So what’s the scariest most disturbing film i’ve seen so far this year?
Hostel? Slither? The Descent? Severance? The Hills Have Eyes? Imprint?
Nope.
It’s called… JESUS CAMP!!!
It’s about little kids getting brainwashed by hardcore crazy Evangelicalists and training them to become ‘warriors for Jesus’!
Now now. You’ve probably heard about this little flick – actually, it’s a documentary – but no no..! You’re probably thinking it’s like another one of those Michael Moore-ish (ftw!) documentaries with ‘dubious editing’ and ‘reshuffled clips’ or whatnot. But no! Because see..
Jesus Camp is not a “hatchet job.” The filmmakers did not go in with an anti-Christian agenda and use selective editing to prove their point. They are observers. Jesus Camp does not represent an attack on the Evangelical community. Ewing and Grady employ a “point-and-shoot” philosophy. They allow the subjects of the documentary to guide where the film goes (perhaps, according to the saying, giving them enough rope to hang themselves). The principals of the film, including Pastor Becky Fischer (the main spokesperson for Evangelical Christianity here), are pleased with the final result. They do not believe they have been misrepresented.
I’ve read mainstream reviews likening what goes on at these Jesus Camps as the extremist Christian version of those extremist Al Qaeda training camps. It’s actually not all that far off a comparison.
YouTube trailer below. Or the Quicktime trailer here if you want quality. Either way, you have to have a look if you haven’t already.
Some dude in the YouTube comments:
That fat lady, Becky Fischer looks like she could use some dick.She wouldn’t be so crazy if she got a hot beef injection every now and them. White guys don’t like fat chicks and there is probly no Black men in her neck of the woods , in North Dakota to fill the void. To all you white guys out there, you must start boneing your fat chicks. Take one for the team, for the good of humanity. This is what happens when fat chicks go to long with out getting any Man Sausage !
Some Evangelical Christians however are now frantically trying to distance themselves from the ones portrayed in the film.
In a statement, the president of Magnolia Pictures who produced the film, Eammon Bowles, said: “We’re frankly surprised and a little disheartened by the efforts of prominent members of the evangelical community to clamp down on Jesus Camp. Whether or not the children and camp depicted in the film represents the ‘mainstream’ of the Evangelical movement is beside the point: they exist, the film documents them, and the subjects feel they’ve been treated fairly. Why a community that’s so quick to attack discrimination from secular Americans would then turn and do the same to other Evangelicals is unexpected, to say the least.”
PS: These people also help put Bush in office.
FIRST!!!
People in this world today…. /sadface
#1 | Comment by Doh — October 8, 2006 @ 8:25 pm
I haven’t seen the trailer, and I’m already cringing.
#2 | Comment by gamekid — October 8, 2006 @ 8:26 pm
I loved it. It was much better than ‘Cats.’ I’m going to see it again and again.
#3 | Comment by El Payo — October 8, 2006 @ 8:31 pm
The “I GOT JESUS HOW ‘BOUT YOU” roundtable chant thing will give me nightmares.
#4 | Comment by gamekid — October 8, 2006 @ 8:36 pm
tl;dr
#5 | Comment by zomg — October 8, 2006 @ 8:46 pm
Scary and enlightening all at the same time. Overly religious people freak me out but, at the same time, I don’t have a problem with religion. I just worry that young kids like the ones apparently in these camps are being brainwashed before they are old enough to make religious choices for themselves. It’s very easy to get all caught up in the fervor of it all before you are old enough to understand it.
#6 | Comment by Steve Hall — October 8, 2006 @ 8:53 pm
Yay for not accepting other points of view!
#7 | Comment by Logan — October 8, 2006 @ 8:54 pm
What does this have to do with *tits*? Thanks for the social political commentary on religion. You gonna show political adverts soon?
#8 | Comment by Charlie — October 8, 2006 @ 9:16 pm
Didn’t that cute mandy moore star in some other jesus flick like this (save me?) but then again, she’s much cuter and believable.
#9 | Comment by haruman — October 8, 2006 @ 10:17 pm
Please show more tits!!! That scared me!
#10 | Comment by scared joe — October 8, 2006 @ 10:39 pm
told you it’s scary!
#11 | Comment by Justin — October 8, 2006 @ 10:55 pm
At least when alqaeda release propaganda they don’t charge people to watch it…
oh, and I found this place because it was in my referers list for some reason.
#12 | Comment by David — October 9, 2006 @ 1:10 am
KUMBAYAH MY LORD KUMBAYAH
#13 | Comment by AngelBaby — October 9, 2006 @ 1:53 am
“… Christian version of those extremist Al Qaeda training camps. It’s actually not all that far off a comparison.”
