I'm Sleeping With The Lights On Tonight

This post was supposed to be about the fact that today was my last day of class as a law student. But then I popped Jesus Camp into the DVD player and now I am so scared I'm not sure if I'll be able to sleep. This is the most disturbing thing I've ever seen. Period.

If you've not heard of Jesus Camp, it's a documentary about a bible camp run by a particularly evangelical church. Check out the trailer:

Part of the film shows a woman homeschooling her kids, and the film provides the helpful statistic that 75% of homeschooled kids are evangelical. And while it's not surprising to me that the woman teaches her kids creationism over evolution, what surprised me was that in the homeschool textbook she used "teaches" why global warming isn't real. Does Jesus really find it important to disprove global warming? Apparently so. It's disturbing to see how much these peoples religion is plugged into a certain party's politics.

Ted Haggard, the straight-gay-straight minister, makes a nice appearance. This was prohpetically filmed pre-gay-hooker-drugs scandal. He discusses the fact that if the evangelicals vote they determine the election -- and that sent chills down my spine.

However, I'm mostly disturbed by the violence in the church's message. The kids in this film talk about withcraft like Salem was yesterday. How if Harry Potter were real, he should be put to death. They talk about making war against non-believers. They actually pray over a cardboard cutout of George Bush to bless him (and of course part of the prayer is in tongues).

A special anti-abortion speaker comes to the camp and talks extensively about overthrowing abortion in America -- to 7 and 8 year olds. The speaker has the kids hold small plastic fetuses, and riles them up to the point where some of them are crying and they are shouting in unison "no more".

How is it that kids who aren't taught sex ed understand abortion? Apparently well enough to be bussed to the Supreme Court and stand outside in the freezing cold and sing about the blood of Jesus. I think these kids would feel fine about stoning a whore or two, as long as someone told them that's what Jesus wants. One kid says "We're Christian warriors, but in a funner way!"

Generally, I'm a live and let live person. Also, I'm lazy, but maybe it really IS time to declare war on this sort of religion (I dont really know what that means other than to run away and pour myself a stiff drink). I've always wondered how someone could call themselves a Christian, but beat up a gay man, or bomb an abortion clinic. I mean, it's one thing to talk the crazy talk, it's quite another to talk the crazy talk and then go blow someone up. After seeing this film and seeing this level of brainwashing, I think I might have part of the answer.