Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Friday, February 09, 2007
kids on fire
I have recently been in a very curious state of mind. I have so many questions about different religions and beliefs and explanations as to why people are moved the way they are, what makes them feel truly complete. As I've already written here many-a-time before, I'm in a very exploratory stage of my faith, looking for something that I can believe in and have confidence in. So far, the only conclusions I have come to up to this point are about things that I know I don't believe.
I had the wonderful opportunity to watch the documentary "Jesus Camp" on Thursday night, and although it somewhat fed my curiosity, it also fueled the development of even more pressing questions. For those of you who haven't yet heard of this documentary, it displays the role of children in the evangelical agenda, and follows three children, Levi, Tory, and Rachael, as they attend events and a camp (Kids on Fire) put on by Becky Fischer, a Pentacostal minister.
I found this documentary to be absolutely...heartbreaking. I love children. There is a definite reason that I am going into education, and that would be it. Children are the future; their lives today determine who they will be far into the future. This film examines a situation that I personally believe to be a form of child abuse. Parents and other adults indoctrinating their children, homeschooling them with flawed or completely false information, and using them to further a very political and very extremist religious agenda. I cannot even explain it so that it will convey anywhere near the same power and influence as actually watching the film. These kids are shown wailing and sobbing and writhing around and are told constantly, on a very regular basis, that the world they are exposed to everyday is sinful and dirty and generally that everything the least bit bad, or even dissapointing, for that matter, is the work of Satan. It seems blatantly obvious that these kids are not crying because they are feeling God's presence, they are crying because they are told that they can't be normal kids and have fun and they're terrified of God, who is supposed to be loving and forgiving. If you are raised being told that you can feel the power of God and speak his word in tongues, you will believe that you are capable of that. It has nothing at all to do with the truth or even with genuine faith. Many children who are abused feel that it is normal, as they know nothing else and have been taught that it is acceptable. There is no difference here. One of the goals of Kids on Fire is to make these children "soldiers in God's army," and Becky Fischer even says that she wants them to be as extreme as Muslim children, willing to lay down their lives for their God. Is that not completely and totally disturbing? We are worrying about brainwashing and terrorism stemming from the Middle East, when really it could very possibly be brewing right here in front of us.
Another extremely disturbing part of this film was what was shown of these children's education. I don't know if I've said it here before or not, but I do not believe in homeschooling and I honestly don't really even think it should be a legal option for education without extreme circumstances (severe illness, etc.). Scenes in this documentary totally proved why I believe that. Quotes such as, "Did you get to the part yet where they say that science hasn't proven anything?" and "Creationism is the only 'theory' that answers all of the questions," are quite alarming. After all, wasn't the story of Creatioism created to answer all the questions? This isn't school, it's indoctrination, and I don't even think that those doing it could argue otherwise. These children don't socialize with children with different beliefs, they attempt to "save" those they come in contact with who aren't Christians, and they believe that "there are two kinds of people in this world, those who love Jesus and those who don't." I don't know about you, but I am beyond scared and beyond concerned.
That is all I will say about it, but I highly recommend you rent it and watch it for yourself. It is presented from a non-biased point of view and so far there has been only one objection to it, by a Mr. Ted Haggard. I really hope you can see the irony in that.
Finally, here is the question that has been on my mind this week. (And I am not criticizing it, I am simply looking for a straightforward and honest explanation.) Why do some people, or a lot of people, I suppose, believe that God is a driving force in their everyday lives, affecting the outcomes of every situation? If you are thanking God because your life is wonderful and you have amazing friends and family and a roof over your head, what about the dedicated Christian in a third world country that has absolutely nothing and is the victim of rape or abuse? Why does God make your life good and not theirs?
Anyone care to answer?
I had the wonderful opportunity to watch the documentary "Jesus Camp" on Thursday night, and although it somewhat fed my curiosity, it also fueled the development of even more pressing questions. For those of you who haven't yet heard of this documentary, it displays the role of children in the evangelical agenda, and follows three children, Levi, Tory, and Rachael, as they attend events and a camp (Kids on Fire) put on by Becky Fischer, a Pentacostal minister.
I found this documentary to be absolutely...heartbreaking. I love children. There is a definite reason that I am going into education, and that would be it. Children are the future; their lives today determine who they will be far into the future. This film examines a situation that I personally believe to be a form of child abuse. Parents and other adults indoctrinating their children, homeschooling them with flawed or completely false information, and using them to further a very political and very extremist religious agenda. I cannot even explain it so that it will convey anywhere near the same power and influence as actually watching the film. These kids are shown wailing and sobbing and writhing around and are told constantly, on a very regular basis, that the world they are exposed to everyday is sinful and dirty and generally that everything the least bit bad, or even dissapointing, for that matter, is the work of Satan. It seems blatantly obvious that these kids are not crying because they are feeling God's presence, they are crying because they are told that they can't be normal kids and have fun and they're terrified of God, who is supposed to be loving and forgiving. If you are raised being told that you can feel the power of God and speak his word in tongues, you will believe that you are capable of that. It has nothing at all to do with the truth or even with genuine faith. Many children who are abused feel that it is normal, as they know nothing else and have been taught that it is acceptable. There is no difference here. One of the goals of Kids on Fire is to make these children "soldiers in God's army," and Becky Fischer even says that she wants them to be as extreme as Muslim children, willing to lay down their lives for their God. Is that not completely and totally disturbing? We are worrying about brainwashing and terrorism stemming from the Middle East, when really it could very possibly be brewing right here in front of us.
Another extremely disturbing part of this film was what was shown of these children's education. I don't know if I've said it here before or not, but I do not believe in homeschooling and I honestly don't really even think it should be a legal option for education without extreme circumstances (severe illness, etc.). Scenes in this documentary totally proved why I believe that. Quotes such as, "Did you get to the part yet where they say that science hasn't proven anything?" and "Creationism is the only 'theory' that answers all of the questions," are quite alarming. After all, wasn't the story of Creatioism created to answer all the questions? This isn't school, it's indoctrination, and I don't even think that those doing it could argue otherwise. These children don't socialize with children with different beliefs, they attempt to "save" those they come in contact with who aren't Christians, and they believe that "there are two kinds of people in this world, those who love Jesus and those who don't." I don't know about you, but I am beyond scared and beyond concerned.
That is all I will say about it, but I highly recommend you rent it and watch it for yourself. It is presented from a non-biased point of view and so far there has been only one objection to it, by a Mr. Ted Haggard. I really hope you can see the irony in that.
Finally, here is the question that has been on my mind this week. (And I am not criticizing it, I am simply looking for a straightforward and honest explanation.) Why do some people, or a lot of people, I suppose, believe that God is a driving force in their everyday lives, affecting the outcomes of every situation? If you are thanking God because your life is wonderful and you have amazing friends and family and a roof over your head, what about the dedicated Christian in a third world country that has absolutely nothing and is the victim of rape or abuse? Why does God make your life good and not theirs?
Anyone care to answer?
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