I want to thank everyone for helping spread the WHBC news story around! It's all over the blogosphere, and news channels all over the country picked it up. It's also on several news websites. Google "church cancels teen gun giveaway" and you get a TON of hits. I saw one site from the UK. People need to know what these people really are.
Why does WHBC do it? The answer is simple: they are trolling for slave labor.
Here's how it works: Vineyard gained a following while working for Jerry Falwell and later Jack Hyles (Hyles was not as well known as Falwell outside independent Baptist circles, but had a stronger influence within it). Once the following was in place, he took the pastorate in OK - a church with a few hundred members, and a few millionaires.
With the cash flow from the millionaires, he immediately opened a Christian school and Bible college, following the megachurch pattern established by his former employers. This created new cash flow with which he hired full time staff to build the church. Now he was able to get rid of the millionaires and their control.
He traveled extensively to promote the college, and tour groups from the college would later do this as well. Students from these churches were sent to the college to prepare for ministry.
Once in the college, strict control is in place. Students are required to tithe 10% of their gross income to the church (and encouraged to tithe 15% in case they received some other income they might forget...just to be safe). In addition, students are pressured to give to the missions program. The "faith promise" mission offering is sometimes more than the tithe. Part of this money is used to finance the pastor's "missionary" endeavors.
Single students are required to live in the church-owned dormitory, and pay room and board on top of their hefty tuition fees. "Board" consists of three meager meals per day, which are often missed by working students because the schedule is inflexible. Married students with children are required to enroll them in the Christian school and pay the school's exorbitant tuition on top of their own college tuition.
All students are required to work in the "bus ministry" their first two years, and are under pressure to continue working in this ministry throughout their college careers. In this "ministry," they are required to pay their own expenses - gas, fliers, refreshments for the children who ride their Sunday school buses, etc. None of these "ministry" expenses are deducted from their tithes, of course.
So, in the name of teaching young ministers to "sacrifice for Jesus," they are bled dry to feed the vampire church and uphold the very comfortable lifestyle of the pastor. It is not unusual for a college student to be putting more than 70% or 80% of his money back into the church.
Youth Conference is designed to attract juniors and seniors from Christian high schools of "like-minded" (i.e. wacko) churches, put on a fancy show, and get them signed up for the college. It's worth it to them to give away an $800 assault rifle...they'll get the money back many times over.
8 comments:
I worked like a dog. Full time school and full time out of school because I was not a pastor's child and entitled to free tuition.
One semester I worked 3 jobs and carried a full load of classes. I didn't sleep Tuesday through Friday. It took me years to physically recover from it. My 2 roomates kept me on schedule and pointed in the general direction to go. I collapsed out of exhaustion twice during that semester.
Every dime that didn't go in the gas tank went to the church in the form of Tithe, tuition, or a fee. I went to the lake to pick up beer cans for gas. I sold my plasma. I hocked my jewelry.
I won't say that I didn't have good times there, I did. But, the pressure to be perfect and the knowledge that I would never be what they considered good enough were what finally ended it for me. That and sheer exhaustion.
Oh, and the CAPPER. Bob Ross, the one from the tape? I his letter of 'reference' when I dared apply at a local college after marriage to finish said that I was someone who "Liked to take the easy way out"
I'll remember that for the rest of my life.
I've never done the easy thing. Anyone who knows me knows it.
WOW...was it that recommendation letter that got you your six-figure salaried job? Maybe I'll have him write one for me! LOL
I forgot about selling plasma. I remember some of the kids doing that. Dumpster diving, too.
I considered selling plasma... can't remember why I didn't. But I did work 2 or 3 jobs at a time, and still had no money for food lots of the time.
If I had not gone there I would not have met you and Cara would not be in my life!! I have alot of good memories BUT it was opressive and was NOT the real world. After leaving there people definately go through culture shock. I have seen it in my family!
I don't regret the journey, I sure don't regret meeting the wonderful few (7 Original People to be exact) that still are in my life after being there.
I just wish that I could have freed my mind a little sooner. The guilt burden dragged me down for a long time.
OMG, I sold plasma too!! I have always been too humiliated to admit that to anyone. Glad to know (finally) that I wasn't alone.
Hey, whatever you've done these wild blogger gals have probably done it, too. ;o))
I still can't get over A smoking dope with ZZ Top before they were superstars!
OMG what a scary sounding place. I've been in some crazy churches but I think this one takes the prize.
Oh,yeah,and Steve I partied with Humble Pie's sound guy and crew at an after party in Dallas one night because I came with their cocaine connection - Cocaine Dane. :)
A...Are you sure you're not making this stuff up??? ;o))
I can't remember anything from my party days - just little flashes of memory sometimes.
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