Jesus Camp

If there is one thing which "Jesus Camp" reveals, it is the extent to which some adults will rob children of a normal childhood in order to foster their own politico-religious agenda. The children in this film are not being inculcated with moral and spiritual values; they are being manipulated into quasi-religious hysteria. In the name of a warped sense of religiosity the adults in this film are deliberately creating cadres of Christianist "yes men." This isn't faith; it's hypnosis.

I do not doubt the good intentions of parents who indoctrinate their children from an early age with principles of religion; after all, the Catholic Church has encouraged this for centuries, and there are wonderful religious schools of all types which provide a strong moral and ethical education to our children. Giving children a foundation of values is invaluable. However, the religio-political cultism demonstrated in this film is beyond the pale. I can guarantee you that if those parents in the film had been born Muslim rather than Christian they would be at the forefront of such practices as stoning and clitoral circumcision. If that's what their particular Good Book calls for, they are all for it. It sure saves thinking for oneself. At the very least, those who survive this kind of cultist indoctrination may turn out to be psychologically disturbed or emotionally impaired. The children of "Jesus Camp" are the kinds of people who wind up as bigots, informers, and lovers of authoritarianism, and who join the myriad of "holier-than-thou" types who already populate American so-called Christianity. These children may never be able to think for themselves. If they do eventually see through this well-intentioned nonsense, they can wind up as the kind of obnoxious hypocrites which they themselves would be quick to condemn.

What an astounding coincidence, then, that one of those very kinds of people shows up for quite a while towards the end of film. Ted Haggard, Evangelical pastor and newly confessed drug-buyer and patron of "male-massage", is seen counseling a young boy on how to play upon his youth in order to spread the Word. You can already see the young boy fawning over his adult admirers and saying whatever he thinks will please them and bring him a measure of recognition. That's the insidious thing about the "Jesus Camp", the kids really want to please their adult trainers. As for Haggard, in the spirit of Christian love and forgiveness he's already been kicked out of his Church. No turn-the-other-cheek Amish among that bunch. Can't have a guy like Haggard hanging around - especially now that he's been found out. As for the adults who encourage slavish indoctrination of their children, I think they would have been more comfortable in 1930's Spain, Italy, or Germany. Each of those countries had its cadre of young, true believers, too.

This film made my hair stand on end and I came away from it thinking that the adults in it ought to be indicted for child abuse. These children are being intellectually immobilized in the name of goodness and purity. Do they really think they are superior to other young religious zealots who study nothing but their holy book but who are not Christians? It seems that children ought to be exposed to all the wonders of the world instead of being told that their job is to point out the errors of others. Children are highly impressionable and mostly believe what adults tell them. We can only hope that some of these children get some exposure to reality later which will help them live productive and caring lives as people who can accept the world's diversity. The prospects are not good.

I saw this film at the Silverdocs festival, expecting it to be little more than an oddball slice of Americana, but I was pleasantly surprised.

"Jesus Camp" revolves around a pentecostal minister who hosts a summer camp for children in North Dakota, and the sectarian Christian conservative families who send their children to this camp. Directors Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady wisely chose to avoid the polemical tone of most politically-motivated films, and instead opt to present a mostly unfiltered glimpse of this odd subculture. But through carefully selected images and the use of talk radio commentary as a framing device, they construct a subtle, yet damning narrative about a religious movement that isolates its children from mainstream culture, indoctrinates them into right-wing causes, and uses them as political props.

At Jesus Camp, the daily activities include standard camp fare such as spelunking and go-karts, but they also include speaking in tongues and smashing coffee mugs emblazoned with the word "government". Children learn that "science doesn't prove anything," and learn to consider themselves part of an Army of God. They are compelled to pledge that they will fight to end abortion. They are even pushed into publicly confessing their impure thoughts, and many of them cry and wail charismatically.

The camp director explains that she admires the way Islamic cultures raise children so devoted they will risk their lives for their faith. When we ultimately see several of the campers being placed by their parents on the steps of the Capitol with tape over their mouths, protesting abortion, the real purpose of this camp is driven home.

But the most touching scenes are the ones where the children are alone, and we see the ways that this indoctrination creeps into the most innocent elements of childhood. 11 year old Tori loves dancing to Christian rock, but frets that it's not always easy to dance for God instead of "dancing for the flesh." On an outing to the bowling alley, 9 year old Rachael feels compelled to walk up to strangers and awkwardly evangelize to them, without being prompted. A roomful of boys telling ghost stories after dark are interrupted by an adult who warns them about stories that don't glorify God.

No doubt some viewers will accuse the filmmakers of the dreaded liberal bias. But this is not a work of fiction, nor is it slanted reporting. These are real people and real events, captured on film. If the evangelical movement comes off badly in this film, the people on screen have no one but themselves to blame.

As a man of religion I don't want to be too critical of the Evangelicals in this documentary, but man! It's hard to watch these kids being drilled on adult issues in a very cult-like way and not feel a certain type of way about it. All parents are going to instill some form of beliefs, ethics, morals, or principles into their children, that's part of being a parent. You have to teach them to be good and upstanding before releasing them upon society. And sure, every parent may go about that teaching process in a different way, but watching "Jesus Camp" I couldn't help but be bothered. These kids aren't old enough to even think about sex, yet they're being lectured about abortion. Not once did I hear anything about being truthful, honest, kind, or generous. I just heard, "Love Jesus." "Pray for this, pray for that, and don't sin." "Jesus Camp" is scary and not for the reasons the camp-goers would think.

I went to a "Jesus Camp" when I was a kid. This was back in the 70s, before politicians had completely co-opted evangelical Christianity...or vice versa. Even so, the teachings were so anachronistic that I didn't attend church of any kind for the next 10 years. I was told that my "unsaved" friends were going to hell. That's pretty traumatizing. This was in the northeast, not the South, as many might assume. Never assume.

Other concerning details about this church/camp: While at most camps, junior counselors are called CITs, for "counselors in training," at this camp, they were called HITs, for "husbands in training" and "housewives in training". I KID YOU NOT.

We had hours of church EVERY DAY. AT CAMP!

During one hours long service, several kids, including myself were brought on stage for questioning. Each child was asked what they want to be when they grow up. Every single one said "a missionary " (met by loud cheers) except for me. When they got to me, I said "an actress!". Silence...I've gotta love that kid.

One day, I pulled an HIT aside and asked her what about my Jewish friends? They don't believe Jesus is the Messiah. And what about people in parts of the world where they've never even heard of Jesus? Would they all go to Hell?!? She was stunned. Speechless. Had she never even considered the question? Had she never met a non-christian? She said she needed to go away and think about that question. The next day (really, girl?), she came back with the answer. Here it is: People who've never had access to "the word" are spared because it's not their fault...but my Jewish friends? Well, they have access...so if they don't renounce their religion and accept Jesus as their personal savior, they were going to Hell. OMG! Criminal.

I saw this documentary when it first came out and recognized so many of the messages and manipulation. Seeing it again 15 years later, it's even more chilling because I see the damage that all of the intervening years of religious/political division have done to our country. This doc was a warning.

Religion has no business in school or in politics. It's incredibly dangerous and divisive. Keep it in the home because it's PERSONAL, not policy. I have to thank Word Of Life Camp for teaching me the dangers of organized religion, though it was clearly not their intention. I saw very young how it could be twisted into a weapon of ignorance.