Jesus Camp

[XabbaRus]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/

Go to the video section and watch the news clip.

I guess we shouldn't be surprised about this sort of thing popping up in the US, they have had the evangelical movement over there for a long time. I disagres with it though as much as I disagree with the madrasses (spelling?).

Scary.

[Immacolata]

It shows how rich the USA has become. They now have the luxury of being complete throwbacks, the money will still flow and they will not fall into despair and stagnation, which fundamentalism is always best at hammering down.

[The Avon Lady]

Debbie Schlussel's review of "Jesus Camp":

"Jesus Camp"--I originally planned to skip seeing this "documentary," but publicists from NBA billionaire Mark Cuban's Magnolia Films e-mailed me and asked if I'd review it. I was initially going to skip it because I figured the film--about fundamentalist Christian youth missionaries in America--would be an anti-Christian film portraying Christian kids with values as weirdoes and freaks. I thought it would be portrayed from the point of view of a liberal nightmare with the fallacious view of how Christians are destroying America.

And this film did not disappoint that expectation. The movie is also a not-so-veiled attack on President Bush, through the characters in the film. They openly voice and show their support for him throughout, we see his photo on the wall of some of the participants, view a cardboard cut-out of him at the Christian camp, and even hear audio clips from Bush speeches.

I'm not sure why Becky Fischer, the Evangelical Christian minister who trains young kids to be evangelists, agreed to be filmed for this. They portray her and the children in the worst light possible--all set to very eerie, scary music for maximum fearful effect. Although I am not a Christian, I have tremendous respect for religious Christians, and it pained me to watch this liberal propaganda silver screen screed defaming them.

First, it must be noted that the gruop represented in this film--at the evangelical camp--are just a small sliver of Christianity in America, and even of Fundamentalist/Evangelical Christianity in America. Also of note, the "protagonist" of this film is the local liberal Air America radio host, Mike Papantonio, who attacks fundamentalist Christians and Bush. A point of light: Air America is basically out of business now, but America's Christians--a bulwark against extremist Muslims--remain numerous and strong.

Yet, even though this "documentary" tried its damnedest to defame Christian evangelicals, it couldn't do as much damage as hoped. The kids in the movie are smart and strong-willed. They don't succumb to peer pressure of those who mock them. They're cute and sage well beyond their years. If all kids in America's public schools shared their values and maturity, kids might actually learn something and get along.

But they're not taught in public schools. They're home-schooled and taught to question liberal theology, such as global warming. (That's mocked by this movie, too.) Their parents--whom the film also tried to tear to shreds--still shine through as loving, devoted parents concerned about the values and ideologies with which their children will grow up. They're true patriots and instill that in their kids, though that's not the way this movie tries to portray them.

Perhaps Fischer regrets her comparison of teaching her kids to evangelize with Muslims who train their kids to murder via jihad. But we'd love to see these filmmakers--and especially billionaire producer Mark Cuban of Magnolia Films--bankroll a documentary that's far more important: Jihad Camp, and what young Muslims--in America, e Palestinian refugee camps, Hezbollah terror training camps for kids, and madrassahs all over the world--are taught.

But they're far more slick and cunning, unlike Fischer and the fundamentalist Christians . . . and dishonest. They'll never give those funded by Cuban and his various movie companies in the indie distribution chain the full, unfettered access to what they're really saying and doing with their youths.

So, instead, the villain of the day is America's Christian evangelical youth. Sorry, but they're not the ones who inspire the flying of planes into buildings. Or anything close to it.

[Immacolata]

Sheri Linden's review of Jesus Camp

Originally Posted by The Hollywood Reporter

Jesus Camp


By Sheri Linden
Bottom line: The film provides a fascinating glimpse of kids' role in the evangelical movement's political agenda.


There are few personality-trait combinations more obnoxious than narrow-mindedness and condescension -- especially in children. The compelling documentary "Jesus Camp" demonstrates how those qualities are being cultivated in a generation of pintsize proselytizers. Beyond their deadly earnestness, these children of the evangelical Christian right are being groomed as soldiers in a self-declared culture war to reclaim America for Christ.

Those who have been born only once might find it easy to laugh off Jesus-themed hip-hop numbers or Adam & Eve Barbie dolls. But filmmakers Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, who also focused on children in last year's poignant "The Boys of Baraka," provide a fascinating glimpse of kids' role in the evangelical movement's political agenda.

Pastor Becky Fischer granted the filmmakers access to her Kids on Fire summer camp, a 5-year-old program in North Dakota where first-graders to teens are variously entertained, broken down and preached to. Wielding everything from PowerPoint to plush toys to illustrate the wages of sin, the impassioned Fischer has a clear-eyed view of children as malleable material, ripe for the inculcating. When they're not speaking in tongues, pledging allegiance to the Christian flag or blessing a cardboard cutout of George W. Bush, the kids rally round to hear Fischer and others entreat them to "join the war," "fix the sick world" and fight abortion (tiny fetus dolls serve as preachers' aids).


