularized profession now, and the culture shock was almost unbearable for the first few months…i didn’t know how to relate to unbelievers, i was plagued with guilt for feeling as though i wasn’t “living” the Gospel good enough [especially if I wasn’t PREACHING to anyone who would listen], and i was convinced that God had sent me “into the mission field” and i was failing, miserably. The shame I felt was almost paralyzing–if I were supposed to be this model Christian, why did I feel like such a failure?
Not to mention the finger-pointing I was doing with the Church at large. Their ministries were ineffective, they weren’t REALLY doing things the way they were suppposed to, etc. Talk about an identity crisis–I couldn’t find a way to reach out and love the people I was supposed to, but I couldn’t relate toor understand the Church I was supposed to be a part of. It was a mess, for sure.
January 8, 2010 11:21 PM
Recovering Alumni said…
h – Your last point is really good. I felt the same way – unable to connect with “heathens” OR “Christians” because I judged them both! Being in an environment like HA where you are constantly told you are superior to other Christians all the time can easily eliminate your ability AND desire to fellowship with other believers.
January 9, 2010 12:29 AM
Anonymous said…
h–I also agree with your points–and have lived them–readjusting to life with ‘heathens’ or ‘lesser Christians’ was difficult–I pray that you have adjusted and doing well and still love the Lord.
January 20, 2010 8:49 PM