"Jesus Camp" my personal reflection...

The documentary “Jesus Camp,” shows a small sample of the Christian population. Speaking from experience I know that many Christians that consider themselves Evangelical but do not necessarily act like the people in the movie but many do. I myself was raised in a similar home to those represented in the movie. I was home schooled for five years, and was raised in a Bible believing home. I did not go to a Pentecostal Church, but I was however exposed to them. I knew many people that had these beliefs, including some family members. I went to “Jesus Camp” practically every year. So when I was watching this movie, I was personally torn between my opinion about the documentary. I think the movie is very true to fact, it really does a good job of showing the way many children are raised. I think this movie would not seem offensive to most people I know like this because they would agree with what those people believe and practice. I think the movie is trying to show the “extreme” lifestyle that some Evangelicals live. However, the followers in this movie, simply think they have chosen the life that God wants them to live. They don’t think it is extreme, they think it is right. (Side note: these types of followers exist in many different religions).




I understand what those kids are going through, I know what it is like to have parents that teach you what they truly think is the truth. I love my parents, and I think they trained me in the way they thought was right, but I have “strayed” somewhat from what they would want me to believe. In many ways I think those parents in the movie are simply so religious they forget that life is sometimes more complicated than “confessing your sins” and “avoiding the evils of sin.” I continue to practice the Christian faith but I am not in such a conservative denomination. The kids in this documentary may one day experience the guilt, confusion, and uncertainty of making their religion personal. Some of those children will continue with that lifestyle but some will not.



I appreciate that I was raised by loving parents and my home school curriculum was academically rigorous, and I was able to skip a full grade when I entered public school. I think many home school children are more academically prepared for college than most public school graduates, that’s one aspect I did not like about the movie. It made home school seem like a joke, it was not represented as educational. Even when I entered public school, I chose to continue supplementing my learning at home. Many home school students have a great love and appreciation for learning because home school allows children to get individual attention and explore areas they are interested more in depth. In public school there is more structure that does not allow students to individualize their learning experience. Home school is great, and I will always support it.