Young Life

[Anonymous]

This has been an interesting thread to read. At my high school (mid-late 2000s), YL was popular among a fairly narrow group of kids. They were middle/upper middle class, athletic, and solid, but not top students. From what I could tell from the outside it was 90% fun and socializing to 10% Jesus. I also know that a number of the members were not living an especially “chaste and pure” existence. It didn’t come across as conservative, but more so as hypocritical.

[Anonymous]

Cult.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My only experience is with relatives who run a group. Not my cup of tea and not suitable for my Catholic kids. This particular group is evangelical and creationist, so really not a good fit for Catholics. Not sure if all YL groups are the same though.

I was forbidden (by my devout Catholic father) to attend Young Life meetings and events as a Fairfax County-raised teen in the 80s. My dad saw YL as stridently anti-Catholic and a subversive way to evangelize/recruit "Jesus Freaks."

That said, I'm proud to report that my two teens love YL and are involved. We're a Protestant family now.

[Anonymous]

YL when I was in high school was a “cool kid” activity. All the kids that did YL were the same ones throwing parties, drinking, etc. the trips and retreats were just another place to sneak alcohol. There was a religious component- I guess- but YL was not for the actual religious kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's hard for me to put my finger on what bothers me about YL as apposed to my own church's youth group. It seems like Young Life capitalizes on adolescent hormones to lure kids in to their events. They have late night parties and play stupid games that have nothing to do with God or Jesus. My DD went to one where teen girls were bouncing on balloons to pop them with all the boys on one side wide eyed at the scene. Some of the games are innocent of course, but the encouragement of flirt and flaunt is not what I'm looking for in a teen Christian education program.

While of course YL will not likely admit it-- they probably preach delaying sex until marriage, the activities (lock-ins, for example) put kids in an impossible position. Plus there's the whole, "hellfire and brimstone" teaching. We don't go for fear based evangelism either.

Young life was a big thing when i was in high school and this was exactly what it was like. Seriously. I went one time. It was horrifying. They never once talked about religion. It was also weird games like the pp described.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:YL when I was in high school was a “cool kid” activity. All the kids that did YL were the same ones throwing parties, drinking, etc. the trips and retreats were just another place to sneak alcohol. There was a religious component- I guess- but YL was not for the actual religious kids.

Exactly this.