Topic: Anyone interested in summer camp?

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=2455343&page=1&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

Brain washing at its best ... or worst. I saw some excerpt of that jaw dropping documentary 2/3 weeks ago on youTube.

Even the 'ok' sequences raises the question of the respect of free will and educated choice. I honestly can't see a righteous person endoctrinating youths. Only evil people do that, and enjoy doing that.


edit: switching to the appropriate sig

(Edited by poi on 09-19-2006 00:01)

I went to Christian summer camps when I was a kid. To be perfectly honest, the boys all went to meet girls. I can't really say why the girls went, but I'm guessing boys had something to do with it. Oh, and God was there too. But he was pretty cool about it.

Kidding aside, this particular summer camp sounds a little weird--especially the part about worshipping a portrait of Bush. If that is not just hyperbole than this is what we would call a cult. That single little phrase is extremely damning in the Christian worldview, and I wonder what the pastor would have to say about it. As far as being willing to die for one's faith, well, I realize that this smacks of religious extremism and calls to mind some unsavory images, but it is a basic tenet of the Christian faith--that we must be willing to lay down our lives for Christ. Most of the time this does not mean a literal, physical death. Most (if not all) of the kids at that camp saying that they are not afraid to die will never have the opportunity to test that conviction--thank God. But it is the state of mind, the willingness to "give your life to Christ" (generally in the spiritual sense) that counts.

At the summer camps I went to we did indeed study the Bible, sing worship songs, etc. We did not worship portraits of anyone. Most of all, though, we had fun. It was what we called "fellowship." We got to see friends from around the state that we hadn't seen in a while. If you are one of those people who believe all religious activities are brainwashing (and there are some of you out there), then yeah, I guess this would be considered brainwashing too. But do I think it is bad to "evangelize children?" Maybe kids are different these days, but we knew what was going on. We thought for ourselves, and we were there because we wanted to be there. Call that brainwashing if you want, but I see it differently.

The camp mentioned in that article does seem to be taking things too far (again, the "worshipping the portrait of Bush" thing). I'm kind of hoping that the film is either blowing things out of proportion or that there aren't too many summer camps like this.


___________________________
Suho: www.liminality.org | Cell 270 | Sig Rotator | the Fellowship of Sup

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Suho1004 said:

If that is not just hyperbole

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You won't catch me worshipping a protrait of Bush (unless you meant the furry kind).

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-- not necessarily stoned... just beautiful.