Alpha Courses

On walking my dog Boris this afternoon, I saw this banner had been posted in a street near to my home. 

It was tied to a hedge outside a church hall. 

Has anyone else heard about these courses? I have read some accounts of them and many have compared the techniques used to brainwashing. I think they include a mandatory weekend away, else I might consider checking this one out. I still find it disturbing that this banner is hanging in my neighborhood. There is no mention about what it entails - only the inviting slogan "life is worth exploring". 

(Boris has turned his back on the course. He is a 75kg English Mastiff of a brindle colouring, if you're interested.)

What should I do? 

 Thanks for your kind comment about Boris. He does dribble a bit!

As far as the law goes, it is on private church property (their hedge). I suppose I may be able to complain about it. I don't know if they need permission to place advertising hoardings facing public roads. But that seems churlish.

I was actually thinking of going and seeing how long they could take it before throwing me out! Alternatively, I was thinking of making some additions to the banner (non-destructively of course), or making some other response to it.

I've always thought that the best route beyond ignoring it is a countered response.Zeviander

And to answer your question, I haven't seen those banners on my area but I do sometimes see a few road signs saying "Jesus loves you" which bother me.

They have a similar thing at my old church. It was just a weekly get together mostly for new christians to learn and get connected with people in the church(no mandatory weekend though). It was also called "Alpha". Given that the character in that banner is holding a question mark, I'm thinking it's something along that line.

They have a similar thing at my old church. It was just a weekly get together mostly for new christians to learn and get connected with people in the church(no mandatory weekend though). It was also called "Alpha". Given that the character in that banner is holding a question mark, I'm thinking it's something along that line.

junglist101

It's a specific set of resources followed in a course that lasts for 10 weeks. The website on the banner is pretty sophicticated and shows how they offer the course in the armed forces and in prisons, as well as inducing people "from the street" into evangelical Christianity.

From Wikipedia:

Alpha was started in 1977 by the Reverend Charles Marnham, a curate at Holy Trinity, Brompton, a Church of England parish in London. The name "Alpha" was suggested by Marnham's wife, Tricia. It started as a course for church members on the basics of the Christian faith but then began to be used as an introduction for those interested in the faith. The Very Reverend John Irvine, at that time a curate at Holy Trinity, Brompton, took over running the course and developed it into the 10 week format which continues to this day. In 1990 the Reverend Nicky Gumbel, at that time a curate at Holy Trinity, took over the running of the course at the invitation of the Reverend Sandy Millar (the then vicar) and oversaw its revision and expansion.

In 2008 over 33,500 courses were offered in 163 countries by Anglican, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, British New Church Movement and Orthodox[3] churches and the Roman Catholic Church.[citation needed] Over 15 million people worldwide have attended an Alpha course (two and a half million in the UK). 

Hailing from new england, I have never seen a banner or ad for religion or against religion or faith, s no I'm not familiar with this kind of thing. I am unsure how to treat this myself.

If it's on their private property it shouldn't be an issue.

Android339

Welcome back! I hope you're doing ok.

Why thank you! I am, I've just been very busy. My last absence was due primarily to the irreparable software breakdown of my computer. So I didn't have one until about a month ago, a few weeks after starting college again. It's only been lately that I've been able to be able to use a computer for leisure time. And I have a son now! His name is Liam. :)

Android339

Wow! Congratulations! 

[QUOTE="RationalAtheist"][QUOTE="Android339"]

If it's on their private property it shouldn't be an issue.

Android339

Welcome back! I hope you're doing ok.

Epic choice for a name :)

What should I do? 

RationalAtheist

Well clearly you should steal and bury it in the middle of the night.

should steal and bury it in the middle of the night.
Storm_Marine

Have you been on an Alpha course? 

[QUOTE="Storm_Marine"]should steal and bury it in the middle of the night.
RationalAtheist

Have you been on an Alpha course? 

I've only just heard of it thanks to you.

I've only just heard of it thanks to you.

Storm_Marine

My pleasure!