Christian Persecution

[August West]

To gain understanding of Christian persecution, it seems it might be necessary to abuse children. Tough love from the church.

Pa. Church stages fake kidnapping of children

[Grace62]

I hope that pastor is charged with child endangerment, but the state of Pennsylvania doesn't exactly have a great record on looking out for the welfare of young people.

He's taken a basic, tried and true teaching method, the element of surprise, and warped it into something pretty sick.

What he did is less traumatic and certainly less prevalent than what goes on regularly at state-funded, privately run teen rehab facilities, places parents have voluntarily sent their kids and that taxpayers fund.

[decay]

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

[cbelt3]

Someone read the SERE manual ?

Perhaps the pastory is taking the "Christian Soldiers" theme a bit too far ? Of course Child Warriors is a common aspect of religious and political movements throughout history and into modern times. At 14, many cultures considers these children to be adults.

[August West]

You're joking, right? Perhaps he's taking it a bit too far?

[cbelt3]

August-
Yes, he's taken it too far from a suburban church perspective. And no, I would hope that US Children never have to go through that sort of thing.

That said, there are any number of quasi-paramilitary 'training' summer camps to which one can send their child. Some religious themed, some not so much. Not to mention military academies. All of which quite possibly do this sort of training. And no, I have no experience therein.

[$tevie]

Going to a "quasi-paramilitary 'training' summer camp" and having that experience is a far cry from sitting in your youth group meeting and having that experience. The two are completely unrelated, since the children at those camps know they are in a situation which could include fake violence.

[August West]

That said, there are any number of quasi-paramilitary 'training' summer camps to which one can send their child. Some religious themed, some not so much. Not to mention military academies.

And I imagine in those cases, parents, misguided or not, have given informed consent to have their 14 year old daughter "learn" through these methods.

[cbelt3]

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.)

[$tevie]

The parents weren't told this was going to happen, so that document would have had to been so vaguely worded as to be worthless.