Posted on 03/26/2012 7:29:37 PM PDT by rawhide
A church tried to teach its youth group a lesson by staging a raid in which unsuspecting teens were ‘kidnapped’ at gunpoint, forced into a van and made to watch one of their pastors being assaulted in his house. The 'lesson,' according to pastors at the Glad Tidings Assembly of God in Middletown, Pennsylvania, was meant to teach them about what Christian missionaries are subjected to in other parts of the world. However, at least one girl, 14, was bruised and battered after the object lesson, and has now filed a complaint with the police.
The girl, who has asked to remain anonymous, described her terror to abc27.com: 'They pulled my chair out from underneath me, and then they told me to get on the ground,' she told the station. 'I had my hands behind my back. They said, `Just do as I say, and you won't be hurt.'’ The girl said she and about 17 other teens were taken to the pastor's house, where it appeared he was being assaulted, covered in what looked to be blood. Eventually, she said, the adults in charge revealed it was a staged event.
One of the two ‘kidnappers’ was an off-duty police officer who was carrying a real gun, according to abc27.com. However, the gun was unloaded at the time of the raid. The girl was shocked that no one told her and the rest of the youth group the raid was only a drill. 'They heard me crying,' the girl said. 'Why not right then and there tell us it was a joke, when you see me crying?' Glad Tidings Assembly of God’s pastor, John Lanza, told the Associated Press that the church is 'so saddened' that the girl was traumatized at the Wednesday evening youth meeting.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
If this story is true, I stand aghast.
How far from the gospel have we wandered?
A lot of people need to go to jail. Ant thet “church” needs to be sued in to bankruptcy.
Incredibly stupid. They should be sued. People die during these mind-game stunts.
Agreed.
Very, very unwise. I once had my 9th grade Sunday School class meet in a darkened room, read Scripture in whispers by candlelight, and study testimonies of persecuted Christians, but nobody was injured or frightened. They asked to do it again, because it was more involving than the standard “work the workbook” class.
Every religion has it’s own bunch of assholes.
So what happens if a bystander happens to try to intervene on behalf of the children in this case?
We had a similar situation here a couple of years ago. Some fraternity boys thought it would be fun to “kindnap” some co-eds they knew from a local Cafe. The problem was they made it look too real, and a local patron, carrying concealed, shot and kill some of the “attackers” thus “saving” the girls from abduction. Sad.
The police officer should lose his job. Seesh, what poor judgement to be a part of this, especially a key player.
I don’t see why kidnapping charges have not been filed.
They are fortunate none of these teens were packing.
Very easily could have happened here with any of the other churchgoers, who were carrying, seeing this take place. Very stupid decision, imo.
Dangerously stupid idea on their part.
I dont use the word ‘retarded’ to describe mentally handicapped people, but I do use to describe the painfully stupid.
I think whoever decided this was a good idea, is retarded.
They should be prosecuted for terrorizing these minors. I don’t care what good intentions they laid on the pathway to hell.
I agree.
If I were Queen of the World...stupid would hurt.
This is bullsh1t.
Pastor - gone.
Lawsuits against police - filed.
Common sense - needs to be restored.
Middletown is literally in the shadow of the cooling towers of Three Mile Island.
Long term effects of radiation exposure = going off the rails?
Ouch! Going to church legally armed is very popular in this area of Texas. Had some “church” staged this, a Concealed Handgun licensee would have blown the “actors” away in short order.
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