Scott Funck - Jesus Camp

In “Jesus Camp” the idea that religion and state should be separated is evident when listening to the radio talk show, but not the Pentecostal preacher.  Throughout the film it becomes quite obvious that the Pastor of this specific camp pushes the idea that America should be a Christian nation.  This position is clearly seen in Giroux’s article, and he even cites the Pentecostal Church as being one of the main groups that support this position.  The interesting thing with this pastor, Becky Fischer, takes the idea from a level of support for the government to have Christian morals to a point of Christian rule, a theocracy.  This is also very different from Jefferson’s ideas of the wall of separations.  This concept of “to each his own” is obviously lost to a group like the one shown in “Jesus Camp” because of Fischer’s want to make an indoctrinated generation.  An idea she expresses in the last scene flat out.  This bugs me.  As a person thinking of going into Protestant ministry I have always understood Evangelical Christianity as a free choice conversion.  This implies that the person must be able to understand what it means to have faith in Christianity is.  This cannot be done if a person has been indoctrinated.  Along with that, I also think it is strange for them to target the government but then to hail an official as the messiah.  This seems strange to me as it sounds counterproductive.  I know that from Revelations there are passages on the evils of a government and that the Epistles have passages on serving the governments.  This does seem contradictory and to be honest I do not know how to fully deal with it but it does not make sense to one minute condemn in the government then the next praise the people running it.  In the end I find myself wondering why I have such an aversion to this specific group.  I have always tried to hold to the idea expressed from 1 Corinthians chapter 1 that we, as Christians are all followers of Christ.  This concept is not held by Fischer’s group; especially by the girl who liked to dance as she said that there are dead churches as well as God “might” come into an active church.  It almost feels that the sola Scriptura is lost and replaced by pastoral doctrine.