At the center of "Jesus Camp" are three home-schooled Missouri kids: 12-year-old mullet-haired Levi, saved at 5 and already preaching; 10-year-old soldier's daughter Tory, who loves dancing to Christian heavy metal, not always solely for the spirit; and the smuggest member of this brigade, 9-year-old Rachael, who breathlessly approaches strangers to talk about Christ. Perhaps she'll get that nail-salon job she shrewdly envisions as a good way to Bible-stump; perhaps grown-up life will temper her single-mindedness. Or maybe Rachael will end up as resolute as the "enemies" she's being trained to oppose -- martyrdom for Jesus, she enthuses, would be "really cool."

[The Avon Lady]

Originally Posted by Immacolata

]Bottom line: The film provides a fascinating glimpse of kids' role in the evangelical movement's political agenda.

So, this is promoted by the entire evangelical movement?

The compelling documentary "Jesus Camp" demonstrates how those qualities are being cultivated in a generation of pintsize proselytizers.

Again, a generation of how many evengalical Christians - somewhere in North Dakota - are we talking about?

This definitely documents a sub-cult(ure) of Evangelical Christians but would the filmakers and the tinseltown critics like Ms. Linden care to quantify what they're talking about or do they stand by their assumption that these evangelicals are representative of millions, 10s of millions or 100s of millions of their co-religionists?

Is this simply another example of Michael Moore style yellow journalism, with the obvious attempt at equating Christianity with Islam? And if so, do you belive it for one minute?

EDIT: Hey! How about some of you Christians out their giving a nice Jewish lady a coffee break and handling the responses yourselves? :p

[Immacolata]

Heck, I have no idea. You quoted a review, I googled for one that thought the opposite and the yins and yangs are happy again

[The Avon Lady]

Originally Posted by Immacolata

Heck, I have no idea. You quoted a review, I googled for one that thought the opposite and the yins and yangs are happy again

Well my point was to inquire as to the actuality of what was portrayed in this film. I don't buy it. Your quoted review only strengthened my point.

We can all google but if your intention is simply to increase your post count, maybe we really do need the BUMP thread reopened for those that need it most.

I find it very interesting that specifically at this time, all sorts of posts are popping up about religions other than Islam, especially Christianity, making assertions of their enormous potential endangerment to mankind. Just look at Jumpy's thread on doomsdayers.

I smell a straw man, or issue, to be more precise. Ask yourself why. Savvy? :hmm:

[kiwi_2005]

Originally Posted by The Avon Lady

Hey! How about some of you Christians out their giving a nice Jewish lady a coffee break and handling the responses yourselves? :p

Righty oh, you go have that coffee break i'll take it from here...

[Immacolata]

Originally Posted by The Avon Lady

Well my point was to inquire as to the actuality of what was portrayed in this film. I don't buy it. Your quoted review only strengthened my point.

We can all google but if your intention is simply to increase your post count, maybe we really do need the BUMP thread reopened for those that need it most.

I find it very interesting that specifically at this time, all sorts of posts are popping up about religions other than Islam, especially Christianity, making assertions of their enormous potential endangerment to mankind. Just look at Jumpy's thread on doomsdayers.

I smell a straw man, or issue, to be more precise. Ask yourself why. Savvy? :hmm:

I am actually not even sure what your point is, then? Religion rears it's head because some take the name of their religion as a reason to commit atrocities towards infidels. That should force everone to at least question why. And you inevitably end up asking yourself: Has this something to do with religion? Are the radicals that commit terrorist attacks somewhat different from us? Or are we alike? If we are different, is there a purpose to emulate their behaviour, such as making our own religious founded camps of holy warriors? If we are alike, why do we then fight, and more to the point, why are we better if we share the same ideas?

Attackers of WTC where clearly after the spectacle of it. Take down some of the infidels and perhaps go to Paradise where the promised virgins awaits you. Do you suggest we emulate that? Send someone in airplanes to take down a few skyscrapers of a major city at the Persian Gulf?

[Takeda Shingen]

When I was young, I went to Jesus Camp. No, wait, that was Fat Camp. Oh, my painful childhood comes flooding back to me! I need some ice cream.

[Immacolata]

You must have been to comedian camp too :rotfl:

[The Avon Lady]

Originally Posted by kiwi_2005

Righty oh, you go have that coffee break i'll take it from here...

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...ert20Storm.jpg

That's I-S-R-A-E-L .

Those may be well intended sentiments but why are US soldier's depicted as fighting for Israel? Or is this one of those tin-hat conspiracy artworks? :hmm:

[The Avon Lady]

Originally Posted by Immacolata

Fatima, on the left, looks 9 months virgin.

Of course, she might simply be another unsatisifed customer of Takeda's childhood summer camp.

[Immacolata]

Originally Posted by The Avon Lady

Fatima, on the left, looks 9 months virgin.

Of course, she might simply be another unsatisifed customer of Takeda's childhood summer camp.

Heh, yeah. I thought this cartoon was a riot when I saw it first time. Glad not all danish comic drawers have lost their spunk after the cartoon incident.

[STEED]

Originally Posted by Takeda Shingen

When I was young, I went to Jesus Camp. No, wait, that was Fat Camp. Oh, my painful childhood comes flooding back to me! I need some ice cream.

Ice Cream on the way