Mercy Ministries #fundie

Mercy Ministries #fundie smh.com.au

[Regarding the experiences of 2 women with Mercy Ministries, who offer a 6 month residential program in Sydney Australia, for young women who are battling life-controlling issues such as eating disorders, self harm, abuse, depression and anxiety.]

Desperate for help, they had turned to Mercy Ministries suffering mental illness, drug addiction and eating disorders.

Instead of the promised psychiatric treatment and support, they were placed in the care of Bible studies students, most of them under 30 and some with psychological problems of their own. Counselling consisted of prayer readings, treatment entailed exorcisms and speaking in tongues, and the house was locked down most of the time, isolating residents from the outside world and sealing them in a humidicrib of pentecostal religion.

[Various other fundie insanity outlined in the article]

44 comments

old comment by Horsefeathers

"Desperate for help, they had turned to Mercy Ministries suffering mental illness, drug addiction and eating disorders."

And this Mercy Ministries was somehow licensed to treat these problems?

"Instead of the promised psychiatric treatment and support, they were placed in the care of Bible studies students,"

Yeah, well, a place called Mercy Ministries probably isn't at the top of the list when it comes to treating psychological issues.

"most of them under 30 and some with psychological problems of their own."

Religion does that to some people unfortunately.

"Counselling consisted of prayer readings, treatment entailed exorcisms and speaking in tongues, and the house was locked down most of the time, isolating residents from the outside world and sealing them in a humidicrib of pentecostal religion."

Where are all the Christians pointing fingers and shouting "CULT!!" at the top of their lungs? Any other organization that tried this would be labeled as such.

old comment by Natness

I read this, and... was hardly suprised. The church that sponsors Mercy Ministries is 'Hillsong'. They're a large pentacostal church based in the North Western suburbs of Sydney Australia. It's sort of one of those Megachurches, and they export their vapid boring dull music around the world for other churches to use as Worship music.

They have taken over almost an entire portion of Part of the North Western suburbs with houses for staff, students and high ranking church members. They have their own TV show. They used to (not sure if they still do) have training for homosexuals to be "re-programmed" to be good christian heterosexuals. They require their members to tithe 10 percent of their annual income to hillsong. 5 percent for those who are students or work part time. The head pastor and his wife life in a MASSIVE house in one of the more exclusive suburbs of North western sydeny called Glenhaven (they live across a small valley from my Godparents).

I've wanted to go to hillsong, just to check it out, but all the vapid hillsongers scare the crap out of me. It's like land of the beautiful people. Frightening shit.

Hopefully, all the media attention that Mercy Ministries and Hillsong receive over this will cut them down a notch. One can only hope.

old comment by Ionakana

@deathbird, not only do they receive government funding to assist the unemployed, but unbelievely, they receive government funding from the unemployed themselves. By their own admission, participants are required to hand over any welfare benefits they are in receipt of, to help cover the cost of their upkeep.

I notice that Gloria Jean's website still states that it "proudly supports" Mercy Ministries. I would be curious to hear their rationale for this association. Did they actually check what this outfit gets up to before lending their support?

I believe Australians have to date been rather apathetic with regard to this encroaching fundieism. We need to realise that it is not an exclusively American thing, and be much more alert to its presence in our country.

old comment by Nameless

Beccs asked:
"Why the hell do people turn to cults instead of trained professionals when they have problems?"

Because of religion, in this case Christianity. I think an atheist knowing enough about religion to reject it would not go to this place by mistake like these people did.

antichrist wrote:
"They had no insurance and couldn't afford the treatment the girl needed. Mercy Ministries promised to give her treatment at no cost as they were a charity. They claim to be giving full medical and psychological treatment, but obviously that's not true."

Yeah, that too. But a person who is reasonably confident Jesus was not a god would not stay there for long and probably wouldn't even go.

old comment by hollow promise

Ionakana: "I notice that Gloria Jean's website still states that it "proudly supports" Mercy Ministries. I would be curious to hear their rationale for this association. Did they actually check what this outfit gets up to before lending their support?"

"Gloria Jean's Coffees is a major sponsor of Hillsong Church, and many Hillsong-related initiatives such as Mercy Ministries, a pro-life and anti-gay charity that aims to help women who are pregnant, have drug issues, or eating disorders. "Gloria Jean’s Coffees chose to support Mercy Ministries because there is a need in Australia for a dedicated charity that helps women with these difficult issues," said Peter Irvine, Co-Founder of Gloria Jean's Coffees "Gloria Jean's Coffees has stated it is not intending to change its funding arrangements of Mercy Ministries, despite recent allegations that Mercy Ministries removes its charges from proven medical therapies and puts them in the hands of amateur counselors who employ techniques including exorcisms.

Nabi Saleh and Peter Irvine are also prominent, active members of Hillsong Church."

From here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gloria_Jean's

old comment by Lilith

They are now infiltrating our public schools!!!

from Today's paper:
The Hillsong Church has defended its its personal development and self-esteem program in New South Wales schools, which includes a personal grooming aspect for girls.

The Federation of Parents and Citizens Associations says about 30 schools are running the Shine program as part of their Personal Development Health and Physical Education courses.

Federation president Dianne Giblin says members are concerned the program encourages girls to be subservient by teaching them that they need to be attractive to men.

Premier Morris Iemma says the program is voluntary.

"If parents do have a concern, then they have the right and they have the power under our existing regulations to take their kids out of these classes and not participate," he said.

Hillsong Citycare says the Shine program is not religious and is delivered by staff with professional qualifications in youth work, community work and welfare.

Its executive officer, Donna Crouch, says while there is a personal grooming aspect to the program, it is not a main focus.

"Talking about whether it's looking after yourself or skin care or looking after your hair is simply a tool," she said.

"In a group situation, to break down barriers, it gets girls interacting with one another, gets girls talking and we find that over the weeks, when we start to get talking about more important topics, that the barriers have been broken down."

The NSW Federation of Parents and Citizens Associations discussed the program during its annual conference over the weekend.

Federation president Dianne Giblin says the Department of Education had no role in approving the program, and some parents are worried about its content.

"There's been some concern about the Shine program run by Hillsong and the way it addresses young women, particularly the stereotyping of women's behaviour and inappropriate role models," she said.

Ms Giblin says the Government needs to start investigating the merits of all programs being taught.

"What we've seen happening in schools is a growth of various activities, including religious activities, that we believe are not fully endorsed by the Department of Education and I don't believe the content is fully known by parents within the school," she said

Mercy Ministries #fundie smh.com.au

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