Teen Mania/Cult Detox show on MSNBC Sun, Nov 6th

[Brainsample]

I received this from Wendy Duncan, a social worker and former graduate of SW Baptist Theological Seminary, a survivor of a Bible-based cult, and book author ("I Cant Hear God Anymore" -- Read more at dallascult.com). They offer a support group in Dallas once a month, and I'm told that they now have people attending there that came out of both Vision Forum and Voddie Baucham's church. (Hooray!)

 

She's going to be on MSNBC on Sunday night, for those who can watch, talking about Teen Mania. I'd love for everyone on the planet to watch this. FJers will especially appreciate it. Doug and Wendy are both very involved in the anti-cult movement which focuses on the psychological manipulation/thought reform that recruits and keeps people in cults, with the Christian ones of special interest to them. All of these types of religious groups use the same tactics, and members experience the same types of problems, so it would be very helpful to anyone who has been involved in QF/P, ATI, VF, etc.

 

 

Quote

As many of you know, Doug and I were in a pseudo-Christian cult. Since leaving this cult, we have been involved in promoting awareness of cults - especially religious cults. We started a support group four years ago for former members of cultic/spiritually abusive groups. Last spring we worked with an independent television producer who had contracted with MSNBC to do a series on cult recruitment and recovery. One of the members of our support group was selected for the pilot program and her story and three other young women from the same group, Teen Mania, are portrayed in this rare look at cult recovery.

 

I am writing to let you know that the program is scheduled to air next Sunday, November 6th at 9:00 pm Central Time on MSNBC. Doug and I worked with the producer and unfortunately, we were not able to preview the show. We are hopeful, though, that the documentary gives an accurate portrayal of the transition out of a cult. Most people are unaware that cults are widespread and in the United States alone, there are approximately four thousand cults.

 

I urge you to watch the show and give MSNBC feedback. Please forward this email to your friends and family to help us in increasing the American public on the dangers of cults.

 

I think this particular program would be especially interesting for youth groups. If any of you are in youth ministry, or have friends who are, I believe this show could be a good conversation starter for young people nearing the time when they will go off to college, where cult recruiters will target many of them.

 

Additionally, please take the time to give feedback to MSNBC. We would like to see the pilot turn into a series of documentaries profiling various cults.

[atheistjd]

Thanks for head's up! I have a personal and abiding hatred of TM - will definitely watch.

[Brainsample]

Thanks for head's up! I have a personal and abiding hatred of TM - will definitely watch.

Atheistjd,

As in Transendental Meditation?

[Terrie]

Atheistjd,

As in Transendental Meditation?

In this context, I would guess Teen Mania. But, yes, thanks for the heads up. Looks like it will be interesting.

[Brainsample]

In this context, I would guess Teen Mania. But, yes, thanks for the heads up. Looks like it will be interesting.

OOpps! Duh me!

I have Trans Med on but not in my brain -- just read two articles in the anti-cult literature and a personal account two days ago.

And I'm actually unfamiliar with Teen Mania, so I'm looking forward to the show.

[pfamilygal]

I didn't know TM was a cult.

I went with them to Venezuela back in '93. Great experience. Several of my friends were interns in the mid-90's. Have things changed since then?

[Brainsample]

I didn't know TM was a cult.

I went with them to Venezuela back in '93. Great experience. Several of my friends were interns in the mid-90's. Have things changed since then?

I think that it's very likely that nothing has changed but that you were probably not involved with the group long enough to taste the spiritual abuse. I had a full two years of what I thought was a great experience in my cultic church, spent over a year searching to figure out what was really going and why things were strange. (Then I stuck around for nearly a year after I had a good idea of what was going on, believing I could be a major instrument of change, but even then, I did not realize that they used all of the same techniques that a cult uses. Who wants to believe and accept that they'd joined a cult, especially if many of the experiences were very good?)

Wendy and Doug have a page on their site: http://www.dallascult.com/index.php?page_id=277

And former members have a site, too, (people I believed that the Duncans counseled): http://www.recoveringalumni.com/

[Kitty]

I went to do some research on TM- they run BattleCry, which I knew about from another forum. Interesting.

