Jesus Camp

[Sundae]

I was raised as a Catholic. I went to a Convent school until I was 12 and went to Mass until I was 16. The first festival (as in music festival) I ever attended at 15 was called Greenbelt, and it was a Christian music festival. I was only allowed to attend because it was a Christian festival, but to adolescents - trust me - it was a way to get a camping holiday, listen to music and comedy and stay up as late as you liked with your friends without your parents worrying!

There was a meeting every day called The Rolling Magazine - it was a madhouse. Games called Sieve 'Ed (running round the tent with various substances held in a sieve above your head) Egg Chuck (yup, fresh eggs - catch & you stand a pace apart) etc etc etc. Volunteers for these games nearly had a fit trying to catch Pip's attention. At 15, when we all wanted to be adults & drink & have sex. Amazing.

And we got to meet other people our age who believed in God. It was the love that dared not speak its name. Are you going to ask a classmate if they know Jesus? Not if you're not part of an evangelical church you're not!

Now we weren't taught hatred. Or aggression. Pip told us all - you are a beautiful human person. You need to hear that at 15. And when we graduated to The Very Stinking Late Show at 17 we needed to hear it just as much.

But I say - let Christian youngsters have their fun. They're living in a world where people on tv routinely break the 10 Commandments. Life is confusing for them. With any luck they'll graduate to accept a wider world view. But like Fat Camp - give them a chance not to feel like freaks.

(btw I got drunk & sucked cock @ Greenbelt. Just not at my 1st one. I guess the debbil told me to do it)