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Page: Profile: Wren's Nest News Local
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Article: 14743
[Society]
Date Posted:
1/9/2006
7:05:52 pm EST
Wvox Stats
Views: 8,367
RSS: 18,159
Comments: 19
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Cult of Character
Author: Silja J.A. Talvi Source: In These Times
Title: Cult of Character
How the 'secular' Character Training Institute is working to build evangelist Bill Gothard's vision of a First-Century Kingdom of God--one city, one state, one school board, one police force and one mind at a time.
From the outside the bland, unmarked exterior of the Character Training Institute's headquarters blends remarkably well into its immediate surroundings. This is a section of Oklahoma City that hasn't yet benefited from the nearby, upscale urban development intended to draw both tourism and business to the area. Both the downtown Greyhound Station and the county jail are situated a few blocks from here, which explains the number of forlorn, transient men and women wandering down West Main Street. For the
most part these folks seem to have more immediate priorities than paying attention to the dozens of foreign-looking visitors entering and exiting the 10-story Character Training Institute (CTI), which also serves as the headquarters of the International Association of Character Cities (IACC).
Additional Article Link: [Click HERE]
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Community Thoughts: There are 19 comments posted | Reverse Sort |
| Yeah, But What IS It? | Jan 11th. at 8:23:22 pm EST
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Lora (Leominster, Massachusetts) - Email Me
What exactly are they doing in there, how are they promoting these "values"? A Clockwork Orange-style Pavlovian conditioning? Taking a page out of Rev. Moon's book, and defrauding their adherents? Massive orgies to lure the unsuspecting?
I am rather forcefully reminded of Thoreau's ideas about what consitutes character. It wasn't at all what these lunatics have in mind.
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| Expose It Now For What It Really Is. | Jan 10th. at 9:08:38 pm EST
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bigcat (peoria, Illinois) - Email Me
Why is it that every tyranny sounds so depressingly the same? Why is that the leaders are the only ones who get to think while the rest are urged to blind unthinking obedience? Why are Family values and character the words bandied about, yet thuggery, vandalism and outright murder toward those who disagree allowed? if I remember right, Hitler's bird was an eagle and their cult espoused "character "too. Women in Germany, those considered worthy, were reduced to baby making machines, while the rest of the world were meant to be slaves to serve the elite-- those that weren't killed outright because they were either in disagreement with the Party line- or were not considered worthy enough of life to live- for whatever reasons listed.
Is this the so called "glorious future" that is destined for us? To be led into another stupid mindlessly bloody tyranny by yet another madman-- or in this case- a cadre?
Unless this is what is wanted-- and for a majority- it isn't. It's best to expose this now.
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| Same Old Trick New Name | Jan 10th. at 12:59:35 pm EST
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arinna (Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina) - Email Me
These folks are no different than the monarchists of old who claimed the divine right of kings. They want to assert that God chose certain people to invest authority in and those chosen (who include themselves of course) should never be questioned or rebelled against.
If they get their way they will undo everything the founding fathers fought and died for. They should be tarred and feathered just like their historical predecessors.
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| I Had Wondered.... | Jan 10th. at 9:26:45 am EST
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Zorya (Dayton, Ohio) - Email Me
...what had happened to Gothard and his Basic Youth Conflict Seminars. My ex and I attended them twice, once in the late 70's and once in the early 80's. Same stuff, different day.
Not to say that this is harmless. The totalitarian mindset is highly disturbing. The scariest part is the fact that the folks who are into this program don't see the dangers of the absolute obedience that is advocated. The old basic youth conflict seminars emphasized obedience above everything and this program apparently continues that concept.
Let's ask the Germans who lived through the 1930's and 40's what happens when blind obedience is the order of the day.
