Christian Persecution

[Grace62]

cbelt3 wrote:
August.. yep. I also think you'll find that the parents of this youth group probably signed some vaguely worded lawyer repellent that allows the pastor to do anything within the law. (An assumption on my part, but a reasonable one.)

from the link in the OP:

"Neither the students nor their parents were told about the raid beforehand, he said, though it was discussed with the parents of one youth who might have health issues."

[haikuman]

decay wrote:
I think any priests or ministers caught molesting children should be burned at the stake or crucified upside down in the public square.

Amen *(:>*

[davester]

The people who instigated that must be completely batshit crazy.

[Spock]

Perchance is the pastor trying to create the US chapter of The Lord's Resistance Army?

[cbelt3]

I must perforce point out that if these teens are being prepared for working in missions in less than friendly nations, such training may be quite appropriate. Christian missionaries are in mortal danger if they dare to enter Muslim nations, and are in danger of serious mistreatment in divers other nations such as our largest trading partner, China. Confrontational class training teaches you not to do the most dangerous thing imaginable... physically fight back against overwhelming odds who are perfectly willing to kill you. I never had that sort of training, just a bit of role playing work in my student activist days.

However since the initial complaint story seems to have generated from a parent, the mission concept is quite probably a poor assumption.

[August West]

...such training may be quite appropriate.

This abuse was not appropriate. I feel very sorry for children whose parents believe it is. I think these adults are a prime contributor to the dysfunctional society that confronts us.

[Uncle Wig]

Solution: Christians, quit trying to force your beliefs on those of other faiths, and your risk of kidnapping or other mortal danger is greatly reduced. Everybody wins!

[RgrF]

Uncle Wig wrote:
Solution: Christians, quit trying to force your beliefs on those of other faiths, and your risk of kidnapping or other mortal danger is greatly reduced. Everybody wins!

That's really the larger question isn't it. How appropriate is it to train children for the purpose of eventually intentionally putting them in harm's way? You'd have to ask yourself, what sort of church or religion trains young people to be prepared to become martyrs?

There is no higher moral ground here.

[Lux Interior]

cbelt3 wrote: Christian missionaries are in mortal danger if they dare to enter Muslim nations

Pastor & Kidnapper wrote:
"It was a youth event, to illustrate what others have encountered on a regular basis," he said, adding that the focus of the lesson was "the persecuted church" in other countries."

So, you go to a foreign country and proselytize. They don't like it and kidnap you.

Does this mean if a group of Muslim missionaries who are attacked doing the same in say rural Mississippi proves that Muslims are persecuted in this country. How about just a group of Muslims minding their own business?

Uncle Wig wrote:
Solution: Christians, quit trying to force your beliefs on those of other faiths, and your risk of kidnapping or other mortal danger is greatly reduced. Everybody wins!

Et voilà!

[Lux Interior]

Pastor & Kidnapper wrote:
"I would find a way that we could continue to keep the shock value," he said, "but I would find a way to inform the parents (beforehand)."

How about this: Inform the parents.

So easy!

I think he is worried that the parents will say, "Are you f***in' insane! No way!" and then he won't get to play Navy SEAL instructor.