Jesus Camp

So I just watched Jesus Camp this morning. Hmmm...I don't know what to say haha. I rented it at Blockbuster a few nights ago. There was nothing else that looked interesting! Most of the good movies were rented out and I've always wanted to just see it.

I think that she has a good heart, but at the very least, her approach is all wrong.

The first thirteen minutes with the kids seizing and shouting in tongues even freaked me out! And I grew up in an Assembly of God church! I could only imagine how someone unchurched felt when they saw that.

And teaching kids about abortion? What was that about?? I don't think they're even old enough to know what to think. And taping "LIFE" on their lips....o man.

One nine year old said that depending on what church you go to, Jesus may or may not be there. That's sad. She said that if you're not up shouting, dancing and exclaiming "Hallelujah, Thank you Jesus" then He's not there. I personally think that Jesus is with you at all times. I love how Rob Bell puts it in his Breathe video when he talks about how everyone is breathing his unspeakable name. Everyone. To live you speak his name, to die you speak his name one last time. I love it. Another blog.... :)

Ted Haggard describes what evangelism is to little kids as if it's a marketing ploy stating that the kid's "love it". That when the teachers are telling them that they're animals, they're telling them that God loves them so they, in a sense, buy in. At least that's how I took it. Which is true -- but it just sounded wrong.

Becky (is that her name?), at one of their nightly services, tells the children that they are hypocrites. That some of the kids are christians but aren't acting like it all the time, at home and at school. I felt sorry for the kids. They're kids. They show them all crying and I could only think about how guilty they were made to feel. Guilt. Great "tactic". This is coming from the lady that in the first five minutes talked about fat lazy people that couldn't fast for a day or 40 days when she weighs about 200 pounds. Sorry! That's how I saw it, and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

Becky also preaches about the ploys that Satan can use to draw you away from God. The first being sin. I agree with Jeff that she should be countering the darkness with light, not with dark. She even writes, the wages of sin is death in a font that looks like blood is dripping. Another scare tactic. Let's scare it into 'em. Well, I guess it works. At one point she yells out three times "This means war!"...to which I responded "What about love!". (I was watching this by myself haha).

Now I realize that the people that made this movie had an agenda and that things were probably made out of context. However, the people said what they said. I just think it's sad.

I guess what gets me is that I went to youth camps and things like that. I don't remember it being that bad. I mean we certainly weren't required to all raise our hands and all speak in tongues at the same time. And, I won't even say that I discount my entire time at the camps. Sometimes I had great moments. I guess what I'm trying to say is that...I don't know.

I will say that I don't think that there's only one way to worship God. That you have to be loud and boisterous and jump up and down. It doesn't make me a bad person for worshipping him the way that I do.