Critical analysis based on movie Jesus Camp Essay

Critical analysis based on movie Jesus Camp - Essay Example She brings a religious tract over to a suddenly befuddled blond, telling her "Hi, um, God's just telling me that you're on his mind and he just wants to take you and he just wants to love on you and he has special plans for your life." As the blond responds with a kind, yet confused "thank you," Rachael is congratulated by her mentor for listening to the voice of God and bravely sharing her love for Jesus with a lost soul. A weeping Tory, after a particularly emotional meeting, holds the microphone feebly as she cries with all the strength in her heart "I just pray for a change over our nation," illustrating the hidden political agenda with which she has been indoctrinated. At one point in the film, as the religious world crosses into the political realm, Levi states, "America is supposed to be God's nation." Pastor Becky claims that she "can go into a playground of kids that don't know anything about Christianity, lead them to the Lord in a matter of no time at all, and just moments later make them be seeing visions and hearing the voice of God." On all levels she appears to sincerely believe in her mission, though statements such as "They're so usable in Christianity" point to the frightening view of a larger "army of the Lord." She tells children that in the old days (under the Laws of God) "Harry Potter would've been put to death," a rousing call for exclusion, especially a few scenes later when several children tell another child that he resembles Harry Potter. In one scene she has the children "pray over" a cardboard cutout of George W. Bush, who is lionized in parts of the film. Michael Papantonio, who is the first person introduced...A weeping Tory, after a particularly emotional meeting, holds the microphone feebly as she cries with all the strength in her heart â€Å"I just pray for a change in our nation,† illustrating the hidden political agenda with which she has been indoctrinated. At one point in the film, as the religious world crosses into the political realm, Levi states, â€Å"America is supposed to be God’s nation.† Pastor Becky claims that she â€Å"can go into a playground of kids that don’t know anything about Christianity, lead them to the Lord in a matter of no time at all, and just moments later make them be seeing visions and hearing the voice of God.† On all levels, she appears to sincerely believe in her mission, through statements such as â€Å"They’re so usable in Christianity† point to the frightening view of a larger â€Å"army of the Lord.† She tells children that in the old days â€Å"Harry Potter would’ve been put to death,† a rousing call for exclusion, especially a few scenes later when several children tell another child that he resembles Harry Potter. In one scene she has the children â€Å"pray over† a cardboard cutout of George W. Bush, who is lionized in parts of the film. Michael Papantonio, who is the first person introduced in the film, presents a more moderate view of Christianity. Accusing the religious right of â€Å"dividing this country,† he presents an alternate view, one where the love espoused by Christianity is not tainted by the intolerance and agendas of the far-right as personified by Pastor Becky.