There aren’t much films or documentaries that can really shock me with their content. But Jesus Camp not only gave me goose bumps but actually managed to raise the hair at the back of my neck. In a summer camp, on the faces of innocent children unfolds a horrific scenario, which though non-violent, can shake you to the core. The documentary presents us what can very well be considered as a dangerous example of Christian Evangelical fundamentalism and extremism.
Jesus Camp is about the ‘Kids on Fire School of Ministry’ – a summer camp for the evangelical children located at Devils Lake in North Dakota. The camp takes place roughly around the same time the National Public Radio was airing the program ‘Crossing the Divide’ which takes a look at individuals and organizations that aim to bridge political and or social gaps. Directors Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady shift the focus of their camera between this program and Jesus Camp.
In the film, we are met with a fiery evangelical Pastor Becky Fischer and a group of evangelical Christians who are very committed to indoctrinating their children. The basis of their idea of doing this is that since the Muslims do it, as in words of Fischer that they teach them to fast for Ramadan from the age of five, they should do it too. It is one of the only effective ways of preparing America for the coming of Jesus Christ. Later on we find that the teachings have gone to such lengths of extremism that one of the kids says that where a lot of people have sacrificed themselves for the Christ, they are ready too. That in the true sense is horrifying.
In the beginning of the documentary, the pastor zeroes in on her ‘star kid’ Levi O Briens. It so happens that research revealed that Levi father is a pastor as well and Levi had already given sermons in his father’s church before the Camp. But during the course of the documentary, it seems that he is portrayed as an ‘upcoming star’ to encourage the other kids. Levi’s is home-schooled and his mother believes that God gave the kids to her, so why should she put the kids in someone else’s care for 8 hours a day. She also teaches her kids that Creationism is the only reality and that global warming is a farce.
Levi’s case doesn’t astound me. I have seen the same thing happening in my life. One of my maternal uncle’s is a evangelical pastor and his son grew up the same way Levi did.
Also, the way Rachel and Tory thinking has developed is evident of the way they are brainwashed at such an early age. Personally I found that whatever Rachel speaks has been clearly taught to her and doesn’t come from the heart. Either it’s that or she has confidence issues. It is really alarming as to how the children are pressured during the course of the camp and what they are taught is really worth tons of concern. The kids are told about abortion and asked to fight it. I wonder if they have been taught the ‘details’ of life at such a tender age. On the other side, the children are told to purify themselves by washing their hands during the program. The camera at one instance takes us to the kids dorms where they are seen doing the usual kids stuff and I felt that at that particular moment, I saw them for the real kids they were.
The kids are even introduced to two other major characters who try to imprint the outside view on the kids. One of them is Pastor Ted Haggard who presides over the National Association of Evangelists which represents over 30 million evangelists. The kids are taken to his church. Ironically in his sermons, he talks about homosexuality and core values.
A few days after the release of the documentary, Mike Jones (masseur) alleged that Pastor Ted had paid him to engage in homosexual behavior over the past three years. Pastor Ted resigned from all his duties immediately.
Ted Haggard’s fiasco is truly shocking as the man who presided over the association of the evangelists and who talked to the then President Bush on religious matters, is himself hiding in the closet and telling lies from the pulpit.
The directors have, throughout the documentary portrayed an unbiased image and captured raw footage. This begs to be asked if all this extremism and fundamentalist provocation is justified. How does it separate us from the people who raised the Crusades or those who attacked us on religious grounds?
I am a God fearing Christian myself, but I did not like whatever I saw in this documentary. And I am not biased when I say that, in fact as I mentioned, I have relatives who are of the Pentecostal and Believer faiths and we do have open dialogues about it. But what happens in Jesus Camp, I don’t think any of us would approve of; apart from the 30 million or so Evangelicals in the country.