Evangelicals Run Away From Jesus Camp

Rick,

What do you know about the film-maker's understanding of Christianity? You assume they don't have an understanding. And what understanding is enough? Would you rather a Christian made the movie?

One man's documentary about his own interests isn't a documentary, it's propaganda. It's fuelled by self-interest and thus would reflect this.

You can't take a subjective view of something you're involved and invested in.

Ewing and Grady have a reputation for their making of good and fair documentaries about interesting subjects. You don't go ruining your reputation by making point-scoring movies in a country dominated by Christianity. Unless your Michael Moore, but he doesn't have much of a reputation left to ruin because of his point-scoring movies.

Is it their fault if the mother of one of the kids involved can't reconcile the fact that most of the reviewers of the movie reckon this minority group of Christians are wackos who are screwing up their kids.

Naturally they're gonna blame the film-makers for "mis-representing" them. Better that than admit child-abuse.

Scott,

No worries. It's always good to clarify things anyway, especially when it comes to touchy subjects like this one.

As for offending people, of course someone will always be bothered by another person. It's a given. But I do find it hard to sympathize with kids that walk up to people they don't know and deem them unworthy of a pleasant afterlife, simply because that's what they were taught.

I actually think you should see the movie--I'd be very curious to hear your thoughts on it, or anyone else who practices Christianity, for that matter. It's always interesting to hear other perspectives on the same product.

And for the record: I don't think your School for Scoundrels review sucked :) Jon Heder, on the other hand...

Josh—it is a movie!

It is slice of the Christian faith, sliced up as a “documentary� by people who are not even Christians. Would you expect someone to make a fully accurate documentary on such a profound subject without having a true understanding?

And your very title—“Evangelical’s Run Away From Jesus Camp,� is susceptible to doubt. Give us some names and quotes. Give us some sources.

Now listen to your lead statement: “By all accounts, the new Jesus Camp is a fair, an evenhanded look at a specific group of completely wacko Evangelical Christians.�
By all accounts? Here is a quote from Rachel Elhardt’s mother. Rachel had a prominent role in the movie. Her mother, Michele Elhardt said of the movie: “It’s an interesting piece of fiction.� Quoted form New-Leader in Springfield, MO on 9-16-06.

The trip to Washington DC to pray regarding abortion depicted in the film was set up by the producers, not something the Elhardt family ever did besides as a scene for the “documentary.� What other scenes received similar “set-up� treatment?

Bottom line—the move is based on a small ministry based in North Dakota (not Mississippi as your article stated) with a limited circle of influence. If these Evangelicals are actually trying to “frantically distance� themselves as you seem to think, they need to re-prioritize their time. Maybe they need to do what Rachel’s mother strives to do: “We emphasize a walk with the Lord.�

Lexi,

Sorry if my comments sounded like I was doubting you. I was just trying to phrase it in a way that made it clear that I was basing my perceptions of the movie on your review because I haven't seen it.

As far as politeness goes when it comes to talking to people, I'm sorry that it offends but everyone's going to be offended at some point. You can tell me my review of School For Scoundrels sucked with all the politeness in the world in the intention of helping me be a better writer. I'll probably be personally offended - I thought it was a decent review (LOL). Being worried about offending someone is no reason no to offer them what you believe to be the truth if you think it will help. Shouting it at them viciously isn't appropriate at all and it's wrong that these kids are being taught to approach people that way.

Jonathan,

So far the only people who have even mentioned that these people represent all Evangelicals is Evangelicals themselves.

All Lexi or anyone else has said is that the people in this film represent an expanding and growing movement... and yes like it or not they are part of the Evangelical movement. That doesn't mean they are all of it, or even most of it. It simply means exactly what Lexi said: They are growing.

"Science doesn't prove anything"

That is a direct quote pulled from the movie, said by a parent to their child.

"If 9 year-old Rachel has been taught to tell people they're going to Hell but hasn't been taught that the message of salvation includes more than just a warning about Hell and damnation, that it includes the hope of Heaven for those who reject sin and truly have their heart right with God, then yes, that's a tragedy and should be corrected."

