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Podcast: Crime Writers On...
Episode: Shiny Happy People: A Teenage Holy War
Description: In the 1990s, Teen Mania Ministries aimed to compete with pop culture influences and reach Christian youth with rock concert-like worship events and international mission trips. The program became a pipeline for the Honor Academy, a religious education facility built on a curriculum of fundamentalist beliefs and unquestioning obedience. Founder Ron Luce aligned his group with conservative political organizations looking to create the next generation of evangelical Americans. But his program would soon take on a militaristic tone, putting teens through brutal boot camps, glorifying martyrdom, and building an army of actual cultural warriors.“Shiny Happy People: A T...