Comments | lastandleast: God, save me from your followers

lastandleast

God, save me from your followers

Feb 07, 2007 19:49

In a way, it must be lovely to be a hardline evangelical Christian. To really and truly believe that God not only cares for you, but is a participant in your every action and every thought. To know that you are completely, sublimely, correct in your every belief, and that everyone else in the world is completely, utterly wrong in theirs. That you ( Read more... )

the meaning of life

Comments 7

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lastandleast February 8 2007, 01:16:23 UTC

While watching the bowling alley scene, I wished the little girl had come up to me. But I don't know what I would have said--open your eyes, think for yourself, find compassion for other people, and lead me to your religion through good deeds, not door-to-door salesman tactics.

It's funny to watch this movie, because in ways I think these people have some things right. When that little girl was saying how she wouldn't bend to peer pressure, I was all "Go you!" for the first couple of sentences. But then she wrapped up with "You won't judge me. God will judge me." And it was just so obvious that what she was really saying was that her God would beat up the schoolyard bully, that they'd burn in hell for crossing her ( ... )

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lastandleast February 8 2007, 01:38:51 UTC

I've been like obsessed with religious documentaries for a couple of months now, and if you haven't seen it I highly recommend Devil's Playground.

It's about Amish kids going through this phase called Rumspringah, where they get to explore the world at large before committing their adult lives to their church. The characters are so compelling, you'll be sobbing by the time the not-so-happy ending rolls around. Also, there's a great "where are they now" section in the commentary, following up with the cast.

Amazing that there are so many countries co-exisiting in America.

(OMG! I'm watching the Jesus Camp commentary now, and it says one of the songs they're playing is by Carmen. As in...the weird, turtle-necked guy that had baby Hansons in one of his videos back in the day.)

silveripseity February 8 2007, 01:03:38 UTC

Wow, kinda sounds like my hometown. :) During my experimental atheist phase, I once got into a debate (during a Gifted & Talented class, mind you -- supposedly the brightest and best minds of the school) about whether or not God existed. And every kid in that class turned on me. I was even told that I would be going to hell because I wasn't baptized. I think it was that moment where I decided that organized religion was not, and never would be, for me.

I have plenty of church-going friends who balance science and religion artfully -- the two CAN co-exist. And I'm sure God isn't angry about it. I just wish more people could see that. :\

lastandleast February 8 2007, 01:23:59 UTC

I have plenty of church-going friends who balance science and religion artfully -- the two CAN co-exist. And I'm sure God isn't angry about it.

I totally agree. I actually went to Christian summer camp when I was in middle school--believe it or not--and while some of the people I met there were from the Jesus Camp drawer of crazy, a lot of them were seriously wonderful examples of the positive power of religion. Like the Catholic Worker movement. What could be a better evidence of God's love than these people feeding the hungry and housing the homeless?

Up here, there's a little bit of religion, but mostly in moderate doses. Watching this movie is like going to a zoo, and marveling at all the alien beings ;)

_thebedismade February 8 2007, 01:37:50 UTC

lastandleast February 8 2007, 01:46:58 UTC

a friend of mine was approached on campus by someone, like the girl in the bowling alley. she was sitting under a tree, reading a book & minding her own business, when a girl came up to her & asked her if she knew jesus, then proceeded to tell her about christ's love.

It's like Night of the Living Dead. Only when you get bitten, you turn into a holier-than-thou Bible thumper. I've never been approached by a kid, but I've given a few nasty looks to grownups trying to give me pamphlets on the topic. (And, on one memorable occasion, tore said pamphlet up and threw it in the giver's face. Totally going to hell for that one, I guess.)

meanwhile, ted haggard, the pastor from the huge colorado church at the end, was accused of homosexuality & drug abuse in november.

Totally. He eventually admitted to the drug use, I think, but not the gay hooker thing. Because one is man's law, and the other is God's, I guess ;)

In fact, I think they used clips from this movie in the news when that story broke.

bellaloca February 8 2007, 04:59:08 UTC

yeah so, I was raised with that thought pattern, not so extreme, but it still is the mindset of the church that I spend 1000's of hours in as an impressionable youth. To this day, my mother and older brother pray that I will be cleansed of my sins for things like not going to church and listening to secular music and God forbid not raising my children like I was raised. They are convinced I m going to hell.
We still talk daily, but it's very obvious she doesn't approve of my lifestyle 9 you know, the one where I'm married 20 years with two great kids who are open minded, tollerant and "love one another" By the way, when DID they take that verse out of the bible?

A Nevada County Liberal fanatical...lol (or so I a told...)

julie