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Movie Review: Jesus Camp
Click here for Jesus Camp Main Page
February 15, 2007
Written by Cara de Pescado
 Jesus
Camp is one of the Oscar nominated documentaries this year. I found
it both fascinating and terrifying at the same time. It is the only
nominated documentary I have seen so far, but I can certainly
understand why it earned a nomination. If it is anything to judge
the others by, the documentaries this past year have been excellent.
The documentary is exemplary in
that there is no commentary from the filmmakers. I have no idea what
their stance is on the subject, if they are from an Evangelical
Christian background or a nonreligious one. It is truly a
documentary in the sense that only what is filmed is presented, and
there is no agreement or disagreement with what is being shown.
The only disagreement was from an
Air America radio host who happened to be a former minister and
against the particular type of Christianity being taught at this
camp. These clips are probably the only things that didn’t seem to
work within the documentary. There wasn’t equal time spent with the
radio host, nor much explaining what exactly his views are. The film
would have been just as well made and unbiased without them, if not
more so. But he is as “intolerant” in his views as the children at
the Christian camp are taught to be in theirs, just reversely so.
Jesus Camp documents a camp in
North Dakota that children (and some of their families) attend to
get closer to God. It is an evangelical Christian camp with guest
speakers and a few select child speakers. The film focuses on a few
children and the camp director, documenting their experiences at
camp and following them into their lives away from camp.
 What
is frightening is that this film is a documentary and these things
are real. Don’t get me wrong — I grew up Christian, that isn’t what
makes it frightening. But it is the extreme to which the people –
the children – are taking their faith. They only listen to Christian
music, watch Christian television, and read Christian books. They
are taught science has no answers and is stupid.
They are forming a bubble around
their lives and developing a world view that can only prove to hurt
them later. When they are in their teens and someone offers them a
square, will they know enough to reject the offer or will they be so
ignorant about life outside their bubble to not know and take it?
There is a difference between having a strong faith and denying the
existence of anything not a part of that faith.
At the camp, no messages of God’s
love are shared. Instead the speakers share messages of politics
through a religious avenue – smashing mugs to demonstrate the
breaking of the power of evil over our government or duct taping
mouths to demonstrate the value of life. The mix of religion and
politics is what makes this film terrifying. Our future generations
are growing up being fed this hodge-podge under the guise of
Christianity and not being taught to think for themselves.
 No
longer are Christian children taught messages of the Good Samaritan
or how faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains. No
longer is God our shepherd and we his flock. Now children are being
raised to be warriors for Christ, part of God’s army. Uncontrollable
convulsions, hysterical tears, and speaking in tongues are badges of
honor – the proof of one’s faith.
But in showing all of this, Jesus
Camp strangely has a tinge of hope about it. Hope that these
children will grow up and become more compassionate in their
passionate faith. Without saying a word, that is the only hope you
can come away from the documentary thinking. We can hope these
children give up their desire to be martyrs and instead hope to be
beacons of light and hope, helping those in need – like the Christ
they worship.
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