Jesus Camp (Part 1)

I've been wanting to blog about this movie ever since I first saw it a few months ago.  And I have so much to say about it I'm going to have to break it down into 2 parts...possibly 3, although I'm really going to try to not make it that long.  Please watch the video clips

If you have not seen this movie, here is a little preview:

*video link*------->    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RNfL6IVWCE


This is a documentary that follows 3 children to the same christian summer camp (camp is for children 6-13 yrs old, I believe)  The religion of these children (and the camp) is stated as "evangelical christian"  which is kind of a broad term, seeing as evangelical is defined (Webster's dictionary) as "1. of or according to the gospels or New Testament. 2. of those protestant churches that emphasize salvation by faith in Jesus."  There are many, many protestant denominations, so keep in mind that the people in these videos are from one protestant denomination and it is not the norm for most evangelical Christians.  Saying that, I must also add that there are many churches that are this radical (not the majority, but there are many)  You are much more likely to see speaking in tongues, people falling and convulsing  in a Pentecostal or Assembly of God church.  They are much more charismatic than, let's say,  Church of Christ, Lutheran, Baptist, Presbyterian.  This is my knowledge, based on my experiences of growing up in different churches, so if I'm wrong, please correct me.  I actually grew up in a charismatic Assembly of God church, so this movie really hit a personal nerve.  As a teen, my family joined a "non-denominational" (but very similar to baptist) church.  I have friends of different denominations and have visited their churches.

 It would be very easy for me to just rip into this movie (and Christianity) if I were an atheist, but I am not.  I am still a believer.  I have a relationship with God and I try to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ.  I believe in the gift of tongues and I believe in the power of prayer, so it saddened me greatly to watch this documentary.  And it reminded me, yet again, of how far we have come from true Christianity.  Here are some things that really bothered me:

*video clip (@2:20)*-------> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqcVGsofOpE


1.  "Every parent brain washes their kids with their own beliefs...so, let's be fair" -- Becky Fischer, head pastor of Jesus Camp.

Yes, it's true that we all "brainwash", to a certain extent, our children.  We do not consciously do it (well, most of us don't).  Being around us 24/7 our children are bound to pick up on our words and actions and apply them in their own lives.  It's inevitable.  What I have a problem with is that she uses this as justification for purposely taking advantage of children. 

The rationality of "It's inevitable.  There's nothing we can do about it" is about as logical as "We're bound to make mistakes (sin).  It's inevitable, so let's not put in one ounce of effort to prevent it"  It makes no sense.  It's a BS justification.  If we can acknowledge that children are very impressionable and are bound to be brainwashed/molded by their surroundings, shouldn't we be a whole lot more careful about our choice of words and actions and not take advantage of this fact?


2.  Creationism is the only possible way the world was created. 

 video link------------>   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z14iuazhuTQ


I have friends and family members who teach their children similarly, and I don't want to offend anyone.  But at the same time, I don't think they realize the negative impact this kind of one-sidedness (not sure if that's a word, but you get what I'm saying) creates in kids.  Many home schooled children from conservative christian homes think that public schools, democrats (especially Obama), evolution, and science in general are bad, and that these things go against the Bible.  I don't even think some parents are aware of the things they do and say that instill these ideas into their children.

God blessed us with intelligence and, I believe, he loves science.  As a child I always said "I don't believe in science" which I now find very ironic, because my heart is now run by a pacemaker.   What I meant by "I don't believe in science" was that God is above science.  He is capable of anything, so just because science says one thing, it doesn't mean that that's the end of the matter.  But I never explained myself and people just made fun of me.  I grew up being taught creationism and my parents would make fun of other scientific theories.  They threw a fit when our public school was teaching evolution and told us numerous times that evolution is a huge lie.  I understand where they were coming from, but I still don't think it's the right approach.

Sticking with my first point, I think we should not be taking advantage of the fact that children are very impressionable.  We should be fully aware of it, and choosing our words wisely.  Here's my thing, IF the God of Christianity is the truth and he is the one and only true God...and IF the Bible is truth, like we claim it to be, why are we so afraid of our children learning what other's theories/beliefs are?  Do we not believe they will be intelligent enough to decide (when the time is right) which is truth and which are lies? 

