I just saw a trailer for a movie entitled Jesus Camp. The trailer seems to signify that the movie’s focus is a militant-like movement within the church to raise up an army of kids. Honestly the trailer makes the movie look kinda scarry. I hope the movie is a little more well balanced than the trailer suggests. If it is not then it seems to be equating ‘evangelicals’ with a very specific branch of Christianity that encourages their children to speak in tongues and convulse on the floor, as well as speak of the Kingdom of God in overly-militaristic language. It looks kinda like Children of the Corn meets Benny Hinn. If I were an unbeliever watching this film it would probably make me very suspicious of Churches. While it may have some eye-opening insider type of critiques like the movie Saved did, it still seems overly propagandised.
However, it does make one aware of the craftiness inherit in media that allows editors to spin images and soundbites so that one group looks better or worse in the final product than they actually are. It is especially alarming the amount of pathos that is carried in the background music of a scene. This makes me question the judgements I have made about other religous groups due to the news or some other video source.
The link for the trailer is http://us.video.aol.com/video.index.adp?mode=2&pmmsid=1698058
.
Posted In: culture movies
Bookmark This Article: Del.icio.us, Digg, Reddit, Facebook, Stumbledupon
.
#1 On September 10, 2006, Daldianus wrote:
The trailer is scary indeed. And shows you how easily children can be used and formed by religious zealots!