Jesus Camp
Jesus Camp is the sort of movie that needs to be watched at home with a group of people. I say this because the movie brings up so many points that need to be discussed that one cannot possibly remember them after seeing the movie at a theater.
Overall, Jesus Camp was an amazing movie. The editing was awesome and the viewpoint was very objective. It told the story from both sides and showed everybody in a human way. The kids are innocent and playful. The camp owner is charismatic and kind. The parents looked like they were genuinely looking out for their kids’ best interests.
There was, however, the matter of isolationism. The parents didn’t want their kids going to public schools because schools were no longer based on “Judeo-Christian values”. Instead of watching Spongebob or Sesame Street, the kids watched videos about creationism and were quizzed about whether global warming was real by their parents.
If you never let the kids see the “real” world, how will they be able to decipher what they want to believe or not believe? When they are indoctrinated at a young age, there is no chance for doubt to arise. Any doubt that does arise is called the “work of the devil”. When it comes time for these kids to go to college and get jobs, they will be forced to see all of the things that have been hidden from them for their entire childhood. This will be shocking and some will have a very difficult time getting over it.
The crowd at the theater last night was pretty mixed. A lot of people laughed at the idea of people praying and speaking tongues to president bush (to which the person behind me reminded everybody that doing this is what kept the church’s tax exempt status).
I would definitely recommend this movie. The evangelical movement is one of the most important forces in current affairs and is bound to shape society for years to come.