BattleCry is mind-blowingly crazy.

[pfamilygal]

I think that it's very likely that nothing has changed but that you were probably not involved with the group long enough to taste the spiritual abuse. I had a full two years of what I thought was a great experience in my cultic church, spent over a year searching to figure out what was really going and why things were strange. (Then I stuck around for nearly a year after I had a good idea of what was going on, believing I could be a major instrument of change, but even then, I did not realize that they used all of the same techniques that a cult uses. Who wants to believe and accept that they'd joined a cult, especially if many of the experiences were very good?)

Wendy and Doug have a page on their site: http://www.dallascult.com/index.php?page_id=277

And former members have a site, too, (people I believed that the Duncans counseled): http://www.recoveringalumni.com/

Thank you for the link. I'm really going to have to read and pray about this. I grew up Mormon, then Methodist. My foray with TM was my first dip into the charismatic church. I then went to Oral Roberts for college. And got really hurt by folks insisting that sickness was because of sin/lack of faith. My husband and I have had MAJOR arguments about this. He grew up ATI and his parents went to Rhema. So he's in both boats. Super fundy and super charismatic. It's hard. I have always struggled with illness. I'm an oldest child who had some really rough things happen to me. I put a lot of pressure on myself (but I get a LOT done too :) ) I think for me, stress manifests in illness. I've had a cold for 5 weeks. I'm wondering if it is because I haven't had a good cry since finding out my mother has cancer. The TM/ORU folks would say it's because I'm double-minded and that if I have enough faith God HAS to to what I ask. Which sounds like Christian witchcraft to me, but what do I know.

[finleeport]

If one of us misses a chance to see it on TV, would you put it online so we can see/hear it?

[deelaem]

Thank you for the link. I'm really going to have to read and pray about this. I grew up Mormon, then Methodist. My foray with TM was my first dip into the charismatic church. I then went to Oral Roberts for college. And got really hurt by folks insisting that sickness was because of sin/lack of faith. My husband and I have had MAJOR arguments about this. He grew up ATI and his parents went to Rhema. So he's in both boats. Super fundy and super charismatic. It's hard. I have always struggled with illness. I'm an oldest child who had some really rough things happen to me. I put a lot of pressure on myself (but I get a LOT done too :) ) I think for me, stress manifests in illness. I've had a cold for 5 weeks. I'm wondering if it is because I haven't had a good cry since finding out my mother has cancer. The TM/ORU folks would say it's because I'm double-minded and that if I have enough faith God HAS to to what I ask. Which sounds like Christian witchcraft to me, but what do I know.

Illness is illness, it is NOT the result of sin. Please lean on us here at FJ to be your voice of reason. I'd love to see you be more gentle with yourself. :)

[pfamilygal]

Illness is illness, it is NOT the result of sin. Please lean on us here at FJ to be your voice of reason. I'd love to see you be more gentle with yourself. :)

That made me cry.

I'm just exhausted, frankly. I have six kids. 1-11. I homeschool them (with excellence, thank you, none of that SOTDRT crap!). I work 2 12 hr shifts a week as an ER nurse. I do a homeschool co-op with a bunch of super-fundies. And I feel like I haven't heard from God in years. It's just motions.

[deelaem]

That made me cry.

I'm just exhausted, frankly. I have six kids. 1-11. I homeschool them (with excellence, thank you, none of that SOTDRT crap!). I work 2 12 hr shifts a week as an ER nurse. I do a homeschool co-op with a bunch of super-fundies. And I feel like I haven't heard from God in years. It's just motions.

Wow! So you basically have 4 jobs - wife, mother, teacher and nurse. And it sounds like you won't accept anything but excellence from yourself in any of these areas. You wouldn't treat another woman you cared about this way, would you? Of course not. :)

I'm a non-theist, so I can't be a whole lot of help with the God thing, but it seems to me God would come to us in our quiet moments of contemplation. Maybe you could start by just taking 15 minutes every day to yourself. If you say you are praying your fundie crowd would probably be fine with it. Then you have 15 silent minutes to think about whatever you want to think about it. You WAY more than deserve it!

