There is something awfully eerie seeing children as young as six possessed by the spirit, speaking in tongues, with tears rolling down their cheeks. Yet one sees this again and again in the film Jesus Camp... with many different kids.
Under camp's founder and pastor Becky Fischer's (top image) tutelage, children aged six to 13 speak in tongues and pray for the appointment of pro-life Supreme Court justices. Second pic from the bottom: a cardboard effigy of President George Bush is trundled into the chapel and the children are asked to pray and ask God to bless and protect him from his opponents. Bottom pic: Mike Papantonio, a self-professed Methodist and radio talkshow host offers commentary several times in the film and at one point debates Fischer.
They also get a chance to try their hand at preaching to their peers, for Fischer's mission is to train these kids to be "Christian soldiers" to wage war against unbelievers.
The services she presides over are no ordinary ones. They are highly charismatic, hyper-expressive affairs with weeping, jumping and trance-like adulation of "God" and "Jesus" - names invoked again and again like talismans.
As one nine or 10 year-old points out, what they have is not a "dead church" with more sedate practices. In her mind, God does not visit his favours on those Christians who participate in dead churches.
What more of non-Christians? Indeed, one hears Fisher speak about Muslims, for example, in combative tones. "Our enemies," she says in the film, are putting efforts into training their children, and so Americans must be "as committed to the cause of Jesus Christ as [Muslims] are to Islam."
She sees children as a "usable" resource for the cause of Christianity. "Studies have shown that a person's moral values in life are set in place between the ages of seven to nine years of age and will change very little after that."
She speaks of morality, but as the film shows, it's hard to miss the political objectives. At one point, a cardboard effigy of President George Bush is trundled into the chapel and the children are asked to pray and ask God to bless and protect him from his opponents.
These children aren't exposed to such indoctrination - for there is really no other word to describe what goes on there - at just the summer camp. They come from homes that have primed them since they were infants. Twelve-year-old Levi O'Brien is home-schooled by his mother, and in the scene we're shown, the lesson is about the truth of creationism.
In another home, the whole family has to recite a code of loyalty to the Christian doctrine before what looks like mealtime. Saying grace may be too effete for these future warriors, both boys and girls.
Not a cult
One is tempted to think that what we're seeing is a cult. But "cult" is a wholly inadequate word when over 100 million Americans are evangelicals and 30 million of them are charismatic or Pentecostal - the type who lay great store in speaking in tongues, rolling and writhing on the ground, and healing through the laying of hands.
According to the film's publicity material, 43 percent of evangelicals in the US claim to have "accepted Christ" before the age of 13. About half of all Americans reject evolution as an explanation for how the world has come to be what it is.
The scenes in the film may be from a summer camp, but the subject in focus is a much bigger phenomenon. Also, as Mike Papantonio, a self-professed Methodist and radio talkshow host who appears throughout the film, commented that this is much more than religion. This is political Christianity, whose members "elbow their way into positions of influence."
Yet, whichever way you look, you see unreason. How does unreason sell? How are millions of people persuaded by unreason? They aren't, and that's the point.
They are manipulated when they are young and impressionable. The messages are highly emotive: about love, being wanted, and standing up to social ridicule for being so devout. Fearsome images of Satan testing them with temptation are conjured; guilt and highly public repentance are elevated to theatre. In short, worship services are well-choreographed exercises in mass hysteria.
The kids are isolated from an education that stresses reason - thus the popularity of home schooling, away from what their parents would call the evolutionists.
There is at the same time, a stoking of insecurity, cultivating a sense of being under siege. Muslims are repeatedly mentioned. Secularism too is painted as a huge monster out to exterminate Christians, and as many of us know, gays and lesbians are said to be at the vanguard of this attack on them.
Now in Asia
Unfortunately, this phenomenon of political Christianity is becoming more and more evident in Asia. We hear their strident call to arms in Hong Kong, South Korea and Singapore. In the latter, they have been pounding their war drums particularly loudly this year as the debate about Section 377A of the Penal Code gathers steam. This is the law that makes it an offence for two men to have sexual relations.
No one should imagine it is going to be easy countering them. Reason will not work, because they didn't form their views through reason in the first place. All that reason can do is to prevent those currently sitting on the fence from being swayed over to their side.
Theirs is an emotionally charged set of beliefs, and to sustain that charge, they must have identifiable enemies. In Singapore, where expressing hatred of Muslims is disallowed and certain to bring on the wrath of the government (not that they don't express such ideas in their private cell groups), most of their energies are focused on spreading hate against sexual minorities.
