1.14.2009

At five I got saved because I just wanted more from life

So, last night I watched Jesus Camp.  Definitely not something you should watch before you want to go to sleep because it got me all fired up ... in a not good way.  If you can handle the ridiculousness that is Evangelicals, then you should check it out.  Google it and you can watch it online.  I found it absolutely frightening - watching those kids being brainwashed by the corrupted leaders they are following.  ... Let's see ... background - it centers on three Evangelical children (well, two more specifically) through a year, but mainly while they go to a Kids on Fire Camp.  

The camp director, and most famous evangelical youth pastor, Becky Fischer is kind of odd.  Now, I don't know for sure, but my gaydar kinda went off when I saw this big ole chick with a manly voice talking, who knows... guess that's up to her and God.  Some of my "favorite" quotes of Becky's are that they are "not on a political mission." Um, YEAH RIGHT.  Throughout the whole documentary they talk about how they need Christians in the government and that the separation of church and state is stupid.  Also, she addressed Harry Potter saying that "warlocks are the enemies of God" ... and if "Harry Potter had been in the Old Testament he would have been put to death!"  ... well, obviously she has not found a fan in me.  I won't get into my Harry Potter debate because it seems like I have this same argument with one of my aunts everytime she comes into town telling me I'm going to hell - it was especially awesome when she came right before the election... um, just kidding.  OH!  And the icing on the cake from Ms. Becky Fischer "George W Bush has brought some real credibility to the Christian faith!"  OH MY WORD --- yeah right.  If anything he has turned the whole world against the Christian faith, these people must live in a shiny happy bubble of ignorance.  Ugh.

One of the kids, Levi (12), wants to be a pastor when he grows up and he is home schooled by his God-fearin mama who doesn't believe in science... yes that is right!  DOESN'T BELIEVE IN THINGS THAT ARE SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN ... with the evangelical population in our country rising it's not wonder our education is falling behind all the others.  His mom believes the world was created only 6,000 years ago and the "creationism has all the answers."  She jokes to her son asking if he has gotten to the part in his incredibly biased home-schooling science book where it states something about "how science hasn't proven anything."  They also do not believe in global warming and think since humans are only on the Earth for a short time we should use all the resources up.  Drill baby drill and all that jazz... ugh.  MAVERICK. (had to)

There is one more colorful character I want to address from the documentary and that is Pastor Ted Haggard ... in case you don't know about him, he's from Colorado Springs, the place with the largest concentration of Evangelicals, and he's one (was one) of the most famous pastors for those people.  Well, turns out he was in a gay sex/crystal meth scandal shortly after the documentary was filmed and was released of all his pastoral duties.  But of course, most of you are saying "well, no shocker there, we all know some of the most influential religious leaders are corrupt."  Obviously, but I thought it was pretty funny.  Something that he said is especially scary because it is so true - "If Evangelicals vote, they determine the election."  And with the population of them growing this is becoming even more true.

What message is being sent to children.  Obviously they are highly impressionable and their brains are like sponges.  These people are so afraid of letting their children use their own "God-given brain" to make a choice for themselves that they turn to brainwashing them at an early age.  And it is brain-washing.  You watch the documentary and tell me it isn't.  They scare these children to tears repeatedly and tell them how horrible they are.  They do not preach a message of love and compassion, they preach a message of war - literally dressing up their children in war paint and camo stuff.  Their number one enemy is Islam whose followers send a similar message.  What is wrong with this?

Okay... I hate it when I get preachy.  Obviously politics and religion gets me worked up.  I guess I just believe in learning and figuring out things for yourself, from ALL view points - that is why I watch things like this and read about this kind of stuff - before I form an opinion.  I'm just afraid, I guess.  Most of the Christians I know are loving and compassionate people, most of them.  The radicals in this faith are scary.  I guess radicals in anything are scary - but religion is powerful, too powerful when it concerns the future of the earth and mankind.  

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