John 13: 3-5
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him he ordered them to roll down vomit covered hills while depriving them of sleep and yelling about their worthlessness.
17 comments:
Meghan Fife said…
But of course…no one is required to go through ESOAL. =) And it isn’t real life–no one at TM would tell anyone that. But it is a simulation of what could happen…being persecuted, standing up against pressure from this perverse world, etc.
And at the same time I did have plenty of experiences where people served me at TM and I was able to serve them. I remember one specific instance actual “foot washing” went on and in fact, I just posted a picture of my brother on a GE trip washing someone’s feet.
It’s all about what you choose to focus on.
Recovering Alumni said…
It doesn’ matter if its a simulation of what could happen – its still psychological torture. Read up on brainwashing techniques and torture – you’ll be suprised to see that many are used in ESOAL.
As far as your comment “It’s all about what you choose to focus on,” I actually take great offense to that. It’s kind of like telling a woman who is beaten by her husband – well, he puts a roof over your head and sometimes brings you flowers – so you should just focus on that and not the bad stuff.
No matter what “good” TM does, it does not give them the right to spiritually, emotionally or mentally abuse anybody. If you didn’t experience that, count yourself lucky.
Anonymous said…
I don’t think it was called ESOAL while I was an intern, but, the similar event we were involved in, WAS mandatory. I actually faked a sprained ankle to be able to sit at the infirmary table for the rest of the afternoon when I felt I couldn’t handle the mental abuse any longer. I’m sorry but my “leaders” barking orders at me while pointing paintball guns at me and taking me to “jail” in a maintenance truck full of other “offenders”….how does the psyche sort that between real and unreal? I feel sorry for my 19 year old self because I wish I would have realized that it would have been “ok” for me, as an adult, to “rebel” and remove myself from the situation entirely. But, of course, the submission I was forced into as an intern was successful in removng the idea of free will from my mind at that point.
Anonymous said…
Yeah, I have hazy memories of that event. I don’t remember what the point was, I just remember that it seemed really dangerous. People were out of control….I was driving someone to the infirmary in the van when we were “ambushed” by one of the teams. They jumped on our moving van! I was freaking out thinking they were going to really badly hurt. And they wouldn’t believe at first that we weren’t part of the game – they tried to take over the van. Luckily, we finally convinced them and got out of there. It was a crazy environment – almost like Lord of the Flies or something…
And I seem to recall a story that a girl got tied to a tree and left there for like 3 hours…except the deer that came and licked her…
Anonymous said…
haha. To the Second Anonymous that sounds more like the UPG. 🙂
Which was fun… haha. I have to admit if I had one fun memory it was the UPG. Recovering maybe you should do a blog on the demonic we openly brought on ourselves completely unaware…
Recovering Alumni said…
Ha ha. Not sure that we did that in my group. 😉
What were your experiences with the UPG? I’m assuming you were a tribe member?
Anonymous said…
Yikes. I do have to admit that it makes me really uncomfortable that you change The Scripture to fit the theme of your blog. I understand that it is more tongue-in-cheek and to prove a point, and that no cannon was actually changed… but I guess I just find it distasteful. Just my 2 cents.
Recovering Alumni said…
I think you misunderstand the post. I’m changing it to reflect what Teen Mania teaches. I dont’ endorse it at all. Just showing how they twist and misuse Scripture.
Chris said…
Hey,
This is Chris, made a couple of comments today. Found God used ESOAL as a refining event. Saw Dave Hasz working to keep it physically safe. I saw him take aside and thoroughly rebuke a GI who had told some one to do something potentially harmful. I know the facilitators find it difficult (CA talked to us after). The events are designed and intended to be growth and learning opportunities, particularly opportunities to rely on God. I had heard that there were some people who were very angry with the facilitators afterwards. I hadn’t realized that anyone found it that terrible, it saddens me to find this out. May God bring healing and peace to you who were hurt.