Still, many gays and lesbians underestimate the threat they pose. It is hard for rational people, gay or straight, to take irrational ones seriously. We dismiss them as quacks and loonies, but we do so at our peril. They set out methodically to insinuate themselves into the corridors of power and spread any number of false generalisations in their attempt to marginalise LGBTs. Among those stereotypes is that if equal rights are ever granted to gay people, we would run wild "recruiting" children into the "homosexual lifestyle."
Really, who is doing the recruiting now?
Editor's note: For those interested, former televangelist Ted Haggard makes a brief appearance in the film where he preaches: "we don't have to debate about what we should think about homosexual activity. It's written in the Bible." About two months after the film was released, a former male prostitute revealed that Haggard had paid for sex with him on an almost monthly basis over the previous three years.
讀者回應
And this "business model" of training kids seems to be very successful at keeping kids off the street, reducing crime and thereby improving the economy. Can you imagine kids being intensively trained to be the future Bill Gates, Lee Kuan Yew or Yao Ming? WOW! What am I trying to say here? When it comes to children, there are so many manipulative forces out there and this isn't the most harmful one. So we should relax, keep an eye or two out at them but generally let them be.
And as for the anti-gay issue... it's like a chronic rash on my back. painful, sore... but used to it.
- Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf Vol. 1 Chapter 12
They r innocent...
If God were to punish us, he sld come straight to us... Not through the innocents.....
They do this by simply bemake enemies out of everybody. All these self rightous types.
If God is on their lips all the time, they should be spending more feeding the hungry . Thats a real problem in our world.
why cant they fucking just leave others alone ?
peace
I honestly think God or Jesus has nothing to do with this. This myopic concept of a higher being shared among its believers is most apparent, ungodly, for lack of a more original word. To the people in that video, God is like the person who has an idea for a product. Jesus being the product i.e. After years of promoting Jesus . . . and for what Jesus did or did not do . . . has earned himself the emotional attachment to many . . . naturally becomes a popular brand. It's like some fools to BMWs or Merz . . . if everyone I know owns either or . . . I must be a terrible person if I do not own one. "Ok then, I will do WHATEVER IT TAKES to own one too or both!" Wham bam and let's praise the Lord . . . another one got hooked. Now I will go preach God's words . . . if you do not believe in Jesus . . . well you go straight to hell then.
It is so easy to preach and teach hatred to anyone let alone children (who has no other point of reference or intellectual defence). It is so hard to preach and teach unconditional love . . . like Gandhi or recently, Princess D.
I think this is the real message worth reflecting upon . . . daily. U and I.
Think about this:
Isn't "GOD" supposed to be forgiving, caring, blessing, etc, etc??
If a "GOD" hates you for being who you are OR hates other religon other than itself, DO YOU THINK THAT IS "GOD"??
Hahahahaz..
=)
If "GOD" ask you to hate other religons and sees them as "ENEMIES", do you think THAT is "GOD"??
If "GOD" can't forgive you for the things you do, can't forgive you for being who you really are, do you still think it's the HOLY "GOD"??
Such small things that will bring hatred in "GOD" itself, do you think that "GOD" is worth worshipping??
Think about that...
Lolz...
=D
i believe in god and i believe god loves me
A humanized brand of Christianity that endorses discrimination and persecution of a different other. Are we in trouble? Last days people, last days.
The Church forgave Haggard and claimed he was cleansed and successfully rehabilitated of his sins of homosexuality. How does one fight such demonic hypocrisy? Truths here does not matter. Power is the game here. By admission, it weakens. By denial, it fuels continuance of faith to confuse.
Same logic in politics. The so called "st8" government here got it the first time...they know gays exist. They just dun wanna accept it. Pure and simple. Like Alex said, it's not about reasoning, it's about not giving way; it's about just bulldozing over to stay in power.
God really help us all...the true GOD that is...not the one men made him out to be!!!
by Daphne Caruana Galizia
http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=56117
.............
The debate about whether homosexuals are freaks of nature, people who are essentially "wrong", genetic mistakes who persist in perversity instead of hiding themselves away in solitary chastity, brings to the fore another class of people behaving badly. They are the ones who think that because they have the Vatican on their side, they can tell us who is allowed and who isn't allowed, whom God loves and doesn't love, and who we are allowed to have sex with or not. The only response to that kind of thing is the equally rude "Shut up and mind your own business", but apparently there are those who cannot resist the temptation to engage these relics of a different world in debate. How can they ever hope to convince them with logic and argument? It's impossible. The only thing to do with such people is to ensure that they are never in a position of power over others. Fortunately, there are legal and political safeguards against the return of the Inquisition.
