I totally agree because you can hide the fact that your a creatard so you won't be ridiculed, but if you insist on having a gimp tail on the back of your head your almost asking for a slap lol I never condone violence but whenever I see a man with a pony tail I really struggle not to reach out and slap them lol
I'd imagine his mum made him get rid of it because it looked like a sex handle for a future boy friend, and we know evangelicals aren't a big fan of bum bum sex lol
It broke my heart to see all of those kids crying hysterically over their "sins." Probably repenting for hiding their peas under the baked potato skin during dinner.
@@LuckyCharms23 yep, I remember at the exact same age saying "sometimes I argue with my sister and brother" 🤷♀️ The priest actually yelled at me for giving such a ridiculous answer.. I left the confessional crying and never went back.
Sadly that's what these legalistic churches teach. True salvation doesn't require any works of repentance from sins or confession or giving money etc. You get saved by believing that Jesus died for all your sins and rose again on the third day.
@@patrickphilip777 You're not better than them. There is no such thing as salvation, or having to believe in a jew on a stick. We're all free spirits and we should not bow down to anyone.
Terrifying. As a child/adolescent psychologist, watching kids be so pushed to the limits by anger and fear to be visibly shaken they are literally brought to tears was very disturbing.
Do not indoctrinate your children. Teach them how to think for themselves, how to evaluate evidence, and how to disagree with you. Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion
I grew up in an atheist household and now Im an escort and on heroin. I wish I could believe in God but I learned the truth. I wasnt given the opportunity to choose. My parents were like everyone in the comments, mocking all religion, and so whats the point? There is no hell. Why not feel good here on earth! People always think im being fake saying this on here and it makes me feel bad. Im being honest. I kinda wish id grown up like these kids. At least id have something to believe in
@@litbopeep5726 you being an escort and on heroin has nothing to do with growing up without a God. Those are personal choices you made and you need to take accountability for YOUR actions as it isn't anyone else's fault for your lifestyle choices. I have seen plenty who go to church every sunday and some are severe abusive alcoholics, drug addicts or whatever else. Those people who even grow up within Christianity still go out and do some fucked up shit. The only difference between them is that they blame their free will on the devil, which is a crock of shit and a scapegoat for no one to take responsibility for their own actions. I have witnessed firsthand how the church will cover up childhood sexual abuse and flat out call children liars or sweep it under the rug and act like it never happened. Seriously, if you want to get your life straight you don't need some narcissistic being saying you need to bow down at his feet in order to feel love. Learn to love yourself.
Look at how he presents himself and his arguments. Its all confrontational and aggressive (excessive hand movements and never acknowledging another side). He's been taught well by the extremists.
Yeah, I used to go to church every Sunday and Jesus camp every summer... this guy is in a cult, plain and simple. Once you're out it's plain as day and holy shit is it creepy.
Yep I agree! Went to church and camp in the summer for the first 18 years of my life and once I finally made my decision not to be a part of that life, I saw how brainwashed they had tried to make me.
+Erika Thomas don't let people or church get in the way of finding out who God really is, God is not a building or a congregation. He is not found in religion. Religion is man made. A personal relationship with Jesus is what saves you. Not a relationship with the people or a building. Religion can leave a bad taste in someone's mouth but when it comes down to it, it's between you and God and no one else. We will all have to stand individually before him one day and give an account. I never wanted religion, I wanted the truth and that truth is Jesus.
Katie Bayliss I'm not someone who would send my kids to Jesus Camp. However, cults don't last 2000 years. You are judging Jesus on the actions of human beings. Not a wise thing to do.
Does it matter? This kid is smart. He has access to something deep. I am a pretty "devout" atheist, but I can see intelligence, passion, and maybe even peace of mind in him. Again, as a pretty hardcore atheist, I love that he can believe so deeply in something as he should have the right to. Good for him. Hopefully we can all be that passionate.
+Peter Honan Uh... no. This kid literally had no other choice but to go along with the "education" of his mother's home schooling. He has never been challenged. He has never challenged. He has not exercised skepticism a single day of his life and yet is so sure of himself. He has no doubt about it and does not exhibit a single ounce of humility to the possibility of being wrong. This isn't _passion_. This is _arrogance_. And that was the point of their whole mission.
