Two Year Training Testimonies

Originally Posted by Curiosity

I have heard that after college, you are expected to go to a two-year training in Anaheim. You attend church classes all day, every day I believe.

Are there any testimonies on how this training went? Benefits? Consequences?

Do you feel it put you behind in life while everyone else was getting jobs after college?

What was the experience like?

Here are a couple links about rules and requirements:
http://ftta.org/current-trainees/new...nd-guidelines/

http://ftta.org/current-trainees/new...nd-guidelines/

http://ftta.org/ftta/wp-content/uplo...nAgreement.pdf

I never went but from what I heard from others, it was extremely hard/stressful in the beginning (first 6 months-1 year) and then went uphill from there. I have known a few people who dropped out, but no one really talks about that and they are often looked down on. Also most people become extremely involved in everything related to the "churchlife" after they graduate and often become even more conservative. I have lost friends who came out as totally different people (I was no longer "good" enough). Seems like a good experience (or so they say) for most, but all will admit that it was hard, and if you read the rules, you can understand why. They are completely ridiculous (my opinion). Hope that helps.

[UntoHim]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

I have lost friends who came out as totally different people (I was no longer "good" enough). Seems like a good experience (or so they say) for most, but all will admit that it was hard, and if you read the rules, you can understand why. They are completely ridiculous (my opinion). Hope that helps.

To Unregistered:

I assume you're a "Church kid". Thanks for your candid observations. The thing that sticks out to me the most is your comment "I was no longer 'good' enough". (As one who spent about 20 years in the LC movement I know exactly what you mean) After two years of "gospel service", one would think that a trainee would speak and conduct themselves in a manner that comports with the speaking and actions of the Lord Jesus, and even the early apostles.

Yes, the Gospel message does include the annunciation of an exclusive and narrow way, (cf: "no one comes to the Father except through me" John 14:16) yet we see that in the Gospels the Lord Jesus treated individuals with almost infinite grace and mercy. Take for example the woman at the well - while he did expose her sin, at the very same time he offered her eternal life (and while he was at it, dispelled some religious myths). My point here is that the acceptance and living out of the true Gospel will make us a person who expresses grace and mercy to others. I don't see this coming from the LSM Trainees (and I've known many). Instead, for the most part, these dear young ones are filled with the teachings and traditions of men (mostly from one man).

So yes, these kids are changed alright, but not for the better I'm sorry to say.

Wow this training is ridiculous.

You're basically expected to drop every aspect of your life, boyfriends, girlfriends, work, etc.

Somehow, I don't really know how that's even legal to expect people to give up everything for the church.

If my friend really goes into this, I know I'll never get her back. The brainwashing that occurs there has to be hard to reverse.

That's a lot to ask of one person to endure. I don't know that I believe that God asks that of us. I believe God just wants us to live righteous lives and to be lights for others to follow... not that we need to drop everything and drown in some Witness Lee preaching.

[awareness]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

The brainwashing that occurs there has to be hard to reverse.

For some perhaps. But for some lucky ones it all suddenly crashes down, like a house of cards. Maybe this will happen for your friend. I know it did for friends that stayed after I left. Eventually it all caved in on them ... like it did me. And they're my friends now.

But I do have to admit, for at least three yrs, deprogramming wasn't easy. Lee is a tar baby. It's hard to get off.

Praise God I'm free is all I gotta say ...

Trainings? Just avoid the whole local church ... and trainings won't be an issue.

[Freedom]

I managed to avoid going to the training. I did not experience much pressure to attend, but even if I did, I would not have caved in. I can say that in general, there is a lot of pressure for college graduates to attend, it seems like those who don't are looked down on and are a small minority.

When I was younger, I actually had the idea that I would be attending the training and that I needed to go. Gradually my mind changed about that over time.

There is a lot that I can say about it, but in order to be concise, I will just say a few things. The first problem I see with the training is that there is the implication that you can't be useful to the Lord or churches if you don't attend the training.

The primary thing that made me not want to attend the training was the realization that it bears no resemblance to how normal people live and interact in the real world. The training rules are a primary example of that. By the time someone graduates from college, they should now how to keep a schedule, dress for work and be a responsible individual. It's almost insulting that they give young people the idea that without attending the training they won't be able to function as a normal human being in life.

