AgnosticBob AtheistPants Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 I got to see the film on Tuesday of this week. The "Jesus Camp" Becky Fischer puts on is held in Devil's Lake, North Dakota. The name of her camp is "Kids on Fire." So...they are... KID'S ON FIRE IN DEVIL'S LAKE!!! But on a more serious note, the film was absolutely terrifying. What's worse is everything it brought back to me. That could have been my church for all the similarities. I know exactly what is being done to these children and it breaks my heart. I wish there was something that could be done to STOP it. It is nothing short of absolute child abuse. Perhaps it isn't physical, but it is certainly mental abuse. For instance, I remember this happening ALL the DAMNED time when I was a kid. They showed the end of one of the children's services and the BITCH starts saying how she knows there are lots of kids there that act one way at school and another way at church so they need to come down and ask forgiveness and get right with GAWD. What kid DOESN'T act one way at school and another at church other than the ones that are already BRAINWASHED?!?!? But of course, impressionable children come down to the front, crying their eyes out being forced to feel guilty about the most NATURAL behavior. One young boy just made me want to cry. He got up and told everyone how sometimes he didn't believe in God because you can't see him and you don't really know him and sometimes he doesn't believe what the bible says either. I just wanted to grab him and run him out of that fucking lunatic asylum! The boy has got sense and he is fighting for his right to choose what to believe! But this BITCH has him right where she wants him and is going to SQUASH that nagging doubt early. He cried and "gave his heart to Jesus" I'm sure for the UMPTEENTH time that night. There was another boy named Levi that was one of the primary focuses of the documentary. He's the one that says he became a christian at five because he wanted more out of life. He's totally gone already. He's preaching at the age of 10 or 12. They went to Colorado Springs to Ted Haggard's church (Ted is the biggest PRICK I've ever seen). Levi was introduced to Ted and he was so utterly condescending to the boy I couldn't believe it. Levi told Ted that he preached too and Ted says "Yeah? Do people listen to you?" The boy says yeah they seem to like what he has to say. So Ted says, "Is it because you’re a kid or because you've got good content? Ya know what? Use the cute kid thing til you get older and by then you'll have good content." FUCKING ASS! But of course the boy was starstruck. At the camp, they showed Levi getting ready to preach a short sermon that evening. It was sad. He was practicing his speech and pretending he was getting up on the stage to a roaring crowd. It was blatantly obvious that the boy just wants to be a star. He wants to be famous. It's got nothing to do with a desire to "serve the LARD", it's just the desire for fame and attention. All the BULLSHIT about the LARD is just the only thing he knows. Pastors to him are rockstars. It's pathetic. The poor kid. I wonder how much attention gets paid to him at home. (I just read that his father is the pastor of his church…no fucking wonder) The one that topped it all though was a little girl named Rachael. She was proselytizing left and right. They went bowling and she keeps looking over at this teenaged blond sitting at the next table. Rachael then picks up a tract, walks over to the girl and says something like," The lord just told me to come over and tell you that he loves you and has a special plan for your life and he's going to do great things with you." The blond looks at her, says "THANK you..." and then after Rachael walks off, glances around looking like she's trying to keep from bursting out laughing. Then all the adults praise Rachael for "being obedient". Obedient to the brainwashing you FUCKS have done to the poor girl? There is a more liberal Christian counter-pointing Becky Fischer’s horseshit throughout the movie. His name is Mike Papantonio, a lawyer that co-hosts a radio show called Ring of Fire. Becky calls in to the show and they have a discussion. It comes to a head when Mike asks her if she believes in Democracy. She says yes, she does, but until Jesus is in control of everything, the world will never be perfect. So…she wants everyone to be free to choose…as long as they choose Jesus! Can you say “Theocracy is better than Democracy?” No, I can’t either. If you see the movie, don’t leave when the credits start rolling. There is a scene where the three primary kids in the film are handing out tracts (looks like possibly in D.C.). It’s priceless…and pathetic at the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eponymic Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 So is the film more pro-Christianity or anti-Christianity overall? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mongo Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 Bob, Thanks for the review. I didn’t grow up in a fundy home but having attended a Pentecostal church for 10 years (17-27) gives me a flavour for what you went through. A lot of atheists have a live and let live attitude. After a long extrication from that mind numbing tripe, I feel that it is my social duty to speak out against the mental abuse that is religion, especially fundagelical versions of it. I’m looking forward to seeing the film. Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markkasan Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 I want to see it so badly but I can't find a theatre around me that is showing it. I can't wait for it to come out on DVD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AgnosticBob AtheistPants Posted October 6, 2006 Author Share Posted October 6, 2006 So is the film more pro-Christianity or anti-Christianity overall? I'd have to say the fundamentalist will view it as anti-christian. Other than that, it seemed pretty neutral. I mean Fischer's opposition in the documentary is a christian radio talk show host/lawyer. I want to see it so badly but I can't find a theatre around me that is showing it. I can't wait for it to come out on DVD Yeah, I was surprised it wasn’t in more theatres here in L.A. Only two within 15 miles of my house were showing it and they were artsy fartsy theatres that only show indy films. But they did show a preview of one I want to see. It’s called “Deliver Us From Evil”, a documentary about a pedophiliac priest and the catholic church’s cover up of the scandal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markkasan Posted October 7, 2006 Share Posted October 7, 2006 Yeah, I was surprised it wasn’t in more theatres here in L.A. Only two within 15 miles of my house were showing it and they were artsy fartsy theatres that only show indy films. But they did show a preview of one I want to see. It’s called “Deliver Us From Evil”, a documentary about a pedophiliac priest and the catholic church’s cover up of the scandal. The closets viewing to my house is in downtown NYC, 50 miles away. I wonder why they aren't distributing this in more theatres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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