Ken Avidor has a diary up at Daily Kos that should send shivers down your spine. Minnesota U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar is requesting a $500,000 earmark for Minnesota Teen Challenge. What is that you say?
MNTC is a ministry of the Assemblies of God. MNTC believes that Halloween, Harry Potter and Pokemon are gateways to drug addiction. MNTC has fostered close ties with many politicians, mostly Republicans such as Congresswoman Michele Bachmann and Governor Tim Pawlenty (Tim Pawlenty’s wife was a MNTC board member).
You can see the religious batsh*ttery in the Teen Challenge literature on the right (click for the full PDF). Teen Challenge, btw promotes Exodus International’s “pray away the gay” ministry. Check out its Student Handbook, which includes under Conduct: ”Students must conduct themselves in a manner pleasing to God. There shall be no smoking, alcohol consumption, drug use, or homosexual behavior.” The application also asks: ”Have you ever engaged in homosexual activity? “
Andy Birkey at the Minnesota Independent has been covering this
If you accept taxpayer money, you have to accept that you’re going to receive public scrutiny. That simple point seems to be eluding Minnesota Teen Challenge (MNTC), the faith-based drug treatment program which secured a federal earmark in early 2008 arranged by Rep. Jim Ramstad and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, for its “Know the Truth” program which aims to prevent drug use.
Operating close to the border of church and state, the group’s members are unrealistic if they think their work is not going to get attention.
...The point of my article was not to suggest that MNTC was not successful or beneficial, as Scherber implies. Rather it was to point out the overtly religious nature of the organization and that the program has historically been controversial. In the interest of brevity, I left some examples out. For instance, MNTC’s stance on Halloween verges on the comical (”Halloween is a day set up totally for Satan … The more people who go out dressed as demons, ghosts, witches and goblins, the more glory Satan receives”). Scherber’s claim that the Holy Spirit told an MNTC bus driver to avoid the 35-W bridge on the day of its collapse in August 2007 is touching but, let us say, unverified.
I don’t question that faith-based programs can be very effective for those that share the programs’ faith. Faith is a huge motivator in people’s lives. I think MNTC has been very effective for the clients it serves. However, I don’t think it’s appropriate for judges, prosecutors or public defenders to suggest the program as an alternative to jail.
Ken says the MSM in the state has completely ignored this story; Dump Michelle Bachmann has been covering this as well. I’m still wondering why tax dollars should go to a whackjob program like this—church/state separation is definitely on the table here.
Why look—here’s our soon-to-be-former President hailing Teen Challenge! Watch the video below the fold.