CROWN POINT, Ind. -- An Indiana church is being sued on charges its staff members forced teen-agers to take part in a "gross-out game" as part of a youth event, according to The Indianapolis Star.
Living Stones Fellowship Church of Crown Point, Ind., holds an annual New Year's Eve lock-in event called Youthbash. At the lock-in last Dec. 31, two boys were pressured into drinking a mixture of dog food, salsa, sauerkraut, sardines, potted meat, eggnog and cottage cheese, according to the lawsuit filed by several families in February.
The mixture was first chewed by a church employee, then spit into a cup from which the children drank while others cheered them on, said John Bushemi, the families' attorney.
Ron Johnson Jr., the church's youth pastor, said the incident took place as part of a "gross-out game." He said no one was forced to drink the mixture.
The families are also charging the church with false imprisonment, claiming five teens were confined in a room and preached to, then not allowed to leave until they had provided personal information.
Johnson said the activity was a church event, and getting a religious message across through the use of fun events was part of the package.
