Public Coercion

The current Evangelical Christian revival and Jesus Camp mentality is grounded in what 90% of religion has always been: social. What this clip evidences the most is that children want to be good Christians because their parents positively reinforce it. The kids in the Jesus Camp exposé are homeschooled and consequently more devout because of their parents. There is nothing wrong with strong beliefs, devout Christianity, or children trying to convert people. Children are positively indoctrinated in elementary schools, serious believers of television and influenced by their parents’ values in arguably stronger ways. Christianity as a social identity will gain and lose popularity for thousands of years to come.

Of course the real problem with these camp teachings is a political call to action. The introduction of rhetoric and creation of poster-children scares people unfamiliar with church. The kids are told what to do and believe, and they simply obey. The kids have real devotion, but in our culture you usually have to be a rich white protestant male over thirty to get respect. They are not thoughtful participants of the Evangelical movement, they go because their parents send them to camp. Sooner or later the same kids will read literature, at the very least Harry Potter, and form their own opinions about God’s political agenda. In the meantime it will be interesting to see how child-level politics will backfire if Becky Fischer keeps denouncing Harry Potter. Her same speech would get booed in a public elementary school.