do you feel uneasy about this organisation

[Alameda]

. . . mercy ministries, maybe I'm being even more negative than usual but - actually yes, just tell me that. probably slightly screwed up about religion and can't see the helpful side of things?

(it's concerning a sort of 'friend' from hospital, one of very few people I've stayed in touch with, she is excited about going off with this lot and I feel really horrible about it)

(feel horrible as in 1. she is a sitting duck really, for this kind of thing and 2. maybe it will help her, nothing else has yet, so I should be positive?)

Hmmmm..........no I don't think I do feel uneasy about it because I do think that the church involved is seeking to help. Also, many rehab/addiction programmes such as Alcoholics Annonymous, while not promoting any one religion, do have a spiritual element as part of their recovery process. However, I don't know enough about eating disorders/ self harming to have an opinion on whether such issues would also benefit from a spiritual approach.

BUT.........

the bit that does make me uneasy is the fact that it is particularly targetting women and, to that end, it reminds me of the the whole Victorian charitable "homes for fallen women" type drive. I expect there are all sorts of very good reasons as to why it is a women-only initiatve, but that does make me feel a little uneasy.

oh yes, 'echoes' of that, definitely

I think it was stuff I read on their FB page about not being able to use government funding because the money would be tainted with anti-Jesus germs or something (probably not remotely like that) and on there they call the women 'girls' which is just a petty irritant.

I wonder what happens about young women who are lesbians though. I suppose I could email and ask.

I would be cautious of these people. After 2 minutes of digging they have a pro life anti gay stance and there are networks for survivors of their programs.

mercyministriesabuses.blogspot.co.uk/

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercy_Ministries

www.mercysurvivors.com/

Enough to give my DW and myself cause for concern.

thanks LL will pass on your links

feel very angry that they are preying on people who are so, I hate to say it, but vulnerable

they seem to pick up patients from a private hospital, one of very few places in the country serving this particular set of problems

don't be silly, I'm a Christian, I was until recently going to mass at least once a week!

If it's so supportive and helpful how can they offer things like reparative therapy? What's encouraging about that? It's sick.

being a Christian doesn't suddenly mean you have to be a fan of homophobia or of compelling women to continue unwanted pregnancies does it?

if the wind changes your face could stay like that, and startle the poor spider!

I am not very objective about this, my daughter has been a patient in a related ward to the one in Bradford where these people recruit. These are desperately unhappy unwell and vulnerable young people. I think it's dodgy and I'm worried about my friend.

ah, lots of sympathy, I used to be arachnophobic (cue a bit of evangelical zeal about the friendly spider programme at London zoo), if is any consolation it was probably one of the few remaining male spiders desperate to breed before he dies - life is very short and cruel for male spiders :(