Fly Away

Jesus Camp (2006)
Director: Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady
Genre: Documentary
Y-Rate: ***1/2

"I pledge allegiance to the Christian Flag and to the Savior for whose Kingdom it stands."
"I pledge allegiance to the Bible, God's Holy Word, I will make it a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path and will hide its words in my heart that I might not sin against God."

I am a presbyterian Christian. All throughout the film, many thoughts passed my mind. One thing that shook me the most was the Evangelical adults were training their children to become literal soldiers for the future. Like Mike Papantonio said in the film, "how does that figure anything into what Christ said about how to live on Earth?"

I have seen this film before at my church with my youth group. Some parts of it were frightening and scary and some parts were similar and agreeable. I had so much to talk about this documentary film, yet again, I am also biased like everyone else in the class, in the film and in this world. I have to admit though, that "these people are not peacemakers." They think what they think is the right answer key to everything and the only answer. There are so many contradicting views and points that just put me into a plethora of paradoxical thoughts and statements...

The kids in this movie, when they first appear significantly, are portrayed as "soldiers". They are dressed up in such clothings with such make ups and perform in front of the congregation. The adults in this movie use displacement on their kids to fulfill what they probably desired but couldn't accomplish. When the lady, Becky Fisher, spoke at the conference and asked a question concerning their faith and God, some of the parents of the children raised the hands of their children while the children had no idea of what was going on. As the film went on, I couldn't help but ask myself, "Do these kids know what they are doing? Are they really doing what they do for their own faith? Or is it just a merely fabricated show and cover up to be satisfied with applause and with the acceptance and compliments from people?" They are young, but they are still human beings. Our nature, no matter how young or old we are, makes us to be in need of people's acceptance and company, and destines us to try to fit in.

It is ridiculous, as the same Christian, to see the teachers pray over the electricity and the seats saying stuff like "Oh Satan, I know what you like to do over these technical stuff" blah blah blah. I mean I think they are misunderstanding who God is: God ain't no Genie. Oh, I almost forgot: they had their "Kids On Fire" Camp at a place near Devil's Lake. How ironic.

I was talking to my dad about this film and how the kids are forced to their beliefs and my dad said that, statistically, those kids who were forced to believe what they believe, when they grow up and become independent, some continue and become like their parents, but some also run away from their beliefs and/or abandon it.

The directors of this film, according to what I heard in class, said they tried to be not biased at all, but it definitely WAS biased in many ways against Evangelical Christians. There were a lot of scenes where they portrayed Evangelical Christians or places associated with them with red light or something red. For example, the Chapel at their camp looked like Hell because of the contrast of black, white and red colors. Becky Fisher, towards the end of the film, also was portrayed with devilish image when she was in the car and the car was being washed under the red light. The background music also gave impressions of devilish, supernatrual, negative feelings.

Some people in class said the film (what the Evangelical Christians were doing) was scary. The scarier thing is that they are so serious about their actions and words. Harry Potter is a warlock and would have been burnt to death if he were alive in the time of Old Testament; kids in Iraq are training to fight in a war and even die for their country, so they should train their future generation kids so they can even die for their belief--like martyrs.

I understand where they are coming from and all because I'm a Christian myself. But it seems, to quote Bishop Robinson (how ironic), that"the god that [they]'re praying to is not the God I know." The motivation is understandable and good, but, lemme tell ya, Becky, don't take it too radically.