Jesus Camp

I came across this trailer for an upcoming documentary. It both scared and saddened me. Mostly it saddened me. Do we really live in a world where our response to Islamic extremists using their madras's - their religious schools to indoctrinate future terrorists is to put our "christian" children into camps that do essentially the same kind of thing in an anti-terrorist, Christian extremist kind of way? And is that really any better? Maybe we could just agree that when it comes to religious beliefs, extremism seems to be dangerous in a bad way - not the world changing way that christians are looking for. Maybe we could try being extreme by feeding hungry people, actually stopping to listen to what others are saying, caring for the broken, intervening to stop abuse, caring for prisoners, healing the sick. Maybe it's like John Fischer said in a article I read a couple of months ago - we need to stop being "christian" counsellors, and nurses and doctors and executives, and just be really good at being counsellors and nurses and doctors and executives. We could be really loyal and honest, and genuinely interested in people's lives, and in peace, and maybe we'd make a difference.

I can't figure out how to embed the trailer for the film here, but go to this site, and watch it in the video section, in fact, watch all three clips that they have available. I originally just watched the trailer, but after watching the others I'm almost overcome with anger and sadness. Pay particular attention to how old it tells you the little girl who loves to dance is - what ten or eleven year old do you know that talks like that? When did children become pawns in a ridiculous non-war of the religions? Once you've watched them come back here and leave me a comment letting me know what you're thinking. I'm wondering if I'm the only one that this triggers an intense response for...

Updating

Well, I don't have a whole lot to say. I've been doing a lot of thinking again, but nothing that I can share yet. If you want something worth reading, read Kirk's latest post, or anything Renee has written on her blog in the last month or so.

As for me, the ipod is working, and I'm loving the fact that I can now take all the music I own anywhere I want to go, plus, I can listen to sermons (which I did anyway) from Mars Hill in Grand Rapids, Mosaic in Los Angeles, and Imago Dei (my favorite of the bunch) on the train or bus. Which is great, because it's just in time for me to be commuting about 45 minutes each way by train or bus to my new job. And can I just say that while my church may not be the most stellar in the "teaching" department, any sermon Rick Mckinley at Imago Dei gives is generally worth the listen - challenging and helpful for growth. Or Rob Bell at Mars Hill - always a new perspective, particularly if you're interested in Old Testament. They've done a whole series over the course of the summer with a wide variety of speakers on Isaiah 61.

I went shopping this morning with Megs and bought some new clothes for work. Seems my business wardrobe was pretty limited after a year and a bit at the Bay which has a "white on top, black on the bottom, black shoes" dress code.

And I'm nearing the end of Season 4 of the West Wing and getting ready to start season 5. I'm still in love with the idealism. Anything idealistic really. Just wishing still for a way to translate ideals to reality. Asking for the Kingdom to come, on earth as it is in heaven, or, as Peterson translates it, "As above, so below."