AA Abundant Life Academy

[Deborah]

**But its the mental illness that causes the act; and if they had no faith at all, they would say aliens or Satan gave the order.**

Uh, excuse me, but it's very dangerous to instill fear and undue anxiety into an already unstable person. Yates was most definitely preached to about the end times. In her mind she may have thought she was doing her kids a favor.
Do you have any clue what some fundamentalists are saying about the future? Educate yourself.

I tend to think there are many fundamentalists of different persuasions who could be classified as 'not all there'. They live and breath a dogma of fear. Bound to manifest in bizarre ways from time to time.

This mom was obviously 'insane'. No one in their right mind kills. No One! Knowing the difference between right and wrong does not prove one is in their right mind. We have antiquated laws because the powers that be refuse to change their antiquated thinking.

[Anonymous]

Serial killers are insane, how many of them are sentenced to "treatment" instead of life in prison, or death by lethal injection?

Christian Mothers Who Kill in the name of God are no different than religious extremists who blow themselves and other innocent bystanders to pieces in the name of Allah.  

I'm sorry, 7 children are dead, the victims of an Amerikan Jihad.

[The Butcher]

Personally, I'd take prison over treatment any day. This choice is partially based on my belief that I am NOT INSANE, for I kill only for the love of killing. I act on the urges that most people repress on a daily basis. Insane? HAHAHAAAHHAHA!!!! I think not.

[Anonymous]

understand that the credentials for Mr. CraigRogers look good however as an iverstigative reporter twho has just started looking into his facility I have found that speaking directly with people he has worked with in the past is the best source of information. If you check into he claims of previus employment you will find that to be correct however you will also find that they emphatically would not employ him again and will not be linked inany way to his facility. I believe that speaks volumes in itself. Though they did not reveal any information that they legally should not reveal they did guide me to other sources of information that should prove to be more than interesting. Though I am an unbiased individual in this scenario I am to seriously question the validity of this facility and any of its practices. And if any onbe knows why they move the kids t the Mexico facility approx. once a month could you please enlighten me. It almost appears as if they have something to hide.

[Anonymous]

They have not moved the kids once a month.  This is an awesome program doing wonders for wayward teens.  How fortunate it is that all of you critics have never had problems with your teens.  That is a blessing from God.  Unfortuantely, there are many of us who do have problematic teens and need the help offered by Craig and the others.   Just remember, as you all sit and make judgement, God will judge you accordingly.  I have been to ALA in Mexico.  It is a warm, loving, and caring safe place.  As far as Craig's past, I don't know, and I don't care.  I know his present.  Glory be to God that He does not throw my past in my face, but He looks at what I presently do.  God bless Craig and those who sacrafice to help parents with troubled teens.

[Anonymous]

You obviously are not a parent of a child there.  As a parent, I personally do not want others to know where my child is.  It is is not your business.  However, having been there, I assure you that it is a clean and beautiful place.  It is in a safe community.  The only questions that need to be answered, really, is why is it such a big deal to so many people who do not have kids there?  You all obviously have a lot of time on your hands.  Why nont use your energies to do something constructive, like volunteer at the animal shelter or something, rather than critisizing the work of ALA?  It really doesn't matter what you all think, what matters is that God is in control.  The owners and the staff are accountable to God.  Not to any one of you who sit back and judge their work.  As a parent of a child, I am very pleased with their work.  And, as a parent, my opinion is what matters, not yours.

[Anonymous]

How fortunate it is that all of you critics have never had problems with your teens. That is a blessing from God. Unfortuantely, there are many of us who do have problematic teens and need the help offered by Craig and the others. Just remember, as you all sit and make judgement, God will judge you accordingly.

Wait a minute, which one of us ever said we don't or never have had problems with our kids?  We didn't.  What we have said is that we chose to deal with those problems ourselves instead of turning them over to someone else to deal with.  Big difference.  I think we have a greater faith and belief in God then YOU DO.   I think God can help my kids through me.  I don't think I need the likes of a hypocit like Rogers or Karen telling me what is best for my child.  Rogers and Karen have showm those of us reading this forum what they are all about.

[Antigen]

Really? Whenever I went away to something like Sea Camp or Bible Camp, my mother had no problem telling anyone who asked exactly where I was. The ittineraries published by the programs well ahead of the trip dates listed in detail exactly where we'd all be off snorkeling or tubing down Ichatucknee Springs or at Pavillion # whatever on a particular evening in August.

That's not what's going on at ALA. At ALA, the "students" are not allowed to send or receive mail from ANYBODY except their parents, and even that is a "priviledge" they have to earn.

The only person in this discussion who's actively seeking to have contact w/ this kid is her brother's legal guardian. I can't imagine why in the world they should not know where the girl is and be able to communicate w/ her and to visit her freely.  

