Continuing our series based on the Heresy of Mind Control. All paragraphs below are from chapter 3. Have you seen any of these behaviors at the Honor Academy?
#3: The Demand for Purity
This is a demand which goes to the extreme of labeling certain thoughts, feelings and actions as “sins” which really are not sins at all. Even human limitations, weaknesses and imperfections are categorized as “sin” and perhaps looked down upon with condemnation. In other words, its a demand for perfection. It is a kind of purity that is not reachable. It is a standard of purity, or rightness and wrongness, as defined by the leader.
On Rest:
If I ask you the question: “Which is more important: taking it easy for the day or fulfilling your mission?” Most every dedicated person will say, “Fulfilling my mission.” But this question is a trap. Authoritarian leaders will use questions like this to keep their members working with very little rest, even to the point of exhaustion. When you begin to feel tried and want to rest, a leader will use a question like this, coupled with either a sternness, a show of manipulative kindness, or a compelling sense of need as an emotional lever to produce guilt for not working. The leader may view tiredness and demands for rest as a lack of dedication, and may point out the more advanced members, who are working hard with smiling faces, and say that they never tire if they are doing the mission. Thus, a member can be made to feel guilty for even taking miniscule time to rest.
In contrast, we see how Jesus treated His disciples: after they had been out doing missionary work, preaching and healing. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a lonely place and rest for a while.” Mark 6:31 NASB
On Perfection:
A Bible verse that cults sometimes misuse, and even the average Christian in mainline churches often misunderstand is Matthew 5:48 “Be perfect therefore as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Is Jesus saying that God expects sinless perfection out of us and that every time we even make a mistake or fall short on worthy goals that God’s wrath is upon us? The Greek word for perfect (teleious) more literally means “having reached its end” hence, “complete” or “mature.” The context of the verse clearly illustrates this idea of being complete: Jesus is talking about loving our enemies as well as our neighbors. He illustrates that God sends the sun and the rain on the good and the evil. Likewise, Jesus says, we should not just love those who love us, but love others as well…His point is that loving only those who love us is incomplete love. Therefore, He says, be complete as your heavenly father is complete.
On Immaturity:
Some problem areas are real issues of worldliness vs. maturity. Others are simply artificial man-made standards or personal convictions. But on matters where there is real worldliness or immature behavior, or carnality, the issue is that the person needs room and time to grow. Being a Christian involves growing. God accepts the young immature Christian as much as He accepts the more mature one, just like accepting a child because we know he or she needs time to learn and to grow. But abusive churches and cults make you feel ashamed and condemned for not being at the higher level now. Shame and punishment for not measuring up does not allow for spiritual growth over time in love.
11 COMMENTS
Anonymous | March 10, 2010 at 1:48 am | Reply“David Hasz has said on more than one occasion that the best case scenario is marrying another intern, because only they can truly understand how impacted your life was by the Honor Academy.”I got all kinds of creeped out vibes when I just read this!!!! Wow. And I BELIEVED that too!
yikes.
That was a CONSTANT teaching at the H.A. ugh. No wonder interns leave and don’t get married for like, years. They think they actually went through something so amazing no one else can even understand. Ha! Truth is they actually need some therapy!
Shannon | March 16, 2010 at 2:15 am | ReplyWhen I came home from the internship I forgot how to relate to people. Prior to the internship I was a social butterfly that had a lot of friends. After the internship, I had nothing of value to talk about and really forgot how to relate to “normal” people and “normal” christians. I still struggle greatly with this.- Anonymous | June 30, 2010 at 2:44 pm | ReplySaying you can only marry another intern because only they understand is like telling someone in the military they must marry another military person because only they can understand. Actually, MOST people in the military are married to non-military people.Also, I must point out on your last point I disagree. I did indeed hear Dave Hasz tell our GI class several times that he would love for us to become “lifers.” There is a goal to keep the cream of the crop for life.
- Anonymous | October 21, 2010 at 3:43 am | ReplyI spent a short time at the Honor Academy and the one thing that really drove me away was when they told me that “the wrath of God would be on [my] life” if I left. That is a direct quote that I heard both from the pulpit and in person.
