I thought this movie was pretty good. It made me think about a lot of different things. The way that most of the non believers view Christians was somewhat shocking. Many of the people they interviewed about what they thought of Christians said that most Christians in America are bad, Christians don't ask like Jesus, Christians are hypocrites, and things like this. Well, actually this wasn't very shocking, I just never realized what other people thought about Christians. But yes, I would have to agree with a lot of the things that the non-Christians said. Christians in America do no represent God well at all. I mean we go to church and say we believe, but when we go to parties with our non-Christian friends and drink and do things the world says to do, we really aren't set apart from the world, and it would be very easy for someone to think we are hypocrites if Christians are doing this. It's not wrong to hang out with non-Christians, but it's when we start to do bad things that they do, then it is wrong. One guy said in the video something thay was very true. He said that maybe if we called ourselves Christ-like instead of Christians, we would remember to live like Christ. This really stuck out to me because i don't how many times I've said to someone that I'm a Christian and then they ask me to do something wrong, and I fall into that sin. I know that they sin is wrong, it's just I forget who I'm representing. I really need to work this. I mean there are a few non-Christian friends I talk to and hang out with quite a bit, and I often end up doing the things that they are, and they know I'm a Christian, so I'm sure they just think I'm a hypocrite.
Another thing that really stood out to me in this moive is how we need to be careful how we spread God's Word because many Christians have came off offensive to others. One person said in the movie that, "The followers of Christ have managed to hurt and scare the ones it needs to reach." This is SOOO true. Most of the time, we just go up to people and tell them they are wrong and they will go to hell if they don't become a Christian. This could be scary to a lot of people. We need to treat people with love, not just tell them all the things they are doing wrong. People don't like to be torn down. Another person in the movie said that we have no idea what we sound like to other people. I never really thought of this. I mean, how crazy would we sound if we told the story of Jonah and the whale to a person that had never heard of God. I'm sure they wouldn't believe us. So, we need to be really careful about how we spread God's Word, and we need to be cautious about how we sound to other people.
Another thing this movie made me think about was how I often I judge people who aren't like me. For example, in the movie when Mother Timothy(i forgot her name) came out, I just started to laugh and was like are you serious?! But I felt so terrrible that I judged her when Dan talked about her life. I mean, when I first saw her, I didin't take into consideration that she had been abused and a lot of other things as well. We really need to think about that if someone is different that doesn't mean they aren't a person too. We also need to not judge people so harshly when we don't even know about their family life. A lot of those people are the way they are because they haven't felt special and loved. Maybe if the Christians loved on people more, people wouldn't be hurting so much. When they talked about the boy that hung himself, it was so sad because NOONE had befriended him. A lot of times, it's the Christians that make fun of people and judge people. If we would stop doing this, people would like us more.
Another thing that really surprised me was how many Christian girls get abortions. That is the probably one of the biggest things that make people think we are hypocrites because non-Christians know that in the Bible it is wrong to murder, and if they see Christian women having their babies killed, they will think we are hypocrites and they will get abortions too. We need to stand up for abortion. Maybe if enough Christians KINDLY told others about the sanctity of human life, more people wouldn't get abortions.
Another thing that was really cool was the confessional booth. It was awesome that Dan confessed what he had done to the people instead of the other way around. Also, it was amazing to see the people's reaction when he said he was so sorry for what Christians. and himselft, had done to people who aren't believers. Many of them said thanks and said that they wished there were more Christians like him. That is SOOOO true. If there were more of us like him in the world, Christians would have such a good reputation, and people would actually listen to us.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Jesus Camp
At first I thought this movie was just werid, but then I began to think that it has a lot of positive things in it as well. For example, the director of the camp, Becky Fisher, is very passionate about spreading God's Word. I do not agree with all the ways she does spread the Word though. I think she uses more of a brainwashing process then actually letting the kids think about what they really believe.
Also what I thought was strange was when Becky and some of the cousnelors were praying over the microphones and electricity saying they hoped that there were no technical dificulties. Yes, it would be great if nothing went wrong, but maybe God wanted them to have a worship service in the dark.
One thing that Becky said really stood out to me. She said that if you don't do spiritual things, you will get weaker, and you have to pray everyday, and go to church every week. This statement is very true. Altough, we should WANT to pra everyday and go to church every week, it shouldn't be a thing we feel forced to do. If we love God enough, we will want to pray and take every opportunity we have to learn and grow closer to him.