I recognize some differences between The Seed/Straight and ALA. I wish I could take comfort in all thes assurances about the kids being well fed, well treated and getting adequate sleep. But I can't just overlook some of what has already been posted here. Program proponants claim, repeatedly, that it's not a lock down facility, that family members can visit "as often as they like" while Craig describes an attempted escape and an ALA search team and the manual, available online, clearly states that the "students" must earn the "priviledge" of communication, even w/ their own parents, and are flat out forbidden from communicating w/ anyone else. So, while I'd like to believe that these kids are getting adequate food, sleep, shelter and dignified, loving treatment, I have no such assurance because the people who are telling me this either don't have any firsthand experience, as they're depending on the word of those who do, or they are the same people who have told me nice, reassuring things before that have turned out to be untrue.

Folks, it is NOT NORMAL to be so paranoid about your nearly adult kids communicating w/ their own friends and family. What the hell do you think is going to happen in a year or two when they're legally able to tell you to take a hike?

Writing about music is like dancing about architecture.
--

[Anonymous]

// "students" must earn the "priviledge" of communication, even w/ their own parents, and are flat out forbidden from communicating w/ anyone else. //

This was not our experaince with ALA and I haven't talked to any parent who couldn't talk with their kid; and The parents I mostly talk with are the newer ones - so I'm puzzled at this being on the web site. This just isn't how they handel comunication.
As for friends and such, that is left up to the parents. When the teen becomes a young adult, they can and will call whom ever they like and the parents no longer have to worry about being held responcable for whatever fall out might result.
Its very different to have an 18 year old screwing up than a 15 year old.

[Anonymous]

I agree with you.  Students are not forbidden to communicate with their parents.  There seems to be a lot of bad information out there.  The ALA communications policy is excellent.

[Anonymous]

Well good for you that you can help your kids.  Not all kids respond the same.  Some kids need tough love.  No one is telling anyone how to raise their kids.  You have the coice to keep yours at home, or seek other help.  It is your choice.  However, it is also the choice of each parent.  It would appear the only one trying to tell another parent how to raise their child is the adoptive parent of the girl's brother.  Some parents, on the other hand, need help and are not willing to admit they need help.  It takes a strong and corageous parent to admit they need help, and then to act on it and seek the help.  The girl is so fortunate to have a parent that loves her enough and is a big enough person to admit she needs help for her daughter, and is getting the help she needs.

It would appear that everyone who has jumped on this hostile negative bandwagon are the ones trying to tell the girl's mother how to raise her child.  It is obvious, from your defensive hostility, that you would be very upset/offended if someone told you what you were doing with your child was wrong, and actually tried to go to court to have your child removed.  

Think about it.  You've made it clear that you don't want others telling you what to do with your child/ren, yet you've jumped on her bandwagon and are supportive of how she is dealing with her daughter?  

I think the word you used was "hypocrite"  Yes, it does fit well.

[Antigen]

Yeah, well most of us have been in this girl's shoes. You? And, btw, the people defending removal of this girl have been ALA and her parents. Past tense. She has already been removed; apparently against her will at 4AM.

I am married, not Buried !
-- Steve Webb

[Anonymous]

On 2004-04-10 19:53:00, Antigen wrote:

"Yeah, well most of us have been in this girl's shoes. You? And, btw, the people defending removal of this girl have been ALA and her parents. Past tense. She has already been removed; apparently against her will at 4AM.

I am married, not Buried !
-- Steve Webb

"

Interesting you use the word "apparently" as it indicates you do not have the full story.  Do you know why she was put there in the first place?  Have you never forced your child to do something they didn't want to do?  If you child has a broken leg and doesn't want to go to the doctors, are you not going to go because the child doesn't want to?  Of course not.  As a parent, because you love your child, you will force your child to do many things, for their best interest.  It is truly sad that so many have jumped on the bandwagon to undermine the parental authority.  I have not seen anywhere where the parents are being accused of starving her, beating her, forcing her to sleep on a concrete floor, not providing clothes, or not providing basic toiletries.  What I have seen is a conflict in the parenting styles of the mother and another woman who is not the mother.  That is the bottom line.

[Anonymous]

On 2004-04-10 12:28:00, Antigen wrote:



That's not what's going on at ALA. At ALA, the "students" are not allowed to send or receive mail from ANYBODY except their parents, and even that is a "priviledge" they have to earn.

br>--

"

This is absolutely not true.  I know of a student there who is receiving email from the several youth pastors at her church, as well as various family members and friends.  So, where ever this notion came from that there is no communication, it is not true.  

It would appear that the other woman is obsessed with the girl.  Ginger, you have a daughter.  How would you respond to someone being obsessed with your daughter?  How about someone openly critisizing your parenting skills to the whole world on the web?  It would appear that the other "adult" has really brought alot of problems on herself.  

Ginger, if someone were attacking you and threatening you, would you be real inclined to allow that person to be around your daughter?

Sounds to me like the mother has her instincts in order.  The other woman appears to be very unstable.

Have a blessed day Ginger.

[Anonymous]

This is absolutely not true. I know of a student there who is receiving email from the several youth pastors at her church, as well as various family members and friends. So, where ever this notion came from that there is no communication, it is not true.

That sounds very cultish to me.  The kids are being "brainwashed" to accept Christ.  Forced beleif.  If one is being held captive and only allowed to speak with those who share the ideas and philosophys of the group, insn't what cult behavior?

ALA sounds like a cult to me.