I had been meaning to watch “Jesus Camp” for a while now, but just couldn’t get myself to rent it. Now, after having watched it, I feel deep empathy for the kids who were followed in the film.

I was, by almost every measure, one of those kids. I was deeply involved in my Christian faith. I was drawn into it through an evangelical organization called AWANA. I was attracted to the Biblical message of the love of God expressed in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Later, as a teenager, I became even more involved and devoted. I witnessed to friends, I read my Bible, I went to Church, Sunday School, and participated in a youth group. I was fast becoming a youth leader, and seriously considered the ministry for my profession. All this because evangelicals target youth.

I am grateful that my mind was never closed. I am grateful that this allowed me not to trust in the radical teachings and examples of many evangelicals. But of course, I was too young and too new in the faith to understand or be indoctrinated to those levels. Thank God for that!

When my social situation in life changed, I found it difficult to continue with church and the activities associated with it. I stopped going, and started searching anew for God’s purpose in my life. I eventually wound up becoming a Latter-day Saint, where I once again dedicated myself to my religion. This wouldn’t be lasting either. Again, I am grateful for an continual open mind.

I really hope that the realities of the world overcome the notions built in the minds of the youth in this film. I hope that they may see what was really important and precious about the teachings of Christ. I hope they will learn to love others without regard to their faith, and learn to live in society peacefully. I hope they will one day be able to think critically for themselves, and not through the lenses of the church.

So scary and I find it amazing that they think they are doing it in the name of God????  It doesn’t make sense?

It doesn’t make sense, yet it sure has a familiar ring to it.... hmmm. It was watching documentaries like this and learning how similar some of the practices and beliefs of other religions were to my own that caused me to seriously begin to look at how reasonable my own beliefs were when compared to reality. Eventually I began to become frustrated with the magical thinking mindset; I now feel I can view life for what it is, instead of trying to fit everything I learn into my magical thinking paradigm which I inherited from my parents and the LDS church. Some of this stuff seriously made me feel ill.

I’d love to find a film that shows Islamic indoctrination in the same kind of light. I think it would be really interesting to watch both films back to back.

There are a lot of things about Mormonism that fall into the same categories as well (I know, DUH!) especially the early indoctrination of children.

I was taken by the large Colorado congregation shown in the last 20 minutes and how the LDS church, with the ConCenter is becoming so much like many other main stream religions. Think of the Orchestra at TS as the worlds largest praise band!

I think I’m going to go be sick now.

holy !@#$ That is soooooo scary. I too feel like i’m going to be sick. those little kids crying because of their “sins” broke my heart.