Parents sent their children to a Bible camp only to find out that there was an exorcism performed.
While some camps hold hands and sing "Lean on Me," and get "saved" by Jesus Christ, one Canadian camp took its biblical power to a whole new level, the Daily Beast and CBC reported.
Redberry Bible Camp is under investigation after the exorcism was discovered along with other concerning details about the children's camp, offered to those between 12 and 14.
"In addition to the alleged exorcism conducted earlier this summer, it's unclear how the man in question was approved to work with kids at the Redberry Bible Camp, located 70 kilometers north of Saskatoon," said CBC. "On the man's own Facebook page, he details a recent, lengthy history of pornography and drug addiction, domestic violence and firing from his previous job as a camp counselor."
"This is just nuts. Absolutely astounding," said social work professor Ailsa Watkinson from the University of Regina . "If that was my child, I'd be horrified."
There were two incidents reported involving a staff member and a pre-teen boy on the evening of July 13, 2022, and police are asking anyone with information to come forward by contacting the RCMP. According to the report, the child was lying on the floor, bleeding from the nose, making sounds and twitching. Kids ran for help from an adult counselor, and instead of contacting medical professionals, the power of Christ compelled the older man to perform an exorcism instead.
He then told the children that he had gotten rid of the demon that possessed the child. He handed his business card to each of them, a source told CBC. He told the children that they had to keep in contact with the man for the rest of their lives in case the demon came after them.
Some of the children were so scared they called their parents, who came to take their children home that night.
Redberry Bible Camp board chairman Wayne Dick told the press they're doing their own investigation and that the staff member was no longer at the property. There were over 100 children at the camp each week, though it seems only one was given the exorcism.
"I will tell you that we are investigating the situation.... I'm not prepared to discuss it at this point," Dick said in an interview. "I can assure you [the worker] is not at the camp."
The Redberry board chair refused to give any further details about anyone involved in the exorcism.
"Redberry is operated by the conservative evangelical Saskatchewan Mennonite Brethren and has been running since 1943," said CBC. "Partners listed on its website include other Christian groups and the Saskatchewan Camps Association, which provides accreditation."
Exorcism was not considered part of the Mennonite faith when it first began and the literature has little on exorcisms or "deliverance from evil" practices. However, many Mennonite thinkers over the past centuries have advocated for exorcisms to be part of church doctrine.
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Read more from CBC reported.
