Jesus Camp

Last night I joined a few people at the Virginia Film Festival and saw the documentary "Jesus Camp." I was troubled at several levels by this documentary. Here are some things that are bugging me:

Why did these people allow such access to their private worship? Are they so foolish to think that a documentary would further the cause of Christ or their cause? Did they think that Jesus would be served? Did they expect thier context and culture and theology to be explained? I differentiate because while they may be well meaning and devoted to God, their stuff really shows through in this film as being ill thought out. Thought? hmmm...

It irks me that both the film and the "moderators" (who were really commentators from UVa... lots of balance... yeah, right) failed to differentiate between groups as terms were thrown around: Evangelical, Fundamentalist and Pentecostal. Giving the Religious Studies prof her due, she did, when I asked, define the terms for the audience... she did clarify that Fundamentalists (over against fundamentalists, that difference will have to be another post) would never be caught dead in Jesus Camp as they have some very differing views. THIS IRKS ME because people ignorant of the different branches of Evangelicalism are being portrayed and represented by the figures in Jesus Camp. If Evangelicalism is an apple pie ('cuz it is American - ugh) then the guys of the Jesus Camp ilk are one bit of apple in the pie (if that)... one of my colleagues there thinks they are a whole slice... I disagree, if they are a slice, then a very thin sliver of a slice, indeed. Jesus Camp DOES NOT represent the vast majority of Jesus followers.

Now that I have ranted, here are some places you can go to see and hear more perspectives... first... the trailer

next, ABC has a report you can view that will give you a taste of the film and it furthers my thesis that Jesus Camp is a picture of all followers of Jesus. Again, I contend, it is not.

last, one of the people portrayed in the film is a preacher by the name of Ted Haggard, he has responded on a sponsored web page that they apparently paid to have Google show it first when you Google "Jesus Camp"...

Okay, I doubt if this blog has seem the last of this topic... Unfortunately.