Blogcritics Comments on Jesus Camp Speaks More of Society than Fanatical Religion

Comment by patrick on Jesus Camp Speaks More of Society than Fanatical Religion

Thu, 8 May 2008 13:44:05 EDT

i appreciate that the makers of Jesus Camp let the people interviewed do all the talking; over all, there is some truth in this flick as long as it's taken with a grain (or maybe a bucket) of salt

Comment by Pirate Aggro on Jesus Camp Speaks More of Society than Fanatical Religion

Wed, 9 Jan 2008 18:39:25 EST

I just saw Jusus Camp for the first time this weekend. The movie is scary for anyone who is not an Evangelical Christian. While I do not agree with everything you wrote, I agree that the movie is indicative of American Culture. When I was growing up in Colorado, radical Christians were around but they were a fringe group not to be taken seriously and easily ignored. Now, living in the heartland again after a 9 year absence, the landscape has changed. Now it is hard to hear a point of view other than the radical religious right. Now it is impossible to ignore them because, as the woman in the movie says, their goal is total domination. More moderate voices have been silenced. The more moderate churches are dwindling in the shadow of the mega-churches.

Comment by Baritone on Jesus Camp Speaks More of Society than Fanatical Religion

Sun, 6 Jan 2008 17:40:51 EST

Diana, I saw Jesus Camp several months ago. I found it most disturbing. They are in fact training those children to be warriors for Jesus. The militant approach they take is tantamount to brainwashing. Young minds are the easiest to mold, and as they grow into adulthood, they will be much more difficult to change. Most of them will be dyed in the wool "true believers" upon reaching their majority. That what we - atheists, agnostics and other less ardent christians - likely would look upon as mental and emotional abuse is, unfortunately, considered by their parents to be none of our business. Obviously, coming between a parent and his or her children is a dicey proposition. Defining just when active, concerned parenting becomes abuse is difficult at best. There are people for a number of reasons have no business having or raising kids. But, in a supposedly free society restricting parenthood smacks of an authoritarian or even totalitarion society, which we find repugnant. Given several historical precedents, the government certainly cannot be assumed to provide better child rearing skills than a child's natural parents. Government or other outside intervention in some instances such as that illustrated in Jesus Camp might be preferable, but very difficult to pull off. Baritone

Comment by Ruvy in Jerusalem on Jesus Camp Speaks More of Society than Fanatical Religion

Sun, 6 Jan 2008 07:08:38 EST

While I do not agree with some of your perpectives, you have the key points lined up. The parent is the teacher of the child, and if the parent allows someone to "get to the kid first" with an intelligent upbringing, that parent can no longer be heard to whine about society. The first society the child knows is mommy and daddy. If mommy and daddy don't care, SOMEONE ELSE WILL. Children are a valuable commodity, and the parent who cannot see even this is truly a fool who deserves to lose his child to a sick culture.