Lord, Save Me From Your Followers

It is always interesting to read bumper stickers.  They often say clever things. The main man in the movie we watched in class walked around in a big white suit that was covered in bumper stickers that had to do with Christianity. It was a good way for him to break the ice while asking often difficult questions to answer. He went all across the nation asking people questions about religion and Christianity.  Most of the results he got were sad, but true.  When asked 'what do you think of when you think of Christians?' some answers include: fantacisim, the crusades, warfare, snobby, hypocrites and theatrical. On the other hand, others said: holy, God, compassionate, love, and Jesus. The man gave many stats on religion in America and surprisingly, most people consider themselves Christians; however, this does not mean that they actually are. We live in a culture where evangelicalism is percieved as 'I hate you.'  Whoever speaks up creates the culture. If we do not go out and speak the word, how is our country ever going to be based on God again?  One man in the movie said "Church is the body of Christ, but it's hands and feet have been amputated and all thats left is one big mouth."  He did not say this in a positive way.  It seems that Christians have stopped doing the things they are told to do, but we sure do talk the talk. It is in this way that our country has slowly moved away from being one nation under God. We can't even call December 25 Christmas anymore because we are too worried that we might offend someone. And since when does God hate gays? Doesn't the bible say that God loves everyone? The modern church has strayed far from the way God intended it to be. This movie shows how Christians and the church are really percieved by the majority of people in this country. Some of the results are scary, but it just shows us what we need to work on.

Jesus Camp

           Its always interesting to see what movies will be nominated for an Oscar.  This movie was shocking for me to see. On one hand the motives of some of the parents of these children are good.  It is a good thing to want to teach your child all about God and his word so that they will be prepared when they face troubles of many kinds, but in some instances, to me, it can go a bit over the top.  I think that if these parents are also telling their children about things that the world thinks and other opinions that it is fine, but if they are limiting what their child hears to just what they think that is where it crosses the border into brainwashing.  When the little girl went up to the lady at the bowling ally it just seemed strange.  It is really good to reach out to people, but when you are 9 years old and you walk up to someone three times your age and tell them that God has put you on my heart, it is just an unlikely occurance.  When the average person is 9 years old they are not typically listening for God to direct them to lead someone to Christ.  It can come off  very weird. The way that the girl's dad reacted seemed very robotic.  She told him what she had done and he just patted her on the head like he expected it.
         I really enjoy Christian camps, but this one may be a little too extreme.  It seemed to me that the director of the camp was doing a lot of guilt tripping the campers.  She seemed a little too sure of herself too.  I did not like how she said that she can talk to a student for just a few minutes and can have them seeing visions of God.  She really does not have that kind of control, only God does.  Sure God can use people to lead other people to him, but I think she was boasting a bit.
         All in all I think that this movie shows how some people can take things in to their own hands too much.  It almost seems like these people are not even doing it for God even though they say all these holy things and pray outloud.  I wish I could have been there to see the second half of the movie.  I have never heard of any of this and I find it very interesting.