I understand your point about kids not taking things seriously katydid.
When I read the article, the kidnapping it described entailed men with real guns who were trained to deal with real criminals, covering the kids' heads, pulling chairs out from under them, herding them into a van and driving them to the pastor's home, where they witness the pastor being beaten. Then came the interrogation. This was by no means a "fake" kidnapping, it was elaborately planned and went on for a while.
I have two older teens who are both active in their youth groups and one wants to be a missionary. I teach at the junior high level.
Mexico is currently not a safe place for anyone. The drug wars have been claiming civillians, police, military members and even tourists for several years. This church did not intend to take the kids on vacation, they were going into the impoverished areas. IMO, they should have known better, as the violence is nothing new.
Kidnapping and abusing these teenagers like they did cannot make a teenager's brain develop any faster than nature allows, and nature dictates that kids this age have several years to go before they will be neurologicly complete.
Not trying to argue, just explaining my POV. Like I said, I see where you are coming from too!:moo: