TOW #29: Documentary (Jesus Camp)

In 2006, filmmakers Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing released Jesus Camp, a documentary about a summer camp called "Kids on Fire" that encourages Evangelical Christian children to become social, political, and potentially physical warriors of faith. Run by pastor Becky Fischer, "Kids on Fire" trains kids as young as six years old to be part of the "army of God" through purification, education, dedication, and sociopolitical activism. Little information is available online about the filmmakers, but it is evident that Grady is Jewish, that both directors have produced several documentaries on a wide variety of subjects, and that the two have worked together on multiple projects.

Grady and Ewing claim that the documentary "doesn't come with any prepackaged point of view*," but the directors must have known that there would be strong backlash against both the film and the documented religious practices. Public reaction was so negative that Fischer shut down "Kids on Fire" just two months after Jesus Camp's release because of the criticism she received for "brainwashing" children. By using emotional content and including a "voice of reason", Grady and Ewing spoke from a neutral perspective but still managed to convey shock and horror to most audience members.

As a documentary about children and religion, Jesus Camp evokes a wide range of strong emotions. The filmmakers used this to their advantage by using their footage to further appeal to pathos. Although the documentary is about the camp as a whole, it focuses on the lives of three ten-year-old camp attendees to create a stronger personal connection. Once the audience begins to feel sympathy for these children, to filmmakers show them sobbing at camp because they're sinners and God cannot love sinners. These children are shown in intense prayer, sometimes speaking in tongues and falling to the ground. When prompted they exclaim that they would be proud to die for their religious beliefs, implying that "Kids on Fire" is creating dozens of willing martyrs. Showing such heartwrenching scenes allows Grady and Ewing to convey the intensity of the "Jesus Camp" while seemingly staying neutral.

Between segments, Jesus Camp cuts to footage of  Mike Papantonio, a radio host discussing why "Kids on Fire" is dangerous and immoral. Papantonio ostensibly presents a counterargument to the one demonstrated by Becky Fischer and the Jesus Camp community. In reality, the emotional nature of the film has already angered most audience members, and Papantonio is just there to articulate the problems that are upsetting them. Papantonio's purpose culminates with a radio interview with Fischer that directly challenges the ideas of the Evangelical leader. Papantonio, representing rational public opinion, opposes the entire idea of training children for the army of God, thus coloring the tone of the entire documentary. Although Grady and Ewing claim to present an unbiased perspective, Papantonio is the voice of the audience and thus the voice of the documentary as a whole.

*http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/40691698.html