Lol you're a straw man atheist brah, and a pretty bad one. Atheists don't refer to themselves as "devout" or hardcore, or love that people can believe so deeply in something that they don't believe is real. That makes no sense. You're envious of being gullible and willfully ignorant? I'm an atheist and I pity people who have been convinced to believe in someone elses delusion. This kid is wasting his one and only life on utter nonsense. You can be just as passionate about things that are grounded in reality. Nice job trying to convince people that atheists lead hollow pointless lives devoid of meaning. It's like the 9th commandment means nothing to christians. It's ok as long as you're doing it for jesus I guess.
These folks are easy to shake down for $$ because they live in a constant state of guilt and the church loves it. It's time to start taxing the churches, just wanted to throw that one in for good measure.
Even though I'm an atheist now I don't believe that raising your kids religiously is inherently abuse. I was raised super religious and I still never regreated going to church as Youth Service was some of the best moments of my life. This documentary however is absolutely abuse and it's really sad to see kids go through the terrible things that they had to experience in that camp.
From the movie Inception: "What is the most resilient parasite? Bacteria? A virus? An intestinal worm? An idea. Resilient... highly contagious. Once an idea has taken hold of the brain it's almost impossible to eradicate. An idea that is fully formed - fully understood - that sticks; right in there somewhere. "
This poor kid. Let me just say that not all church camps are like the one portrayed in the film. I went to my church camp every summer and had a blast. But we just sang songs and put on goofy skits. We also swam and played a lot of vollyball. We weren't flopping around and weeping all over the place. That's the thing about the camp portrayed in the film, it doesn't look like much fun. I wouldn't send my kid there.
What I tell people is I love meth more now than I ever have in my life, it's just as I've been getting older, I've had more experiences with meth. There has never been anything anyone has said or did that convinced me meth was awesome, it was when I experienced more of meth that I've fallen more in love with it everyday.
I was raised in a healthy, happy religious household, and attended a private Christian school and church camps every summer. And I kinda wish I had his enthusiasm for what he believes. I did, and truly tried, but I just can't still believe what he believes.
Yes, Faith in Jesus is difficult because we can't see the evidence; and it's only natural and normal to want that. But faith doesn't come naturally, it's a spiritual gift given by God; I firmly believe this. It is a function in the heart, not the mind, so you will not attain it by natural means. It is not a "belief system". Since it comes from the Heart, one has to reach out to God from the heart, then he will hear you. It's not a "Hello God, are you there?". Think more: "God, if you there, please reveal yourself to me. I will do anything to know you". See the difference? One is dry and wants to know. The other is desperate and wants "know" Him. "..many are called, few are chosen" - Matthew 22:14
Heretics there’s only one true church and it’s the orthodox church. Your protestant church is such a joke and an insult to us… look around! What in Limbo’s place does breakdancing have to do with our religion? We’re supposed to teach our children with guidance, protection, wisdom, … not with fear, …
@BossClayWin Why is it meaningless? I found meaning without god. Just because god gives your life meaning doesn't mean it gives others meaning. Grow up and realize that your experiance is not the standard.
@BossClayWin It's the extreamism that is worrying, not the belief in god. Extreamism of any religion is dangerous. There is hope that he will leave extreanism. Why the actual fuck would I think my life is stantard? You said life without god is meaningless. That only applies to you. I found my meaning without god. But that sure as fuck only applies to me. Extreamism is bad and meaning to life is subjective.
I just finished watching Jesus Camp. I just have a hard time with the contradiction. This particular sect of Christianity is founded on fear. They seem more invested in the devil, evil and warfare than they are in the love and forgiveness that Jesus brought. There is only one way, theirs. They spent time practicing war techniques and destroying (cups.) God shouldn't hurt. Jesus gave His blood to save us from our sins. There is no joy in these children or in the people. They have created a painful place and chosen to live there.
“There is only one way, theirs.” Am I missing something here? How is this different from any other sect of Christianity? All of you are basically preaching “believe this or (literally) go to hell.”
Having spent a good deal of my life towing the line between practicing Christianity and paganism/witchcraft - often concurrently - it blew my mind how they were smashing those cups to symbolize the demolition of adversaries to their faith (or whatever that was supposed to represent...) As anyone who has practiced witchcraft can tell you, that is called sympathetic magic and it's a very basic form of spellcasting used by witches, myself included. I'm not even taking it out of context; the way they used it was virtually a textbook example. I was rather appalled to find it being used by other Christians, and such a fundamentalist sect at that. Based on my knowledge of the bible and Christian theology and doctrine, I'm 100% certain that that is exactly what is prohibited in the old testament as a form of witchcraft. I would know better than most; I'm both Christian(ish) and an actively practicing witch. If what I'm doing is evil and against the bible, then what they did there absolutely is.