Let me know when they start blowing themselves up to turn civilians into pizza toppings, and then threatening to behead you for criticizing them, for blowing you up or snipping your head off.
Other than that, though, it’s “not all that far off a comparison.”
#14 | Comment by Kewtr — October 9, 2006 @ 2:47 am
To #14, didn’t Timothy McVeigh and David Koresh blow up civilians into pizza toppings? Both were Christian extremists.
It’s common for Christian Extremists to blow you up or snipe your head off if you enter an abortion clinic.
Was your post rhetorical?
#15 | Comment by IllSaint — October 9, 2006 @ 3:08 am
“Yay for not accepting other points of view!”
Roger that; fucking christian extremists. Just as bad as Islamic extremists… except they don’t even have the balls to die for their ’cause’, well, apart maybe from some of the ones shown in this film. Which is why they might become a danger.
#16 | Comment by GIGN — October 9, 2006 @ 5:40 am
^ fact?
http://www.sfstation.com/jesus-camp-a2203
#17 | Comment by Justin — October 9, 2006 @ 5:42 am
best horror movie of the year! two thumbs up!
http://www.alternet.org/wiretap/42193/
there’s a pretty good interview with the directors in there too.
#18 | Comment by Justin — October 9, 2006 @ 5:51 am
I don’t know what was creepier, the kids singing about Jesus and doing what looks like a fighting stick musical number. Or the creepy perma-smiles everyone seemed to have.
#19 | Comment by Zleet — October 9, 2006 @ 6:59 am
Well, there’s one kid in the film who’s not allowed to read or watch any Harry Potter (cuz they practice WITCHCRAFT!!), but he goes to his friend’s house and watches the movies there anyway. You should see the looks of shock on the other kids’ faces when he tells them that!
So at least one kid in that film isn’t too far gone. The others though… *shudder*
#20 | Comment by Faceman — October 9, 2006 @ 7:50 am
nice mullet on the little freak boy.
to be honest, if each and every single one of those people got nuked, i’d shake the hand of whomever did it.
then of course we’d have to goto war. but maybe we can say thank you and fuck you at the same time.
#21 | Comment by tehpunk — October 9, 2006 @ 8:40 am
Not that different from Al Qeada training camps? The only similarity is the fact that they are very passionate about their religion, and they want others to be a part. Don’t get me wrong here. I do not approve of this kind of thing. It is just parents thinking that they can force their kids into heaven, but the fact that everyone on this board seems to be shitting on others because of their religion is what’s actually disheartening here. Anyway, These arent violent people. They just feel very strongly about God and they want others to believe too. When they do go out and start killing muslims, let me know. I will be sure to apologize.
#22 | Comment by braden — October 9, 2006 @ 9:20 am
braden, five bucks says you are from the south.
#23 | Comment by tehpunk — October 9, 2006 @ 9:23 am
Um…tehpunk – what the hell does that have to do with anything? Are you saying all people in the south are christian extremists? Next thing you are going to insinuate is the racist nazi girls in the previous story must have been from the south.
Believe it or not there are a ton of us liberal, non christian “normal” people in the south. We are sick as hell about this shit too.
#24 | Comment by Charlie — October 9, 2006 @ 9:29 am
i almost threw up after seeing that.
seriously
ugh.
and there was that girls tears at the end.
ugh.
#25 | Comment by Tjhom — October 9, 2006 @ 9:42 am
Charlie: If it helps you, had the video had hot chicks, I would have commented on that.
#26 | Comment by tehpunk — October 9, 2006 @ 9:47 am
…i see absolutely nothing even remotely wrong with what i saw in that trailer. if good-hearted religion scares you, you need to grow a sack, seriously
#27 | Comment by ham — October 9, 2006 @ 10:46 am
#22 wrote: “When they do go out and start killing muslims, let me know. I will be sure to apologize.”
Okay, you can apologize now.
They are the type of people who are in the US Military in Iraq right now (just look at the little girl with the “Army” T-Shirt — yeah, we don’t want you little fucks in the Army, thanks), who are killing innocent muslims there.
Fucking cumstains are giving a negative image of the Military to the rest of the world. There’s always got to be a few rotten apples to spoil everything…
#28 | Comment by GIGN — October 9, 2006 @ 11:22 am
“It’s common for Christian Extremists to blow you up or snipe your head off if you enter an abortion clinic.”
oh, come on #15…
i’m not a fan of ANY religious fanaticism, but “common”? really?? that’s the story you want to stick with?
