“Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” (Matthew 10:16)
This past Saturday evening, I watched the documentary “Jesus Camp” on D.V.D. along with my 20-year-old daughter Rachel and my 24-year-old son Jon. Jon had heard a number of negative things said about the film. He wanted to objectively view it and form his own opinion, and Rachel and I were very interested to watch it, as well.
“Jesus Camp” was filmed in 2005 and released in 2006. The main focus of the film is a female Pentecostal minister from North Dakota who runs a high intensity training camp for Christian children. Several of the kids who attended the camp were featured up close including a 10-year-old named Rachael and a boy of around the same age named Levi. Levi was from St. Robert, Missouri. I can’t remember for sure what Rachael’s home town was...maybe Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Interspersed between scenes of the children’s home lives and footage of camp activities were scenes of a liberal “Air America” radio talk show host pontificating on the dangers of the religious right.
I get the impression the purpose of the film is to terrify liberal and
moderate Americans about the army of right wing religious children which is being trained to burst on the scenes in a few years and take over. In fact, neither the religious right nor the “secular progressives” (as Bill O’Reilley calls them) come out of this film looking particularly good.
Most of you know I’m both an evangelical and a Pentecostal. I’m also a
registered Republican. At one time, I was what would have been considered a very hard line “religious right” person. My hard line right wing politics have toned down quite a bit over the past fifteen years, and even my past hard line approach to evangelism has somewhat mellowed. I find myself in the position that many of my fellow evangelicals and Pentecostals would consider me “liberal” in certain areas; yet, most people in America’s mainstream would classify me as “far right”. In a way, that means I’m in kind of an awkward, misunderstood spot at times, but it DOES mean that I can view a film such as “Jesus Camp” pretty objectively.
My kids and I agreed that we were very comfortable with about 75% of what was taught and practiced among the evangelicals in the film. We bristled when the “Air America” host ridiculed the teaching of “intelligent design” in the public schools, and made it sound as though anyone who believes in Biblical creationism is a total idiot. (Well, my kids and I believe in Biblical creationism, and on that one, we’re pretty much on the side of the religious right.)
My kids and I were also very uncomfortable with about 25% of what was taught and practiced among the evangelicals in the film. There WAS a HUGE political agenda. The kids were taught to support President George W. Bush because he is a born-again Christian. At one point, a life-sized cardboard cutout figure of President Bush was brought out before the kids at the Christian camp. All held their hands toward the cardboard figure, essentially saluting and praying, and, well, practically worshipping him! The Bible DOES tell us to pray for those who are in authority over us (see I Timothy 2:2). But that means EVERYBODY in authority. That means liberal Democrats, independents, socialists,
EVERYBODY. If John Kerry were President, I don’t think the camp would EVER have had him prayed for in such a fashion. The kids were also encouraged to openly and publicly share their faith and evangelize others, which is good, BUT their approach did not set well with us. Ten-year-old Rachael would goup to ADULTS who were perfect strangers and blurt out, “Where are you going when you did?” or “The Lord told me to tell you He cares about you.” I think it’s far more effective and appropriate for children to share their faith in a non-pushy way with friends their own age. After Rachael asked a group of African-American adults where they were going when they died, and they answered
This past Saturday evening, I watched the documentary “Jesus Camp” on D.V.D. along with my 20-year-old daughter Rachel and my 24-year-old son Jon. Jon had heard a number of negative things said about the film. He wanted to objectively view it and form his own opinion, and Rachel and I were very interested to watch it, as well.
“Jesus Camp” was filmed in 2005 and released in 2006. The main focus of the film is a female Pentecostal minister from North Dakota who runs a high intensity training camp for Christian children. Several of the kids who attended the camp were featured up close including a 10-year-old named Rachael and a boy of around the same age named Levi. Levi was from St. Robert, Missouri. I can’t remember for sure what Rachael’s home town was...maybe Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Interspersed between scenes of the children’s home lives and footage of camp activities were scenes of a liberal “Air America” radio talk show host pontificating on the dangers of the religious right.
I get the impression the purpose of the film is to terrify liberal and
moderate Americans about the army of right wing religious children which is being trained to burst on the scenes in a few years and take over. In fact, neither the religious right nor the “secular progressives” (as Bill O’Reilley calls them) come out of this film looking particularly good.