I'm not sure that all the kids in the movie really understood what was going on. Although, I think that Levi(the kid with the mullet), had an understanding of what he believed. He was also a good speaker. One thing he said before he was about to speak one night at the camp was that it wasn't going to be him speaking, it would be God. This is very true. I'm not sure if he really thought that or if we told that though. One of the girls in the movie said that God only goes to churches that are enthusiastic(like dancing, saying amen alot, etc). I'm not sure this is completely true. I believe that God is in every church. I don't think that if you go to a church where you don't dance in the aisles and say amen after everything that God won't be there. Some people just like to worship in different ways, and God likes all kinds of worship.
Near the end of the movie when she was interviewed for a radio show, the man asked her why children are such a big deal in spreading the Word, and she responded by saying that kids are easy to use because they retain so much. The man then said that that is true,but we need to not brainwash the kids, but let them make their beliefs their own. She said she was not brainwashing. I believe, however, that she is. She tells these kids all these things, and doesn't really ask them what they believe.
Although I disagree with her method of preaching, I do think she has a good heart. She is one of the most passionate people I have seen. She really likes to spread God's Word to children, which is a thing people need to do. Also, there is probably more to her church than what we saw in the movie. We have to take that into account too. In the movie it made some things seem scary, but they may not have been as scary as it seems. Oh, some other things that I think she made the kids believe is that we have to pray in tongues. I don't believe we do. God will accept a prayer in any language, it doesn't matter to him, so I don't see why have to pray in tongues. It is kind of cool though, but it's not necessary. Another thing I thought was funny was when she was doing her hair and prayed that her hairspray would hold, and then later that night, she asked everyone if her hair looked good. I thought that was really funny! Altough, it awakened me to the silly things I pray about too. I mean sometimes I pray in a way in which I expect God to do something in the way I want, although that is not always his will. For example, about 4 years ago my grandma had an aortic disection, and I prayed to God that she would be healed. She eneded up passing away though. This was sad and upsetting to me at the time and I was mad at God because things didn't go as planned for me, but now she's in heaven with God:)
In conclusion, this movie was strange, but it did have some good points and made me think about things. We realy need to be on fire to spread the Word to people like she is, we just have to be careful how we do it.
Also what I thought was strange was when Becky and some of the cousnelors were praying over the microphones and electricity saying they hoped that there were no technical dificulties. Yes, it would be great if nothing went wrong, but maybe God wanted them to have a worship service in the dark.
One thing that Becky said really stood out to me. She said that if you don't do spiritual things, you will get weaker, and you have to pray everyday, and go to church every week. This statement is very true. Altough, we should WANT to pra everyday and go to church every week, it shouldn't be a thing we feel forced to do. If we love God enough, we will want to pray and take every opportunity we have to learn and grow closer to him.
I'm not sure that all the kids in the movie really understood what was going on. Although, I think that Levi(the kid with the mullet), had an understanding of what he believed. He was also a good speaker. One thing he said before he was about to speak one night at the camp was that it wasn't going to be him speaking, it would be God. This is very true. I'm not sure if he really thought that or if we told that though. One of the girls in the movie said that God only goes to churches that are enthusiastic(like dancing, saying amen alot, etc). I'm not sure this is completely true. I believe that God is in every church. I don't think that if you go to a church where you don't dance in the aisles and say amen after everything that God won't be there. Some people just like to worship in different ways, and God likes all kinds of worship.
Near the end of the movie when she was interviewed for a radio show, the man asked her why children are such a big deal in spreading the Word, and she responded by saying that kids are easy to use because they retain so much. The man then said that that is true,but we need to not brainwash the kids, but let them make their beliefs their own. She said she was not brainwashing. I believe, however, that she is. She tells these kids all these things, and doesn't really ask them what they believe.
Although I disagree with her method of preaching, I do think she has a good heart. She is one of the most passionate people I have seen. She really likes to spread God's Word to children, which is a thing people need to do. Also, there is probably more to her church than what we saw in the movie. We have to take that into account too. In the movie it made some things seem scary, but they may not have been as scary as it seems. Oh, some other things that I think she made the kids believe is that we have to pray in tongues. I don't believe we do. God will accept a prayer in any language, it doesn't matter to him, so I don't see why have to pray in tongues. It is kind of cool though, but it's not necessary. Another thing I thought was funny was when she was doing her hair and prayed that her hairspray would hold, and then later that night, she asked everyone if her hair looked good. I thought that was really funny! Altough, it awakened me to the silly things I pray about too. I mean sometimes I pray in a way in which I expect God to do something in the way I want, although that is not always his will. For example, about 4 years ago my grandma had an aortic disection, and I prayed to God that she would be healed. She eneded up passing away though. This was sad and upsetting to me at the time and I was mad at God because things didn't go as planned for me, but now she's in heaven with God:)
In conclusion, this movie was strange, but it did have some good points and made me think about things. We realy need to be on fire to spread the Word to people like she is, we just have to be careful how we do it.
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