Persuasion techniques used in Jesus Camp film Essay

Persuasion techniques used in Jesus Camp film - Essay Example The persuasive techniques used in the film George W. Bush seems to be the icon for the children in this movie. A life size cardboard cutout is displayed in front of them, a waving American flag graphic projected behind it reads, â€Å"Here’s President Bush, come to visit us†¦!†Ã¢â‚¬  The children come forward and pay respect to him, touch the cutout and one could see the charged emotions on their innocent countenances. After providing such a backdrop, the children are asked to pray and profound vocabulary of Christianity pours out, like flesh and blood, principalities and powers, rulers of the darkness in this world, spiritual wickedness etc. Do the children really understand what they are being taught? Not one of them perhaps, but their minds is being polluted and they develop deep grudge against something which they do not know precisely. They begin to hate that which ‘not Christian’ according to the new values taught to them in Jesus Camp. In a sce ne, children dance to the accompaniment of Christian Heavy Metal music, in strangely painted faces brandishing sticks and thrusting them to an imaginary enemy and shouting â€Å"War! Warfare!† The girl participants in the dance wear black. The Jesus Camp is against abortion. Good, but it is taught, as if through a system drawn through the prison manual. The mouths of the children are shut with a red duct tape with the inscription LIFE. Those running this movement of Christianity are not apologetic about their intensions and speak with deep convictions. They are on the mission to form a generation of "Conservative Christian Republicans." Another ‘highlight’ of the camp is all children, irrespective of their age, are taught the same Christian principles. A toddler and a teen are given the message, whether it suits their mind set or not, without applying any thought about the dangerous consequences as to what imprint it may leave on the tender minds. The words Satan and Sprit are often used and the children are made to believe that a horrifying evil monster continues to stand at their back to watch their actions. Any deviations in following the issues that are taught in the class, any lethargy, would destroy them! What could be the finished product, of the children who entered the camp as innocents, their mind fresh as the flower in bloom? Trauma is their bonus! How can their mind process such hard messages? The trans-inducing methods must have done irreparable damage to their life, which is difficult to erase. Most of the children look physically tired and emotionally exhausted, their eyes drained due to excessive tears they shed, and at the subconscious level, poisonous seeds are planted through the vicious lessons of Jesus Camp that will grow into saplings and will ultimately yield poisonous fruits. The mind-set of one such ‘finished product’ of this move, Levi, by name indicates the line of thinking of the future generation th e movie will sure to produce. At one stage of the movie, he clearly expresses his hatred for the non-Christians in equivocal terms. He is led to believe that everything about non-Christians is bad. This camp has shut the doors for the real Jesus. His teachings are abandoned in this class and some political figures are chiseled out of the personalities of the youngsters. They are taught about the dangers to Christianity and America, which in reality are not there! This indeed is the manufacturing unit of human bombs that will leave far-reaching consequences to destroy the society. 2. My opinion of the appropriateness of the techniques Religion is good; â€Å"religionism† is bad. Fundamentalism in the practice of any religion is the worst thing that can happen to humankind. It is a double tragedy—for the individual personality and for the culture of the Nation as a whole. As for Christianity, when the religious leaders give more importance to the cross on the neck than C hrist in the heart, the fertile field of true religion begins to rot. Jesus Camp (Heidi