Jesus Camp?

[kmeyrick]

I am watching Jesus Camp on the Biography Channel. Is this going to scare me?

I am a teacher who loves children and I have issues when it comes to spiritual abuse.

[momeg]

It scared me.

[kapatasana]

Originally Posted by momeg

It scared me.

More than anything, it made me sad, and angry.

[simple living mama]

Those people were beyond messed up and messing up the little ones.

[bjorker]

I have wanted to see this one for so long, but I can't bring myself to watch it.

[AoifesMom]

I am watching it right now and it is deeply disturbing.

[Imogen]

I found it disturbing, horrifying and it made me very, very angry.

[kaleidoscopeeyes]

I've watched it several times, disturbing yes, but so artfully made. It is seldom that a documentary doesn't come across as judgmental and this one doesn't. I think those who believe in this sort of spirituality would look at it and see nothing wrong at all.

[rayo de sol]

Jesus Camp is amazing! Yes, it's disturbing, and I strongly disagree with what they're doing to those poor kids, but the documentary is so well made that I wanted to watch it again and again. I've watched it 3 times so far. It's mind-blowing.

[kapatasana]

Originally Posted by kaleidoscopeeyes

I've watched it several times, disturbing yes, but so artfully made. It is seldom that a documentary doesn't come across as judgmental and this one doesn't. I think those who believe in this sort of spirituality would look at it and see nothing wrong at all.

: It is a great documentary. I've heard that the woman that was portrayed was really happy with it (or at least initially she was), and helped the filmmaker(s?) to promote it. Or That may have changed though.

[choli]

Those who accuse the FLDS of brainwashing should watch that movie.

[katiedidbug]

I thought it was a great documentary. I went to a camp very similar to the one in the movie every summer when I was growing up. It blows my mind how similar the camps were. Thankfully, I've moved past such ridiculousness.

[angelpie545]

Originally Posted by choli

Those who accuse the FLDS of brainwashing should watch that movie.

Yes, yes, yes! I'm a rather conservative Christian and I found that movie to be highly disturbing-so much so that I would not feel comfortable allowing my children to watch it. I've been to camps that are *similar* to that growing up (those camps were NOT run by the local church in my locality-they were run by a non-denominational church that I chose to attend on my own without my family members) and I've seen quite a few things that are portrayed in the film such as speaking in tongues, being "slain" by the spirit, shaking, ext. It's quite an experience and honestly I felt rather frightened when I was witnessing those things, and even more disturbed when I saw them being experienced by young children in this movie.

[UptownZoo]

I watched it awhile ago. You can watch it free on google video.

I know it's upsetting, but I think everyone should watch it. That form of ultra-fundamentalist religiosity is becoming more common and more powerful in the US than most of us would like to acknowledge.

[oiseau]

I just finished watching this and I feel like I stayed completely detached from the entire movie...I couldn't connect with any of it because the people just seem so crazy to me. That and a lot of the stuff they were saying re: science, evolution, what a 7 week old fetus looks like, was just incorrect! Pretty terrifying though...

[LeslieB]

Originally Posted by kaleidoscopeeyes

I've watched it several times, disturbing yes, but so artfully made. It is seldom that a documentary doesn't come across as judgmental and this one doesn't. I think those who believe in this sort of spirituality would look at it and see nothing wrong at all.

Yes! I'll ditto that. I love how it was made so that you can take what you want from it, either good or bad.
I was aghast watching those children, myself. It really goes to show how much influence we have on what our children believe.

[orangebird]

After I watched it I watched it again with the commentary. That was really interesting as well.

And it was freaky. My middle son, 4 or 5 at the time, walked in while we were watching it and said "mom, why are you watching that scary movie?" I think he walked in during a part at the camp with the lady preaching and yelling.

[Past_VNE]

I'm watching it right now. My poor son is baffled, constantly asking, "What's wrong with those people?" I think it is better watched after bedtime, when it comes to three year olds. I don't know of a good way to break down the complexities of this subject to a 3 yr olds level. These kids aren't led or instilled...they're downright brainwashed.

It's truly disturbing.

[medaroge]

That was a film that was hard to watch, but I'm glad that I did.

[philomom]

Just watched it. I lived part of that life in south Georgia growing up.... and my parents wonder why I'm not religious now. But, yeah, the talking in tongues, the crying and the "confessing", it was hard to live through and hard to watch again.

My kids are blissful non-believers. I told them they could decide for themselves once they are grown. I don't want any part of that again in my life.