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| "CHARACTER" .... | Jan 10th. at 4:43:40 am EST
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Whitewolf (Schenectady, New York) - Email Me
My fat red butt !! I could NEVER understand WHY all this "character" and "reconstruction" fundie crap ALWAYS includes driving half the population into "submission" and asking them to be nothing more than slaves. Sorry, Fundie-boys, you can dress it up and pretty it up any way you like, but WHY do we women always have to be slaves to men? Slavery is still slavery. I sincerely hope this movement never picks up any speed, because it is a hazard to the basic principles of freedom. They gripe and complain about the "liberals" that are "ruining" America, but fer Goddess' sake, we wouldn't HAVE any freedom if it wasn't for "liberals". Everyone on this site has a good brain - us it to fight this particular movement, and preserve freedom.
Blessed be all
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| Religious Neo Facism? | Jan 10th. at 1:54:02 am EST
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Grey Willow (Anchorage, Alaska) - Email Me
I am glad that I am not the only one that is really unsettled by this article.
The propaganda that is used by this group is frightenly similar to the ones used by the Nazis. Rampant brainwashing is throughout their seminars. Dictating what everyone should be wearing, thinking and doing? This is really scary.I understand that it can be a very hard task to think for oneself and form one's own opinion, but it seems that the people that buy into this cult really don't want to be anything but cookie-cutter automatons. This group has not only its sights set on this nation, but all other nations.
Hopefully the people that join this group will wake up one day and choose their lives for themselves, before this organization tries to subvert all other ways. Hopefully, this organization will be a social-evolutionary dead end
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| Go To Http://www.whitehouse.gov | Jan 9th. at 11:38:41 pm EST
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karrie9 (Kenosha, Wisconsin) - Email Me
... and type in "Character First!"
Explore.
Links do indicate they are for programs that teach character. (Character First! does get federal funding, by the way.)
Ask just precisely how they're going to teach character in schools and with what programs. Look into those programs. Connect the dots and read between the lines because they're not going to spell it out for us. They're not that honest and forth coming.
Doing this will be us showing our character (alertness, attentiveness, determination, diligence, enthusiasm, initiative, justice, resourcefulness, responsibility, sincerity, thoroughness, truthfulness, virtue, wisdom/common sense) !
That would be us (Pagan, Christian, other) setting a good example for our kids -- and what better way for them to learn?
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| About Disclosing Character! | Jan 9th. at 11:02:16 pm EST
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karrie9 (Kenosha, Wisconsin) - Email Me
People never disclose their own character so clearly as when they dictate it to others through mandatory social programs (read brainwashing) aimed at youth.
Turning Out Little Soldiers in the Culture Wars - Evangelical Character First! curriculum teaches students to obey the Character First! leader's will and teaches a certain chain of command -- to the point that they are "legislating, directing, and regulating just about every phase of life." Cult-like is what numerous parties call that, including Christian ones. [Web LINK]
Problem is, many people don't look that far into things though ... so acclaim and positive words for Character First! abound across the Net.
Overt references to God and Christianity edited out, of course. Nonetheless, that particular constellation of qualities taught in such a way resembles a **version** of what religious orientation?
People develop character traits and character orientations that distinguish them from other societies and religions. Naturally, teaching kids someone else's orientation can provide a sneaky wedge between some parents and the state, if it's mandatory in public schools (and it is in some places) .
Ah ha! It's another wedge program! (That's a reference to the wedge of "teaching the controversy" that was going on with the Intelligent Design movement) .
Character First! is going to touch conflict with what many learned in history, from their brand/branch of religion, and American Civics classes!
Power and control, power and control ...
Rallying cries for more social programs of this nature? The supposed moral collapse of the present vs. our country based on character values of society. Sound familiar?
Character First! and the attempts to put in public schools as mandatory remind me of the "youth group" training my mother had to attend (mandatory) as a school child in Nazi Germany.
Here is the template, listing 49 qualities. [Web LINK]
When some American moralists tout and write about the importance of character, they appear to mean having an overly meek one.
Perhaps we should teach critical thinking skills and civics better first, eh?
Dang!
Find More info -- HERE
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| What's Being Marketed? | Jan 9th. at 8:45:07 pm EST
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Ahr-Ohn (Bridgeport, Connecticut) - Email Me
This is an obvious Store Front. Are they teaching that Character should be encouraged in others, developed by Example, or decried in its lack?
In Principle, I wouldn't object to a bit of Character Education amongst the Southern Baptists.
Arawn
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