Megachurch Cult Bible Camp Apologizes for Hazing Incidents Involving Pain Cream on Genitals [View all]

[muriel_volestrangler]

Harvest Bible Chapel, a megachurch in Illinois, recently held a 10-day-long “Camp Harvest” for kids that apparently involved counselors engaging in multiple forms of hazing.

According to a statement from the church, some campers were involved in the “Icy Hot Challenge,” which (at least on Urban Dictionary) is where you apply Icy Hot lidocaine, a numbing pain reliever, to your genitals to see who can withstand the pain the longest.
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The other form of hazing wasn’t specified, but after an unscheduled late-night game of “Silent Football” (which involved “staff, students, and cabin leaders”), losers would receive a punishment. The church described some of those punishments as “juvenile and immature” and others as having “a general pattern of embarrassment, humiliation, and gross behavior.”
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Remember that this is the same megachurch once run by Pastor James MacDonald, who was fired more than a year ago after details of his extravagant spending, financial mismanagement, and possibly hiring a hitman to murder his son-in-law came to light. He left the megachurch in shambles. Now two of their satellite campuses may have to shut down over tax problems. Oh, and also, MacDonald allegedly misused millions of dollars meant for the church for his own “financial benefit.” Also, MacDonald and his church filed a lawsuit against several writers who worked to bring the church’s corruption to light.

https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2020/08/06/christian-summer-camp-apologizes-after-multiple-unauthorized-hazing-incidents/

They've fired a person, or some people. But this is psychological abuse, designed to tie the vulnerable to the cult. It's how things like Jonestown start.