Jesus Camp

Jesus Camp

Miya Siegal

6 October 2008

Movie Critique – Jesus Camp

It all begins innocently enough, a simple travel through a Missouri town with the soft crackle of a radio in the background. It lulls you in as you watch the scenery flash past as if you were in that car yourself. The pace changes and shows you a radio station where an interview is being performed. It is confusing at first because it isn't clear what is happening, but that ends soon enough. The interview is straight-forward and the last lines echoes in your head as the title shows. "There is this entanglement of politics and religion, what kind of lesson is this for our children."

This movie is startling. There are hardly any other words for it. The main focus was on the base of the beliefs shared by Evangelical Christians. Becky Fischer and her camp is the primary setting for the entire movie and it draws you in even if you are not willing. The image of children crying, speaking in tongues, and falling to their knees in what is called prayer stays firmly in your mind. It's hard to comprehend all of this as what God wants us to do. Does God really want our children so brainwashed that they risk their own identity in favor of one that they are told is there? Does He want them to give up their uncertain future for one that is supposedly planned before their birth? It's insane, ridiculous even.

It is told through small bits of interviews with children that show how far gone they really are. It's not difficult to lead a child into believing in anything, they are still young enough to not really know much else. They are dependent on their parents for guidance. If their parents really believe all of this then there is almost no hope left for those children. They are then sent to this bible camp to "become closer" to God

I won't be surprised if that in the years to come, we will see more and more of children like them. It's truly frightening once you sit back and look at this. Being Agnostic...

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