@tripcode1722 You can't serve 2 masters if you call yourself a Christian (can't practice magic), but thank you for bringing awareness on the pathology of doing a creepy ritual. I always sensed something was off about the Jesus Camp group Especially when they prayed to a cardboard cutout of Bush(which is false idol worship)
ha ha haa haa haaa! You Tube comment of the year! It's due to context. You scroll down through all those stupid atheist vs. believer arguments and there's this hilarious unrelated comment down in the middle of them. It's beautiful in its single sentence simplicity too. Come to think if it, a little smack would make this guy a hell of a lot cooler and edgier, so it works in that respect too.
He seems like a nice kid. I'm an atheist and I like Levi but I feel back that he has been bamboozled by goofy middle eastern religion. :-( I think it's shady to prey on children like that.
I was raised in a conservative Christian household and believed it fervently until I was 19. I started to research and think for myself thank goodness and found out it's a load of shit. Luckily I wasn't put through the ringer like these kids, I just feel bad that impressionable children are allowed to be brainwashed like this. It's unethical to force beliefs among children imo.
The main problem is since 100 of years back im jersusalem, one of the 3 big religions will be #1 in the world, thats the reason we have all this war on earth. The main theme of religion is peace, but main religion leaders speak only from war. Like in the documentary & thats happen all over the world, and nobody think one second, thats a mistake, its the wrong way...
Like those who indoctrinated him, he is not at all genuine. When he's 45 and working part time in a car wash in between gigs as a street preacher he might realize what a complete waste it all was, but chances are slim.
***** Now that you mention it, they all had baaaad haircuts just like those kids from "the thaw" video. So I stopped getting haircuts. Not makin that up either.
***** I'd like them to wear sandals where I live during winter, specially last winter during that ice storm. Since you started about Rapunzel I'm gonna let Snuffles Magoo know about that comment cause you know its blackmail material.
The best thing for this kid is to experience the world and travel outside of the bubble he was raised in. Experience god? This kid needs to experience the world? Maybe he will start to see people chose to think for him by taking advantage of an innocent impressionable kid.
I was forced to be catholic my entire childhood, and I hated it. I didn't believe it, or connect with it - You make your own choice whether or not to be brainwashed by what beliefs your parents raise you with.
Weird that you can "experience" your god but only if you were told of him Strange that experiences happen to be the most subjective thing that can happen to a person
Have these parents really helped this poor kid, it’s child cruelty to scare a kid so completely he changes his entire thought process. I’m amazed this is allowed to happen to children, they’ve experienced nothing in life & are subjected to this shit. Surely someone has to be held accountable, it’s disgusting to watch
Vot a mishegoss. I've been a Christian for fifty years but when I hear the sorts of things that almost every one of these people say it not only boggles my mind; I really feel sorry for the kids.
When fundamentalism is all you have heard, you do not know other alternatives. This part of small town America can be depressing. There are other things that could lift people out of depression other than fundamentalist religion: such as a love of science, love of nature love of higher education, love of supporting non-profits that make the world a better place. I love God and love God's creation. I am glad Levi in 2012 still loves God. I hope Levi will learn more about the world and other ways of being a Christian.
Loving something that was never there. Brainwashed. The monsters that do this abuse to our children's brains should be thrown in dungeons! What a fucking waste! It's just sickening and.... sad. He's...gone.
Do not indoctrinate your children. Teach them how to think for themselves, how to evaluate evidence, and how to disagree with you. Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion
What do you expect him to say? This young man has had few free thoughts in his whole life. Renouncing a lifetime of indoctrination must be very hard. Check out the clip of his mother.
Absolutely agree, but, at the end of the day, this poor kid has been homeschooled by his already deluded mother, and learned fuck all about logic or reasoning. I thought that he seemed well intentioned in jesus camp and that it was a shame for such a nice kid to be completely corrupted by those wackos around him. I know he is technically one of them now, but it seemed telling of his character when he said he didn't have a problem with how the movie was filmed. No point berating him, I just feel bad for him.
***** They become so malleable. Many will believe the preposterous. A rabid Christian recently commented that I was a "geocentrist" (sp) This is someone who has the absurd notion the World is round. I think this would fall into "harmful" category.
@@Ruthybwn I seriously doubt that. He clearly said in the movie that people who do not believe in jesus make him feel icky... THAT's the word he used verbatim. I can only imagine what he "preaches" now when he gets a chance to do so.
