TOW #29: Jesus Camp directed by: Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing

Watching Goals: Same as above (same movie)

Writing Goals: Correctly identify a claim and support with various sources

Jesus Camp, a 2006 documentary following radical Evangelical Christian children, clearly did not set out to just follow these children. The documentary by Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing set out to make waves and educate people on the under-the-radar presence of this growing religious power. Radical Evangelicalism has a cult-like following in many areas, and they believe in a different type of Christianity than the norm. Many followers pledge that they would “die for Christ,” in a similar fashion to terrorism. Throughout the documentary, Jesus Camp, makes the claim that radical Evangelical Christianity is a movement that, although its aim is to uplift American ideals in a twisted way, it challenges the fundamentals of American society. Rightfully so, radical Evangelical Christianity does threaten the fundamentals of American society because of the growing political pull a religion has, and the fundamental differences between their teachings and the Constitution.

The Evangelical radicals are in fact threatening the American way of life as we know it because of their immense political pull. As Jesus Camp specified, the lead pastor of the National Association of Evangelicals, Ted Haggard, spent every Monday with President Bush in his early presidency. Not only does this show how close the men were, but obviously if Bush and Haggard spent that much time together, their political agendas were entangled. This, along with the fact that Bush backed many Evangelical focal points like the war on abortion. This challenges American ideals because for essentially the entirety of the United States’ history, the separation of church and state has been a fundamental pillar of our society. This re-intertwining of church and political motives are an injustice to that American belief. In addition to threatening the belief that separation of church and state is essential, radical Evangelicalism challenges the Constitution.

The Constitution indoctrinates all citizens of the United States with the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. However, Evangelicals teach that all other religions but their faith are in the wrong. They say they have a duty to right the wrongdoings of this country and “save” others by converting them. These radicals do not believe that citizens should have the right to practice whatever religion they choose (or no religion, for that matter), but they support the view that you’re either with them or against them. And, if you are against the Evangelicals, there will be war to pay. Thus, this radical sect of Christianity challenges the fundamental American belief that each person is born with natural rights, and in our country they are able to exercise those rights.

Evangelical Christian radicals are, by innate fact, a threat to American values. They disregard the importance of separation of church and state with their movement to change countless abortion laws and other laws in the name of the lord, and they do not agree that every person is entitled to their own beliefs. However, this does not mean that Evangelical Christians cannot co-exist with the rest of our nation. As long as they do not take over our country politically, and do not bother others so much as the occasional pamphlet here and there, they can go on their own way like any other American born citizens.