Readin’, ‘Ritin’ ‘Rithmetic, and Religion

3.14.10 - Karl C. Priest - The “M” in MTV does not stand for “Morality.” Some people say the “M” is more accurately for “Manipulation.” The television network broadcasts programming that promotes drugs, sex, and violence 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Readin’, ‘Ritin’ ‘Rithmetic, and Religion

By Karl C. Priest

The “M” in MTV does not stand for “Morality.”  Some people say the “M” is more accurately for “Manipulation.”  The television network broadcasts programming that promotes drugs, sex, and violence 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  Common sense would seem to call for discouraging minors from viewing MTV.  Public shools, using MTV popularity, has a nearly perfect way to introduce an innocuous sounding, but quite religious, program into local high schools.  “Challenge Day” has all the characteristics of a cult.

Challenge Day is in public schools all over America.

In order to further the infusion of a particular religion into public schools, the educational leaders cannot come right out and say what they are doing.  (The establishment of yogism is the exception in West Virginia’s school district—Kanawha County. http://www.ednews.org/articles/religion-established-in-public-schools.html)  Instead, they use stealth statements such as the program will “break down cliques and end bullying by showing teenagers how similar they are”.  I thought the current catchword was “diversity”.  No matter, the bottom line is the same—to inculcate a blend of humanism with Ophrah style “salvation”.

Imagine the furor that would result from isolating a group of students with a Christian evangelistic team for thirty minutes.  Challenge Day participants get a full day of programming.  Of course, the propaganda line is, as one principal said, "Challenge Day is really about understanding who everybody is at your school.  It focuses on challenging students from all grade levels, from all groups within the school to be accepting and caring of someone who is different and the same as they are."  Who can argue with that?

The same principal said, "I've never been a part of something that's so powerful."  I hear that kind of talk at revival meetings.  Wherever it is spoken, it is almost certainly a religious experience.

The promoted goals of Challenge Day need to be considered in the light of the premises of its proponents.

When asked, “Does Challenge Day expose young people to the notion of a Spiritual Self?”   Challenge Day co-founder, Rich Dutra St. John replied, “Yes, and it’s amazing…”  In the same interview, with the New Age type Hoffman Institute, Dutra St. John said, “We see firsthand that the kind of joy that starts with self-love breeds more joy.” (https://www.hoffmaninstitute.org/interviews-articles/interviews/relationship/dutra-st-john.html)  His wife, Yvonne, said separately, “"I live every day in miracles…I know without a doubt that peace on earth is possible.” (http://www.incrediblepeople.com/people(2002-02-18).htm). 

The Challenge Day board of directors includes a couple of Protestants who do not say how their religion can be aligned with the beliefs of other board members. One board member is a volunteer with the Zen Hospice Project which based upon Zen Buddhism.  Another board member touts the Challenge Day principle of “speaking one's truth” which is a basic tenet of New Age religion.  A third claims to be a spiritual mentor.”  The prize goes to the board member who works with Debbie Ford’s “Shadow Effect”.  Like a televangelist ministry, that “evolutionary” process offers more “money, health, and intimacy.”  Ford’s website offers prayers to a god and goddess, meditations, and a “consciousness cleanse.” (http://store.debbieford.com/)  Even the Challenge Day office manager has been loved by “a Hawaiian kahuna” (Priest, sorcerer, magician, wizard, minister) and “had many spiritual teachers”

 Another principal said, “The most powerful exercise is called ‘Crossing the Line.’"  A Florida student reported how the line was crossed with this exercise.  They were told to “Cross the line if you have ever been called a slut, a whore, been whistled at, catcalled, or been made to feel violated by a boy or man. Cross the line if you have ever been called gay, fag, homo, or anything degrading to your sexual orientation. Cross the line if you or someone in your family has ever been raped or sexually molested. Cross the line if you have ever been hit by someone who said ‘I love you.’ Cross the line if you have ever been insulted, teased, or made fun of by someone in this room.” (http://www.cflcoc.org/student2.php)

I could locate no scientific research about Challenge Day.  There are only surveys and testimonies:   Challenge day (activities) “was truly one of the most amazing experiences I've had”; “show us how miracles are made”; “changed my life”; “was more than I have prayed for.”  I could imagine the loud “Amens!”

Like any cult, the program seeks to send out disciples to recruit more converts. Community workshops are promoted (http://www.challengeday.org/next-step-program.php)along with a “Be the Change” movement which is intended to “inspire peace from the inside out and take powerful positive steps toward creating the life—and world—of our dreams.” http://dynamic.challengeday.org/bethechange/?page_id=635

Local Christians and conservatives patted themselves on the back for blocking the 2009 attempt to include “sexual orientation” into the cultural diversity policy.  They should smack themselves on the forehead, because the school system already has been using Challenge Day since 2005 and other, under the radar, programs even earlier as is documented in the news item for July 5, 2009 at http://www.insectman.us/exodus-mandate-wv/news-2009.htm. 

Public schools have moved from being superficially Judeo-Christian to solidly New Age-Humanistic.  Public schools may not provide an excellent education in readin’, ‘ritin’, and ‘rithmetic, but they have a robust religion curriculum.

For more details, see my web article “The Common Thread” (http://insectman.us/misc/creation/common-thread.htm).