Jesus Camp

Where do I begin? I have never been so livid during and after watching a movie/documentary.
Listo had recommended this movie to me and I was trying to put it off. I have been catching up on my movie viewing and I finally saw it, with both regret and thankfulness. I regret it because I am so angry but I am also thankful that I have an opportunity to tell about another side of being Pentecostal.
I am filled with fear, anger and confusion.

Luke 18:16 - But Jesus called the children to Him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." (NIV)

This verse clearly is demonstrative of God's perception of children as innocent. So their chances of going to Heaven are set. It is when we are old enough to make decisions, old enough to choose between right and wrong, developmentally able to understand the consequences of the evil we do, it is then that we are held accountable and rightfully so.

The head of this Jesus Camp is a woman named Becky who scares the heck out of me, how much more a small, doe eyed, five year old?

Her quotes are jaw dropping. "Bush has given Christianity credibility? What!? You're kidding me right?"

She constantly spoke of the passion of radical Islamic children and how indoctrinated they are to be passionate for the cause and how Christian children should be just as passionate. This scares me.

Normally,Most children are passionate about Xbox, Dora or other toys, movies, cartoons or TV

It is a rare thing when a child is set off to minister.
I do believe it occurs but it is something that is not seen very often. Jesus Christ preached at the temple when He was twelve but He, after all, is Christ.
There were so many things that set me off as a Christian, a mother, a grandmother, a teacher both in School and in Sunday school.

One example is a boy featured in the documentary. A boy named Levi. He just grew on me, mullet and all. His mother home schools him and there is a scene where she is yelling and asking him. "What are you going to say when your teacher says creationism is stupid!?" He is meant to have a quick fire answer filled with intellect and profound in spirituality, an answer that will change the life of his teacher. No pressure huh?
If I were him I would have answered, "I'd be shocked because you're my teacher."
But I'm just a smart ass.

Let the child be!
We need to make sure that what we teach our children is not forced upon them but gently, wisely and lovingly fed to them. What they receive is what thier mind, spirit and soul are capable of accepting and processing.

A child is of God. A child reared by loving parents, parents who love and revere God and model God's love in thier home by sharing His word, praying together and tenderly nurturing any spiritual growth that occurs via the Holy Spirit working in that child is doing thier job.

A parent who forces doctrine down a child's throat and teaches him the word of God by rote is doing more harm than good.

I would love to see an update on these children twenty years from now.