The Honor Academy teaches an extreme version of submission that leads to an oppressive authoritarian environment. Interns are so conditioned to submit without question, that they will even commit a sin if commanded to do so by David Hasz or other Teen Mania leadership.
Of course, Teen Mania would deny this accusation, but as always, I have proof.
In one of his primary teachings on authority, Dave Hasz reads the following statement from a book:
@28:07 – Rebellion against authority means the person is not subjecting themselves to God, though it may appear that the person is rejecting some impure manifestation of God’s authority through a human channel.
Did you catch that? Failing to do something that your authority asks you to do is equal to rebelling against God, even if that authority is impure and incorrect! Dave goes on to give an example that if he told the internship to meet on the anvil and do 3 hours of jumping jacks, then they must suit up and start sweating. Apparently, no realm of your life is off-limits and you are not allowed to have personal boundaries if they conflict with your leader’s will. This is a setup for an incredibly unhealthy relationship and it actually stunts the growth of the follower because they do not learn critical thinking and decision making skills.
He then goes on to state that this submission does not apply if your authority commands you to do something immoral.
Hmmm…interesting.
Isn’t it immoral to verbally assault your brothers and sisters in Christ?
Isn’t it immoral to taunt and terrorize them with coffins and cockroaches?
Isn’t it immoral to call someone made in the image of Christ and loved by God a loser?
And yet, during ESOAL when Dave Hasz asks interns to viciously yell and tear down their classmates, most interns don’t hesitate.
The reality of the Honor Academy is that the interns are ruled with an iron fist by all levels of leadership. It should come as no surprise that interns willingly violate their own conscience to please their authority figures.
Unfortunately, demanding absolute obedience to a man means they are discipling people in their own image, not in the image of Jesus.
9 comments:
They also ask interns (on HA recruiting) to lie to potentials, stating to every single one that “God has called them to the Honor Academy”. Can that statement be true in every single case, for every person who shows an interest in attending the HA?
I’ve also heard from an alumni who worked in finance that her “superiors” had her lie to vendors that TM owed money to in order to stall for more time.
Sadly this doesn’t surprise me. Dave has been spouting this BS for years – long before esoal. He NEEDS full and utter control combined with blind followers – anything less and he will tear you down till there’s nothing left to do but follow him or leave. Sadly, not enough people choose to leave, and become conditioned to follow this sad little man like the demi-god he thinks he is.
And Jesus called them to him and said to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” –Mark 10:43-45, ESV
Anybody who thinks Teen Mania Ministries has anything whatsoever to do with biblical Christianity as taught by Jesus is deluded or deceived. Dave Hasz is a false prophet whose life, actions, and teachings specifically contradict Jesus’ words.
Sadly, when I was at the internship, I would have.
What is worse is that this is classic abuse and signs of a cult. When the leader does no wrong and expects you to obey their every command.
Join Us, the movie, talks about this a lot.
Perfect example is this site. Dave tells interns it’s a sin to read the blog. They probably do believe him then. For the ones left who are still reading it – they block it from campus to try and prevent that from happening.
It’s not a sin to access information – no matter the information. It’s a sin to lie, cheat, steal, manipulate, murder, with said information.
Cult. Cult. Cult. And I can’t wait to start my own and start rolling in the dough. Zealous youth are so impressionable. 🙂
Try calling the military a cult.
As a fellow Christian and NOT A PARENT, I know what you’re dealing with. I’ve dealt with people telling me what to do the exact, specific, no way-different-from-what-I-told-you-to-do method. But do we have to throw out comments like”BS” or calling David Hasz a “self proclaimed demi-god”? I have a friend who’s parents took him out of the Honor Academy last year because they read this blog. The guy was torn apart by their decision. A lot of these comments and post I’m seeing here are incredibly alike to the comments that secular journalists make on the Honor Academy. I know that you oppose whats taught there and how David runs it, but could we demonstrate in a Christ-like manner?
The military does not connect your ability as a soldier to your spiritual worth in Christ. That’s a pretty big difference, wouldn’t you say?
Also, soliders aren’t expected to live as soldiers when they are civilians.
Also, I would imagine that military trainers have undergone training and that there are medical professionals on standby during rigorous exercises (like Hell Week.)
Also, the military screens its applicants and will not accept people who are not physically and mentally fit.
So there are just a few differences…
Anon at 8:31pm,I appreciate your comments and your perspective and I’m certainly sorry to hear that your friend was “torn apart.”
One thing to keep in mind is that not all commenters here are Christians, so we can’t expect them to act Christ-like. I do welcome opinions from all former interns, their voice matters even if they are not Christians.
To the best of my current ability, I hope that the posts I write reflect a Christ-like love towards the lost and broken.