What a week. There's a lot going on and whirling around in my mind this week... You can imagine that the campus mass shooting in Virginia has everyone here rattled. And there was a bomb scare on our very own campus 2 days later (eight buildings evacuated, no bomb, no one hurt). My husband, of course, was cool as a cucumber, but when I called I demanded to know why he was answering the phone instead of hiding under his desk... "And if you're not hiding why aren't you hightailing it out of there???" Hahaha, he said, it's not my building that's been evacuated, don't worry. HELLO?? I read the news on the internet, buddy, the building and the parking garage across the street from yours have been closed down - THAT'S CLOSE ENOUGH FOR ME. But to no avail, the man would just not come home early.
It made me think. You know, I think men and women are just different. Flight or fight response in the face of stress? I think I have neither really. I think I have a "hunker down" instinct. My instinct in the face of danger is to grab those closest and dearest to me and hold them tight in a safe place. Grab my kids and run for the walk-in closet. Let my husband go out and fight the baddies off or run down the street (fight or flight who cares! I'm busy hunkering!). Anyhoo, I told you I had a lot on my mind. There's more.
Last night I watched the first half of possibly the most disturbing documentary ever, Jesus Camp. OH MY GOD, it will freak you out. Here's the movie's official synopsis for you.
A growing number of Evangelical Christians believe there is a revival underway in America that requires Christian youth to assume leadership roles in advocating the causes of their religious movement.
JESUS CAMP directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady (The Boys of Baraka), follows Levi, Rachael, and Tory to Pastor Becky Fischer's "Kids on Fire" summer camp, where kids as young as 6 years-old are taught to become dedicated Christian soldiers in "God's army."
The film follows these children at camp as they hone their "prophetic gifts" and are schooled in how to "take back America for Christ." The film is a first-ever look into an intense training ground that recruits born-again Christian children to become an active part of America's political future.
I could only stomach the first half. I felt physically nauseated. I am pretty open minded. I can tolerate the idea that everyone has their own beliefs. I try not to judge. I can tolerate a lot, there were even 2 blatant lies about Islam in the first 5 minutes, but I still didn't turn it off. What broke me was the mental and emotional ill-treatment of children - almost criminal here. The children are shamed for everything they do, everything they enjoy. I mean, shamed to tears. Pastor Becky (I will have nightmares about her for years to come) tells them "God told me that there are children here who are good at church... but are different at school with their friends. He hates hypocrisy..." and on and on she goes (her sermons are an hour long, she boasts). Every child there is thinking of themselves at that point, because what child hasn't acted out a bit at school? And kids are self-centered, they think everything refers to them! On and on she goes until half the children in the auditorium are crying or clinging to their mothers. Because they believe themselves to be worthless... Ah, but Pastor Becky says there is a way to be saved...
Later we see Pastor Becky making powerpoint presentations "THE PUNISHMENT FOR SIN IS DEATH" it says (Ozayr turns to me and says "how can a life cycle be evil?"). Then she changes the font to a red, blood-drippy font. "That'll be good" she says. The fear-mongering is incredible. "The devil targets the young..." she tells the children. Their eyes are wide... The first night of camp the boys want to tell spooky stories before bed. A counselor comes in and tells them it's wrong. They tell six-year olds that Harry Potter should be put to death. And don't get me started about how much they love George W. Bush. Oh dear.
You know what the most frightening thing about Pastor Becky is? This is not a hidden camera documentary. No no no. She is open and willing and proud of what she is doing and can't wait to share what she does to these kids (her mission) with a wider audience. She thinks she's great. Watch this and you will be disturbed, deeply disturbed.
Sidney Poitier has a memoir out, it's called The Measure of a Man. His father used to say that the measure of a man is how he treats his children. I can think of nothing truer than that. I really can't. And the same is true for every religion-based group, every society, every family. How you treat your children says what kind of people you are.
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