•
Rating:
When talking about religious fundamentalism, many surely think of Islamic fundamentalism, now seen as the source of all the world's evils. But religious fundamentalism also exists within Christianity, as the events surrounding the reintegration of the English denier by the Pope teach us. But this is about something else.
Religious fundamentalism also lurks in the country that most of all acts as a champion of liberty and democracy: the United States. At the heart of this immense confederation, in states like Kansas, North and South Dakota, Colorado, etc., the presence of the Evangelicals is visible: it is estimated that followers of this religion number about 80 million in the U.S., about a quarter of the total population. But this documentary is about something else.
What this film shows us is the manipulation of children. An evangelical preacher for children explains the tricks to impact the kids. We are invited to some preachings by this woman, and we see children "falling into a trance," calling on Jesus to protect them.
It's clear-cut manipulation of children. The same preacher says that all religions indoctrinate their children, so why shouldn't they? These children are not sent to school, especially not public ones where "they teach that we are animals." They are educated at home, with creationist science books that deny climate warming, limiting it (!!) to 0.6 degrees centigrade, which "isn't much." This self-segregation makes the children antisocial, forcing them to even "experience" rain. Militarization is instilled in them, Bush's wars are deemed just, they are ready for martyrdom for their country. Abortion is described as murder, and they are given small anthropomorphic figures representing their age from the creation of the egg cell. Science, in general, is ridiculed because "only god" knows the answers. Harry Potter is condemned (does it remind you of a certain German pope?) based on the Old Testament.
What is frightening is imagining them as adults. Just look at one of the leaders of the evangelist church, one of Bush's advisors (who owes much to the evangelicals), who considers his people a true political force, capable of swaying election results.
This documentary is built on the duality between the evangelical world and the radio broadcast of a Kansas station, which counters the claims of this church. The film thus appears quite unbiased, unlike this review. I do not find it right how these children are manipulated. It disgusts me.
Loading comments slowly