Like he said, he became convinced of God through his own personal experience of God. Same here. But if you've never had that experience, it's easy to be dismissive of it and say that it doesn't exist. But it does, just outside of your previous experience.
I wish there could be a documentary on regular churches where kids and adults worship and are taught regular Bible stuff. Learning the Bible shouldn’t be an emotional mind game.
i was watching jesus camp and i was really worried and scared for this kid and i looked it up and like.. this isnt really any better but at least he's happy
as messed up as it is... even my self as a non believer, you can tell from brainwash or not that he does have a heart and gets to be non bias from his stance. if that is what keeps him sane at this point. happy. not bothering others. doing what he thinks is best. fuck it. let him be.
I'm really glad I got to experience these conferences when I did because otherwise I'm not sure I would believe in god now....yeah that's indoctrination
He was asked to preach during the movie. He used no actual scripture. Only phrases he heard the adults use during camp, and acted emotional. I never saw so much crying at camp or among kids in my life except those being tortured. When children came to the actual Jesus in the Bible, they were happy, not sad. He taught them, didn’t scare or shame anyone to tears. This is a moneymaking scheme.
I was about to say he is fucking lost but mostly harmless and then he mentioned how these camps and evangelical school-churches were actually "good" for the kids. nope nope nope.
Glad he's got something that works for him, but too many walk away from the faith damaged and traumatized, and I wish Evangelicals would divorce themselves from politics and mind their own business for the sake of the rest of us. The sad thing is, there are good Christians and denominations out there who serve with compassion, humility, & non-judgment, but money & theatrics unfortunately speak the loudest.
*That's interesting.* It's almost like he wouldn't have these "experiences" if no one told him he would and he's in a state of constant denial. How's he doing around drugs and gay hookers? I wonder if that cute kid followed his role model Haggerty.
I feel really sorry Levi that he got spiritually abused from the so-called Kids-on-Fire minister named Becky Fischer. She was too charismatic Pentecostal Conservative babble speak preacher. And a strong supporter to former U.S. President George Bush Jr. Can see that Levi is a Christian but he needs to leave his charismatic views away from the Gospel. Just be a Christian and agree with Jesus says and keep His commandments.
It absolutely did hurt the children... I wasn't in this this documentary but I was one of these kids growing up and I am in therapy trying to deal with the fact that I always think I'm bad or sinful. I haven't done anything wrong. Pentecostal Church is what I call a semicult. It messed me up. God is love, therefore love is god... There's nothing loving about telling children that they're going to go to hell
Jesus Camp is basically my favorite doc and I do think this kid is not too smart & brainwashed, BUT all that said, he seems nice. It's very mature of him that he doesn't seem to have an ill will toward the filmmakers.
Feeling and experience based faith are shallow and worldly. I hope and pray for you brother that you stand strong in your faith when the season of silence comes your way.
Proof of god through personal experiences. Ok I can just as easily find someone who is of a different faith to say the exact same thing about their diety. How is that not just as valid?!
Well I’m eternally grateful my parents didn’t force anything on me and wanted me to find my own path. If I were to believe in a higher power, that higher power would’ve been kind and accepting, not brutal or causing fear. Damn I feel bad for this kid. He never had a chance
I would really like to explore what he started saying at about 1:50 ... That he doesn't know if he would have believed in God or not if it wasn't for that earlier experience.
The experience of God that he talks about is a human psychological experience. Their is nothing holy or otherworldly about what they felt. It was all the experience of feeling something through mass hysteria.
Oh wow, "I remember so many experiences in my life I was so glad, I was at these camps and I experienced god the way I did because otherwise I don't know if I'd believe in god right now" ... and how did believing in something that doesn't exist get you through those "experiences"? Because somehow I've gotten through plenty of experiences in my life without needing to believe in magic sky wizards, as have millions of other atheists. Heck people who believe in the wrong god have gotten through experiences too. It's almost like it doesn't matter what you believe in. You could believe in a jug of milk and get the same results.
After watching "Jesus Camp", I believe that these people are trying to do what they think is right and are probably good people. However, this was brain-washing to the extreme.I also wonder why most of the adult leaders are over-weight. Do they eat to suppress their emotions?
im just glad he put that mullet to rest
I totally agree because you can hide the fact that your a creatard so you won't be ridiculed, but if you insist on having a gimp tail on the back of your head your almost asking for a slap lol I never condone violence but whenever I see a man with a pony tail I really struggle not to reach out and slap them lol
the worst part is it wasnt even a pony tail it was just a weird rat tail thing
I'd imagine his mum made him get rid of it because it looked like a sex handle for a future boy friend, and we know evangelicals aren't a big fan of bum bum sex lol
that upset me on an emotional level
Hey Mein Fueher, how did you survive
It broke my heart to see all of those kids crying hysterically over their "sins." Probably repenting for hiding their peas under the baked potato skin during dinner.
