Sunday, September 09, 2007

Jesus Camp

We watched Jesus Camp yesterday, so I thought I'd comment on it a little bit here. Here's the trailer, in case you missed this one.



My overall impression? Can you say disturbing?

There are so many things that disturb me about this movement, I just couldn't list them all. Maybe that's weird since I consider myself Evangelical, but there are different degrees of Evangelical, I guess.

I absolutely do not "get" the idea of having a room full of little children (some of them were probably 5 years old) and throwing it on them that it's their responsibility to end abortion as they sit around and weep and shake about all of the little babies that are killed each year. You have GOT to be kidding me. No little child should be put in that position.

Screaming at little kids that they "better go somewhere and pray and repent"...does scaring them into repentance really equal repentance? Did Jesus scream at little kids about their need to repent? Not as far as I can tell. He wasn't shy about preaching about repentance, but I don't recall him using scare tactics.

The parents that talked about how they have to homeschool their kids because they don't want their kids to be taught about evolution in school. I've got no problem with parents wanting to tell their kids, "We believe in creationism over evolution because of such and such." But to ignore that there is a theory other than creationism is just irresponsible and ignorant. You can stick your head in the sand, but one day, the kid's going to leave the house and be around other humans who don't believe the exact same things. Especially if they decide to major in science in school. I mean, heck, I went to a conservative Christian college, and I still had to read Darwin's Origin of the Species in one of my classes. It's a pretty major theory about which any well-educated person should learn at least the basics.

The part where the mom taught her kid that global warming is a lie and he should never vote for anyone that believes global warming is real because "the temperature hasn't gone up that much." And when she told him "science doesn't prove anything." Wha?

I guess I just don't get why people are trying to undo the Separation of Church and State. Why don't we all move to Afghanistan and ask people who have been under Taliban rule what it's like to have the government impose their own religious morals on the people as law. How'd that work out?

Anyway, I could go on and on, but I'm rambling, so I'll stop.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I know several people who would be absolutely *thrilled* to have the government controlled by their particular flavor of Christianity. The irony in their position is huge because they denounce that exact behavior in other countries and other religions.

If you want to be a Christian, be one. If you want to be Buddhist, be one. Don't expect, though, that the government should favor your religion over all the others just because there happens to be more of you than any of the others.

Anonymous said...

Undo Separation of Church and State????

how can you undo something that doesn't exist???

Mercy's Maid said...

I'll put the separation of church and state issue like this:

1. There's a part in this movie where Ted Haggard (before his scandal) is talking about the number of Evangelicals in the US and if the Evangelicals vote, they decide the election. Telling your "flock" who to vote for is not separation of church and state.

2. As far as local government goes, I live in a dry county. Awhile back, there were a couple of restaurants that were applying for alcohol permits (like the restaurants on the TX side of TXK). In no time, there were petitions in my old church to have their permit applications denied. It wasn't enough that the permits were in the lobby so you could sign them or not. There was a speech given about them in church and they sent them to each Sunday school class and passed them around the circle of people while everyone watched while you signed (or didn't sign ;)).

People act like the government has done away with separation of church and state, but the church is just as guilty.

Toebee's Fumes said...

Great thoughts. I have not seen the movie yet but from what you have said we have a lot of similar thoughts on the subject.

"does scaring them into repentance really equal repentance?" This then equals other religions in the world that are spread thru fear and Government. IF scared into repentence you have no relationship with Christ yourself, it is then someone elses faith living in you and not your own.

Thanks for your great thoughts!

Anonymous said...

you've got to be kidding me...