Viewers Sleep while Kids Burn

It was with some concern—it turned out to be justifiable concern—that I went to see the new documentary “Jesus Camp.”  While the film may have been more fun had it actually provided filmed evidence of Jesus “camping it up,” as my son observed on the way in, the film ultimately turned out to be a rather predictable representation of evangelical Christians that raised no new questions. 

The documentary provides the viewers with images of children attending “Kids on Fire,” a Christian camp in North Dakota in which young children (most seem to be from 9 to 12) not only speak and pray in evangelic tones but are also taught by camp counselors to become active in politics throughout their lives.  Because the film features camp counselors explaining that they are trying to provide Christian children with analogic beliefs to those of Muslim children who are—according to the film’s logic—taught from day one that it is their job to destroy Christians, the viewer is positioned to become worried about the assumed growing fascism of evangelicals.  While I may be wrong about the “intentions” of the film--perhaps it is an old school documentary meant only to provide a snap shot of an interesting phenomenon--I doubt it.  The subject matter alone—and the trailers that ran for the month leading up to the film’s release—all seemed to have a sinister tone meant to scare the non-religious left into taking action against such Christian groups.  If I am correct about its intended meaning, the film fails on at least two counts, one in terms of the tone of the story and one on more traditional political grounds.

In terms of story telling, the film simply did not make these people seem all that frightening.  OK, watching kids speak in tongues and pray with the arms in the air is creepy—it’s stock horror film stuff (criminy, even children singing is scary.  Remember that freaky scene in “The Birds” when those school children sing?  It’s the only part of the film that really terrifies me).  And yes, watching overweight blondes in polyester outfits discuss the ways in which the right can take over the country with early religious education is simultaneously irritating and  . . . well, unseemly.  But there’s nothing about any of this that we haven’t seen before.  To be frank, it was simply boring.  I’ve seen these people in real life and on film for years, and while I may not want to invite them in for tea, they’re familiar enough as representations to be nothing more than neighbors that I don’t happen to like.  If you want to scare me, you can’t show the same mundane monster repeatedly.

The second ground, however, is perhaps more interesting; it’s at least the one that gave me something to chew on.  On this second point, then, I simply could not find any reason offered by the film to think that I, as a person committed to a democratic system of argument, should be offended by this group.  In my mind, they are simply mobilizing politically by educating their children in the way they see most fitting their own ideology.  And while they do make a few claims that make one cringe (e.g., their discussion of global warming will make you kick the chair in front of you), there is no law against ignorance.  So, while I may find it uncomfortable when the “other team” has created strategies that better my own, I can’t really complain as long as they’re following the rules.  Yes, yes, some people will complain that kids shouldn't be "indoctrinated" by ideas that they can't understand.  But they often are--it's just with ideas with which we agree.  It's only when the ideas are radical--and opposed to our own beliefs--that we suddenly think they are "ideological." Education is always indoctrination.  Sometimes, it's just outside our accepted boundaries.

Ultimately, I would have everyone skip this film.  If it has a statement at all—and I’m not sure it does—it’s a misguided one that leaves the viewer with no sense of anger or direction while encouraging one of think of other citizens as pathetic.  Wouldn't it be better if we engaged others in debate rather than belittle them?

Comments

[Vera]

Very interesting.

I went to Christian camps from middle school through college, and even though I don't have the same views now as I did then, I still remember the happy times I had then as well as the considerable kindess I was shown.

While I'm all about freedom of expression, I would be very careful about bashing groups of people simply for bashing's sake.

[Janet Edens]

It would be interesting to see how many of those kids went on to adulthood with such beliefs intact. In this country, you can scarely help being exposed to other viewpoints. Our national culture is messy, diverse and hard to escape.

There are costs to anyone who rejects the prevailing values and beliefs of their particular world, but in America (so far anyway) the political, economic and social punishments are not quite as harsh as in other places.

And, as John points out, we all indoctrinate our kids with our own beliefs, to some extent. It's what we do as parents. I don't want anyone interfering in the beliefs I give my kids, even if that means I squirm a little when I see what others are teaching theirs.

That's the cost of a free society: Living with viewpoints you find personally distasteful. To me, extremes teach the value of the middle. No matter which side of the see-saw you're on, you can't demand the other guy get off without some consequences.

[ben]

A nice, thoughtful review.

I grew up evangelical and remained that way well into adulthood. In fact, I probably self-identified as evangelical (though very moderate-to-liberal) as recently as four years ago. Ironically, it was a seminary degree that really broke me of it.

At least in my experience, fundamentalist parents must hope their kids never go to college, or at least never study the Bible academically. Such study doesn't "disprove" Christianity, but it does make literalist understandings of the Bible seem implausible, if not ridiculous.

But, in agreement with everyone else, I find the smarmy, liberal "aren't-these-rednecks-dumb" approach narrow, unhelpful and annoying.

I have been to these camps, I have prayed in evangelical ways, and I have even raised my hands while singing (though I felt reallly self-conscious). And yet I didn't grow up to hate gay people or close my mind off from modern thought.