[ti]judgement[/ti]Oppression of the Poor & The Proselytizing of the Homeless
Aug 28, 2016 22:31:10 GMT
Post by Chris on Aug 28, 2016 22:31:10 GMT
This is from a blog post that I wrote today that I just wanted to share with my BlueMonarchian family. I'd definitely love to hear your thoughts about what I seem to have encountered.
The Oppression of the Poor or The Proselytizing of the Homeless By Religious Cults?
Yesterday, I was approached by a recruiter to participate in an eighteen month ‘discipleship’ program offered by the homeless shelter that I am staying at. I wanted to get a little more information so I could make a decision; after all, eighteen months is a pretty big commitment to make to any organization right off the bat – homeless or not. The recruiter took me into the office of one of the Chaplains here where I was interviewed, treated extremely well and told I would make a very good candidate. The Chaplain even gave me a bag of various goodies like cookies, candy bars and other treats and then I was allowed to eat dinner with the other ‘disciples’ coming to find that when you’re a member of the program you receive a much larger portion for meals than the regular non-initiated clients. Upon graduating from the program you are also guaranteed stable housing and even a vehicle! Needless to say, for many, I’m sure these are very convincing perks and it’s easy to see why those who made that commitment would stand behind it as zealously as they do. However, there is always more than meets the eye and when something seems too good to be true it almost certainly always is.
Non-disciple clients only stay at this particular shelter overnight and then are transported over to a sort of homeless ‘campus’ at 6:00am where they stay until around 4:30pm. This had been my schedule since I first entered the shelter on the 23rd. However, today I was allowed to stay behind with the other live-in disciples and to have breakfast and lunch with them, attend Church and a group Bible study. Everything was going pretty good until shortly after breakfast one of the disciples saw me on the phone as I was returning a phone call to my mom who is battling third-stage colon cancer. I was severely reprimanded and it was explained to me that those who participate in this discipleship program are not allowed any electronic devices whatsoever and must be turned over to the Chaplains at the shelter. If they catch you using any electronic device then you are promptly kicked out and not allowed to return to the shelter, even as a regular non-disciple client. The reason behind this is that you are not allowed any ‘worldly possessions’ as they will surely distract you from growing in your relationship with Christ. Disciples are allowed very limited phone calls to family (2-3 times a month) and only on the regulated line in the Chaplain’s office.
Perhaps this works for some people; maybe even a great number of people! I certainly understand their reasons behind it and it’s really no different than certain monasteries or convents that expect you to unplug from the world so that you can grow deeper spiritually. Yet, aside from the electronics ban, I also found out that disciples are not even allowed to leave the shelter premises for the first six months except for passes to medical appointments or parole/probation visits and if you are caught going anywhere else at all while you are out, other than from your designated point A to point B, then you are also kicked out of the program and unable to return, even as a normal non-disciple client. Your family can only visit on Sundays and only to attend chapel service with you and that’s it. On top of that, you are not allowed to work for the first year of the eighteen months and then only at approved and affiliated companies and businesses but your paycheck is kept by the administration of the shelter and a ‘love offering’ is automatically removed from the top of your pay which well exceeds a standard 10% tithe. On the bright side, you are given a bed in the disciple dormitory which is completely sequestered off from the regular non-disciple dormitory where the uninitiated homeless masses stay.
I also explained to the Chaplain that I am being seen by a state-sponsored behavioral/mental health care agency and just begun treatment for manic depression, bipolar disorder and social anxiety, however, I was heavily pressured into considering that I don’t actually need medication or treatment; ‘testimonies’ were shared with me about other disciples who have quit taking their prescribed medications and rejected all psychiatric care because it does not align with scripture and that Jesus has healed all of their infirmities, both of the body as well as the mind. I was not explicitly told that I could not continue receiving psychiatric care but it was made very apparent that it is frowned upon and that eventually it would be expected that I consider opening myself up to receiving ‘total deliverance’ from demonic forces of oppression which they seem to believe is the leading cause of mental illness. This was very distressing to me because I have been very excited about finally being able to receive psychiatric treatment so that during this time of rebuilding my life and getting back on my feet I can actually do so on an even keel without the chaotic turbulence that all of these chemical imbalances cause in my head. Being told, in no uncertain terms, that I needed to put my trust in faith-healing instead of professional, medical care that pretty much sealed the deal in my head that this program is not for me.
I’m honestly very blessed that I have been able to glimpse behind the veil, so to speak, and see these things that are taking place here because I do not believe that this is Christ-centered or even Biblical treatment of the homeless but rather it amounts to nothing short of what the Bible calls the “oppression of the poor and needy”. I may be completely wrong about my assertion here but something seems gravely unsettling about the whole situation now. After speaking to several other disciples as well as some clients who, at one time, had considered joining the program; there are a great many who are unhappy and report incidents of mistreatment, abuse and foul living conditions but who have been practically bullied into keeping quiet. Could it be that this is actually some kind of ‘Christian’-themed cult that is just proselytizing from the homeless population for other, less-than-saintly purposes? I’m not sure, but I know one thing, that this discipleship program is definitely not for me and I’ll take my small, heavily-rationed plate of supper over the heaping portions that these so-called disciples receive any day of the week.
