Monday, September 18, 2006

A must see documentary: Exposing Evangelical "Jesus Camp" for kids


As if I needed yet another reason to consider leaving the US: Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, who previously made the acclaimed The Boys of Baraka, have a new documentary being released on Sept 22. "Jesus Camp" documents the Pastor Becky Fischer, and her summer camp for evangelical kids in North Dakota called "Kids on Fire." Please visit the movie's offical site, but I also recommend that you watch the film's trailer at YouTube, b/c you really do need to watch these 2 scary-ass clips, including a look at "Tory," who is break-dancing for the Lord, and a very pivotal conversation with Pastor Fischer as she says we need to "train" our lil ones to be God's army b/c "let's face it, we have the truth on our side." (Hmm... besides the crystal clear bigoted blanket statement that crap is, I have to wonder if by "we have the truth on our side" if she is referring to all Christians, or just her own personal brand of Christians?) The film's purpose is to show how these young "foot soldiers for Jesus" are being trained (mmm.... can we say smacks of the Hitler Youth?) and Fischer believes in the political and moral importance of a Christian presence in America, and uses her camp to reinforce the religious training most of her charges are already receiving at home (the majority of the campers are home-schooled by their parents... (well, at least that is a fucking relief... the last thing I want is these freaky ass kids being in the same classroom as BabyGirl). Using video games, animated videos, and group activities (like dressing them up in face and body camouflage... b/c honestly, Jesus truly needs a 6 yr old mini- Green Beret trained in Special Ops tactics, no?) to help get her message across, Fischer encourages the kids to pray for George Bush and his Supreme Court appointees while urging them to help "take back America for Christ." (hmm... just as lil German kids prayed for their beloved Fuhrer and their Fatherland, right?) Some of the "fun" activities the kids engage in are praying to a Pres Bush effigy, speaking in tongues, bursting into tears while listening and swaying to "Wow Worship" songs, telling the camera how they are willing to die at this very moment in their young lives for Jesus, and rolling on the floor in an epileptic-tremor like fit as "The Spirit" enters their lil bodies. Along with Fisher and her cohorts, "Jesus Camp" features interviews with Ted Haggard, an evangelist and advisor to Pres Bush, and Mike Papantonio, a Christian talk show host who believes the right-wing slant of many Christian evangelists is taking the church into a dangerous direction (do ya think??) When a children's pastor says: "I want to see our Christian children be as devoted to the cause, be as ready to lay down their lives for The Gospel as the children of Islam are, b/c excuse me, WE have the truth on our side" I am sickened to the core of my being. She likens her cause to the cause of the Muslim extremists... yet people had the actual nerve to freak out and feign shittin' kittens over what Rosie O'Donnell dared to say on The View when she said Christian extremists are just as dangerous as their Muslim cohorts. Puh-leeze... These crazy fucks exist and they fully believe that God is only on their side. Just take a gander at some of these reviews that have been written by folks who have seen the film. THAT is what terrifies me. This is one of the thoughts that keep me up at night: My kid might be able to tell me that she thinks that a fellow classmate is weird like this... but how many of the parents are exactly like these "Jesus Camp" reviewers and I might not catch on or realize it and blindly let my kiddo go to their home or be influenced by them?
Posted by Tina :: 1:08 AM :: 11 Comments:

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