Elitist camping group

[hipslikecinderella]

I have been introduced to an evangelical christian activity/camping holiday. It is for children and they take 2/3 boys and 1/3 girls - all children have to go to a top prep school.
Historically the man who set up the Trust who runs the hols has been accused of abuse on the camps.
He died and the trust did issue a statement after that to say they were investigating.
Anyway, my main issue is with the private prep thing . The reasons I have heard are mainly cost and also that the activities may be very glamorous and state children wouldn't be used to them.
However, we've also been told there are large bursaries available, although they are never taken up.
Aibu to think it's all a bit odd.....?

I don’t normally like to agree with the populist view but yeah...this is all sorts of wrong.

I noticed the North ( ssh say it quickly) South divide. And the seperate class of schooling, the whole thing is so um ...imoral/illegal ?

Is abuse acceptable as long as one is in the company of ones own kind?

What is your aibu? Just run

Aibu to think it's all a bit odd.....?

I think we're all going with YANBU here.

Is the sex discrimination which this seems to involve even legal?

How Christian is insisting on private education? Remind me which bit of the bible it’s in....

I remember one of these from my childhood. Never went on it but friends did. Can’t remember the name for love nor money. Thought it was weird back then....

“And Jesus did say, separate thy private school pupils and shield them from state school scum, so that they may enjoy thine board games and cookery in peace. Amen.”

I used to move in these circles. (Admittedly 20 years ago ) Stewards trust and Iwerne minster. It meant when they arrived at oxford and cambridge they had a nice bunch of like minded friends already made... felt v odd to the Christians from state schools.

I believe the intent to recruit from prep schools is to prepare "good solid evangelical leaders." Def elitist in the same way private schools are really.... many private schools intend to prepare for leadership really.

Id personally steer well clear. Unless you move in v conservative evangelical circles (works out better if you're male..)

Also this is quite different from scripture union camps that were open to anyone!

How would one go about 'tailoring' the Christian message to the upper classes?

Remember that now less-commonly-sung verse of "All Things Bright and Beautiful"?

The rich man in his castle,
The poor man at his gate,
God made them high and lowly,
And ordered their estate.

That's genuinely how Christianity was taught.

And you know, after you've used Christianity to justify slavery, justifying mere class or sex inequality is a doddle.

I don't get it. Surely Christianity is open to everyone, in fact it prioritises the poor and meek.

How would one go about 'tailoring' the Christian message to the upper classes? Do you mean being able to preach in Classical Hebrew or is it more to do with shortcuts to the Kingdom of God?

I was thinking more of directly addressing their privilege and requiring them to question it. How their surroundings may make it harder for them; “easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of God”. Also you sometimes need to meet people/start the journey where they are: these children may not otherwise go to a Christian camp.

I am not saying I agree with it btw!

I dont think it was at all questioning privilege, but more "using it for good." Def entrenched classism.

YANBU

Nail on the head from @HeronLanyon

"For me this is a no on so many levels -
Christian
Evangelical
History of abuse
Uneven split of sexes
Private prep school only

There doesn’t seem to be a single positive. Unless you are an evangelical Christian in which case you can cross off my first two major shudders."

I'm an evangelical Christian and there is no way my children would be going on that.
But then we are part of the great unwashed and they wouldn't be allowed in anyway. (Unlike heaven where all can be welcomed in - see I told you I was an evangelical )

The wikipedia page on Titus Trust is enlightening.

"Key boys from key schools" and indeed did grrom many for leadership/many evo leaders came from Iwerne camps historically.

I hadnt realised how horrific the abuse had been :( And he did it in other countires and of course it was all covered up.

Between 40 and 70 young people come on each of the holidays drawn from a variety of Independent Schools in London with which we have links. Please enquire to find out if we have links with a particular school.

And then it says elsewhere that their staff go and visit various independent schools during the year to run clubs.

So it’s not even independent not state. It’s specific independents which their staff have spent time at. To me this smacks of “we go round sniffing out likely recruits and the ones most open to our views get an invite”. I suspect they don’t want anyone there who might question the views on offer.

I went to a couple of evangelical holiday camps as a 10/11 year old, with a Baptist friend. They were very odd. Not least the fact that there was all the usual covert teenage snogging and smoking, but mixed in with lots of hugging and semi fainting because you felt Jesus.

Very impressionable age the tweens and early teens.

Historically it very much was invite only from the "right" type of public school.

From experience at Oxbridge, people from those schools would have meet ups at Oxbridge, reunions etc and often have links back with their old school, old teachers come to visit/perhaps go back to work for a year as an unqualified teacher. It was a whole other world to me.

The fact it’s specifically set up to allow only pupils attending fee-paying schools is shock

Rich people can do what they want with their money but this should not qualify for charitable tax free status.

Had a quick flick through their website. See it's only for rich privately educated White Christians . Fair enough, made in his image and so on...........

Didn't several of the disciples attend top private schools?

they used to help run the Christian union at my boarding school. Boarding school’s an interesting place from a Christian point of view.

You have to go to chapel weekly plus additional assemblies. Most people aren’t religious and don’t like going, but you get quality, short, gentle sermons.

But then you go home in the holidays and don’t know anyone your age at church (moved to this country at the same time as started boarding school and attended a church with small congregation).

Some churches have youth groups that do stuff, but if you are not there often, you don’t know anyone (my church was too small as well). So you can make an argument for providing a place for boarding school people to go with friends. I don’t think this is the whole reason - as why would you need one for London schools (unless just boarding ones...)? Also, I asked about whether my friend from state school could come but was told no.

Anyway - I thought the camp was ok but sometimes discussions a bit shut down if you want to debate controversial stuff. At uni we had a good group in my 1st year where we’d discuss cool theological topics while doing bible study.

Brainwash camp, no thanks. Is it only for children from independent schools though? It says 'at independent schools' which sounds like they run the camp from a private school to use the facilities

It most definitely is only for pupils at independent schools! The camps themselves are, of course, run at lovely independent schools as well.

If you are looking for a Christian Youth camp/festival then this one is great.

Children from all over the world, 8000 this year, and they have a wonderful time. My son has helped with it for the last ten years. Everyone is police checked and it's a very safe environment.
www.facebook.com/newdayevent/?tn=K-R&eid=ARDJD8e-EHQFHLdWZ9vtsLOhSDwDCuqpa8zmJZfMwrNtGOh486SAW9N8ZEK3QV39m5uk-_Qs6kM6KG62&fref=mentions&xts[0]=68.ARB6Kkugvz7PUtQZy18d3PaTsqrzwm1nUF9PqsMaqsBO7ZOkjb38Sz8966BlTLQQj5pn3N1dzJGgAboX1iE5kmKJ0PKlD_uCJk393nVbo3nTcSY4Hfa1zX0ynu24YE3UVfiC2Uz2whju5S2bGkiMLkdVj5u8xwpGTDZShpyikxyxD2maFe_gPaxiOO1KzOwmLk5VZjHzei7sYBaRVbqHyErFU_y8BYK658ZJSIqofxcCKPH01jZmnY3JAC0RvxFXbsDdXC58r4pMPLFxpG3bPgRcYlhikWVEYPe39RH0Lhv2WPwTxRhMipoOUVOflktnuOTq-mexU7GIAnFnb-KjZT6mdEPor0G1mU-l1BoVBGpW3zEtRLUGa4P-

Sounds horrendous.