Wednesday, May 16, 2007


I’ve managed to do it two days in a row. Disturb myself by watching a movie. Last nights movie made a big impact on me. Only this time the movie was a documentary and that was even more disturbing. The movie is called Jesus Camp. Without any narration the cameras allow us to watch a female minister as she shapes the minds of the children with flare, showmanship and lots of spiritual muscle. Frankly, she struck me a repressed lesbian. Of course it goes with out saying these religious zealots love George Bush. At one point they have a card board statue of George Bush that’s placed at the front of the chapel. The children are instructed to pray and praise George Bush, as if he were some type of Demi-God. The Children respond by lifting there hands and arms out stretched, eyes closed with a fervent desire to live for, pray for and love George Bush. Additionally the repressed lesbian, head Minster explained that she honors George Bush for being a born again Christian. She continued by saying that his example has been permission giving to the evangelical movement. This movie was disturbing for a few reasons. The militant approach coupled with the absolute belief that they are right and everybody else is wrong. I’m not surprised really so much as I’m sad. As a counselor I understand how denial works and how people are driven by their narrative. What’s bothersome is there absolute desire to condemn anyone who doesn’t conform to their way of belief and they manage to wrap it all up by saying Jesus told them so. Some how I suspect that this isn’t what Christ had in mind. My heart goes out to the children who never had a fighting chance. This stuck me as religious abuse where the children are being taken advantage of. I’ve accepted the fact that Christ true meaning of love, acceptance and understanding has gotten lost over the years. This documentary clearly illustrated how dangerous and disturbing fanaticism is.


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