Mathew 7:7 says, "Ask and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you"  IF we believe this verse is true, shouldn't we be confident that our children will find truth?  Should we not be encouraging them to seek out truth and to be sure of what they believe instead of repeatedly shoving one idea in their face? Should we not be asking God to give our children wisdom to make the right choices...and then actually have peace that what we're asking will be given unto us?  I don't know about everyone else, but I want my daughter to come to have genuine faith in what she believes.  I want her to be sure that God is real; not because of what her mama told her is real, but because of an honest seeking and finding of the truth.  Why does this idea so terrify parents?

 I'm not saying keep your mouth shut and don't talk about God, I'm just saying be honest!  Tell your children that you believe this and that, but also explain that other's do not.  And do not put others down  for what they believe or laugh at the claims of other religions in front of your children.  This just creates intolerance and misunderstanding. 

The boy in this video was 12 yrs old and I think that some political issues are fine to discuss.  I think that when they're controversial subjects, like global warming, it's best to give both sides of the argument and let them make up their minds.  But let's be honest, most political issues are beyond a child's understanding (children under 12 yrs old anyway) and we really do not need to discuss them with children.  The most a young child should know about global warming is that our world is a gift and we need to take care of it. That's something we can all agree on...I hope. If you're going to talk about political issues, like gay marriage, abortion, etc.,  with your older children please discuss them in a respectful way.  Which brings me to the next thing that greatly disturbed me...



3. Abortion:"Do you know that a third of your friends should be here tonight, but they never made it..."

*video link*--------------> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mefXbLXlRpw

This one upset me so much.  I think it was so upsetting, because I remember being told about abortion at a very young age (at least 7 yrs old)  And the only thing a child that young can understand is that a baby is being "killed".  Children do not understand the timeline of a fetus' growth, nor can they grasp the heart wrenching circumstances often involved in abortion. 

I am "pro-life".  I do not agree with abortion, although I do have an understanding for cases such as rape, incest, risk of mother's life.  It's a very complex issue that does not have a simple answer.  But I was not taught that as a child.  I was only taught that little, sweet babies were being killed because people were selfish.  I love my mother for being brutally honest about issues, and I admired her passion for what she believed, but I can see from experience that it was probably not the best approach at such a young age.

I would have less of a problem if it were brought up to children in a very "this is a very complicated, adult issue..." sort of way, but that is usually not the case in conservative Christian homes.  It is talked about with such emotion, hatred, and disgust, which only instills that into the children. 

Another huge problem I have is that most Christian families I know tell their children about the horrors of abortion before they even discuss sex.  How backwards is that?  If they are not mature enough to understand how a baby is made, they are definitely not mature enough to grasp the complexities of abortion.

And the pressure put on the children in this video is so sad.  Telling a child they need to pray for the end of abortion, because "they have the power to change the world" and telling them it is "their responsibility" to pray for Christian political leaders is ridiculous.  I believe in prayer, I do.  What I don't believe in is putting that kind of pressure on children. And then having them feel the guilt of "If only I had prayed more..."  And I know that most Christians do not purposely guilt trip children, but what they don't understand is that that's just how a child's mind works!  If you're telling them they have power to change something and they try...and then nothing changes, it's a huge unintended guilt trip that they do not deserve. 
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When it comes to children, I believe that the most important things to instill in them are the fruits of the spirit:  love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22) 

And let me say something else, I think many Christians today have forgotten how powerful leading a good example is.  I'm not talking about turning down an alcoholic beverage in front of your children and feeling like you lead a great example. And I'm not talking about having the entire Bible memorized and quoting it often to your children.  I'm talking about the minute by minute way that you carry yourself, speak and act in front of them.  Children pick up on every tone of voice, every change in attitude, every joke you make at another's expense, every look you make, and every word they overhear.  No one is perfect.  I'm not asking perfection of anyone.  I am asking for responsibility and for humility when you realize you've messed up.  We, Christians, have become masters at defending ourselves, especially when we're wrong.  We need to own up to the bad examples we lead at times, ask for forgiveness and try to do better.  A lot better.




to be continued...