- Anonymous | December 27, 2010 at 4:34 am | ReplyIt is very disheartening to read this. I was an intern. I had prayed about whether or not to go, and I believe to this day that the Lord called me there. AND I even stayed a second year.AND yes, I married a fellow intern… He and I both prayed and fasted and knew that we were supposed to be together. It was not one of those times where I had strong feelings and so did he. When the Lord told me that my now husband was the one for me… I was both happy, but thought to myself… really Lord? he’s not what I nessicarily had in mine?! BUT the Lord said that he was the one for me. AND told my hubby the same thing. So moving on….In regards specifically to the things said about Dave Hasz… he is not perfect, like EVERYONE… but he has often apologized to all the interns and alumni… even via facebook or email. He understands that there are some alumni such as yourself that feel hurt. AND he does not want a bad taste left in anyones mouth. I myself am sorry that you tend to view Teen Mania as a cult. I myself do not agree with you on many accounts of them being a full fledged cult.Now, as much as I sometimes disagreed with some of the rules, and even think they can be a little too strict… I also believe that it helped build a more disciplined me. I believe it is good for a lot of people(but not everyone of course) to go through a time where there are rules to build discipline in ones life. It’s good to have structure in your life for a while. I am still not where I should be discipline wise, but Teen Mania definitely helped. It was also a great time to not have to worry about anything but my morning job, and spending time with the Lord. I took it as a time to gain BIBLICAL wisdom, and as a time to grow closer to the Lord, and I did. The best thing about Teen Mania was that I grew much closer to the Lord after the internship. It brought me to a deeper level, and I am very appreciative of that.May the Lord heal your heart and end any distension between you and Teen Mania,-INTERN Aug05-Aug06
MT Aug06-Aug07 - heartsfire | December 28, 2010 at 11:40 pm | ReplyAt Anon 05-07 I feel like what you are saying is that I HAD A PERFECT EXPERIENCE so your experiences are invalid. That type of thought is a very prideful and unloving sentiment one I really hope Is not your ACTUAL thoughts. The thing about the distension between us and TM is that they continue to act in a very you are the ones that are shit for hurting instead of doing what God asked to do. I am no longer personally hurting from TM but I do feel like many many things they did and continue to do are very very wrong. I see things they have done even in the class of 2010 that make me sick. It is for this reason I hold out my hands as God asked us to In love and care for those that hurt. It is because of being hurt that my understanding of others hurts is great. I am sad that you feel the need to say something that honestly feels very backhanded in it’s delivery.
- Anonymous | January 1, 2011 at 5:24 pm | Replyheart,
are you serious?! according to your logic everytime someone comes on here and says hey i’m truly sorry about your experience because I was did not have said experience. Also I’m truly sorry you feel this way but i disagree. THOSE types of messages are prideful??? Any time someone post something that you disagree will you FEEL they are being prideful? I’m just trying to get a baseline off you. - heartsfire | January 2, 2011 at 4:07 am | ReplyNo Actually I have some good friends that had lovely experiences however the ones that did that I still speak to actually recognize that in fact there were problems even then and while they had a good experience it wasn’t based on anything Teen Mania taught them and more what God taught them IN SPITE of TM. The person above really did feel like they were giving a back handed comment. Anything that’s more I’m sorry you feel that way but my experience was wonderful with no REAL saying Wow what happened to those of you that it happened to was truly awful and I am sad that a place that was good for me hurt you so badly. This response was more Oh you were hurt well Teen Mania was really like this so I don’t see why you have a problem type of post which is prideful and pretty backhanded.
- Anonymous | January 2, 2011 at 6:39 am | ReplyThanks for clarifying. Although I will disagree with you on the other posters intent. Although I’m not reading the letter from your point of view. I look at it from face value.
- Anonymous | October 14, 2011 at 5:56 pm | ReplyAs a person who believes and truly loves God and just happen to come across this entire thing all parts and read it. Man All I have to say is its sad it makes me change my whole perspective on a lot of things. Its sad that people think they are helping someone and in all truthful really hurting them and yet they still do the same or worst even after they find out.
- Shannon Kish | October 14, 2011 at 11:09 pm | ReplyAnon- Therein lies the Catch 22. They don’t actually believe they are hurting anyone, so they continue. Instead, they blame those of us who were hurt citing that we weren’t passionate enough, or the HA wasn’t for us (since it isn’t for everyone, yet everyone is admitted), or we are just bitter and angry. They have never truly taken responsibility because they don’t truly believe they need to take any or that they have done anything to cause harm to anyone.
