This documentary (Jesus Camp) is one I heavily recommend everyone watch, regardless of your personal beliefs. It's awe-inspiring, anger-inducing, and for some, it hits real close to home. (Myself included.)
Seen it. It has some weird parts though. The Harry Potter thing is isn't too extreme. I have met people who have avoided it because of their beliefs. But when they do the George Bush thing... Yeah...
I am totally OK with people doing this in their private church camps with their own congregations and their own children. However, much as they would like to think that these methods work, the simple truth is, they don't work at all. Most if not all of those kids will have either left that church or simply quit Christianity altogether. It is well known within church administrative circles that most of the teen aged crowd are NOT the same kids who grew up there. Sure, you'll have some die-hards and pastors kids who will have been there since their youthful years, but for the most part it is a fresh crowd each year. As for the contents of this particular speech...well I've seen literally hundreds of pastors say the same thing, with a smile, and nobody cared. No one made a fuss, no one complained, and all it took was a smile and a wave of the hand. D jedi Christian mind tricks) I DO find it extremely bad for business, especially where tithing* is concerned, to say anything with a somber look. Staying happy and upbeat seems to be the most effective method of preaching. *Tithing is another word for weekly or monthly donations. These donations are usually a minimum of 10% of everything you make. EITHER WAY magic is considered taboo in most churches, but if you've looked for good churches as much as I have, you'll find that in some circles, not a soul in the church cares what you are really into, so long as you smile and wave. D) Personally, I find it hard to go to church anymore. The Bible is simply missing too many books that used to be in it. Not to mention the fact that the "new versions" seem to change and modernize the message with each passing copy. Most of what we COULD call doctrine has been changed so much that none of us can say for sure what it originally meant. Also, "positive" spiritual influence on physical objects seems to be completely OK, while magical forces are considered to be "summoned demons" enacting physical (and somehow more temporary and perverted) effects on different physical objects. The difference is in the negative connotations used when talking about magic as a thing, rather than magic as a force of nature. Hope that wasn't too confusing? I don't know if that made sense to anyone else...
