When I was 14, I attended a four-day church camp in the mountains. During the last two days of the trip, myself and some other girls got into the habit of sneaking out of the church services to instead go and sunbathe on the hill behind the forest. We did not have swimsuits on, since we snuck away impulsively, so we took all our clothes off apart from our panties.
The second day we did this, we heard some sort of commotion in the forest – but we never saw anyone, so just continued to enjoy this semi-nude sunbathing.
We were thinking of going to the gift shop afterwards, since it was our last full day. I had no money but still joined my other three friends. While in the shop, I was admiring some pretty earrings. In a moment of madness, I discreetly put them in my pocket. The other three girls all found something to bring home with them as well.
Just before we left camp, a younger girl who must have observed us stealing went to the pastor and told him what we did. The pastor came to our room and demanded to check our pockets and suitcases. The items we took had price tags on them, and we were caught red-handed. We were told our parents would be informed.
As if we weren’t in enough trouble, the pastor informed us that he had been told we had been sunbathing more or less nude on the very same day, instead of attending the church service. We denied this – but he had his secretary take each of us to the bathroom. Once there, she removed our shirts and bras to see if our breasts showed signs of having being in the sun, which they obviously did.
The pastor told us that our parents would also be informed of this trangression. He told us to remain in the room until he made some proceed with a severe punishment. We had no idea what that would be, although we all knew we would get spankings back at home.
After an hour, we were called down into the church hall, where to our surprise the entire camp congregation was seated. We were told to come up on the stage and the pastor proceeded to share with everyone what we had done, and how disappointed God was with us all. He said he had spoken to our parents and had been assured that each of us would receive a harsh spanking once we got home.
Then he added: “However, so they can repent of their sins some now, each of these wicked girls will receive a spanking from me, as a reminder to you all that this sort of thing will never be tolerated!”
By this point, we all had eyes full of tears. We were told to stand up and face the congregation. We did as we were told, then we were told to undo our shorts, then bend over to touch our toes. We did this – very reluctantly – and the next thing we knew, the secretary had pulled our shorts and panties down to our knees.
The pastor told us we would each receive 25 swats with the paddle, keeping our heads up to face the congregation. After every five spanks, we were to apologise for our sins, then thank the pastor for offering us forgiveness. He started with the first girl, with five very loud and hard spanks. After she apologised and thanked him, he went to the next girl, who got the same treatment.
Next it was my turn, and even before I was spanked I was weeping bitterly with the humiliation. I did get spanked bare bottom at home but it was always over my father’s knee – not like this, offering a very clear view of my bottom to the pastor and my privates to the congregation. I was so embarrassed.
The pastor duly gave me five harsh swats, and I felt fire across my bottom. Obediently, I apologised and thanked him, and he continued down the row to the last girl. By this time my backside was ablaze with the sting of the paddle and I could barely imagine getting the 20 more swats I still faced.
In all, our joint punishment must have lasted around half an hour. Each time the pastor got to me, the next set of spanks seemed harder and faster than the previous ones, and I’m sure my bottom was a deep shade of scarlet.
The last five spanks were not in fact given on our bottoms, but on the upper part of our thighs, where they met our bottom creases. These were the most painful of all and were no doubt designed to be remembered every time us girls sat down for the next few days. I couldn’t stop sobbing.
When we had all been done, the pastor’s secretary came to each of us to pull up our shorts and panties. As we were still bent over, this was a bit awkward and even more painful for our poor bottoms. Once everything had been pulled up, we were allowed to stand and button our shorts back up. We were then instructed to thank everyone for coming, and ask for their forgiveness. Then they all said: ‘Amen’.
Of course, it was hard to sit on the bus home. Although they were naturally displeased, my parents showed enough mercy not to spank me again immediately. However, I didn’t escape punishment. The following weekend, I was put over my father’s knee and had my bare bottom once again severely spanked.
Usually, Dad just used his hand when he punished me, but because my behaviour had also brought shame on them, my parents decided I should receive the bath brush on my bottom and thighs. This was followed by an hour in the corner, my hands on my head so I couldn’t touch my quivering, stinging bottom.
Us girls were therefore well punished, but you can be sure we learned our lesson, and I for one never shoplifted again.
Contributor: Libby