September 24, 2006
where have all the Carters gone?
They say you can take the boy out of the south, but you can't take the south out of the boy. Of course, I think every cultureal group has a similar quip. too, I think I just outed myself that I grew up in the South, as everyone always says to me after I tell them where I'm from, "Wow! You don't sound like you're from georgia?"
Last night, LK and I went to see a facinating documentary on the Evangelic Christian faith. The film, called Jesus Camp,>A>, travels to devil Falls, North dakota
That was probably the most facinating thing about the film, that the children shed more wisdom than the adults who were often quoted throughout the film. I'm amazed that the director could get so close and personal to these children during experiences which, by nature, are very personal, indeed. At first, I thought the children might be seeking attention, as children do. But I think they truly were moved within them. At least, when I was a kid, I could have never imagined doing some of the things they did as a witness of their faith. Of course, when I was a child, I was also an atheist.
Even though I grew up an atheist, the bible belt was always pulled tight around my waist. You can't grow up in georgia without feel the pull of the bible belt. My run-ins with other kids who were evangelic were always messy, to say the least. Especially after they found out I had no faith of my own in anything but science. Though I found that they usually wouldn't spend too much time on me if there was a Catholic near by. Ironic, that I ultimately became catholic years later.
Anyways, the experiences the children had in their camp wasn't too different than from some of the experiences I had going to camp as a child. And I didn't even go to evangelic Christian camp. that's one of the testaments to their faith, that it goes everywhere with them. If anything, I admire the Evangelic Christian for sticking to her or his guns (metaphysicaly, of course) and not backing down in the heat of an arguement. What was interesting in the movie, though, and what I experienced first hand while working in ministry in the Midwest--which wears its Bible belt proudly on the front of its gap jeans--was how reason is thrown out of the window whenever a debate is drawn.
Thomas Aquinus, one of the great philosophers and theologians from the thriteenth century, argued that reason should always be the hand made to faith, that you can use logic to a certain degree, but at one point both parties have to throw in the towel. The nature of the supernatural is just that. It's supernatural, above nature and science and logic and all things we know of in this universe. Nevertheless, rather than take this stance that so often helps in debates on faith, the movie shows ministers and parents using the most deformed logic when instructing their children. from issues of Global Warming, to American powers between Church and State, the film shows a culture that is being indoctrinated with a theology fueled more by politics than by God.
When I was a boy, growing up in the south, there was a show I loved to watch on the television. I'm sure I was watching it while many of my fellow students were praying for the conversion of my soul, God love them all for their charity and dedication. The show was called "Carter country," a sitcom of a small town in North georgia, kind of a Dukes of Hazard meets Benson. Don't know too many other people who saw the show, but it painted life in the south as a mild and easy living, laid back Mabary, North carolina. It had the bumbling mayor and good 'ol boy mentality with the same pig headed characters found in any television snap shot of rural America. But it also had a spirit of real America during a time when the U.S. was being run by a Georgia boy done good. carter was a saint to georgians back in those days. And it was probably only Georgians who watched the TV show, as it had a short run, much like Carter did.
It would do the Democratic party well to find another Carter these days. My experience in ministry these past few years reminded me of the need to serve in our community. It seems that the evangelics seen in this film have lost that sense of service, and have moved more into a fit of fighting. It was the small town Baptist and Presbyterian churches of carter's era that I admired. Carter was also a member of the Lion's club, whose moto is "We serve." And in the small towns throughout Georgia, you always had at least one church and one Lion's club. Though stewardship, as Jesus preached, seems lost in rhetorical baptism by fire in the movie. Not all Christians, or evangelics for that fact, are as full of the spirit as were the children in the film. It would be liek saying all Catholics or Anglicans go to Mass every day.
Anyways, Enough for now.
Last night, LK and I went to see a facinating documentary on the Evangelic Christian faith. The film, called Jesus Camp,>A>, travels to devil Falls, North dakota
That was probably the most facinating thing about the film, that the children shed more wisdom than the adults who were often quoted throughout the film. I'm amazed that the director could get so close and personal to these children during experiences which, by nature, are very personal, indeed. At first, I thought the children might be seeking attention, as children do. But I think they truly were moved within them. At least, when I was a kid, I could have never imagined doing some of the things they did as a witness of their faith. Of course, when I was a child, I was also an atheist.
Even though I grew up an atheist, the bible belt was always pulled tight around my waist. You can't grow up in georgia without feel the pull of the bible belt. My run-ins with other kids who were evangelic were always messy, to say the least. Especially after they found out I had no faith of my own in anything but science. Though I found that they usually wouldn't spend too much time on me if there was a Catholic near by. Ironic, that I ultimately became catholic years later.
Anyways, the experiences the children had in their camp wasn't too different than from some of the experiences I had going to camp as a child. And I didn't even go to evangelic Christian camp. that's one of the testaments to their faith, that it goes everywhere with them. If anything, I admire the Evangelic Christian for sticking to her or his guns (metaphysicaly, of course) and not backing down in the heat of an arguement. What was interesting in the movie, though, and what I experienced first hand while working in ministry in the Midwest--which wears its Bible belt proudly on the front of its gap jeans--was how reason is thrown out of the window whenever a debate is drawn.
Thomas Aquinus, one of the great philosophers and theologians from the thriteenth century, argued that reason should always be the hand made to faith, that you can use logic to a certain degree, but at one point both parties have to throw in the towel. The nature of the supernatural is just that. It's supernatural, above nature and science and logic and all things we know of in this universe. Nevertheless, rather than take this stance that so often helps in debates on faith, the movie shows ministers and parents using the most deformed logic when instructing their children. from issues of Global Warming, to American powers between Church and State, the film shows a culture that is being indoctrinated with a theology fueled more by politics than by God.
When I was a boy, growing up in the south, there was a show I loved to watch on the television. I'm sure I was watching it while many of my fellow students were praying for the conversion of my soul, God love them all for their charity and dedication. The show was called "Carter country," a sitcom of a small town in North georgia, kind of a Dukes of Hazard meets Benson. Don't know too many other people who saw the show, but it painted life in the south as a mild and easy living, laid back Mabary, North carolina. It had the bumbling mayor and good 'ol boy mentality with the same pig headed characters found in any television snap shot of rural America. But it also had a spirit of real America during a time when the U.S. was being run by a Georgia boy done good. carter was a saint to georgians back in those days. And it was probably only Georgians who watched the TV show, as it had a short run, much like Carter did.
It would do the Democratic party well to find another Carter these days. My experience in ministry these past few years reminded me of the need to serve in our community. It seems that the evangelics seen in this film have lost that sense of service, and have moved more into a fit of fighting. It was the small town Baptist and Presbyterian churches of carter's era that I admired. Carter was also a member of the Lion's club, whose moto is "We serve." And in the small towns throughout Georgia, you always had at least one church and one Lion's club. Though stewardship, as Jesus preached, seems lost in rhetorical baptism by fire in the movie. Not all Christians, or evangelics for that fact, are as full of the spirit as were the children in the film. It would be liek saying all Catholics or Anglicans go to Mass every day.
Anyways, Enough for now.
# posted by Tony : 2:16 PM
