Irritated

[sheilanagig]

So I'm thinking last night about this woman who teaches the kids "Spiritual Life" where I work. She's a southern pentecostal type.

 

Anyway, there was a time a while back when I lost my keys. She was there that night, and she offered to pray for me. I was kind of taken aback, but I didn't have time to object before she was doing it. She prayed to god right there that he would help me find my keys. I didn't know whether to react with horror or laugh my ass off. It's keys, right? I mean, just imagine for a minute that there is a god, and that he's everything you say he is. Wouldn't he have more important things to do than find my fucking keys? Seriously.

 

Then there's the religious indoctrination thing she does. Those kids are sent there by their home counties, their social workers. They aren't asked or anything. Some of them are just playing along, because if they don't, they can get privileges taken away. If they refuse more than a couple of times, they could just end up being there longer. I wondered to myself another question I'd like to confront her with. Does she seriously think god would want forced worship? It would be like a man who doesn't mind if a woman is willing or not. That would be so sick I couldn't imagine how anyone could think it. She KNOWS not everyone agrees with her, but she seems to be sticking her fingers in her ears and going "la la la LA!!!!" so she can keep thinking that everyone is a christian and what she says is right.

 

The "therapeutic" group she runs is a class in judgement, condemnation and discrimination. She did one on sex this last two weeks. We heard all about how god hates gays and it says so in the book. We also heard about the fact that premarital sex is a sin and even though you may have done it, you should ask for forgiveness and start with a clean slate. I could see the girls squirming. She brought up bestiality for the shock value. She compared it with homosexuality. She read off the verses where it says people should be stoned to death for doing this or that. Nevermind that probably 60% of the kids in our cottage claim to be bisexual. Nevermind that some of them, a good proportion, were sexually abused. Then they went on to risky sexual behavior, kind of like self-medicating. (Some of them have done that with booze and drugs too.) She wanted them to feel bad and ask for forgiveness. Very sadistic, if you ask me.

 

I'm looking for another job. I have an interview on Monday.

[Amethyst]

If that is a public workplace, in the US, what they are doing is illegal.

[Japedo]

 

That cult is so $@&$*( abusive I have no words. I really wish charges would be filed against these people, they are the description of evil. These poor kids now have more abuse to deal with in their already stressful broken lives. What kind of group is this? Is it affiliated with the government or tax payers in any way?

[08 hawk]

"Wouldn't he have more important things to do than find my fucking keys? Seriously."

 

No, forget about helping all the hungry people in the world and stopping all the murderers; he's gotta find ya keys!!

[evergreen]

That is effing disgusting.

 

 

I hate sooooo much when people thank god for shit like that, finding your keys?!?!

It's like how actors thank god and say that he's blessed them when they win awards and shit. Seriously. You think god is responsible for you earning millions of dollars, and yet he leaves so many people all over the world hungry and cold... *sigh*

[leftofpunk]

Does she seriously think god would want forced worship?

Ummm...haven't you ever read or even flipped through a bible? The answer is clearly yes.

[sheilanagig]

If that is a public workplace, in the US, what they are doing is illegal.

 

Have you heard of Faith-Based initiatives? Charitable Choice? This place is a group home run by the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church. It's for kids with behavioral problems. They get sent there by the county they come from and sometimes by the Department of Juvenile Services. SOMEtimes they're sent there by their parents. Their care is paid for by the county or jurisdiction that sent them there, and the parents pay some child support if they are able. The organization I work for received a HUD block grant in 2006 for $300k and in 2007 they got one for $350.

 

Now, under Charitable Choice, a faith-based organization (FBO) can provide services to the community without changing the religious character of their organization. They can even hire based on it. However, and this is important, any religious observation must be VOLUNTARY. They may not compel a client to worship and they may not penalize them for non-participation. If the client objects to the religious nature of the placement, they may request to be placed in a secular organization and it is the responsibility of their referral to find one for them.

 

None of the kids I care for were told it was a christian organization or asked if they'd like something else. I'm not sure whether Charitable Choice covers at-risk juveniles. Even if it doesn't, it violates the establishment clause of the first amendment and the equal protection clause of the fourteenth amendment. I know that the first amendment applies to people under the age of 18 because they win court cases all the time against school discrimination, like if they want to wear flying spaghetti monster shirts, etc.

 

I just remember when I was in a place like that when I was 16. They made me go to their Assembly of God church on the first Sunday I was there, and when someone started speaking in tongues and I ran out crying, two staff followed me out and escorted me back in. After that I rebelled against it for a long time, then I started getting "saved" about every six weeks to get better privileges. I thought it was wrong. Now I'm doing the same thing to someone else by continuing to work there. I feel like a collaborator. I want it to change.

[R. S. Martin]

Does she seriously think god would want forced worship?

Ummm...haven't you ever read or even flipped through a bible? The answer is clearly yes.

 

I've read much of the Bible, some parts many times. I kept hearing all the time "God does not force anyone." At the same strict church discipline is used for anyone who dares oppose church rules that aren't even in the Bible. Informal social ostracism is used on people who dare disregard the "rules" of getting baptized or whatever the church requires for membership. All the same, God does not "force" anyone. Yeah right! Maybe it's just his followers who do the forcing. That is, if we disregard that being sent to spend eternity in hell where ten thousand years is but the beginning. That is coersion writ LARGE.

[Japedo]

I don't know if this will help you or not, but it's worth a shot. How about contacting Americans United against Church and state about this? Maybe if they are alerted they can bring some press to the situation and help the kids.

Link:

Americans United

[sheilanagig]

I don't know if this will help you or not, but it's worth a shot. How about contacting Americans United against Church and state about this? Maybe if they are alerted they can bring some press to the situation and help the kids.

Link:

Americans United

 

I've already written to one of the state's congressmen, the ACLU, Freedom From Religion, asking for advice on this. I haven't heard back, but the holiday may be the reason for that. Once I'm in another job I might contact the county and the state social services to see what their stance is on it. I also found a court case, Teen Ranch et al v. Marianne Udow. It bears a striking resemblance to what this is. In that case the state removed funds and placed a moratorium on placement of teens in the facility until a ruling was reached. The Teen Ranch sued on the grounds that their first amendment rights had been violated. The judge found that their rights had NOT been violated and that nobody had asked them to change a thing. They just had to choose between getting government money and running an indoctrination program.