Comments on: I’m Perfect, You’re Doomed

By: Jessie Heaven Lotz

Jessie Heaven Lotz — Mon, 11 May 2009 17:45:24 +0000

Steve– that was ME in Jesus Camp! It was exactly like that, except it was a west coast version where we weren’t taught to speak in tongues. Other than that… yeah. It was really sad to watch the film as an adult and realize I used to be a tiny kid like that, being told those same things, by adults who should know better than to manipulate children in such an extreme way. I know parents who are religious, but explain their belief system to their kids and allow them to choose, inasmuch as it’s possible for a little kid to “choose” when their parents are setting a particular example. But this method is far preferable to the unrelenting brainwashing… Jesus Camp just chilled me to the bone.

I’ll have to check out Religious… haven’t seen that one yet.

Ballookey– I was a full-on bookworm too, and I am absolutely sure that helped me. I’ve actually thought a lot about which things helped me be as “well adjusted” as I am, considering what type of upbringing I had, and at one point I had decided it was books that saved my life… there are other factors too, I am sure, but… I think books give a kid some kind of armor. I think literacy provides a necessary escapism for children, without which they might feel much, much more helpless than they already do. Drawing horses and princess and reading books were the only forms of escape I had!

By: steve

steve — Thu, 07 May 2009 23:43:19 +0000

Great post Jess. Funny, ’cause I just watched the dvds “Jesus Camp” and “Religulous” – both great films in their own right, and they ask a lot of questions with regards to Christianity and religion in general.

It’s difficult, as I can somewhat relate, being surrounded by coworkers and family, and some who are very close to me who simply are gripped by religion and have no courage to question it at least. Still, i’m very confident in my own beliefs and views, which can be difficult as a “minority”, when it comes to personal belief systems.

By: jope

jope — Tue, 05 May 2009 06:10:37 +0000

We’ve got some friends who are Jehovah’s Witness. Fellow parents, totally “normal” looking and acting. You might never know it, except that they are obliged to turn down all celebrations for birthdays, holidays, etc. We really like them, but I don’t know how representative they are of their religion. I’m guessing not very.

Julia got invited along to their sole annual church celebration last year. There were readings from Revelation. Talk about partying like it’s 1999.

By: ballookey

ballookey — Mon, 04 May 2009 20:05:53 +0000

I’ll have to think about reading that book. I could imagine that it’d be very uncomfortable. It sounds like the exact same experience every one of my friends went through as they grew up in that cult. I just happened to luck out because being a book-loving science geek turned me right around without the mess. I don’t know why it went that way – I still get the feeling most of my old friends think it’s “the truth”, they just can’t live with it. And they don’t seem much interested when I try to put them at ease by explaining how it’s SO NOT the truth.

I *could* just be terrible at explaining things.

By: faith

faith — Mon, 04 May 2009 19:21:10 +0000

i, for one, am absolutely fascinated by The Truth As You Experienced It. whoever and whatever you and it may be.