Jesus Camp

[Thor]

You know what else is sick? The fact that I was taught to do all of the same things those homeschooled kids were taught.

I wasn't as indoctrinated as they are, but it still bugs me to think that I was taught absolute nonsense as fact.

I was so heavily indoctrinated that the same chills I would get and associate with "the Holy Spirit" I still get them. But now they're just empty. And it disgusts me that I still get them. Even though they aren't attached to anything.

I'm glad to hear that you realize these "chills" are simply an emotional reaction to a stimulus. I've had many believers tell me about how they "experienced" or "felt" the "Holy Spirit" at some religious event. It's useless to try to explain to them that they simply were caught up in the emotion of the event and what they "experienced" was simply chemicals being released by the brain.

I can't believe how bad these kids are. And it creeps me out that I was just as bad at one time....

These kids are just responding to the indoctrination they've received. Kids of that age want their parents' approval. If the parents are religious whackos, their pre-teen kids will almost certainly be religious whackos. It's not the fault of the kids. I hope that when the kids get older they will realize that their beliefs have no foundation in reality and they'll question what they've been taught. But it's a difficult cycle to break.

I agree with you, Thor, on the girl going up to the stranger. And I wish that when I did stuff like that that people challenged me on it. We need more atheist that are willing to speak up when children try to be evangelist. Maybe the challenge of our questioning their beliefs might save them from a life of lies and ignorance. If not right away some day in their future where they stop and think "Hey, wait. This doesn't make any sense"

This is what I would hope to do by challenging the ridiculous claim that "God" told her to give you something. I'm sure you wouldn't break through to the kid at that moment, but you might at least plant a seed that could cause the kid to question what she is being taught at some point down the road.