One rule that irks me in particular is the restrictions on contact with the opposite sex. That is completely abnormal and they really have no such right to impose those kind of rules. The reason that they can get away with it is because trainees have no problem agreeing to the rules without a single question or doubt.

When looking at the training from the outside, I think you would be hard pressed to find an example besides the training where people are willing to surrender so much of their freedom. Simply put, it's abnormal. Just thinking about it gets me upset. I'm so happy I saw past it all and decided not to attend.

[Ohio]

Originally Posted by Freedom

When looking at the training from the outside, I think you would be hard pressed to find an example besides the training where people are willing to surrender so much of their freedom. Simply put, it's abnormal. Just thinking about it gets me upset. I'm so happy I saw past it all and decided not to attend.

The reason for the excessive legalism was to train these future leaders that their spiritual life and service was nothing without LSM.

In the bi-annual trainings, all the parents and elders of these trainees were constantly reminded of the pitiful job they had done to date, and how much remediation work was needed to be accomplished by LSM / FTTA.

The Great Lakes Area eventually learned that the Trainers used their bully pulpit to poison the young people against the very leadership which had encouraged and financed their attendance in the FTTA. The trainees would return with suspicions directed at their parents, their elders, and the regional leaders, and had serious issues fitting into the church life and normal daily life outside of the FTTA.

[Cal]

The "training" model was something Nee invented and Lee perfected. It's an expression of their domineering natures in the context of backwards mainland China 70 years ago. It's an archaic, extremely flawed model, which produces short-term compliance and long-term stupidity.

The only reason it is still around is because to change it would be to admit something about Nee and Lee wasn't perfect and eternal.

Even the military and most sports coaches have abandoned the strict disciplinarian approach to leadership. There is a better way. Reasonable rules are fine and needed, but rules that exist just to show the trainees that they are being ruled, to break their wills, are abusive.

Every day the LRC becomes more of an anachronism. I feel sorry for the kids that grow up there. They receive a very warped view of life and God.

[TLFisher]

Originally Posted by Ohio

In the bi-annual trainings, all the parents and elders of these trainees were constantly reminded of the pitiful job they had done to date, and how much remediation work was needed to be accomplished by LSM / FTTA.

Seems a lot as the direction Obama's administration is heading in. You don't suppose Barrack learned his craft from LSM do you? I see many a parallel. Publicly speaking positive words, lack of transparency, etc.
Back to the quote of Ohio's, total disregard of parental responsibility. Remediation work is usurping the role of the parent.

[UntoHim]

Originally Posted by Freedom

The primary thing that made me not want to attend the training was the realization that it bears no resemblance to how normal people live and interact in the real world. The training rules are a primary example of that. By the time someone graduates from college, they should now how to keep a schedule, dress for work and be a responsible individual. It's almost insulting that they give young people the idea that without attending the training they won't be able to function as a normal human being in life.

Very good observation. I would never have thought to put it this way. The real truth of the matter is that, despite their claim to be training these young people in "the proper human living", they end up producing a bunch of semi-robotic clones who cannot relate to the modern 21st century American adult. (I don't know so much about the other foreign Full-Time trainings, but I suspect they are much of the same) Dressing and conducting oneself in a professional manner is all well and good if you are selling a tangible product, but if the product is YOURSELF and supposedly the genuine and historic Gospel as found in the Bible, then people are quickly going to ascertain that you're just a well-dressed recruiter for some little-known religious organization based in Anaheim, California.

One rule that irks me in particular is the restrictions on contact with the opposite sex. That is completely abnormal and they really have no such right to impose those kind of rules. The reason that they can get away with it is because trainees have no problem agreeing to the rules without a single question or doubt.

This is mostly based upon the culture of early to mid 20th century China (Asia in general?). Again, if these young people were controlled enough to make it through a 4 year university without letting the attraction to the opposite sex make them so irresponsible as to not be able to graduate, then I can't see how they couldn't be trusted to make it another 2 years! It's nothing but blatant cult-like control over a very personal aspect of a young person's life.

I remember well when they attacked seminaries, stating that they would never have such institutions. Well, of course they don't! They have TRAININGS. A seminary by any other name is still....a seminary.