Docuhorror
I just invented a new genre. Docuhorror. The kind of documentary that is made specifically to scare the living crap out of you...The Gore documentary about weather is, at least this is the impression I get, intended to inspire us to act, to get passionate and care and do crap or something. The ones I am talking about are the ones that inform you about something that you can do little or nothing about. And that scares the crap out of you. Like Michael Moore documentaries* or the one I just watched, Jesus Camp by Heidi Ewing and Rachael Grady.
I know this is the second in a row with a religious bent, and I apologize for that, but this movie scared the crap out of me.
I believe that everyone has the right to do, or say or think what they want under one very important stipulation. Your rights end where the next guys nose begins. And you have a responsibility, if you are a parent, to allow your kids those same rights. I also think that parents have an obligation to teach their kids TO think, not what to think.
But, that aside, the two things I mostly wanted to talk about, other than the sheer blind terror I was experiencing for the entire run of the film, were, my mom's reaction and what I would want if I was a god.
So, we watched it with my agnostic/atheist family and my mom kept interjecting "I don't see what the problem is?" "Why are you getting so mad?" "What is the difference between this and child abuse?" Because I am suuuch an advocate of child abuse. My sister and I, who were drinking heavily, were explaining that the problem isn't the belief in god, or the belief in a faith based moral code, but in the teaching kids to be spiritual warriors, teaching them to be afraid for the immortal souls of their friends who watch Spongebob and teaching them that they are hypocrites who need to "get right with god". Some of these kids didn't even have their permanent teeth yet, let alone the need to be saved. And I don't think kids should be politicized. They should be taught tolerance and what is good and bad, but I don't think they should be praying outside the White House with plastic fetuses taped to their hands with tape over their mouths with the world "Live" written on it.
I went to the website of the preacher who ran the titular camp (her name is Becky Fischer) and I needed to share this quote "But let me also explain that because of all the misconceptions about the supposed "political activism" going on in the film. Our teachings and equipping of children does not center around politics. In fact we never viewed our activities as political until we saw them through the eyes of secular filmmakers. "
Well. There you have it. You are right Ma. No harm in that. Another interesting point made on this website, by Becky is why the focus on kids, rather than teens or even adults capable of reason. "Statistics show that by the time a child is 7 to 9 years old his/her moral moorings are already cast in stone, and whatever he/she believes by the time he/she is 13 they will generally die believing unless something catastrophic happens in his/her life to turn them around. I clearly remember Catholics and Communists both saying years ago saying "Give us a child until they are seven years old and we will have them for life!" They know something Christians don't know."
The joke writes itself about the 7 yr old and the Catholics and this isn't about cheap digs, so I will glide onto my next thought.
Secondly, (and seriously, I am going be mad about this for a long ass time, so you will hear more) as my dear friend said "It's not a good idea to screw up the teaching of the one you believe will judge you one day". Pretty sure god didn't, or doesn't want kids tormented with the thought of their souls burning in hell because they weren't evangelical enough in first grade! But, then again, maybe I am wrong. Maybe these people are right. Maybe god wants kids scared and crying ALL the time. Maybe having blind following is a huge ego trip that god likes. Personally, I would rather have people who have made thoughtful choice and consideration agree with me because I am right, not because they are scared I will murder them if they don't.
There are tons of websites about this documentary, both pro and con, but I gotta say, there is nothing more terrifying that the blindly faithful. Especially when they are too young to drive. In fact, most of them are too young to babysit. Kids are not tools. People who use kids are tools.
I know this is the second in a row with a religious bent, and I apologize for that, but this movie scared the crap out of me.
I believe that everyone has the right to do, or say or think what they want under one very important stipulation. Your rights end where the next guys nose begins. And you have a responsibility, if you are a parent, to allow your kids those same rights. I also think that parents have an obligation to teach their kids TO think, not what to think.
But, that aside, the two things I mostly wanted to talk about, other than the sheer blind terror I was experiencing for the entire run of the film, were, my mom's reaction and what I would want if I was a god.
So, we watched it with my agnostic/atheist family and my mom kept interjecting "I don't see what the problem is?" "Why are you getting so mad?" "What is the difference between this and child abuse?" Because I am suuuch an advocate of child abuse. My sister and I, who were drinking heavily, were explaining that the problem isn't the belief in god, or the belief in a faith based moral code, but in the teaching kids to be spiritual warriors, teaching them to be afraid for the immortal souls of their friends who watch Spongebob and teaching them that they are hypocrites who need to "get right with god". Some of these kids didn't even have their permanent teeth yet, let alone the need to be saved. And I don't think kids should be politicized. They should be taught tolerance and what is good and bad, but I don't think they should be praying outside the White House with plastic fetuses taped to their hands with tape over their mouths with the world "Live" written on it.
I went to the website of the preacher who ran the titular camp (her name is Becky Fischer) and I needed to share this quote "But let me also explain that because of all the misconceptions about the supposed "political activism" going on in the film. Our teachings and equipping of children does not center around politics. In fact we never viewed our activities as political until we saw them through the eyes of secular filmmakers. "
Well. There you have it. You are right Ma. No harm in that. Another interesting point made on this website, by Becky is why the focus on kids, rather than teens or even adults capable of reason. "Statistics show that by the time a child is 7 to 9 years old his/her moral moorings are already cast in stone, and whatever he/she believes by the time he/she is 13 they will generally die believing unless something catastrophic happens in his/her life to turn them around. I clearly remember Catholics and Communists both saying years ago saying "Give us a child until they are seven years old and we will have them for life!" They know something Christians don't know."
The joke writes itself about the 7 yr old and the Catholics and this isn't about cheap digs, so I will glide onto my next thought.
Secondly, (and seriously, I am going be mad about this for a long ass time, so you will hear more) as my dear friend said "It's not a good idea to screw up the teaching of the one you believe will judge you one day". Pretty sure god didn't, or doesn't want kids tormented with the thought of their souls burning in hell because they weren't evangelical enough in first grade! But, then again, maybe I am wrong. Maybe these people are right. Maybe god wants kids scared and crying ALL the time. Maybe having blind following is a huge ego trip that god likes. Personally, I would rather have people who have made thoughtful choice and consideration agree with me because I am right, not because they are scared I will murder them if they don't.
There are tons of websites about this documentary, both pro and con, but I gotta say, there is nothing more terrifying that the blindly faithful. Especially when they are too young to drive. In fact, most of them are too young to babysit. Kids are not tools. People who use kids are tools.
posted by shellswick at 9:36 a.m.
1 Comments:
Good post, and I do not fear you, yet I agree with you. Wish I could 've been there for your conversation with your mom. I wonder what religions would be like without the power trip?
Would they exist?
A.
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