You cannot use logic with people who are essentially illogical in their thinking. It doesn't have any effect. Religious faith, intolerance and overwrought emotions have in-built defences against logic. The most common argument they use is that homosexual sex is evil in the eyes of God because it is "barren" and can never produce a child. Yet there is no parallel teaching that copulation after the menopause is evil in God's eyes - on the contrary, women whose child-bearing days are long past are urged to have sex with their husband on demand "because it is their duty".
.................
I am not a Christian, but is hatred a sin for Christian? Is it right to hate Muslim and gay? Just wonder how those children will answer this question. I feel so sad for them.
Don;t ask why- just observe.
Islam is the only religion in the world that believe in the Unity of God, One and Only God. Christianity believes in 3-in-1 including Jesus as Son of God. But when we read the bible, we can never find a verse in which Jesus himself said 'I am God worship me'. While he made so much effort to tell his disciples 'Worship One God, our Lord'.
While Islam is not an aggressive religion trying to convert people it has become very unpopular in Asia, in addition to all the negative images brought by the so-called terrorists impounded by an even negative publicity from the west.
We should never accept fundamentalist ideals cause moderation is the best.
This world is run by wicked people with the intention to wield power and seize vital resources at the expense of other people.
I hope we people can be more awake and go beyond news propaganda to understand the real reasons !
I don't offer any solutions...am just thankful that I'm not one of the kids in this documentary!!
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
Matthew 25:
Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;
I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.'
Then they also will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?' Then He will answer them,saying, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.'
Moral of the day: Let PLUs be the most forgiving and loving people in the world! PRAY, forgive, and love.
Even teachings that teach people to hate people who are taught to hate, such as this article.
Throw the stone at everyone, even yourself...
LETS AGREE. LEAVE THE KIDS ALONE. IF THEIR FOLKS'RE FROM TINSEL TOWN, WHAT CAN THEY DO AS MINORS? UNDERSTAND? WHATEVER THEIR DESTINY, PREACHER OR PROSTITUE, GOD STILL LOVES....NO STRINGS. YOU DUN CHOOSE WHERE U'RE BORNED! ERM, I'M BORNed A WORDSMITH, HARCHEW!)
UNDER THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE, A BODHI TREE...FROM SUTRAS TO SCRIPTURES.
LET NOT OUR POWERFUL MIND BE PLACED ON PEDESTAL. NOTHING FANATICAL.....(JIHAD OR GANESH(PROSPERITY).
MANTRA TO MANNA, OR MISSION IMPOSSIBLE. LEAVE BELIEFS ASIDE. ADDRESS ISSUES OUTSIDE THE GARDEN. LIKE, WHEN WILL ALEX BRINGS FOOD TO THE TABLES OF THE CHILDREN WITHOUT PARENTS...OR WHOS DYING OF A STRANGE SICKNESS BECOZ OF AN IRRESPONSIBLE PARENT, NOT FROM TINSEL TOWN. (WORDS AINT SHOW BIZ, WORDS POLITICIAN-WANNABE). I WANNA HEAR ONLY GOOD NEWS!!!
Dont we? (heartlanders to high brow 'A' lists...)
NO FARCADE.(FOR THOSE WHO DUN UNDRERSTAND...IT MEANS A MASK! WAYANG)
PLEBIANS, ARISTOCRATS, + WANNABES....HAVE A HEART...+ KNOW THAT HEART!
MY EARS 'RE OPEN.
WORDS ARE VOID TILL THEY HAVE A SOUL. RHEMA!(CHECK DICTIONARY)
A VIEW. BUT OF MINE. AND I BELIEF EVERY WORD i wrote . DO YOU?
wordsmith(untitled)?
YOUR EMPRESS
COSMOPOLITAN CHINOSERIE(CHINESE).
23.08 05_11HRS_2007+
That sounds reasonable until you think about the kids who before they can fully question and explore their sexuality are led "straight" into the ex-gay program. How many might end up like Ted Haggard. This is so damaging to the kids themselves, and we are talking about a potentially large number of such kids given the proliferation of evangelical camps, ministries, churches worldwide.
