lpetrich
September 18, 2006, 05:49 AM
Another article on "Jesus Camp" Film Shows Youths Training to Fight for Jesus (http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=2455343)
After briefly describing what that movie shows, like the camp's kids being made to worship President Bush, that review mentioned two very opposite responses:
"This is an enormous youth movement," said Lauren Sandler, a secular, liberal feminist from New York City who spent months among the believers researching her new book, "Righteous."
Sandler says the evangelical youth movement will have a negative impact on the country's future, because even the most moderate young evangelicals are inflexible on issues such as abortion and gay marriage.
"It's an absolute, straight-up us-against-them," Sandler said. "It's, you're either with us or you're against us. … Not only are you a sinner, but you are working for the enemy — the enemy being Satan."
It'll be interesting to see what she comes up with in "Righteous", though its publication is likely some months away.
Chap Clark, an associate professor at the Fuller Theological Seminary who's trained youth pastors for decades, said people who see "Jesus Camp" should not come away with the idea that evangelizing to youth consists mainly of political indoctrination.
Clark said youth pastors focus much more on providing meaning to kids who can't find it in a materialistic culture or in their family lives — "which is going to translate into much healthier adults who are more able to be into respectful dialogue and come alongside people who disagree with them.
"I think this is a very hopeful time because of the youth ministry movement," he added.
I'm TOTALLY baffled by that claim, because given that camp's approach, it's like praising the Hitler Youth as a way of learning to get along with Jews.
After briefly describing what that movie shows, like the camp's kids being made to worship President Bush, that review mentioned two very opposite responses:
"This is an enormous youth movement," said Lauren Sandler, a secular, liberal feminist from New York City who spent months among the believers researching her new book, "Righteous."
Sandler says the evangelical youth movement will have a negative impact on the country's future, because even the most moderate young evangelicals are inflexible on issues such as abortion and gay marriage.
"It's an absolute, straight-up us-against-them," Sandler said. "It's, you're either with us or you're against us. … Not only are you a sinner, but you are working for the enemy — the enemy being Satan."
It'll be interesting to see what she comes up with in "Righteous", though its publication is likely some months away.
Chap Clark, an associate professor at the Fuller Theological Seminary who's trained youth pastors for decades, said people who see "Jesus Camp" should not come away with the idea that evangelizing to youth consists mainly of political indoctrination.
Clark said youth pastors focus much more on providing meaning to kids who can't find it in a materialistic culture or in their family lives — "which is going to translate into much healthier adults who are more able to be into respectful dialogue and come alongside people who disagree with them.
"I think this is a very hopeful time because of the youth ministry movement," he added.
I'm TOTALLY baffled by that claim, because given that camp's approach, it's like praising the Hitler Youth as a way of learning to get along with Jews.