Jesus Camp

“Jesus Camp,”  2006, is a film directed by Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing, and follows three young children, Levi, Rachael, and Victoria, as they prepare for and attend “Kids on Fire,” an Evangelical Christian summer camp. The film cuts between footage of the camp and a children's prayer conference, a gigantic conference that took place just prior to the camp. The biggest question raised in “Jesus Camp” is whether or not the children attending this camp are being brainwashed. The voice of the director is absent in the film in an attempt to present this community with as little bias as possible.

To me, the film was equal parts hilarious and terrifying. There are multiple references in the film to the children being made into “soldiers of Christ.” In the scenes where this is referenced, we see the children performing strangely militant plays and praying in tongues. Children collapse in tears and vow never to sin again while heavy, tribal music (diagetic) sounds in the background. One of the scariest things to me about this film is the fact that the people running the camp feel secure and justified enough in their lessons and teachings that they see nothing wrong with putting their camp out there for all to see.

Besides the question of brainwashing, “Jesus Camp” also makes us wonder where the line between strict religion and extremism lies.