Most of you know I’m both an evangelical and a Pentecostal. I’m also a
registered Republican. At one time, I was what would have been considered a very hard line “religious right” person. My hard line right wing politics have toned down quite a bit over the past fifteen years, and even my past hard line approach to evangelism has somewhat mellowed. I find myself in the position that many of my fellow evangelicals and Pentecostals would consider me “liberal” in certain areas; yet, most people in America’s mainstream would classify me as “far right”. In a way, that means I’m in kind of an awkward, misunderstood spot at times, but it DOES mean that I can view a film such as “Jesus Camp” pretty objectively.
My kids and I agreed that we were very comfortable with about 75% of what was taught and practiced among the evangelicals in the film. We bristled when the “Air America” host ridiculed the teaching of “intelligent design” in the public schools, and made it sound as though anyone who believes in Biblical creationism is a total idiot. (Well, my kids and I believe in Biblical creationism, and on that one, we’re pretty much on the side of the religious right.)
My kids and I were also very uncomfortable with about 25% of what was taught and practiced among the evangelicals in the film. There WAS a HUGE political agenda. The kids were taught to support President George W. Bush because he is a born-again Christian. At one point, a life-sized cardboard cutout figure of President Bush was brought out before the kids at the Christian camp. All held their hands toward the cardboard figure, essentially saluting and praying, and, well, practically worshipping him! The Bible DOES tell us to pray for those who are in authority over us (see I Timothy 2:2). But that means EVERYBODY in authority. That means liberal Democrats, independents, socialists,
EVERYBODY. If John Kerry were President, I don’t think the camp would EVER have had him prayed for in such a fashion. The kids were also encouraged to openly and publicly share their faith and evangelize others, which is good, BUT their approach did not set well with us. Ten-year-old Rachael would goup to ADULTS who were perfect strangers and blurt out, “Where are you going when you did?” or “The Lord told me to tell you He cares about you.” I think it’s far more effective and appropriate for children to share their faith in a non-pushy way with friends their own age. After Rachael asked a group of African-American adults where they were going when they died, and they answered
“Heaven”, she retreated from them concluding, “I think they’re Muslims!” (That scene boggled my mind!)
Now, I DID say I liked 75% of what was taught to the kids, and I did. As an evangelical Christian, I believe the Bible IS God’s Holy Word, and that God has a plan for each of our lives. And as a PENTECOSTAL evangelical Christian, I believe in the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with the initial physical evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance. There were clips of kids seeking and receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. To “secular progressives” it’s fanaticism, but to Bible-believing Christians, it’s the power of God.
In one ironic scene, several of the kids are taken to Ted Haggard’s
MegaChurch in Colorado. The kids obviously looked to Haggard as a huge hero. Haggard railed against homosexuality in his sermon. Of course, about a year after that scene was filmed, Haggard was exposed as being in a secret homosexual lifestyle and has lost his ministry. One wonders what the kids think of Haggard today.
Bottom line, “Jesus Camp” is a very interesting documentary. It will
frighten most “secular progressives” who view it, and it may stir and even confuse some evangelicals and Pentecostals who see it. AND, after this frank and honest review, I may not have any friends left!
Now, I DID say I liked 75% of what was taught to the kids, and I did. As an evangelical Christian, I believe the Bible IS God’s Holy Word, and that God has a plan for each of our lives. And as a PENTECOSTAL evangelical Christian, I believe in the Baptism in the Holy Spirit with the initial physical evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives the utterance. There were clips of kids seeking and receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. To “secular progressives” it’s fanaticism, but to Bible-believing Christians, it’s the power of God.
In one ironic scene, several of the kids are taken to Ted Haggard’s
MegaChurch in Colorado. The kids obviously looked to Haggard as a huge hero. Haggard railed against homosexuality in his sermon. Of course, about a year after that scene was filmed, Haggard was exposed as being in a secret homosexual lifestyle and has lost his ministry. One wonders what the kids think of Haggard today.
Bottom line, “Jesus Camp” is a very interesting documentary. It will
frighten most “secular progressives” who view it, and it may stir and even confuse some evangelicals and Pentecostals who see it. AND, after this frank and honest review, I may not have any friends left!
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