MovieChat Forums > Jesus Camp (2006) Discussion > Just wondering what the motive of people...

Just wondering what the motive of people watching this movie is

posted 10 years ago by icyharris-539-169904
31 replies | jump to latest

I watched some of it because I was intrigued by the title and wanted to see how Christians were depicted. I didn't even make it past the first third because I saw where it was going. Invariably, these documentaries pick the most extreme of the Christian world. Hopefully, no one on these boards thinks that's how all of Christendom thinks and behaves. Where are the documentaries on people like the missionary I used to support who provides relief to Haitians who have been through numerous natural disasters? Or the people from a local church who went down and did clean up work during the tornado season of 2012? Or the woman in Atlanta who opened a rescue mission to get girls out of the sex trade and to help them finish their education and learn valuable job skills? There are all sorts of good that people are doing in the faith community, but you wouldn't think it by these movies.

[–] kingjulian164 10 years ago

It definitely is sad that so many people watch a documentary like this and make the easy choice to just assume that every church and group of believers is like this. I think it's an interesting documentary; even a valuable one in that it can show Christians what NOT to do. But it's too bad that people who are already predisposed to be anti-Christian are just finding more fuel to latch onto.

[–] KatzMeowz 9 years ago

No, we're pretty sure a great many evangelicals are like that or worse. Many of us have first hand experience growing up in families that aren't too much different. So, yeah, it may not be all xians, but it's a vocal minority that is trying to take over, make their religion law, and turn the US into a theocracy. Even the moderate xians should be scared of that.

[–] kingjulian164 9 years ago

No, we're pretty sure a great many evangelicals are like that or worse.

I never claimed that people like this don't exist; I didn't even say that people who behave in similar ways to the people in this documentary are a minority. I just said that it saddens me to think that so many people will make the easy intellectual decision to just assume that all christians are something like this, because that's simply, factually not the case.

[–] puirt-a-beul 8 years ago

It definitely is sad that so many people watch a documentary like this and make the easy choice to just assume that every church and group of believers is like this.

And you know that they're doing that, how? Or are you "just assuming" that every non-Christian watching this make the same "easy choice" to think that? Maybe for the purpose of "easy" rhetoric?

You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.

[–] kingjulian164 8 years ago

I never said or implied that I think every non-Christian views this movie in that way. I am referring to the numerous people (though I'm sure - or would hope - they're still the minority of people who've viewed this film) I've seen on these very message boards and ones like it who say things like "Made me proud to be an atheist." As if this documentary is offering an accurate cross section of what Christendom/religion in general looks like and they're just so happy that they're above that.

It's one thing for someone to say "Wow, this specific scenario (and ones like it) is awful and scary." I would agree with them! It's another thing to say "See, this right here is why religion is bad!" And then to just leave it at that. On those kinds of grounds, a religious person could go make a documentary about a bunch of atheistic criminals and psychopaths and say "See, this is is why atheism is bad. Made me proud to be a Christian!" I would criticize those people in the same way.

[–] puirt-a-beul 8 years ago

Yes, you're right. I apologise. I took your comment out of context, though it wasn't deliberate. In my defence, your comment did sound kinda sweeping, and it wasn't clear you were speaking about those kind of posts, which I hasten to add make me cringe as well.

I suppose in my turn I'm overreacting to the Christians who make value judgements of people based on what is supposed to be a personal belief, and I lumped you in with that. Again, apologies. Thank you for responding in such a considered manner.

You might very well think that. I couldn't possibly comment.

[–] kingjulian164 8 years ago

My original comments were probably a bit too vague and sweeping, I'll certainly give you that. No need to apologise! It's always refreshing to interact with someone online who's actually, genuinely pleasant. 

[–] Ost-of-Perdition 10 years ago

This documentary is obviously not about moderate christians and it doesn't claim to be, this is about christian extremism.

[–] icyharris-539-169904 10 years ago

I get that, Ost-of-Perdition, but I'll see people who don't subscribe to any faith trash movies like "Fireproof" because of it's religious basis when they should know going in that it is religious based. I feel myself to be open-minded to movies about atheists, Muslims, and other types of belief systems because I either want to learn and understand, formulate answers to some of their questions, or even do self-examination of whether my or my community's behaviors are what causes people to push away. I also agree with the above poster. I was in a discussion with some people when one person remarked that when we take in information, it is usually to validate our position, not to really learn about another.

[–] 10 years ago

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[–] tzogas 8 years ago

"...even do self-examination of whether my or my community's behaviors are what causes people to push away."

Then that's something you should take up with your own community, rather than admonishing everyone else to "understand".

**Have an A1 day**

[–] chamohlamb 8 years ago

Jesus Camp is a documentary and Fireproof is a horribly acted, written and directed movie that should not have been released in theatres.

[–] fakeafraud 9 years ago

For myself, because I was raised in a southern evangelical home, I watch this movie because I can relate so well... maybe too well honestly. It's good to know that it's not me it's THEM who are the crazy ones. My childhood felt like the twilight zone.

[–] frankzappayay 9 years ago

I think all religious people are deluded simpletons, many of which are pushed/brainwashed into it by their parents, and I assume this documentary will show that. I haven't watched it yet.

[–] bertdockx 9 years ago

So Johann Sebastian Bach, Martin Luther King, John Coltrane, Mark Rothko and Leo Tolstoy were simpletons?

[–] trixie-k-88 9 years ago

If you watched the movie there were also radio broadcasts of a Christian guy who disagreed with the Evangelicals, and even some other people calling in to talk to him. This was a film specifically about insane Evangelicals, not all Christians. That would be like saying people in the FLDS are representing all Mormons. These are just the insane Christians, so don't go getting so offended. If anything you should be mad at them for making the good Christians who are actually helping people look bad.

[–] fidgette 9 years ago

If you wanted a 1/4 of this you would've seen the portion with the Christian radio host and his Christian callers who were condemning the acts of this extremist group.

Im not religious but I don't think all Christians are what I saw in this film. These people are brainwashed extremists pretending to be acting in the name of their God. Just like any other extremist groups in other religions.

[–] GirlwonderReturns 9 years ago

I think this film made it pretty clear that the people it focused on were extremists and not representative of all or even most Christians. The radio host's presence illuminates that. However, there is bound to be a faction of people who use this against Christianity in general, because people who want to hate will hate regardless of the facts. It's no different than people who think all Muslims are like ISIS, or those who think that anyone who has a problem with police brutality and overreach is entirely anti-cop. People twist things as it suits them. I am not religious and my personal feeling is that religion is far more often a bad thing than a good one, but I still realize that this film is representative of a faction of extremists, not the Christian majority.

Saying "I apologize" is the same as saying "I'm sorry". Except at a funeral.

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