Jesus Camp

Michael and I saw a very, very disturbing documentary this past weekend. It was called "Jesus Camp." It chronicled how children from these fundamentalist "Christian" families indoctrinate them into their own political and religious beliefs. In this film, you see how these children are taught to believe right-wing conservative ideas including being against abortion, gay rights, and minorities while fostering pro-war ideals and Republican stances on all topics.

There are clearly scary scenes where these children are mimicking adults they are exposed to by preaching hate and bigotry. They are taught to "speak in tongues", prophecy, and attend abortion rallies and rallies against stem cell research and gay marriage. They are constantly exposed only to "Christian" cartoons and programs on television.

In the most memorable portion of the film children from these whacked out families attend a camp where they are further brainwashed and the directors of the camp use peer pressure to influence these children even more. They are whipped into a frenzy where there is laying on of hands, speaking in tongues, crying, and constant threats of living in Hell if not obeying God.

There was so much hatred being expressed by these adults and then imitated by these children.

As a Christian I was deeply offended by this film and at the same time felt so sad for these children who have been exposed to this brutal brainwashing by their seriously delusional and emotionally ill parents.

(I attended Christian camp for so many summers during my childhood. Four Brooks Bible Camp was one of the most wonderful memories of my youth. I began as a camper, then became a counselor in training, and eventually a counselor there.)