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Atheists & Agnostics

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Bay Boy

(1,689 posts)
Wed Mar 30, 2016, 07:13 PM Mar 2016

How would you handle this? [View all]

I just found out from my son, who is now in his mid 30s, that he was psychologically abused at a church when he was 12.
Here's the story:
He was invited to go to vacation bible school with a friend and neighbor. The neighbor boy told him there would be games and 'stuff'. Sounding like fun to a 12 year old he wanted to go and as I recall I had no issue with him going and being exposed to 'churchy' stuff. (family status; wife is a non practicing Catholic, I am an atheist)
After getting there someone my son described as being 'high up' in the church asked him who he was and what church he was with. He responded that he didn't go to any church. This adult male then took my son into a room and forced him to read the bible and take a test. When he didn't get all the questions right he had to re-read it and retake the test until he got them all right. My son told me this went on for quite a while. After he finally 'passed' the test they performed some ritual on him.
I didn't ask my son what ritual but I would assume something along the lines of a baptism.

This was over 15 years ago and having just found out about it today it pisses me off.

Would you do anything about this at this late date?

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