Jesus Camp

A couple of nights ago I watched a documentary called Jesus Camp. This is the blurb from Netflix that I read prior to watching the film:

This riveting Oscar-nominated documentary offers an unfiltered look at a revivalist subculture where devout Christian youngsters are being primed to deliver the fundamentalist community's religious and political messages. Building an evangelical army of tomorrow, the Kids on Fire summer camp in Devil's Lake, N.D., is dedicated to deepening the preteens' spirituality and sowing the seeds of political activism as they're exhorted to "take back America for Christ."

The film centers around a children's minister, Becky Fischer, from North Dakota who founded and runs the Kids on Fire summer camp as well as three children who attend the camp. We are introduced to their family life prior to and after attending the summer camp. The families are all very committed to their faith as evidenced by their home-school curriculum as well as family traditions such as pledging allegiance to the Christian flag before each meal.

After watching the film I could not stop thinking about it. It took me awhile before I was able to react to everything in the film. This film addresses so many different topics concerning Christianity and culture (especially the relationship between evangelical Christianity and American culture.)

I think one of the primary reasons this documentary was even made was to explore the relationship between a certain group within evangelical Christianity and politics. This particular group of Christians felt that part of expressing their faith was by being politically active. The underlying belief is that America was once a "Christian Country" because it was founded on Judeo-Christian beliefs. Therefore, these Christians feel it is their mission to "take back America for Christ" as they say. This belief, one could argue, can be traced back to the puritans who came to America to escape persecution from the Church of England. John Winthrop who was the governor of Massachusetts Bay Colony (Boston) believed that their colony would be a "city on a hill" for all the world to see. Many puritans believed that their colonies would be blessed by God, like a new Israel. However, since the beginning America has been a country of religious freedom. The puritans were not the only people who escaped in order to practice their religion freely. The constitution does have Judeo-Christian values (no doubt from the deist author Thomas Jefferson), it has always affirmed the separation of Church and State. So, this group of Evangelical Christians are really wanting to return to this "Golden Era" of our country's history that does not exist (at least outside of a few Puritan colonies.)

As if it isn't clear already, I completely affirm the separation of church and state. I do not think that the state should support any one religion over against another (or any denomination over another for that matter.) I also do not think that politics belongs within the church. Politics do not belong in the pulpit. There was a fair amount of "preaching politics" in this movie. At one point during the camp a pastor came in and gave a sermon about abortion. Please do not get me wrong - I am not in favor of abortions, but I am not in favor of preaching about Roe vs. Wade. Did I miss something or is Roe vs. Wade in the Bible? He concluded his sermon telling these children that it was their Christian duty to work toward overturning Roe vs. Wade. God has risen up their Generation to do this. (Reading in between the lines at this point might look like this: "If you don't support this, you really aren't a Christian.")

Another issue that was quite prominent within the movie had to do with the relationship between Christianity and science. At least one family in this film spent a significant amount of time discrediting science. I was not surprised to see the evolution/creationism/intelligent design debate arise since it has been discussed since the Scopes Trial. What I wasn't expecting was the dismissal of Global Warming. The mother homeschooled her boys and was teaching them that Global Warming is a myth - just a political issue with no merit. That really shocked me. It seems to me that the people who are concerned about global warming are concerned about the earth and protecting it. Isn't that the same concern Christians should have based on the mandate found in Genesis that we are to be stewards of the Earth? To have such a distrust of science to disbelieve something just because science says it is scary.

Okay - so those are really peripheral issues in this documentary - but they were easier to address so they went first. Now on to Becky Fischer and her camp. It should be noted that Becky Fischer and the families in this film are very charismatic. By charismatic I mean that the film shows these children speaking in tongues, being slain in the spirit, etc. The sight can be quite disturbing for someone who has never encountered the spiritual gifts, and frankly, a bit disturbing for those who have. I am of the belief that people can and do have spiritual gifts, but not everyone. I also am convinced that many people who believe they are speaking in tongues are not and are in fact speaking gibberish because they have been told that speaking in tongues is a sign of having the Holy Spirit and being a Christian.

Another aspect of very charismatic Christians is the reliance upon contemporary prophecy. This group is no different. When I was in Kansas City for the One Thing Conference connected with the International House of Prayer, the speaker said that prophets were rising up and saying that this was the generation who would see Jesus return. This movie reflects similar beliefs. These children were constantly being told that they were the "key generation" that was to be used by God in a special and unique way in order to bring about Christ's return. Jesus himself said that his return would be like a thief in the night. No one would know the day nor hour. That is why I distrust prophetic words concerning Christ's return. We just cannot know.

I think that the most disturbing sentiment came from Becky Fischer. It was hinted at throughout the movie, but at the end during an interview with a radio talk show host (who was also a Christian and a lawyer) where she became very clear about her mission. Becky looks at the children in the fundamentalist Islamic nations, etc. who are being sent off and trained as soldiers and terrorists. She has not missed the fact that they are motivated by their commitment to Islam - radicals for their faith. She is horrified at the idea of a child shooting a gun, but inspired by their religious commitment. It is her goal/mission in life to see Christian children as radical and committed to their faith as the Muslim children. And the way to do that is to indoctrinate them at a young age.

Let that sink in for a minute.

Okay, I'm all for radical commitment to Christ. I've given my life to serve in the church as a teacher (at least I'm in the process of doing that). But indoctrination? What about the Christian message requires indoctrination? That God loves you? That Christ died for you? I agree with Becky that there is a lack of commitment among most American Christians but indoctrination is not the answer. Discipleship is the answer.

What happens when these kids grow up and something difficult happens in their life? What happens when one of them encounter something in science that they cannot deny? Does their faith crumble? Do they go through life hostile towards others who do not share in their views? Yes, train up a child in the way they should go, but do not cut them off from the world and let them come to Christ freely of their own accord. Set the example as the parents but ultimately it is not up to the parents whether or not their children are Christians. It is up to God to call and the child to answer.

Finally,

Please remember that we do have an obligation as Christians to do what we can to help our neighbor.
We have an obligation to set an example by love.

My apologies for the obscenely long and muddled post. Sometimes Christians just shoot themselves in the foot by the things we say and do in the name of Christ.