So anyway, as part of my senior year, I get to go on a senior retreat. It's a catholic camp where they brainwash you. We aren't allowed to know what happens, and anyone who goes refuses to say anything about it. I don't really care about that part. No media is allowed. No phones, no ipods, no cameras (no shirt no shoes no service). From what I've gathered they sleep deprive you and hyper-caffeinate you and then they proceed to break you down emotionally and you tell all of your deepest secrets (or so I've heard).

Any advice? It's called Kairos.

Also, don't post any information about what actually goes on, I wanna keep it a secret for myself. I know you can look it up.

That sounds like a terrible experience.

Unless you belong to one of those fictious devout christian stereotypes that jump excitedly at everything christian, I suggest you brace yourself, because it sounds a lot like every boring full-time lecture I've been forced to go to. And I'm not judging against religion, those lectures were about stuff like study habits and being successful in life, and they still were boring as hell.

Is it the same thing as "Kairos Prison Ministry?" I honestly thought that was a joke when I looked at their website, but the more I read the site, the more legit it looks. That's kind of scary, having "Prison" in the name.

I'm not sure what advice we can give you if you don't want anyone to post what actually goes on. Do you want to be broken down and tell all your secrets? Since that seems to be all we can go on, the only advice we can give is that you do what you want to do. I would never want to go to such an awful place, personally.

If noone who goes there talks about it how did you get that info?
just sayin'

Uh, info I guess?

Also it goes over the course of four days, in which I have no contact with the outside world. Oct 12-15th, with the 16th being my 18th birthday! yay!

I haven't read the above link simply because it gives away everything (i think?). The reason it sounds like a good experience is because everyone who comes back is super happy, and everyone is all into being friends with everyone for a looong time. People have "kairos friday" where they get back and sit with their groups at kairos. You do hear SOME information... Like I milked out that I'll be averaging 4 hours of sleep at kairos per day.

After reading that link, I'd love to go just to see how they'd try to emotionally break me. I have sociopathic tendencies, so I wonder how effective some of their methods would be. I already get 4 hours of sleep each night and I drink caffeine all day long, so knowing that I already function that way might be interesting. Then again, the whole point is apparently to make people feel loved and in turn want to spread that love to others. I don't quite buy that, though.

Sounds weird. Sorta like those churches where they try to hype people into getting converted by singing upbeat songs a heap and swaying and then saying DOES ANYONE WANNA COME FORWARD AND RECEIVE THE LOOOOOOOVEEEEEEEE

Immerse you in a Christian psychological brainwashing for four days?

You may refuse, you do realize that yes?

Go.

Look at it as a test of willpower, see if you can withstand whatever tortures they throw at you and come out stronger.

On a serious note, let your friends and family know that if you don't come back after the allotted 4 days, that they should pursue immediate legal action and involve the police.

Edit:
On the flipside, it might actually be fun and not a completely cult thing.

Based on what I've read about the thing, apparently if your community/school is totally into this idea, you get pressured into going even if you want to refuse. Because we are fickle, we agree to do things against our better judgement when the consequence is being ostracized by a community/school or even missing out on an experience that everyone else thinks will be amazing.

I don't imagine it will change my ideals. I imagine that it'll be like a rock and roll party.

With catholics.

That's the spirit!

Oh also, it's completely mandatory that we go on a retreat our senior year, but if we choose not to go on kairos, we have to go on the junior trip, which is super lame.

It's kool-aid drinkin' time.

They can't force you to go anywhere, public or private institution. It's coercion and kidnapping if they do.

I'd imagine it's not so much "You must go" but rather "You will receive a grade score based on your participation in one of these events."

Still applies under coercion since it is a psychological pressure (you must do this or your GPA will drop). Chances are that you and your parents must sign a waiver for injury liability. Simply refuse to sign the waiver and they cannot permit you to go.

None the less, schools usually give a second option, such as a project for students who do not go on trips to do. Or in my case, when I did not go on my senior trip, I simply went through the proper channels to get a vacation that day. The school administration is generally lenient on this sort of thing, since it means they don't have to worry about you being at school while the rest of your class is somewhere else.

Do you go to a private religious school?

You seem to already have decided that you are attending this event and that you do not wish to know anything about it. What advice are you asking for?

That sounds like death. I'm so glad I'm not christian/catholic/go to some hellish cult school.

And devlin, he goes to a private catholic school.