Maybe I'm missing something here, but if one wants a child to learn how to drive a car correctly, one doesn't simply hand said child the car keys at 16/17 and say, "Have at it!" A child learns from imitation, example and lessons. Sorry, you don't agree with a churches doctrine; however, you will one day teach your child the things you feel are important in the manor in which you feel it's best presented. I may disagree with your values; however, that doesn't make you a terrible person or a mistreater of children. Remember, your secular motivation likely looks the very same to someone who disagrees, as their techniques do to you. Both are trying to accomplish the very same thing ---- to instill one's values and influence a child to do the "right" thing. Unless you want them to disagree with you, then you may just wish to send them to a "JESUS Camp."
The Bible says, "Train a child in the way he should go, and he will not depart from it." As a general statement, I feel that this is very very true.
It doesn't matter what the ideology is that is being taught. The methods that are used at this camp are disturbing.
As you have probably gathered, I don't believe in God and I happen to have quite liberal values. If I had children, however, I would not take them to a camp which expounded my values in the way that the camp in the documentary expounds the values of the parents who take their children there.
- Would I want a cardboard cutout of Richard Dawkins/Charles Darwin/whoever at the front of the room for the children to venerate?
No. (In the documentary a cutout of George W. Bush is featured at one point.)
- Would I want the children to be taught war chants about feminism and evolution?
No. (The children are involved in the chanting of "This means war!" with regard to secular culture and "sin".)
- Would I want to see children made to cry uncontrollably because they sometimes fail to tell the truth or be kind to other children?
No. (The children are called fakers and liars and hypocrites for saying swear words or being unkind or not talking about their Christianity at school, which results in a lot of tears.)
- Would I want children to be told that there is an enormous religious and political conspiracy to undermine their way of life?
No. (The children are told that The Government and Secularists are attempting to "take Jesus out of their schools".)
- Would I want children to receive lectures on a woman's right to choose, and for them to be encouraged to picket ex-gay organisations?
No. (The children are given a lecture about abortion, and taken to an anti-abortion picket in a large city.)
- Would I want certain children to be vilified and to feel guilty because they find themselves attracted by religion?
No. (One child is deeply upset because he confesses that he finds faith very difficult.)
A camp which did these things with my ideology would be deeply disturbing to me, just as this camp is which does these things with a fundamentalist Christian ideology. My horror is only partially to do with the values they are teaching. It is primarily the methods used to teach them which disgust me. Children should of course be taught how to be responsible citizens, but this is not the way to do it. Children this young do not need to be dragged into
political arguments, and they do not need to be subjected to emotional abuse.
