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Post by housemouse on Jan 3, 2008 10:46:11 GMT -5
Has anyone else seen this movie? I am curious to hear what other might think of it. I found it rather disturbing.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 3, 2008 11:51:38 GMT -5
I've never heard of it, do tell!
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Post by bjobsessed on Jan 3, 2008 11:53:26 GMT -5
I've never heard of it, do tell! Me neither. What's it about? |
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Post by inuvik on Jan 3, 2008 13:04:40 GMT -5
I've heard of it but not seen it. I believe it's about kids who go to an Evangelical Christian camp. They have profound experiences which includes speaking in tongues etc. Please correct me if I'm wrong, Mouse!
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Post by matilda on Jan 3, 2008 22:39:10 GMT -5
Yes, do tell all!
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Post by housemouse on Jan 4, 2008 10:04:26 GMT -5
I've heard of it but not seen it. I believe it's about kids who go to an Evangelical Christian camp. They have profound experiences which includes speaking in tongues etc. Please correct me if I'm wrong, Mouse! You are correct inuvik. I found the whole thing rather disturbing. I am all for instilling values into children and teaching them about the Bible, but to me this was just way beyond the beyonds (to borrow a quote from "Angela's Ashes"). |
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Post by matilda on Jan 4, 2008 21:23:46 GMT -5
But are these kids the kids of parents who hold these beliefs? Did the parents send them on the camp? 'Cos nothing would surprise me with this version/s of Christianity - nothing.
I haven't heard of the movie here, is it a new release?
M
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Post by Chris on Jan 5, 2008 5:41:41 GMT -5
I found this on IMDB: Jesus Camp follows several young children as they prepare to attend a summer camp where the kids will get their daily dose of evangelical Christianity. Becky Fischer works at the camp, which is named Kids on Fire. Through interviews with Fischer, the children, and others, Jesus Camp illustrates the unswerving belief of the faithful. A housewife and homeschooling mother tells her son that creationism has all the answers. Footage from inside the camp shows young children weeping and wailing as they promise to stop their sinning. Child after child is driven to tears. Juxtapose these scenes with clips from a more moderate Christian radio host (who is appalled by such tactics), and Jesus Camp seems to pose a clear question: are these children being brainwashed?I haven't seen it but judging from this and some of the Qoutes from the movie? You're right, Mouse, it does sound very disturbing! - Chris  |
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Post by housemouse on Jan 5, 2008 8:18:54 GMT -5
But are these kids the kids of parents who hold these beliefs? Did the parents send them on the camp? 'Cos nothing would surprise me with this version/s of Christianity - nothing. I haven't heard of the movie here, is it a new release? M These are kids whose parents send them to this camp. The parents actually participate in some of the services too. I wasn't real clear on whether the parents were there the whole time, but they did seem to be at most of the religious services. I found it disturbing mostly because of the way these children were being treated. They were being taught to think and believe a certain way and basically be the soldiers on the frontlines defending their parent's beliefs. There's one little guy who is so tied up in knots about his faith he doesn't know which end is up, he ends up sitting on the ground sobbing - no one reaches out and gives the little fella a hug - no one. One girl who can't be more than eight years old walks up to a complete stranger in a bowling alley, hands her a pamphlet and testifies to her. The dad is no where to be seen, and when she tells him he acts like this is the best thing this little girl has ever done in her entire life. What happens when that unsupervised little girl picks the wrong person to walk up to? The worst is the lady who runs this camp. She seems to think she is doing this kids a favor. It is a documentary that has aired on HBO and it is currently airing on A&E. |
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Post by matilda on Jan 5, 2008 10:09:45 GMT -5
Having followed Chris' link, I'm torn between asking one of you to send me a copy and not ever seeing it at all. It would appear to be very scary. Those poor kids.
I'll have to think about it!
M
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Post by Colorado girl on Jan 5, 2008 23:41:04 GMT -5
I usually stay away from politics and religion but I wish to comment. I have not seen this documentary but have seen exerps of it. I think that fundamentalism is wrong no matter what religion it is, whether Christian or Islam. I think about Jonestown in the 70's and there is a case of one person's perspective on Christianity gone totally wrong. I believe that religion is a very personal thing. I don't have a problem with a person having an emotional religious experience as long as it is initiated by them and God. I know that countless Sunday school and camps are held all over the world and most of them are not like this camp. My daughter takes part in a service for kids at her church called "Rush hour". It is like a variety show with a lot of fun singing and dancing. They emphasize a value of the week along with fun skits. They are presented with the gospel of Christ in a way that is totally positive and nobody is forced to do anything that they do not wish to do. If it is not a positive thing, I don't think it is right for kids. I think too many of us have been guilted into believing and that is the wrong reason to believe in something. I believe that each family needs to do for their family what is right for them.
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Post by shmeep on Jan 6, 2008 10:38:59 GMT -5
Karma, Colorado Girl. Thanks for giving us your perspective on the difference between a normal and healthy faith and a cult. I agree with you 100%.
