environgirl @ MindSay

Blech! The cafe was closed at the theater....oops, I almost forgot the Calamari at the Sake Lounge...delicious: I saw this movie called Jesus Camp. It was a documentary on an Evangelical Christian Childrens movement in Missouri. Okay, I went in thinking that it would be a little shocking and I was absolutely right for the most part.

There were some things about the movement that really disturbed me, like... the children supposedly catching the holy spirit and convulsing on the floor and "speaking in tongues" on command.

Another issue I had with the set up was the talk of being soldiers and warriors for Christ, complete with kids in camo-face paint and loosing war cries for Christ.

Now the organizer of the "Kids on Fire" summer camp talked about the enemy which was later revealed to be Muslims first and those who don't believe like her brand of fundamentalism second...

There was a young girl who would approach strangers and tell them that God told her that something was missing in their lives and told her to come and minister to them, at which point she would give a pamphlet.

Okay, at one point the child goes up to 3 elderly black men in the park (they had to be maybe early 70s).

When they tell her no thanks she says "The were probably muslim". Hmm. Okay, now they coulda been but they also coulda been uncomfortable about being caught talking to an 8 year old little girl (who happened to be caucasian) with no adult in her immediate vicinity.

Now say what you will but my grandmother STILL became afraid when she saw a black man talking to a white girl in town.

I would love to think that she was just from a different time but recently I have heard/seen people toss the N word (AT work, On the bus and On the internet) around like confetti lately so....anyway that's another story.

Okay, now if she thinks that anyone who doesnt take a pamphlet has a beef with Jesus then where does that land them in supposed war for Christ? Hell, everyone will be the damned enemy by the time it's all over. Okay now there were a handful of kids from other ethnic groups and they too were serious about the movement but none were interviewed in the documentary which is odd since it would have maybe offered some other cultural perspectives---who knows right?

It was just a little un-nerving to hear children speak of martyrdom in such a cavalier way for sure though.

The young lady who was handing out pamphlets told the story that her dad told her about how when a soldier for God "goes off to war the community rallies around him and shouts martyr! martyr! martyr! It's Really Cool" YIKES! Really cool? hmmmm

On the flip side, I dig that the kids have a spiritual base. I mean a healthy knowledge of something bigger than yourself I think is good for everyone. They were all highly literate and well spoken for their ages I think. Many of them had positive attitudes about themselves in general. The biggest issues were with the kids who felt that they had betrayed their faith by liking Harry Potter or thinking about dancing other than for the glory of God. One little boy had so much anxiety about how he might upset God that he cried and read and prayed constantly. I think that is a bit much for a 7 year old but hey....

Many of the kids were homeschooled which is fine except that almost all were told that science was an absurdity. uhm science is important if you want to get into the basics of biology and general medicine and such. So to unilaterally teach that science is bunk is a bit much for me... oh well, that being said, I say that it is worth the watch, especially if you LOVE documentaries like I do. It was enlightening albeit a smidge creepy....

But then many also think that Paganism and astrology are likewise creepy so hey, its all relative I suppose Smiley .

Then came the ride home in the rain...LaPaganista at the busstop..

I thought about getting a slice of pie and a cup of tea but I really needed to get home and out of my wet shoes.....

I'll be back with Scorpio!!! Brace yourself Myclette LOL

How about some poetry...here goes..... (Missed you there for a second, second, second doll)

Sonnet XX

A woman's face with Nature's own hand painted
Hast thou, the master-mistress of my passion;
A woman's gentle heart, but not acquainted
With shifting change, as is false women's fashion;
An eye more bright than theirs, less false in rolling,
Gilding the object whereupon it gazeth;
A man in hue, all 'hues' in his controlling,
Much steals men's eyes and women's souls amazeth.
And for a woman wert thou first created;
Till Nature, as she wrought thee, fell a-doting,
And by addition me of thee defeated,
By adding one thing to my purpose nothing.
But since she prick'd thee out for women's pleasure,
Mine be thy love and thy love's use their treasure. William Shakespeare