As some of you know, I get really pissed off with certain segments of the Christian community, not the humble faithful who are sincere and don't feel the need to insult you and your own beliefs or lack thereof. I don't like the ones who berate the way I live and are so in your face and arrogant with their beliefs. I really dislike the rise of Christians who feel it is their duty to convert you and "save your soul." I can't stand the "holier than thou" bullshit that is so evident amongst the fanatical Christian Evangelical movement. So with that introduction, I give you my analysis of a program we saw called, "48 Hours: The Lord's Boot Camp."The Lord's Boot Camp is a camp where some Evangelical Christians send their kids to prepare them to go out and get people to come to Jesus. They send these kids out into the wilderness and run them through these physically and emotionally demanding obstacle courses while they yell the ten commandments at them and many of the kids breakdown and cry from the intensity. This is what I saw, impressionable kids being separated from society and their families and physically and emotionally broken down so that they were ripe for indoctrination and vulnerable to suggestion.
The militancy of the whole thing really disturbs me and reminds me of the militancy of some of the radical Muslim indoctrination camps/schools. It plays into the whole martyrdom complex, that they suffer from persecution and thrive on victim hood. Traits of a martyrdom complex include: They have the need to be a victim and complain always (Christians complaining that our country isn't Christian enough and they are being persecuted if anyone dares oppose their views and plans), They lie and twist facts to prove their point (because, well it's the truth and therefore somehow justified. The ends justify the means. They'll thank me later), They selectively forget, ignore or avoid any facts that may conflict with their point and resort to name-calling when everything else fails (you're beliefs are demonic and you're a sinner because you don't agree with me).
These kids went around trying to convert people in Africa and in Indiana and telling people that they are wrong and that they are right because they, "just know." It's maddening to deal with such stubbornness and circular logic. To this end, one of the adults leading the boot camp was asked if their methods were brainwashing, to which he responded, "No, we're just telling them the truth." Which is more circular logic because how do they know it's the truth if they don't do their own investigation into other belief systems and lack of them. How can you know, "the truth" if you aren't given another option? If it's really the truth then they'll easily come back to Christianity after their personal soul searching. It's the old patriarchal, authoritarian trick of, "Because I said so" which is backed up with a large dose of guilt, fear of eternal damnation and shame.
Then there is the peer pressure to do what the other kids are doing. So how is that different from drug peer pressure? Oh, I forgot, it's different because it's--"the truth."
Then there was the girl who said she wasn't angry at people when they didn't listen to her pitch, she just felt sorry for them. That is another attitude that pisses me off. They are so arrogant that they honestly think that people couldn't possibly be as happy as they are because they don't know, "the truth" yet. They don't believe people who have heard, "the truth" and turned it down and say that they are very happy without Christianity and so they double their efforts to bring you the, "good news." In other words, "God" loves you whether you like it or not. They also explain your rejection away as you aren't ready to hear "the truth." Or that you aren't being honest with yourself, that if you look deep inside of yourself you'll know it's true.
You disrespect peoples' beliefs, their lifestyle choices and their very intelligence but then wonder why people hate you??? Un-fucking-believable. It's like talking to a rock sometimes except a rock doesn't berate and insult you.
6 comments:
Wait.
Have you seen Jesus Camp? You really need to see that film.
I was on a flight once and of course, bored out of my skull, as I had finished my book and found myself idling on the runway for far too long.
So, against my better judgment I reached into the pocket in front of me b/c I could see this little booklet thingy hanging out the side.
It ended up being a reborn, Evangelical piece of propaganda under the guise of a visually friendly cartoon strip. Yet, I didn't realize what it was until I got into the middle of the booklet.
First, you should know this piece was written with kid-friendly language, characters and animations.
The story begins with an older, retired couple who are getting onto a flight to go see their grandkids in another state. It describes how in love they are, how long they were married, the various charitable work they had done etc. and how much they love their grandkids. The point was that these were good people who were loved and loved others.
So, the plane takes off, the sky is sunny, the couple is holding hands and as I turn the page BOOM the plane makes the most dramatic, doom-laden plunge to a most explosive and might I add, graphic demise. Literally, bodies hanging out of the debris...
So, now I'm thinking, what the hell is this shit? First of all, I'm sitting on an airplane reading about a plane crash, while it's presented as a children's cartoon. What the hell kind of cruel joke is this?
The next page shows grandma rising up toward Jesus--or maybe it was an angel, it's hard to say and I'm no expert--and Jesus says to her, "have you accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your Lord and savior?" She says, yes and up she goes, meanwhile her hubby is literally floating in line behind her. By the way half of the people on board the plane didn't rise anywhere, they just smoldered. I'm not making this shit up.
Anyway, Grandpa floats on up, "have you accepted Jesus Christ into your life as your Lord and savior?" Grandpa doesn't even have a chance to say no when a vacuum of dysfunction sucks him down into hell for what is termed "eternal damnation," as he hadn't accepted jack squat.
So next we see that grandma is alone and heartbroken, the grandkids are upset that they will never get to see their grandparents again and grandpa is literally drawn kicking himself in hell for his error in judgment.
As you mentioned, this is summed up at the end as "the truth" and frankly, made my stomach turn a little bit, as it was so demonic in its presentation.
It wasn't just the filth of the plane fabric that made me want to shower that day.
jenji
haha, I like the sign - "traitors lead to civil war" - now if traitors do lead to civil war, which side would be the side of the traitors - both sides would claim the other was full of traitors, so who would be correct?
I'm sure during the U.S. civil war, both sides could claim the other was full of traitors against their own philosophy and view of the world.
The people who embrace those sort of labels love to judge others with simplistic and one dimensional perceptions that easily demonize anyone who happens to disagree with their own view of the world.
In my opinion this is just their way of winning an argument - they can't use logic or common sense, because their opinions and dogma are easily shown to be ridiculous if those tools are used, so they use other means.
When logic and reason fail you, use douchery, nobody will notice.
Jenji: Yeah I have seen Jesus Camp and it creeped me the FUCK OUT.
That Evangelical pamphlet sounds quite disturbing indeed. I would be terrified reading that while on a plane!!! I don't need to be reminded of plans crashing as I'm afraid of flying.
Boy and the ending of the story sure is happy. Why do Christians thrive so much on doom and gloom?
Tex:
Indeed, there were people on both sides during the U.S. civil war calling other traitors. Even amongst family members!! Cousins fought against cousins, etc.
Yeah I agree that it's probably more about being "right" and seen as "good" than caring for the people they "convert."
Many just want to rack up the numbers just to be able to say, "I converted "X" number of people therefore I'm better than you.
I know this to be true as in my former life I was a Mormon missionary and I knew plenty of them who competed over numbers baptized. Sick.
Poodles: Yeah they have no shame whatsoever and will do and say anything to try and justify their circular logic.
Hey if a civil war starts, I know which side I'll be on...
Fucking assholes!
T&A: You and me both brother. I'll stand with you back to back.
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