I was raised in a Baptist-turned-Evangelical church. I didn't always agree with what I was being taught and I didn't always like their methods, but it didn't have that cult feel. That same church feels more like a cult today than it did back when I went there, but that's what's happened to a lot of churches since the Evangelicals took over much of the Republican Party. Church is a lot scarier to me than it used to be, but I know there are plenty of wonderful churches and Christians out there who do not force people into them with questionable methods. I loved going to Hume Lake or Forest Home every summer and winter and I was often inspired by the sermons I heard there, but the messages were nearly always positive and what I learned actually benefited me in my daily life. I see nothing wrong with that.
You're right. It's the extremists of any religion who are scary. I haven't seen "Jesus Camp" but I really want to. I'll watch for it.
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Post by housemouse on Jan 6, 2008 11:10:29 GMT -5
I usually stay away from politics and religion but I wish to comment. I have not seen this documentary but have seen exerps of it. I think that fundamentalism is wrong no matter what religion it is, whether Christian or Islam. I think about Jonestown in the 70's and there is a case of one person's perspective on Christianity gone totally wrong. I believe that religion is a very personal thing. I don't have a problem with a person having an emotional religious experience as long as it is initiated by them and God. I know that countless Sunday school and camps are held all over the world and most of them are not like this camp. My daughter takes part in a service for kids at her church called "Rush hour". It is like a variety show with a lot of fun singing and dancing. They emphasize a value of the week along with fun skits. They are presented with the gospel of Christ in a way that is totally positive and nobody is forced to do anything that they do not wish to do. If it is not a positive thing, I don't think it is right for kids. I think too many of us have been guilted into believing and that is the wrong reason to believe in something. I believe that each family needs to do for their family what is right for them. I don't see how this could have been better said. I agree with you 100%, that is why this movie was so frightening to me. Religion is a very personal thing. It isn't about talking, walking up to people and testifying. It is about living one's life the way God has asked. The most wonderful Christians I know are the ones who don't talk much about their faith, they live it every single day in everything they do. I aspire to be more like those people, which in turn helps me become closer to God. Karma Colo for a brilliant post. |
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Post by matilda on Jan 6, 2008 20:05:27 GMT -5
I usually stay away from politics and religion but I wish to comment. I have not seen this documentary but have seen exerps of it. I think that fundamentalism is wrong no matter what religion it is, whether Christian or Islam. I think about Jonestown in the 70's and there is a case of one person's perspective on Christianity gone totally wrong. I believe that religion is a very personal thing. I don't have a problem with a person having an emotional religious experience as long as it is initiated by them and God. I know that countless Sunday school and camps are held all over the world and most of them are not like this camp. My daughter takes part in a service for kids at her church called "Rush hour". It is like a variety show with a lot of fun singing and dancing. They emphasize a value of the week along with fun skits. They are presented with the gospel of Christ in a way that is totally positive and nobody is forced to do anything that they do not wish to do. If it is not a positive thing, I don't think it is right for kids. I think too many of us have been guilted into believing and that is the wrong reason to believe in something. I believe that each family needs to do for their family what is right for them. I don't see how this could have been better said. I agree with you 100%, that is why this movie was so frightening to me. Religion is a very personal thing. It isn't about talking, walking up to people and testifying. It is about living one's life the way God has asked. The most wonderful Christians I know are the ones who don't talk much about their faith, they live it every single day in everything they do. I aspire to be more like those people, which in turn helps me become closer to God. Karma Colo for a brilliant post. This is such a wonderful thread, just right for the beginning of the new year. Thank you Lindy and I too agree with you. I too aspire to be like those people you talk about shmeep - I'm not a Christian and of course have spiritual values and broader understandings based on my cultural background. I try to live our values of love, decency, respect and probably some of the most wonderful PEOPLE I know are those Christians I know who are just like shmeep describes - gotta respect that! Most scary to me is the vigour of the views of those as described in Jesus Camp and the attempts at imposition of these "values" on the rest of us, and the lack of acceptance that any other view may be valid. We have so much to learn from each other's faiths and values. I too have evangelist Christianity in my background - (mother's father's side, Plymouth Brethren no less) and I have witnessed the damage up close and personal - not pretty. Unfortunatley I also witness on a daily basis the kind of havoc this type of imposition of belief can wreak on an entire culture - let's just say the evangelistic Christian missionary system certainly hasn't done Aboriginal Australians any favours! I live in hope that this type of damage can be limited but it would appear not at this point in our shared history and 'Jesus Camp' maybe makes this point? Tks everyone - what a lovely Board! M |
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Post by housemouse on Jan 7, 2008 8:19:26 GMT -5
Matilda, this leads me to a question for all of you Aussies...
What is the religious environment like in Australia? Are your politicians opening religious as is our George W? Is there any discussion of prayer in schools? I'm curious to find out if religion is the huge overriding issue that it is here in the states.
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