Ahh, another lovely religious ceremony.

[evildave]

And it's the Baptists again. This time around, it's a lawsuit, against a church for doing this "Underground Church" thing, apparently to traumatize children into being better Christians. They even misled parents about what the permission was for.

http://www.thedailytimes.com/sited/story/html/134372

After a little more research, another story pops up about a similar horror at camp.

http://www.freep.com/news/childrenfirst/camps16_20010416.htm

A few other sites also mention "Underground Church" group activities, and are scant on details about the "fun youth activity game" which were probably (?) a lot less scary than these stories, and not conceived and coordinated by vicious morons. I'm not certain what's supposed to happen at these, but from the scant descriptions, apparently they're supposed to play "make believe we're being persecuted for believing", and then they act it out.

http://www.bbc-cortland.org/yg/news/021102.php
http://www.beechgrove.org/Calendar/wc11172002.htm
http://www.makwoods.org/mw/sumcamp/geninfo.htm
http://www.calvarybaptistonline.net/page.cfm/391

Anyway, whatever it is, I wonder if parents are keeping proper track of what goes on during those youth activities they sign their kids up for?

 

[Yahweh]

In response to the http://www.thedailytimes.com/sited/story/html/134372 story:

Ha hahahah haahah aaahhhahahhahah ha haaahaha... ok thats over and done with.. heh heh... So the teenage girl was placed in a group, got to go on scaaaary walk OOOHHH, and the whole event was made to look like a hostage kidnapping to symbolize the persecution of the Christians... AHHHH ha hah aahhh ahhhhaaaa haaahahahahaha hahaha... except for the part where the girl had her arms hurt, that judge should just stare her straight in the eyes, flip her the bird, then toss that case out of there.

To me, it seems like no one mentioned to her that this was going to be a false hostage abduction dealy kind of thing... no maybe she forgot to read that pamphlet. Its a lot like those fun houses where you and wife and some friends walk through in the dark and a bunch of GHOSTS and MONSTERS and SPOOKY SOUNDS jump out at you and scare you... but its fun. The only "wrongs" done was forgetting to remind the children before the ride that it is only just a ride. The only damages done were to her wrists... you know it might have also been a good idea for the people to let her off the ride when she wanted to get off... but hot damn just quit your bitchin and go the rest of the way. No one can get off a roller coaster in the middle of the ride, and you'll be NO EXCEPTION.

The girl's parents are also suing because the girl is... ummm... she uhh... oh boy... she... IS HAVING NIGHTMARES! ... I think a long bout of laughter can best sum up how I feel about that. "Her grades have dropped cuz she's got them nightmares" NO! Her grades have dropped because you done stressed her out with your lawsuit. Still, what if the event had never happened and lo and behold her grades still dropped, what you wanna go and sue the school for "making the homework like really really hard". No, she sucks at school right around the same time (possibly earlier) that this event had happened. Its true, they could be related but I work with kids. I been around them for a good long time. I've heard every excuse their synapses can make come out of their mouths. What I'm getting at is maybe her grades dropped because all this court and lawsuit action causes stress. Stess makes you lose "focus" and commonly causes you to lose interest in bothersome things like school. This girl has to visit a psychiatrist... WHAT THE F*DGE! I think its a waste of time. She probably had to talk to her school counselor after Winter ended because she missed the snow too much.

Have I been cynical enough.

 

[Yahweh]

Heres a few quotes from http://www.freep.com/news/childrenfirst/camps16_20010416.htm about the the horrors of summer camp.

At one camp, counselors tied up children and hung them from poles or threw them in a river as part of a "game" to get them to admit their belief in God.

Thats right, a child's word is never honest unless he thinks your gonna drown him. I say that it was an act of idiocy on behalf of the counselors... and it was inspired by belief in god... yeah, I've seen some people say and do some crazy things to prove how much they believe in god but it primarily involves not eating certain meats. I wonder how the 1 in 5 athiest or non-christian children must have felt... thats just a rough guesstimate, I've got too much fleeting RAGE to go and check. "Ignorance makes me feel unhappy" is an understatement.

At another, Girl Scouts took nude photographs of each other.

You cant be around the children every second of the day and they'll do a bunch of stupid things. As far as I'm concerned it was an "Oops, our bad" on the Girl Scouts part... they should also take the time use a little common sense and try to avoid incidents of idiocy like this.

At others, counselors assaulted campers, including one who repeatedly attacked children with a stun gun.

This must have happened at Fat Camp after some kind of "I'm not hiking no more unless I get more Cheesy Poofs" kind of thing. Yes, my own parents had a terrible sense of humor (they liked to hurt me then laugh) so I know how these kids felt. The least the kids could have done was fight back... no I'm not trying to say that these kids are responsible for getting shocked with the stun gun, they just need to exercise better survival and defense strategies when being attacked (by something they can control... not by a shark or similar).