The Oppression of the Poor or The Proselytizing of the Homeless By Religious Cults?
Yesterday, I was approached by a recruiter to participate in an eighteen month ‘discipleship’ program offered by the homeless shelter that I am staying at. I wanted to get a little more information so I could make a decision; after all, eighteen months is a pretty big commitment to make to any organization right off the bat – homeless or not. The recruiter took me into the office of one of the Chaplains here where I was interviewed, treated extremely well and told I would make a very good candidate. The Chaplain even gave me a bag of various goodies like cookies, candy bars and other treats and then I was allowed to eat dinner with the other ‘disciples’ coming to find that when you’re a member of the program you receive a much larger portion for meals than the regular non-initiated clients. Upon graduating from the program you are also guaranteed stable housing and even a vehicle! Needless to say, for many, I’m sure these are very convincing perks and it’s easy to see why those who made that commitment would stand behind it as zealously as they do. However, there is always more than meets the eye and when something seems too good to be true it almost certainly always is.
Non-disciple clients only stay at this particular shelter overnight and then are transported over to a sort of homeless ‘campus’ at 6:00am where they stay until around 4:30pm. This had been my schedule since I first entered the shelter on the 23rd. However, today I was allowed to stay behind with the other live-in disciples and to have breakfast and lunch with them, attend Church and a group Bible study. Everything was going pretty good until shortly after breakfast one of the disciples saw me on the phone as I was returning a phone call to my mom who is battling third-stage colon cancer. I was severely reprimanded and it was explained to me that those who participate in this discipleship program are not allowed any electronic devices whatsoever and must be turned over to the Chaplains at the shelter. If they catch you using any electronic device then you are promptly kicked out and not allowed to return to the shelter, even as a regular non-disciple client. The reason behind this is that you are not allowed any ‘worldly possessions’ as they will surely distract you from growing in your relationship with Christ. Disciples are allowed very limited phone calls to family (2-3 times a month) and only on the regulated line in the Chaplain’s office.
Perhaps this works for some people; maybe even a great number of people! I certainly understand their reasons behind it and it’s really no different than certain monasteries or convents that expect you to unplug from the world so that you can grow deeper spiritually. Yet, aside from the electronics ban, I also found out that disciples are not even allowed to leave the shelter premises for the first six months except for passes to medical appointments or parole/probation visits and if you are caught going anywhere else at all while you are out, other than from your designated point A to point B, then you are also kicked out of the program and unable to return, even as a normal non-disciple client. Your family can only visit on Sundays and only to attend chapel service with you and that’s it. On top of that, you are not allowed to work for the first year of the eighteen months and then only at approved and affiliated companies and businesses but your paycheck is kept by the administration of the shelter and a ‘love offering’ is automatically removed from the top of your pay which well exceeds a standard 10% tithe. On the bright side, you are given a bed in the disciple dormitory which is completely sequestered off from the regular non-disciple dormitory where the uninitiated homeless masses stay.
I also explained to the Chaplain that I am being seen by a state-sponsored behavioral/mental health care agency and just begun treatment for manic depression, bipolar disorder and social anxiety, however, I was heavily pressured into considering that I don’t actually need medication or treatment; ‘testimonies’ were shared with me about other disciples who have quit taking their prescribed medications and rejected all psychiatric care because it does not align with scripture and that Jesus has healed all of their infirmities, both of the body as well as the mind. I was not explicitly told that I could not continue receiving psychiatric care but it was made very apparent that it is frowned upon and that eventually it would be expected that I consider opening myself up to receiving ‘total deliverance’ from demonic forces of oppression which they seem to believe is the leading cause of mental illness. This was very distressing to me because I have been very excited about finally being able to receive psychiatric treatment so that during this time of rebuilding my life and getting back on my feet I can actually do so on an even keel without the chaotic turbulence that all of these chemical imbalances cause in my head. Being told, in no uncertain terms, that I needed to put my trust in faith-healing instead of professional, medical care that pretty much sealed the deal in my head that this program is not for me.
I’m honestly very blessed that I have been able to glimpse behind the veil, so to speak, and see these things that are taking place here because I do not believe that this is Christ-centered or even Biblical treatment of the homeless but rather it amounts to nothing short of what the Bible calls the “oppression of the poor and needy”. I may be completely wrong about my assertion here but something seems gravely unsettling about the whole situation now. After speaking to several other disciples as well as some clients who, at one time, had considered joining the program; there are a great many who are unhappy and report incidents of mistreatment, abuse and foul living conditions but who have been practically bullied into keeping quiet. Could it be that this is actually some kind of ‘Christian’-themed cult that is just proselytizing from the homeless population for other, less-than-saintly purposes? I’m not sure, but I know one thing, that this discipleship program is definitely not for me and I’ll take my small, heavily-rationed plate of supper over the heaping portions that these so-called disciples receive any day of the week.