:rolleyes:
#29 | Comment by AngelBaby — October 9, 2006 @ 12:44 pm
Saw that movie at this year’s film fest, was absolutely awesome.
The abortion presentation was FUCKED UP, though. “I’d like to tell you kids why 500 000 of your friends couldn’t make it here today.” Manipulative fuckers.
#30 | Comment by Alex — October 9, 2006 @ 1:14 pm
“They are the type of people who are in the US Military in Iraq right now (just look at the little girl with the “Army” T-Shirt — yeah, we don’t want you little fucks in the Army, thanks), who are killing innocent muslims there.”
You have got to be kidding me.. The US military in Iraq is fighting only those who attack them first. So fuck you for saying the insurgents are innocent. Maybe a few innocents have been killed but that is the exception to the rule and the aggressors will certainly be punished.
#31 | Comment by Evestay — October 9, 2006 @ 3:07 pm
No, I’m not. Unfortunately.
“Five soldiers charged in Iraq rape-murder case”
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/LAW/07/09/soldiers.charged/index.html
“Sailor ‘saw marines murder unarmed Iraqi'”
http://www.thepeninsulaqatar.com/commentary/commentaryother.asp?file=octobercommentary222006.xml
^Are just two links.
Now, just imagine how many other incidents there were that weren’t discovered, or were covered up.
I already said it: these people are a fucking DISGRACE to the men and women who honorably serve in the Armed Forces.
#32 | Comment by GIGN — October 9, 2006 @ 3:41 pm
#32- i agree, this handful of cases are indeed a disgrace to the THOUSANDS of honorable men and women of the US armed forces who lay it all on the line day after day in iraq and afghanistan.
however, i question the assertion you made earlier that the individuals involved in these atrocities are all christian fundamentalists lashing out at muslims simply because of their beliefs. there’s absolutely no evidence of that being true.
#33 | Comment by AngelBaby — October 9, 2006 @ 4:28 pm
Sorry, didn’t mean that. I didn’t mean to say that all war criminals are christians, not at all.
What I meant is that -these- type of people would probably love to join the Army or the Marines, or any other branch, just so that they could go to Iraq and kill some “evil muslims” (and join the atheists, or any other group, who do the same)… what seperates these nutters from the others, is that they are in fact being taught that they need to “fight” for their faith. And the best way to do that is to join the Armed Forces and go kill some infidels in the ME (in their eyes, I believe).
Many of them might actually respect their ROE (Rules Of Engagement) and only fight those who they should be fighting, but I could easily see the worse-off nutters killing some civies.
Religion is the ultimate excuse for doing something… if you think that you’re doing something from your god, then there won’t be much to stop you from doing so, because even if you get caught, you’ll ‘go to heaven’ for being a good follower.
#34 | Comment by GIGN — October 9, 2006 @ 4:57 pm
That was pretty much exactly like the gradeschool I went to (all through K-6), except we didnt have the wierd stuff at the end, with the kid twitching and kids crying, and the wierd play.
#35 | Comment by Kito — October 9, 2006 @ 5:39 pm
^ but there *was* speaking in tongues?
Awesome.
#36 | Comment by Alex — October 9, 2006 @ 6:42 pm
The reason I wanted to say something about these people earlier, is because I dont think that everyone really understands what they mean when they say things like being warriors for God. When I was a kid, my parents belonged to one of those churches full of people laying on the floor, speaking in tongues, et cetera, and I got to know people like that. I wasnt into it by any means, but they dont literally mean go out and physically fight for God. They mean to go out and try tell everyone about God, and how much he loves them. They may be creepy, but not so dangerous as people are acting like.
#37 | Comment by braden — October 9, 2006 @ 7:33 pm
Derka! Derka!
#38 | Comment by Steampunk — October 9, 2006 @ 8:23 pm
dude i thought you were cool man. for the last couple of years i thought you were a cool kid. but you’re just like those other crazy bitches who cry about shit. bush wah wah wah. jesus wah wah wah. christians wah wah wah. that’s right, i called you a bitch.
#39 | Comment by Ed — October 9, 2006 @ 9:09 pm
#39 – Yeah – right on! I hate bitches that cry about our soldiers being told to go into a country that did not attack us first and kill
peoplegodless foreigners for a reason that changes every other week when the last reason no longer makes sense? Whiny bitches.And I also hate bitches that complain about religious folk too! Christians never have gone on “crusades” or anything to cleanse the world of those that disagree with them!