 

[whitefork]

It'd be more interesting if some of the victims had been armed, or just strong enough to beat the tar out of those in charge. A good swift kick in the nads, or an nice swipe with a package cutter, for instance. A little GBH might bring about a rethink of the whole program.

Did anyone there consider that a lawsuit was probably 100% guaranteed in this day and age?

Idiots.

 

[Yahzi]

To heck with lawsuits - you realize that if the girl had busted loose with a gun and capped a few of these bastards, she would have gotten off scot-free. The justification for deadly force is "fear for your life."

Aren't they even a little concerned that she might get on the cell phone and call her dad, who might show up with a shot-gun and a really bad attitude?

I'm sure they thought of this, and selected their victims accordingly.

So you can see what a valuable lesson this is for the other Christian kids: always be sure to pick victims that are completely helpless.

 

[whitefork]

So you can see what a valuable lesson this is for the other Christian kids: always be sure to pick victims that are completely helpless.

Especially the Quakers and Buddhists.

 

[Dancing David]

The Xian church has always tried to terrorise people into joining, shame them for every normal impulse and then tell them they are going to hell.

We have haunted houses here where they try to scare you and then say that was hell kids so why don't you join the church.

Stupid brainwashing, if some pagans were doing this it would be against the law!

 

[evildave]

In response to the http://www.thedailytimes.com/sited/story/html/134372 story:

Ha hahahah haahah aaahhhahahhahah ha haaahaha... ok thats over and done with.. heh heh... So the teenage girl was placed in a group, got to go on scaaaary walk OOOHHH, and the whole event was made to look like a hostage kidnapping to symbolize the persecution of the Christians... AHHHH ha hah aahhh ahhhhaaaa haaahahahahaha hahaha... except for the part where the girl had her arms hurt, that judge should just stare her straight in the eyes, flip her the bird, then toss that case out of there.

Well, there's always the fact they made her walk around on a knee she had just had surgery on, and they LIED to the parents to gain consent, and oh yes, have you ever just "walked around" on a bad knee?

The suit claims both Janie Doe and her father were notified of the event on the day it was to occur and questioned the advisability of her participating since she was recovering from recent surgery for a pre-existing knee problem.

According to the suit, both were misled by church members about the special ``worship service'' planned for the youth group. The suit says the girl was told there would be ``only a little walking'' and she ``should be fine.'' The father was told it was just a ``car wash'' and that his daughter's knee ``would be okay.''

Then, besides being switched to metal cuffs, they threatened to kill her and fired a GUN nearby. Sounds like sick and depraved bastards to me.

The suit alleges the group was told there would be ``one chance to deny Christ, or you will be killed.'' When Janie Doe refused to deny Christ, the suit says there was the sound of a gunshot and she was soaked with water, then she began ``screaming and crying'' before being told to go inside the residence of another church member.

I'd recommend a similar "Life in a Theocrasy" game, except I'm generally responsible, and really, in a couple of more years if could be real, anyway.

 

[evildave]

Another Twist on "Underground Church". In this variation, fundies slaughter innocent victims to help bring their leader into power.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,984239,00.html

The hide-and-seek begins at bedtime when thousands of small figures emerge from grass huts and tramp towards the town of Kitgum in the gloom. It is a cold night to spend on the streets but the children huddle under the stars until dawn.

Out in the bush, unseen, are other children: the seekers armed with AK-47s, clubs and knives.

It is a game played every night in the nearby towns and villages, an area stretching for hundreds of miles. If the hiders are found by the child warriors of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), they experience one of three outcomes: they are killed on the spot, marched into the bush and killed, or marched into the bush and forced to become killers themselves.

The LRA is led by Joseph Kony, an elusive mystic, thought to be in his 40s, who wants to rule Uganda according to the 10 commandments. His child fighters are directed by adult commanders who were themselves once child warriors.

 

[Gideon S]

And this is different than the indoctrination training used by terrorist cells how?

 

[evildave]

Oh, well you see it's AMERICANS doing this, so that's not "terrorist" indoctrination.

That's being educated to respect God & country and apple pie.

 

[kittynh]

well, I heard a story on NPR about a camp for little Leftists. The camp leaders thought it would be funny to have some people dress as Rednecks and carry off the camp counselors, yelling things like, "Death to the Jews!" The kids all went crazy! It was extreme, but not quite as bad as the Christians.

 

[Quasi]

List of items for camp:

One pair black combat boots
2 pair black jumpsuit
2 pair underwear
2 pair black socks
$250.00 personal burial money

Have fun kids!

 

[justsaygnosis]

List of items for camp:

One pair black combat boots
2 pair black jumpsuit
2 pair underwear
2 pair black socks
$250.00 personal burial money

Have fun kids!

Don't forget the Prozac.