Documentary: Jesus Camp

'Jesus Camp' certainly makes you think. While the documentary does not shed too much new light on the subject of evangelicals and fundamentalists in the United States, it does poignantly portray how powerful and dedicated they now are.

Tellingly, it is easy to draw an analogy between Christian fundamentalism and its Islamic counterpart. While, America's version of the "Madrassa's" pale in scope, violence and rigid organization found in the Middle East, that doesn't mean they won't try. Indeed, it does seem the fragmented and dynamic nature of Christian sects in the U.S. will prevent them from ever speaking as one cohesive voice.

How much of a singular voice do you need when the usual "our enemies" and "we have the truth" (as used by the Pentecostal Minister in the documentary) radical rhetoric resonates with so many?

At it's most basic core, their message isn't necessarily inherently wrong. Who would deny love of God and the need to rid politics of corruption? It's just that they mangle and skew it to the point it is rendered unrecognizable and digestible for the mainstream or moderates. Furthermore, how they administer and convey their message is somewhat disturbing if not frightening.

"Jesus Camp" deliberately targets children in the war to win back America. They are the future generation that will lead America and judging by the demographics they may very well be directing the American body politic in the future.

Using kids as pawns in this "war" is plain wrong and immoral. You can make a kid believe anything if you want to.

Why such a growth in fundamentalism? I have friends who went from being Italian Roman-Catholic to Baptists preaching essentially the same things I saw in the documentary.

There had to be a tipping scale at some point where a switch was turned on and people just began to get turned off by liberal secularism. Did the forces of secularism go too far somewhere? Was it Roe vs. Wade? Gay marriage? The removing of Christian symbols in public spheres? Certainly, the rise of radical Islam (which is the same thing as fundamentalism but without the suicide bombing and in a different language) only hardened the fundamentalist world view - a view that is hostile to anything global. Is this a way of society pushing back?

America is slowly falling into the wrong hands and some are feeling it may be too late to save the Republic from extremists. If this is accurate (and it's looking like it is), it would be ironic considering that Americans are fighting for democracy in distant lands. Notably, in the Middle East and this means preventing those governments from falling into the hands of Islamic extremists.

On one side of the world, the threat of radicals is real and now domestically Christian extremists are consolidating their power and with this comes enormous influence. Is this what Huntington was speaking about in his 'clash of civilizations' theory? Or is it really more about "traditionalism? vs. "modernism"? Either way, can the radical elements on both sides make this irrelevant and force us into an unnecessary and messy battle in the name of God? Who has a more committed army?

Will moderates be sucked in and forced to choose sides?

As I watched, some observations did come by. First, I do pray - excuse the damn pun again - for those kids. It was sad to see their little minds get messed up that way. They'd better stay in that cocoon because if they come out of it the cold harsh reality of life will destroy them.

A couple of those kids struck me as obvious candidates to not "live up" to the word of God. Some will stray and others will probably lose their identity. One thing is for sure, I hope a comedian was watching it because there was prime material for a stand up routine.

'Jesus Camp' was entertaining and served to remind Americans that something is changing in the nature of politics and secularism in the mightiest of nations.

Worth checking out.