Jesus Camp

I saw this movie when it first came out in 2006 and at that time I wasn't prepared to make religious decisions for myself so I was just offend that a negative light was shone upon Christianity because after all I am basically a Christian. But in my second viewing of this film I found myself irate and frustrated. As I watched this documentary all I could think about was: my children will never ever be like this. I never want to force my children into something so forcefully. I do not want them to see religion as this epic dividing factor that can essentially destroy nations and start wars. It bothered me that these Evangelicals thought that everything they spoke was the complete and utter truth. They were so ignorant. Or rather they were portrayed in such a painfully ignorant light (but the "potential" bias of this film is a whole other story). They seemed very obsessed with this idea of church and state melding perfectly into one. But perhaps they don't see that so many other religions have that same right to push their religion onto the government and in turn carry tremendous weight when it comes to national decisions. There were so many actions these people took that made me detest organized religion. From what I know it is supposed to be more about your "personal" relationship with God.

I am all for freedom of expression and I would never condemn these individuals for practicing a religion they put so much faith and passion into, so it is perhaps more the way this movie was made that bothered me. In an interview with the Washington Post the directors of Jesus Camp said that they spent over 10 months editing this film so no bias would appear. But I fear I cannot believe this. There is this one scene in the movie when Becky Fischer asks "Do you believe God can do anything?" to a group of children. Then this mother grabs her sons arm and lifts it up sure to be seen. Then there is the music that is played during moments of prayer, and the camera angles they choose to portray this give speaking in tongues this ominous, mystical sensation. To be bias is natural , but this is a documentary that has so much, maybe too much, power to tarnish a religion and ruin the reputation of a church, or rather a camp, and its pastor.