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Dec. 19th, 2006
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This afternoon, I saw Jesus Camp. I had resisted for awhile, but then my curiosity won out. And it was the last week it was playing at my favorite Albany theater.
I think I am still processing it. Fundamentalists are fascinating to me in some ways. They scare, confuse, and disturb me a bit as well, but they’re also rather interesting in a detached sort of way. I have enough trouble understanding peoples’ beliefs in God, let alone a group’s total rejection of science in exchange for the Bible and prayer. Children speaking in tongues, being willing to die for God, crying over legal abortions . . . that last one really sort of touched a nerve. People are, of course, allowed their opinions on such an emotional issue. However, I did have a bit of a problem with the adults in the film 'training' the children to oppose abortion and pray for it to end. Young people crying . . . does an 8 year old girl even really know what an abortion is?
Before they get to the Bible camp, they enter the homes of a few of the families who bring their children there. They are all home schooled, of course. There was one pretty telling scene between a mother and her son. He's got a textbook open (Creationism and the physical world . . . or something like that) and she asks: Did you get to the part yet where they say that science hasn't proven anything? The son laughs. They then proceed to discuss how God/religion answers all of the questions while science leaves so many of them uncertain. Telling and troubling, to someone like me.
The militarism practiced and taught in the particular camp featured in the film was also . . . well, troubling. I can't come up with a better word. (Scary? Disturbing?) There was frequent emphasis on the notion that 'there is a war going on' - and the children must choose sides. At the end of the film, in an interaction between Becky Fischer (founder of the camp) and a radio talk show host, she basically admits that the end of democracy is one of her goals. The adults make no secret that they are targeting (using, as one of them expressed it) children because it's easier to impress ideas and beliefs upon them.
I was hoping the camp had a website, but I can't find one at the moment.
UPDATE: This is Becky Fischer's website.
I just hope the only job offers when I'm on the market are not in Colorado, Missouri, North Dakota . . .
Switching gears, however, I can't hardly wait for this movie to come out. It is based on a graphic novel, 300, written by Frank Miller. First of all, I loved Sin City and have really enjoyed any graphic novel I've picked up that Miller had some involvement in. The story of the 300 - which is the focus of that Pressfield book Gates of Fire - is pretty amazing. The trailers for the movie look incredible. I love the semi-realistic feel, not unlike the visuals in the movie version of Sin City. I'm anxious to see the final outcome.
I think I am still processing it. Fundamentalists are fascinating to me in some ways. They scare, confuse, and disturb me a bit as well, but they’re also rather interesting in a detached sort of way. I have enough trouble understanding peoples’ beliefs in God, let alone a group’s total rejection of science in exchange for the Bible and prayer. Children speaking in tongues, being willing to die for God, crying over legal abortions . . . that last one really sort of touched a nerve. People are, of course, allowed their opinions on such an emotional issue. However, I did have a bit of a problem with the adults in the film 'training' the children to oppose abortion and pray for it to end. Young people crying . . . does an 8 year old girl even really know what an abortion is?
Before they get to the Bible camp, they enter the homes of a few of the families who bring their children there. They are all home schooled, of course. There was one pretty telling scene between a mother and her son. He's got a textbook open (Creationism and the physical world . . . or something like that) and she asks: Did you get to the part yet where they say that science hasn't proven anything? The son laughs. They then proceed to discuss how God/religion answers all of the questions while science leaves so many of them uncertain. Telling and troubling, to someone like me.
The militarism practiced and taught in the particular camp featured in the film was also . . . well, troubling. I can't come up with a better word. (Scary? Disturbing?) There was frequent emphasis on the notion that 'there is a war going on' - and the children must choose sides. At the end of the film, in an interaction between Becky Fischer (founder of the camp) and a radio talk show host, she basically admits that the end of democracy is one of her goals. The adults make no secret that they are targeting (using, as one of them expressed it) children because it's easier to impress ideas and beliefs upon them.
I was hoping the camp had a website, but I can't find one at the moment.
UPDATE: This is Becky Fischer's website.
I just hope the only job offers when I'm on the market are not in Colorado, Missouri, North Dakota . . .
Switching gears, however, I can't hardly wait for this movie to come out. It is based on a graphic novel, 300, written by Frank Miller. First of all, I loved Sin City and have really enjoyed any graphic novel I've picked up that Miller had some involvement in. The story of the 300 - which is the focus of that Pressfield book Gates of Fire - is pretty amazing. The trailers for the movie look incredible. I love the semi-realistic feel, not unlike the visuals in the movie version of Sin City. I'm anxious to see the final outcome.