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Understand Why the Christian Right Fears Adult GNs
On its face, Heidi Ewing and Rachel Gradys documentary, Jesus Camp has little to do with illustrated fiction, much less blogs on the topic.
But a closer look at the film echoes Waynes recent postings of a devout mentality driving incidents of censorship in public libraries (Marshall, Mo.), albeit to be fair, this furor over various authors (e.g. Salinger, Twain, Blume) covers both liberal and conservative bents.
In what is framed as a notice on the rising American evangelical right, Jesus Camp profiles Pastor Becky Fischers Kids on Fire, a summer program wherein home-schooled Christian kids are coached to frame their faith as warfare. To this end, Fischer explains her goal is to teach young Christians to be so dedicated to their beliefs that it rivals that of Muslims, who (in Fischers terms) are taught early to lay down their lives for God.
Ironically located in Devils Lake, North Dakota, Kids on Fire is typical of most summer camps, with such diversions as hiking and go-karts. And its charges are fairly ordinary too, with scenes of boys goofing off after dark, and girls chatting about dancing and their favorite music.
However, before Kids on Fire starts for the season, as we view Becky Fischer fervently praying over her chapels electronic gear (so it doesnt crap out), its a sign that Jesus Camp is about to take a hard turn into Bat Country.
As a political action rallywhich Kids on Fire truly isits chief priority is to unequivocally ban all abortions. Time and again, campers are shown pro-life materials including plastic fetuses, and encouraged to chant Righteous judges! in hopes of drafting the bench to their holy cause.
In these scenes, Becky Fischer clearly wants the next crop of evangelicals to be as dedicated to political activism as to their faith. Yet her camps platform is hardly consistent, as seen in segments where campers are encouraged to smash coffee cups labeled Government, while told to welcome a life-sized cardboard image of George W. Bush (as if it were the actual man).
Elsewhere, Jesus Camp then swerves into the truly bizarre whenwhile warning campers against witchcraftFischer bellows that Harry Potter (a fictional character, mind you) would have been put to death had he lived 2,000 years ago.
Yet beyond its religious subject, perhaps the most compelling aspect of Jesus Camp is how quickly life can turn on a dime for anyone, no matter how pious.
For example, since the films release, mega-church Pastor Ted Haggard (shown in Jesus Camp as railing against homosexuality) resigned after admitting to a longtime gay affair and drug use. Then, the Christian right was equally stunned when in 2006 voters ousted the congressional GOP majority, and shunted George W. Bushs presidency firmly into lame duckhood.
In a few short months, everything that Becky Fischer wails about in Jesus Camp, the oncoming wave of Christian revival in America (or at least her version of it), is promptly bitch-slapped by the hand of karma.
And Id be lying if I said I wasnt greatly amused&
There is no doubt Jesus Camp represents the pure extremes of the American evangelical movement.
Yet the film is indeed useful when pondering what kind of person would go into a righteous fit over Craig Thompsons Blankets or Alison Bechdels Fun Home in a public library. As avid readers who would prefer cultural crusaders like Becky Fischer mind their own damned business regarding what we choose to pick up, its also wise to know ones adversaries.
And to that end, Jesus Camp is about as useful a guide as any.
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