THE CAUSE AND EFFECT ....NO MATTER WHO WE ARE OR WHERE WE WERE OR WETHER YOU BELIVE A NOT IT IS STILL THERE ...A WORD OF WISDOM BY MOST OF THE RELIGION
"They took their priests as leaders whom quietly devour the substances of men while leading them to the wrong path."
"The words that come from their mouths are the same words that unbelievers of old times (pagans) used to say."
"On Judgment Day, no soul shall bear the burden of another nor shall compensation be accepted from him, neither will there be help from outside. A soul shall be entirely judged based on his own merit"
"Fain would they extinguish God's light with their own mouths, but His light shall be perfected even though the unbelievers may detest to it."
"Love thy neighbour first before love God."
"God begets not nor is He begotten.
"Never take life which God has made sacred except for just cause. And if anyone is slain wrongfully, We have given his heir the authority to demand for punishment or to forgive, but let him not exceed bounds in the matter of taking life."
"Come not nigh to the orphan's property except to improve it"
"Those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, and establish regular prayers and regular charity, will have their reward with their Lord; On them shall be no fear nor shall they grieve."
"And pursue not that of which thou hast no knowledge, for every act of hearing, or of seeing, or of feeling in the heart will be enquired into on the Day of Reckoning."
"For it is not consonant with the majesty of God most gracious that He should beget a Son. Not one of the beings in the heavens and the earth but must come to Him as a servant. And every one shall come to Him singly on the Day of Judgment."
"From the earth did We create you, and into it shall We return you and from it shall We bring you out once again."
"Do not the unbelievers see that the Heavens (i.e. planets, stars) and the Earth were joined together as one unit of creation before We clove them asunder ? We made from water every living thing. Will they not then believe ?'
"It is God our Lord who created the sun and the moon and all the celestial bodies, all swim along, each in its rounded course."
"Sigh Men is a creature of haste. Soon enough will I show you my Signs; then ye will not ask Me to hasten them !'
they are just blinded by their own differences.
I guess i'll skip this show lest it induces hatred to them all.
God is innocent.. only the humans aren't.
Good day folks.
Does ANYBODY even dare to challange the hundreds and thousands of Muslim/Islamic schools for children, television programs for children etc. that brainwash innocent children? Martyrdom, violence, hatred and terrorism is extolled as the highest and most noble of behavior and character traits, including DEATH and TORTURE / BEHEADING to ALL HOMOSEXUALS.
...or would that be insensitive to the feelings of the Islamic community?
Signed:
A Proud Christian Gay who is weary of anti-Christian attacks by the Gay Community and their indifference / tolerance of "Death to Homosexuals" by the Islamic Imams and every Muslim Country.
Beheadings are part of the human laws enacted only in Iran only due to their cultural/traditional beliefs on gays and not based on religion.
Even then, gay activities are happening widely in Muslim countries since old times during the reign of the Sultans where they kept young boys as companions.
Muslim schools have never propagated hate campaign. Perhaps you should visit one of these schools where the children are basically thought to read the Quran in addition to secular subjects like Maths, History and Mathematics. Please dont make such false accusations on Muslims.
Death sentence for gay acts in every Muslim country ?? Are u kidding me?? Then why are there gay saunas in Malaysia, Indonesia, Turkey and Lebanon ??
I can accept if you said that gay activities are not encouraged in Islam cause it goes against the normal nature of humankind, but Islam does not condemn gays. We accept gays as part of the society and religious leaders sometimes term 'gay' as 'unsa' i.e. the 'unfortunate people born with a defective birth'. Only God can decide our fate !
Sometimes i really don understand why Christians are so anti-muslims. We never have any ill-wills towards you people.
I guess there's no point in hating these kids either when they grew up. They're like alot of those Taliban members who grew up being preached the extreme views of their religion. They ain't exactly blameless for causing terror acts, but they don't carry all the blames. Any and every religions have their own black sheeps, so we can't really generalize all of them.
I think the topic is a little too bias and very objective. Everyone has their own set of believes it is not right to just boycott a religon just because someone made a mistake.
Just like minority of LGBT who is not faithful, but doesn't mean all of us are right? Who's going to give us the chance then? :)
Gay people are too preoccupied with looking pretty, partying (includes having good social time) and getting laid-period!. Where did u think gay people got the label GAY from?...;D
"Gays just wanna have fun!..dig?!
Or the Eunuchs in Chinese imperial dynasties. They are notorious power hungry subjects with tendencies to corrupt and torture people disloyal to them.
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