WasLost

I'm not sure if this film has been addressed on this forum before, but I just purchased it on DVD. It had a very limited run in my town when it was touring theaters and I missed it.

If you don't know, the film focuses on a Pentacostal Minister and her children's Summer Camp. This doccumentary takes the viewer through the experiences of the camp from the point of veiw of several of the children and the Minister who runs the camp.

Honestly, I was disgusted by this film. I firmly believe that we all have the right to raise our children to believe in God and to foster their developing faith. However, the woman running the camp manipulates children as young as eight years old into taking personal responsibility for the death of Christ. While this is a popular view and may be true in some circles, I think it's unfair and cruel to place such a burden on a child. As the movie progresses, she asks the children if they are ready to be soldiers of the Lord...and actually asks them to lay down their lives for God. She asks, "Are you ready to die for Jesus?"

This stems from her almost fanatical fear of muslim extremists and the fact that they are sending their children to terrorst camps to be trained in acts of violence and self-sacrifice. She says she wants to place the same kind of mentality and commitment in the hearts and minds of young Christians.

Since the release of the film, she has had to discontinue the camp due to threats she has received. I don't condone anyone threatening anyone over their religious beliefs, but I also strongly disagree with the way she is spreading the Word. Are our children not to be cherrished and loved? Why turn them into cannon fodder simply because "the enemy" is doing the same?

I found myself in tears at the end of the film. Taking into consideration my own recent conversion and epiphany, I felt so much pity and sorrow and ANGER towards what this woman was doing with the word of God. Regardless of whether or not she has "The Truth" on her side, she has no right to take our precious children and make martyrs out of them.

Has anyone else seen this film? Am I way off base in my opinions? Your replies are appreciated!

WasLost

Banarenth

I've never been a fan of the idea that we need to "trick" people into Christ by brainwashing, fear, or through "stirring emotions". If it's real, then God will do the work through us. When we try to handle it ourselves, all we can do is mess it up.

SherJonesy

I actually bought the movie... and how entertaining it is...


I think it's good that she is trying to save children, and get them to understand who Jesus is and all that... But she's just going about it all wrong... She's just about brainwashing the kids...

I know when I was really little I didn't know what speaking in tongues meant and all that... And I'm sure that the kids on that movie didn't either, but yet they were doing it... Because she's training them instead of teaching them...
All they know is that she'll reward them for speaking in tongues and flopping around on the floor...

I felt bad for those kids...

AND... and... when that mother was asking that kid, Zac I think was his name, about what if he went to a school that had a teacher that taught about the creation of Adam&Eve, and he said that he would like it... Then she asked him what if he had to go to a school that taught evolution, and he said that that would be stupid... I thought that was kinda twisted...

I understand that what little Zac believed was that God created everything, but I also think that it's important that he learn about evolution also, because he needs to understand what other people believe...

I remember in high school when my teacher was about to go over evolution I had a peer start freaking out and talking about how she couldn't be in the classroom, that he rather fail than be taught something like that... and my teacher was able to convince her to stay by explaining it as she needed to know that information, because she viewed it as evil... And the more you know about the enemy the better equipt you are to fight it...


so it was saw to see these children being taught that as long as you look religious and do religious things then your are mega Christian, and seeing them being taught that it was right and a good thing to be closed minded...

*sigh*

__________________
~Whoever loves God must also love his brother. I John 4:21~

Arenlor

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/...ians%2014:2-28