[O Latin]

Thank you for the link. I'm really going to have to read and pray about this. I grew up Mormon, then Methodist. My foray with TM was my first dip into the charismatic church. I then went to Oral Roberts for college. And got really hurt by folks insisting that sickness was because of sin/lack of faith. My husband and I have had MAJOR arguments about this. He grew up ATI and his parents went to Rhema. So he's in both boats. Super fundy and super charismatic. It's hard. I have always struggled with illness. I'm an oldest child who had some really rough things happen to me. I put a lot of pressure on myself (but I get a LOT done too :) ) I think for me, stress manifests in illness. I've had a cold for 5 weeks. I'm wondering if it is because I haven't had a good cry since finding out my mother has cancer. The TM/ORU folks would say it's because I'm double-minded and that if I have enough faith God HAS to to what I ask. Which sounds like Christian witchcraft to me, but what do I know.

Me too, and all I have to say is that if illness is the result of sin, I would like God to come down here and tell me what I did that was so bad. I totally don't understand how people can believe that. Have they never had a cold? I doubt it.

[finleeport]

If one of us misses a chance to see it on TV, would you put it online so we can see/hear it?

would you please?

[Brainsample]

I just received some information that indicates that the show is on later than the info I received from the Duncans.

On Sunday November 6 MSNBC is tackling two groups, the first is at 10:00 PM E.T., Premiere! Mind Over Mania.

Teen Mania is a Christian ministry based in Garden Valley, Texas, whose mission statement is, “to provoke a young generation to passionately pursue Jesus Christ and to take His life-giving message to the ends of the earth!†This hour follows former Teen Mania interns who sought out therapy to recover from the mind control they experienced during their time with the Teen Mania.

The next hour, 11:00 P.M. is, Cult Killer.

Children of God had a charismatic leader named David Berg who promoted a strange brew of biblical prophecy and sexual freedom. But the concept of “free love†got out of control when it began to turn towards prostitution and pedophilia

I wrote to Wendy who says she will find out if they will make any of it available online.

(I don't get MSNBC, so we're thinking about going to a hotel overnight to watch it.)

[pfamilygal]

I just received some information that indicates that the show is on later than the info I received from the Duncans.

I wrote to Wendy who says she will find out if they will make any of it available online.

I can see if my husband knows how to tape stuff from our uverse DVR. I could just send you copy if he can.

(I don't get MSNBC, so we're thinking about going to a hotel overnight to watch it.)

[Austin]

Brain, if he figures out how to take stuff on a U-Verse DVR and then transfer it to something else, let me know. We just got u-verse, and it's one thing I do miss about the old video tape recorders. It seems like the U-Verse DVR has a USB port, IIRC.

I'll set my DVR to tape it, though.

[Brainsample]

I looked online on the MSNBC schedule at TV Guide, and it will be on from 10PM to 12AM on Sunday, not the times that Wendy sent to me.

(That would be great if someone could tape it!) I still may turn it into an excuse to go somewhere and hang out, however! A nice overnight trip.

[Brainsample]

They've posted a video clip advertising the program on bing:

I'd embed it, but it's on bing, so I don't know if it will work:

http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/ ... C%7C%7C%7C

Its on at 10PM on the East Coast on MSNBC.

Immediately following is another show on the Children of God which runs from 11PM until midnight.

[Brainsample]

Program on tonight at 10PM, but there was a fairly long article posted about it in Tyler, TX today, for those who are interested:

http://www.tylerpaper.com/article/20111 ... /111109887

[finleeport]

Do you think they'll ever show it online?

[Brainsample]

I'm trying to decide if I want to try to go to a hotel and watch it.

I have not heard anything yet.

[notsocommon]

Watching now...interesting. I had a professor (I don't think she knew how whacko they are) suggest ATF to me once when I was in college. I looked into it, but something just didn't feel right, so I never got involved.

I always had this idea in the back of my mind of working with people coming out of Christian cults, but have never had a clue how to do such a thing.

[thoughtful]

Oh, my lord -- they're showing them eating live insects and other vomit-inducing things, then rolling down a hill, doing pushups in cold water -- just idiotic.

Cult, cult, cult.