Then the bitches make movies like this one, that all good Christians should never go see because they may actually learn that something is wrong with their belief system. They should stay home and watch Pat Robertson and Bill O’Reilly instead – they knows what’s right!
Fucking bitches. We should all send our kids to some camp somewhere and teach them the real word of God: If you aren’t a Christian, get ready to go to hell. We may even help you go there faster!
#40 | Comment by al k holik — October 9, 2006 @ 11:12 pm
oh, completely forgot about the best line from the entire movie:
“I think George Bush has brought a lot of credibility to the Christian community.”
cue laughter from entire audience.
#41 | Comment by Alex — October 9, 2006 @ 11:23 pm
A lot of you people seem to be one of two things: ignorant or stupid. Im just going to hope its all ignorance. These people arent the ones that go to war. They are the ones that just go on to perpetuate their own beliefs, for the vast majority. The guys that churches like this turn out arent crazy violent christian warriors. They are the extreme evangelical christians. I know a lot of people who went through camps like this. For the most part, they tend to send the kids in another direction, like the methodist church – the polar opposite within the christian faith. The rest arent crazy warriors; they are just passionate about God and they want the rest of the world to feel the same way. If you dont know the facts about a topic, why would you have an opinion?
#42 | Comment by braden — October 9, 2006 @ 11:27 pm
This is what bugs the hell out of me. They think they have to be the fathers of our countries, who spank and punish those who don’t follow their morals. So it’s not like these people out there who just enjoy religion peacefully in their own hometown. I can even put up with Jehovah Witnesses coming to my door at 8 in the morning, when I’m still in my boxers. It’s not hard to just treat them like unwanted door-to-door salesmen. At least that right is still intact.
What I can’t tolerate, is when they start trying to force their morals on EVERYONE, including those who don’t subscribe to their religion by legislating it with the government. They make it their life’s goal, to make sure that homosexuals don’t get the right to marry.
#43 | Comment by BigBlueBalls — October 10, 2006 @ 12:46 am
Movies like this disgust me. Not because they are politically charged or all that, but because they sadly display mostly truths. I consider myself a Christian (albeit a lazy and unproductive one) and I’ve been through religious school all my life. Being older I decided to take into account the facts and all that to see why I believed why I believed. I’m still on that road.
However when I was younger there was nothing like this. And if there was I wasn’t a part of it. Some of you don’t understand; because they say they’re God’s warriors or whatever doesn’t mean they’re gonna grow up and go to the ME and go Rambo on everyone, although there are some bad apples in the bunch (Koresh, etc). But to compare camps where kids are taught to love and respect one another with camps that teach children to hate everyone but their own religion and to kill all who disagree is a bit far-fetched.
#44 | Comment by Ed — October 10, 2006 @ 1:37 am
The kids only accept it at the time because it makes them feel like they’re a part of something important (something bigger); which, as kids, they may not feel very often. I’m sure that excitement doesn’t last too long after the camp. I know that in my Evangelical Christian highschool drug and alcohol use is about as common as at any public school, so for most of them the extremism is just a phase.
#45 | Comment by Kito — October 10, 2006 @ 2:31 am
i still say nuke the south.
although it’s not necessary. they’ve already fucked themselves.
with great pride i watch teeth fall out and ghetto ass morons float down newly formed rivers in new orleans.
#46 | Comment by tehpunk — October 10, 2006 @ 3:35 am
tehpunk – seriously, what is your fucking problem with the south? Katrina was a national disaster and if you find that funny, or a good thing you are a sick racist northerner. Or you must have been ass raped dry by a southerner while doing time in prison for meth possession.
braden – if you know so much you must have been “saved” at one of these events. What are you doing here “sinning” looking for pedo boobs and such? I don’t really mind those whacky extremist christians until they jump on my shit for commenting on my views of their religion and how silly I think they are. So is you is or is you ain’t?
#47 | Comment by Charlie — October 10, 2006 @ 10:03 am
I was actually made to go to one of these things by my parents when I was a kid. I hated being there, and I have nothing to do with those kinds of churches anymore. It creeps me out, and I think some of the things they do are kind of bullshit. I was just commenting on this because I know people like this first hand, and I know what kind of people churches like this turn out.
#48 | Comment by braden — October 10, 2006 @ 10:15 am
if i cant download this crappy movie.. i will actually pay money to see it. and its only playing in 5 theaters in NYC…. there are probably a thousand theaters and its playing in only 5.
i also heard about htis like 2 weeks ago on bill maher.
now.. off to find it…. and find some friends who i will force to see this with… god i need some better friends.
