Religion In The Film Jesus Camp

Religion is a very sensitive topic to discuss. To discuss religion, is to walk through a minefield. People deserves for their own opinion and beliefs. In contemporary America, it is common now turn from established religions or do not have religion at all. Religion has stricken much debate over its origins. Some finds propose that some sort of religion has been existing since the beginning of mankind. Evidence of sacrificial ceremonies can relate the relationship between man and animal, and between man and his natural environment were described in religious records such as Bible, Koran, and Buddhist Scriptures.

I am not a religious person or wasn’t brought up in a religious family therefore, the film “Jesus Camp” was quite surprising! Extremely

religious to me although I do respect all religions. Religious people may feel obnoxious about my response but this word came to my mind and the word that lingered there throughout the whole documentary. And I must confess that I’ve always been uncomfortable with religion-especially with zealots who believe in their religion so enthusiastically that they don't respect anyone who isn't included in their little ideological congregation or don’t recognize any other religion. In fact, in the film “Jesus Camp”, a mother of Evangelical Christian told her child that there are only two kinds of people are existing in the world, Christian and non Christian. This comments would make her child become hostile against non Christian. Furthermore, the arrogant thought that they are the only "chosen ones" selected personally by God who will survive throughout the end irritated me.
The camp founder of the Jesus Camp as well as Pastor Becky Fischer's psychopatical demonstration on the reason why Evangelical Christians should be targeting innocent children were quite a shock.

She stated, “I believe it is critical to properly educate our children to worship God and to devote themselves to the Christian cause. It’s what our loathe enemies, Islams do as well.” She also added that she doesn’t think it is a brainwashing. ” Just because the children are impressionable and vulnerable, and because God ordered her to do so-we should be training the kids from their youth. This sounds pretty gruesome. What makes they are better than extremist Muslim groups?

In the “Jesus camp”, I observe religious fundamentalist indoctrination in action. It is shown how the organizers of the camp “Kids on Fire” plan on indoctrinating children in the camp with the “right message”. Pastor Fischer wants to create a parallel to muslim training camps in Palestine, which in reality don’t exist anymore than in any other place, but with the right message of evangelical Christians. I also understand pretty clearly how in this age, fundamentalism is occurring in the modern world, and this is evident both in the Christian and the Islamic

world.
Statistical data reflects that seventy eight (78) percentage of Evangelical Christians are homeschooled. Because Evangelical Christians want to make sure that their children are being raised and taught as exactly as what is being taught at their Church. However, indoctrination occurring from the domestic level itself. For instance, Levi, who participates in Kids on Fire, who also being homeschooling by her mother, is an example of victim of Indoctrination education. He actually has been given anti creationism lessons by his mother. Not only that, his mother also taught Levi that global warming is made merely a political issue rather than a global problem. We see almost an ideological hegemony of religion being imposed on the children. Their brains are hegemonised to the level that they cannot even think against their practices. Levi argues that there is no problem with him, it’s with the other children who do not fulfill their purpose i.e. to serve God, and that they should. A girl named Tory considers only Christian music to be good, and Britney Spears etc. not to be artists at all. This shows how deep the hegemony spreads, for even music and other arenas are fundametalised.
I see in the film “Jesus Camp” how such children generally have parents who are highly inclined towards their religion. This shows that fundamentalism is a contagious problem. The radio MC in the movie actually argues that why are only children the army of God? His conclusion is that it is because they do not posses the powers of rational thought, and once that is stripped from them they for the perfect people, in the words of Becky Fischer “we will take America back”. We see this problem extending not only to the level...but it is a pretty political comments. Politics are also very difficult topic to discuss. Often times I read that religion and politics should be kept separate. They should not be mixed. However, in the film “Jesus Camp”,
They say there’s enough religion in the world to make men hate each other but not enough to make them love. Although I am not a religious person, I believe the “true religious or true God” is supposed to make sense to us at all times. Jesus Camp is an eye-opening film that documents the beliefs of a segment of Pentecostalism and how those beliefs impact society.