Anonymous said…
2 things. #1- Recovering. Did you ever partisipate in ESOAL? If not why are you so against it?
#2- I did partisipate in ESOAL and I am against it. lol.
#3- to Chris on- “May God bring healing and peace to you who were hurt.”
YOU were hurt bud. you just dont know it yet. Promise. Teen Mania is jacking you up the longer you stay there.
Recovering Alumni said…
Chris, ESOAL is absolutely not safe. Tons of injuries happen during ESOAL – both minor and serious. It also employs known mind control techniques.
Anonymous, love point #3. So true.
w said…
To RA commenting on Meghan’s post:
‘As far as your comment “It’s all about what you choose to focus on,” I actually take great offense to that. It’s kind of like telling a woman who is beaten by her husband – well, he puts a roof over your head and sometimes brings you flowers – so you should just focus on that and not the bad stuff.
No matter what “good” TM does, it does not give them the right to spiritually, emotionally or mentally abuse anybody. If you didn’t experience that, count yourself lucky.’
VERY well said–
Anonymous said…
you are twisting the scripture! until teen mania comes out with their own bible, you are slandering against the ministry.. and worst of all, slandering against the body of Christ.. persecuting His name
Anonymous said…
Really Anon? Can you explain a little further on that? I’m not seeing how this post does that. But if it’s true, I would want to know. Can you tell me HOW this is
#1- Slander against T.M.
#2- Slander against the Body (dear God help us.)
#3- Persecuting His name
?
Intern said…
“Hey,
This is Chris, made a couple of comments today. Found God used ESOAL as a refining event. Saw Dave Hasz working to keep it physically safe. I saw him take aside and thoroughly rebuke a GI who had told some one to do something potentially harmful. I know the facilitators find it difficult (CA talked to us after). The events are designed and intended to be growth and learning opportunities, particularly opportunities to rely on God. I had heard that there were some people who were very angry with the facilitators afterwards. I hadn’t realized that anyone found it that terrible, it saddens me to find this out. May God bring healing and peace to you who were hurt.”
~I was part of the film crew for ESOAL last year and watched as Mr. Hasz personally rebuked facilitators who were doing things he deemed unsafe. He tries his best to keep us safe, and he is actually going through ESOAL as a participant in this upcoming year.
Legacy, The Madd Hatter said…
I was telling a guy about ESOAL a few years ago. He says that the military does that. It’s called fatigue training. The reason they do it is because in the military there will come a day when you will have no sleep, no food and still need to do your job. Exactly when will you need that kind of thing living as a Christian?
This semester I’m taking a social psychology class. My teacher is fond of pointing out how cults use the things we’re studying to draw people in, make them a part of the group. One of them is driving a person to exhaustion to make them more interdependent.
It doesn’t matter that Dave Hasz is trying to keep people from being hurt physically, or that he’s willing to go through it himself. It’s a brainwashing technique, and he won’t find anything wrong with it because he’s already convinced himself of the “truth” the process is supposed to instill, and that this is the right way to “teach” that “truth.”
Of course the facilitator’s find it difficult. Try looking up footage on Stanly Milgram’s obedience study, or Philip Zimbardo’s Stanford prison study, both classic examples of perfectly normal, rational human beings actually torturing other people for no reason other than the fact that they were told they could. And yes, when it was done, they felt bad about it. By the way, I’m fairly certain that if Dr. Zimbardo observed ESOAL, he and Dave Hasz would have many words on the ethical treatment of human beings.
Anonymous said…
I participated in ESOAL. I went to the bell to ring out a couple of times but didn’t. I remember the last time I wanted to ring out. My manager (Kevin Cool) at the time, broke character and begin to encourage me telling me I’m better than that, I can do it, don’t give up, it’s almost over.
Because of him I didn’t ring out. When we finished ESOAL. I didn’t understand the point. I still don’t to this day but I will say that my emotions were definitely stretched to the limits.
I still hate the theme music to survivor and pork and beans lol.
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