 | |||||||||||||||
|
 |
|
9:19 pm EDT 75°F (24°C) in Marietta, GA
Calendar of Updates | As I promised, I’m coming back tonight to finish up my review of the documentary film Jesus Camp. Part 1, and an explanation of a few things you need to know to understand most of the review, can be found here; and part 2 can be found here. In tonight’s part 3, I will be covering some of the more interesting deleted scenes. Deleted Scene #6: “Rachael Saves the Neighbor.” In this deleted scene, we are introduced to Holly, a neighbor of 9-year-old Rachael Elhardt (one of the primary subjects of the film). We learn at least two more very important lessons about so-called “fundamentalist ‘Christians’” from this scene. First, Holly points up the tendency “Christians” have to repeat lies enough to the point where they become “truth,” when she talks about how Rachael says “the same thing eight times in the day.” Later, when Rachael admits that “my parents are dealing with [Holly’s] parents, and I’m dealing with Holly,” we see that the mantra of so-called “Christians” is the highly un-American view of ‘freedom of religion for me, but not for thee.’ Deleted Scene #7: “Levi Fasts For God.” We find out that so-called “Christians” think absolutely nothing of ignoring sound medical advice in their quest to abuse and indoctrinate their children. Twelve-year-old Levi O’Brien tells us that he has been fasting for three days — three whole days! I won’t exactly hold up the Catholic Church as a paragon of sound medical science, given what they did to Galileo in 1633, but at least their suggestions for fasting are far more reasonable than what Levi’s “fundamentalist” church appears to condone. Catholics are only expected to fast for one day at a time, on two separate days six weeks apart: Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. On top of that, Catholics don’t expect still-growing children, who need the nourishment more, to participate; only those between the ages of 14 and 59 are expected to participate. Even the Ramadan fast performed by Muslims only covers the period between sunrise and sunset, and again, in general, children under 14 are not expected to participate. I can’t believe that Levi’s parents would condone, permit, or require such a thing out of their children. As I said, allowing a 12-year-old to carry on an unbroken fast for three days flies in the face of sound medicine and good health. Seriously, the Missouri Department of Social Services should thoroughly investigate the O’Brien family of St. Robert, and any so-called “religious” leaders who advocate what Levi is doing, and prosecute them for child abuse.
Deleted Scene #9: “Off to Iraq.” About three-quarters of the way through the scene, 10-year-old Tory Binger tells us that her father, George, is going to go serve Aside from my amazement at all the excuses Reich-wingers, Rethuglicans, and so-called “Christians” have come up with for this “war,” I am outraged that my tax dollars are being spent for George Binger to go spread the false, Satanic “fundamentalist” interpretation of Christianity in Iraq. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that this is George Binger’s justification for the “war” and his service therein, what with the billions of dollars that have been bilked from American taxpayers and illegally funneled to Halliburton, Bechtel, Blackwater, and numerous other gigantic corporate Chimpy contributors, but that doesn’t make it any less outrageous, anti-Christian, and un-American. As if that’s not enough, I’m sure the Sunnis and Shi’as are just thrilled to have George Binger over there pushing Jesus on their children. They already view our illegal invasion and occupation of their country as a Western, “Christian” plot against the Arab world and Islam, and he is just serving to further inflame them. George Binger bears almost as much responsibility as George Bush for the success of al-Qaeda’s recruitment efforts — and he admits in this scene to being just as guilty of treason against America. Deleted Scene #14: “Changing the Culture.” Here, a number of children from the Lees Summit, MO area visit a so-called “women’s clinic” in nearby Independence, right next to a Planned Parenthood clinic. (So-called “Christians” do this a lot in their anti-woman, anti-freedom crusade against reproductive rights — they set up these so-called “women’s clinics” as close to an actual abortion clinic as possible, in order to deceive women and delay their Constitutionally-protected access to reproductive health services until the pregnancy has progressed too far. You can read more about that here.) One boy admits why so-called “Christians” really oppose abortion: “They’re killing an army of God!” Supposedly, though, it’s all OK because, as the clinic director claims, “Jesus is here.” At least the clinic director admits the truth when she calls these children “extreme” and “radical” — they are likely to become the next abortion-clinic bombers at the rate they’re going! And I thought we were supposed to be fighting terrorism, not supporting it? This scene lays out their entire battle plan against America! In summary, I have to say that Jesus Camp is exactly the kind of movie that is needed in our time. With the future of American democracy and the Constitution’s guarantees of freedom hanging in the balance, every patriotic American really needs to watch this film. Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady are true American patriots for bringing this film and its message to us, and we ignore Jesus Camp at our peril. |
