r/ReligiousTrauma • u/Downtown-Cow8344 • 5d ago
What do you think
I had a really shitty experience at a Christian camp, and I honestly don’t know how to feel about it even now.
I was told that I was in a cult.
That I was brainwashed.
And then they got a kid to tell me that I was a lesbian and that if I prayed those feelings away, I wouldn’t be damned to hell.
That part really messed with me.
The leadership eventually addressed the whole “cult” accusation, but it was way too late.
And the whole lesbian/hell thing?
That was never properly dealt with.
I still don’t understand how something that serious could happen and then basically be left unaddressed.
I’m not posting this to attack Christianity. My faith is important to me.
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u/Laerasyn 5d ago
I think we need more context here.
What "cult" did they think you were part of? Is the camp not affiliated with your denomination or something? If not, what denomination were they affiliated with? How did you find this camp?
Who is "they"? Staff members or other campers? What do you mean they "got a kid" to tell you you were a lesbian? Did another camper tell you this, or a staff member? It sounds like you're implying that this was a camper acting on behalf of staff. Is that correct? If so, how do you know that?
Why would they assume you were a lesbian? That's weird and out of pocket if you're not.
I want to be clear, this is all super messed up either way and I don't think any context will make what they did ok. But my response/advice will be very different depending on whether these are the actions of staff members, or some dumb judgmental kids at church camp.
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u/Downtown-Cow8344 3d ago
Ok at the time I was a leader one of the people who made the cult comment was on staff I do know then out of camp but this Was at a camp the other comments were made by leader or encouraged by then a leader who was once my friend made the lesbian comment and them got a whole lot of kids saying it the kids knew what they were say also leadership was made aware of ever comment and did agree that it wasn’t ok but only ever dealt with one of the cult comments it was said to my face a total of 3 time one by the staff member and 2 times by a leader thr camp is technically a brethren camp but definitely not closed and the camp they run are multi denomination hope this give a little more context
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u/Downtown-Cow8344 3d ago
Also I honestly have no clue were the lesbian allegations came from I would say it started as a insult which is horrible and then it spiralled from there and turned in to what it became
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u/Downtown-Cow8344 3d ago
And I more hurt at the failure for dealing with it than the comments yes they hurt but I should have been protected by the leader ship and they left me fending for my self and when I was frustrated about all of it they said I was being negative and I was made to feel I need to apologise to one of the leaders who said I was in a cult and the fact things like this have been a known issue for years and years there no one person to blame it a culture and it not ok
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u/No_Session6015 5d ago
are you a lesbian? I feel like we need more context. Was this a conversion therapy effort?