A way long time ago, I posted a story about Jesus Camp, a documentary film that purports to be a non-partisan look at how evangelicals spread their venom gospel through their children.
I was looking for information on Richard Dawkins’ book The God Delusion. I’ve been reading it chapter by chapter whenever I find my way into a Borders. Thirty-some dollars just seems too rich to pay for a book just now. That pace seems to be just fine, for it’s a dense book that requires some time to digest. It requires some leavening, too, for I’ve read four or five other tomes while I’ve been hacking away on this heady piece.
By somewhere in the first chapter, he makes mention that he was presenter for a BBC piece called “The Root of All Evil” where he blames religion to be just that. Well, not quite, that’s just what Channel 4 wanted to call it. Anyway, he continues to say that while he’d like to get the piece on DVD distribution in the States, it’s already available bootleg via the ‘net. Indeed it is.
And so is Jesus Camp.
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Read on:
Now, about Jesus Camp. Once you’ve finished watching it, you’ll probably be persuaded to view the comments, and to do some internet searches on some of the principal players: Mike Papantonio, Host of Air America’s “Ring of Fire;” Becky Fischer, Youth Pastor and founder of said “Jesus Camp;” and Ted Haggard. I’ll leave it to you to remember/discover who he is, and to learn the details on the other two folks. It is enough to say that each has become infamous and/or dethroned since Jesus Camp finished taping, though not necessarily because of the film.
My take
Perhaps the most disturbing thing about this film, besides how you see young innocents become indoctrinated with rhetoric ranging from anti-global warming, to creationism, and anti-abortion (to pre-teens!), you see one young Rachael awkwardly proselytise strangers. You can also see young Levi groomed to become an entrepreneurial preacher himself. See him take a shine to the spotlight (har!); watch the phototropic transformation in virtual real time.
The most disturbing feature of the film–besides over-the-top moments such as the praying for President Bush, hands raised toward a cardboard cutout of the man, or smashing ceramic mugs with such ungodly institutions as “government’ written on them in Sharpie–is a subtle, non-verbal one. It occurs very late in the piece.
First some background: about midway through the film, an anti-abortion campaigner named, (according to the film’s wikipedia article) Lou Engle, meets the pre-Jesus Camp youth group in the church’s main meeting room (do they call them “Sanctuaries” anymore?). Before the lecture begins, there appears to be no warning that the topic on the menu is abortion. The young people seem to be aged eight to early early tween. Most appear to certainly be prepubescent. Is this the right time for this discussion?
Anyhow, at various points through the lecture, which includes a set of plastic dolls representing a fetus at various stages of development and many hysterically crying young people, the speaker begins to distractingly rock his upper body in a forward-backward motion. It’s probably just a nervous tic, but very distracting, and given the setting and subject matter, very inappropriate.
Fast-forward toward the end of the film, and the aforementioned most disturbing moment. Engle, the anti-abortion campaigner; parents; and a select few kids, are now on the grounds of the nation’s Capital for a silent protest. Placards are in place, prayers are said, and now each of the participants has a piece of red sticky-tape over his or her mouth with the word “LIFE” marked on it.
Young, impressionable Levi is now rocking his hips the same way as the campaigner. O_o
The scene gives me heebie-jeebies. And reminds me, oddly, of The Handmaid’s Tale, discussed earlier.
Is this “train[ing] a child in the way he should go“, indoctrination, or A-1 brainwashing?
See the film and decide for yourself.
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