#49 | Comment by flushing — October 11, 2006 @ 2:51 am
braden – my apologies for my comment. Sorry about that childhood situation. Welcome to the fold.
#50 | Comment by Charlie — October 11, 2006 @ 4:56 pm
At least there are not beheading people of fling planes into buildings.
Those people voted for Kerry.
#51 | Comment by Jcush — October 11, 2006 @ 5:22 pm
Regardless what anyone has said Here i think the whole movie has done its job well.
The basics of christian belief are found upon the bible, and if you profess to be a christian, You must base your believe on jesus christs resurection, that being so, the only account of his ressaurection is the bible, so if you dont believe that the bible is true you cant be a christian. So, the problem becomes, Why dont you just follow it?
Because people have choice, and the problem with religion, especially christianity is it strips that choice away,teaches you to fight the “flesh”, the evil side, And all that good stuff.
And to all the people who have posted saying they consider themselves christians, and are ” Not the greatest”, Basically saying your living your life the way you want, but it doesnt matter cause your going to heaven, The bible says god spits you out of his mouth. Cause your what he calls, Lukewarm. Be hot or cold it says.
Trust me, I know the bible, Ive studied it, Im not some fucked up little whiny internet bitches who rags on your religion.
I guess i just wanted to add my own little comentary, Be a part of the world, Social interaction. Because when it comes down to it, The only thing you can know for sure, is that we share this earth with millions of people juse like us. And we all want to be heard.
Haha.
But seriously this movie looks kick ass.
I love those kinds of churches.
#52 | Comment by Feradais — October 11, 2006 @ 7:01 pm
o_O
#53 | Comment by AngelBaby — October 11, 2006 @ 8:12 pm
Uhg. I think my stomach turned a couple times while watchin’ that. Though i disagree with the overgeneralized, negative comments, these are people that can kill. Want proof? Lookup the crusades. We’re all essentially the same .. why can’t we get along and fuck whoever looks hot to us? :^D
#54 | Comment by Mot — October 12, 2006 @ 1:23 am
It’s worth noting that there’s either some major Michael Moore-style editing there, or else those are crazies whom 99.8% of American Christians would not agree with.
#55 | Comment by John — October 12, 2006 @ 10:23 pm
Ok im a christian, well accually im catholic. I dont no what crazy sector of christianity that is but they seem a little confused. Didnt jesus teach us to love one another and stuff and not make war?
I dont even know why muslims and christians are fighting. Both religions extend from Judaism and we all pray to the same god. Why the hell are we fighting??????????????????????
We need to put all our religious differences aside and make peace. Once we have done that:
THE WHOLE WORLD CAN BLOW THOSE Nth KOREAN C*NTS TO HELL. NUKE THE BASTARDS.
#56 | Comment by Pawluk — October 13, 2006 @ 11:19 am
^Nice. Subtle… but nice.
I think the problem is that all those religions say to worship the one true God and no others. Well, when you see someone else worshipping a “fake god”, naturally he isn’t worshipping the true God so he is wrong, below you, and not worthy of decent treatment.
Just try to spread kindness and not hatred.
#57 | Comment by Willi — October 13, 2006 @ 10:04 pm
What a joke.
“Science and evolution are solely based on faith, while creationism is based on the truth.”
Are you fucking kidding me?
WHAT a .6% increase in temperature isn’t a large amount to worry about for global warming? It’s called brainwashing, “I didn’t think I had enough in my life, so at 5 I was saved by Jesus.” HAH, how about your hick parents homeschooled you so they could teach you one way, instead of letting you get a fair amount of information from all religious views.
What? Fuck the earth, fuck the trees, fuck the environment; it doesn’t matter because “god” is going to come save you? OK. Just keep waiting for your “god” to come while the world goes to hell.
Anyone else get a kick out of the fact that “the devil” wanted to stop her powerpoint presentation. I’m sorry radical religious bitch, it’s called having a shitty computer, or having the power go out. The power going out is caused by storms, which are scientifically proven to NOT have been caused by the devil. hahaha…
#58 | Comment by Whits — October 13, 2006 @ 11:26 pm
Wait a second…
They’ve scientifically proven that the devil doesn’t cause storms? What the hell kind of study results have you been reading?
And who would even do a study like that?
#59 | Comment by Jonstafa — October 15, 2006 @ 6:35 am
charlie,
if you see one ounce of good in these people, you need to fucking die as soon as possible. i’ll be the one cheering.
#60 | Comment by tehpunk — October 15, 2006 @ 9:07 am