Rachel walks up to strangers with Jesus pamphlets. At the very end, she walks up to a group of men and asks where they think they will go when they die, they say heaven, and she says "are you sure?" This implies she believes they will go to hell because they don't believe the same thing she does.

I'm sorry, but I have a real problem with this. She doesn't have to run up to people and yell "you're going to burn in hell!"; she's implying the same thing by questioning where they are going. I don't think being more polite makes it any less offensive, personally.

"If the kids are truly "pro-life enthusiasts" who only support it because they think it's some kind of activism, not because they believe that life deserves to be protected, that needs to be dealt corrected."

One of the girls, Tori, cries hysterically at the suggestion of abortion. While it's possible she is very passionate about it, it seems to be something she has had bashed into her head enough times, that it sparks a physical reaction. Like how a kid sometimes cries just from a belt being lifted near them.

Just to be clear: I do not think that all Evanglical Christians are extreme fanatics. I think the ones in the movie are, and that is who I was referring to. I may have a problem with some of the beliefs, but that doesn't mean everyone who feels the same way behaves the same way.

Josh,

The problem is that reviewers, like Lexi Feinberg of your own website, are implying that "Jesus Camp" represents the face of evangelical Christianity.

Feiberg states at the close of her review:

"Jesus Camp is a powerful film because it sheds light on an expanding, extremist culture that people like to believe is a small segment of the population. Hold that thought, folks. Evangelical Christians are taking the nation by storm, and the kids in this film will likely be running the country someday. Just like their predecessors are right now."

The truth is that the people in "Jesus Camp" represent an extremely small segment of evangelical Christianity. Their actions are embarrassing to level-minded Christians who believe in Jesus, not brainwashing our children to convulse on the floor.

So, naturally, the first step is to explain to the media that these individuals are not the face of our religion. And the next, is to deal with the problem within our organizations - which my church is already doing by writing to the leaders of the camp depicted in the film.

Well, you implied that you think Christians should try to do something to curb extremist elements in their own ranks.

From the article:

"We complain that mainstream Muslims have failed to do anything to curb the extremist elements in their own ranks, because they'd rather spend their time distancing themselves from them. As a result, extremism is a powerful and growing element in the Islamic world. Now it looks like Evangelicals are taking exactly the same path."

But, if you need to hear it here, then I'll speak.

I haven't seen the movie, but if Lexi's review is accurate in its description, then I think some of the things revealed in that movie are terrible.

If parents are teaching their kids that "science doesn't prove anything", I'd say that's just as sad as someone teaching their kid that science proves God doesn't exist. Both are ridiculous ideas intended to close people's minds to the truth.

If 9 year-old Rachel has been taught to tell people they're going to Hell but hasn't been taught that the message of salvation includes more than just a warning about Hell and damnation, that it includes the hope of Heaven for those who reject sin and truly have their heart right with God, then yes, that's a tragedy and should be corrected.

If the kids are truly "pro-life enthusiasts" who only support it because they think it's some kind of activism, not because they believe that life deserves to be protected, that needs to be dealt corrected.

Believing in Creation, believing in Heaven and Hell, believing in protecting life, and sharing those beliefs are not acts of extremism. The way children are taught to go about doing those things can lead to extremism, and if that's the case, it needs to be fixed.

Nobody said anything about "curbing" it. But they could speak out against it. We keep asking moderate Muslims to do that. Why shouldn't Evangelical leaders do the same thing?

If they don't support this extremism then let's hear them speak out against it instead of simply saying "it's not us".

You can either have groups "curbing" extremism among those who claim the same name or you can have the First Amendment. You can't have both, man.

If this documentary exposed something that the Evangelical Christian community wasn't aware of and had some ability to contain then you might have a reason to be surprised at the response.

However, when they have people who claim to be Evangelical Christians go to extremes (everything from "Jesus Camp" on one end to embracing homosexual leadership on the other), all they can do is denounce it and distance themselves from it.

Contrary to recent popular opinion, they're not the Taliban.