💀I remember having to repent during confessions when I was like 7.. all I had was " sometimes I forget to wash the dishes" 😂😂😂😂
@@LuckyCharms23 yep, I remember at the exact same age saying "sometimes I argue with my sister and brother" 🤷♀️
The priest actually yelled at me for giving such a ridiculous answer.. I left the confessional crying and never went back.
Yeah.
Sadly that's what these legalistic churches teach. True salvation doesn't require any works of repentance from sins or confession or giving money etc. You get saved by believing that Jesus died for all your sins and rose again on the third day.
@@patrickphilip777 You're not better than them. There is no such thing as salvation, or having to believe in a jew on a stick. We're all free spirits and we should not bow down to anyone.
Terrifying. As a child/adolescent psychologist, watching kids be so pushed to the limits by anger and fear to be visibly shaken they are literally brought to tears was very disturbing.
Do not indoctrinate your children. Teach them how to think for themselves, how to evaluate evidence, and how to disagree with you.
Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion
100% agree.
I grew up in an atheist household and now Im an escort and on heroin.
I wish I could believe in God but I learned the truth.
I wasnt given the opportunity to choose.
My parents were like everyone in the comments, mocking all religion, and so whats the point?
There is no hell. Why not feel good here on earth!
People always think im being fake saying this on here and it makes me feel bad.
Im being honest.
I kinda wish id grown up like these kids.
At least id have something to believe in
@@litbopeep5726 Why don't you give it a go now?
@@litbopeep5726 you being an escort and on heroin has nothing to do with growing up without a God. Those are personal choices you made and you need to take accountability for YOUR actions as it isn't anyone else's fault for your lifestyle choices. I have seen plenty who go to church every sunday and some are severe abusive alcoholics, drug addicts or whatever else. Those people who even grow up within Christianity still go out and do some fucked up shit. The only difference between them is that they blame their free will on the devil, which is a crock of shit and a scapegoat for no one to take responsibility for their own actions. I have witnessed firsthand how the church will cover up childhood sexual abuse and flat out call children liars or sweep it under the rug and act like it never happened. Seriously, if you want to get your life straight you don't need some narcissistic being saying you need to bow down at his feet in order to feel love. Learn to love yourself.
My heart goes out to this kid. This is a perfect showcase that indoctrination and brainwashing works.
Look where I found Thomas Westbrook! Big fan of your channel.
You’re lied to. If you have the Holy Spirit then you’ll understand
@Mike.Litoris “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
Proverbs 14:12 KJV
@Mike.Litoris “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.”
Romans 8:7 KJV
@Mike.Litoris Like I said before it’s because you don’t have the Holy Spirit inside of you
This kid is a perfect example of the results of mental child abuse.
💯
Look at how he presents himself and his arguments. Its all confrontational and aggressive (excessive hand movements and never acknowledging another side). He's been taught well by the extremists.
He's totally someone who would bomb a Planned Parenthood clinic sorry to say.
Yeah, I used to go to church every Sunday and Jesus camp every summer... this guy is in a cult, plain and simple. Once you're out it's plain as day and holy shit is it creepy.
Yep I agree! Went to church and camp in the summer for the first 18 years of my life and once I finally made my decision not to be a part of that life, I saw how brainwashed they had tried to make me.
+Erika Thomas don't let people or church get in the way of finding out who God really is, God is not a building or a congregation. He is not found in religion. Religion is man made. A personal relationship with Jesus is what saves you. Not a relationship with the people or a building. Religion can leave a bad taste in someone's mouth but when it comes down to it, it's between you and God and no one else. We will all have to stand individually before him one day and give an account. I never wanted religion, I wanted the truth and that truth is Jesus.
kimber henry Jesus is a religion. kek
Katie Bayliss I'm not someone who would send my kids to Jesus Camp. However, cults don't last 2000 years. You are judging Jesus on the actions of human beings. Not a wise thing to do.
Vincent Thomas, I totally agree. I had the same thing happen to me as a child.
Poor Levi.. he needs to chop up more titans.
Dude nobody here is going to get that reference.
You did!
Winterwacko Reborn And Levi was apparently named after this kid. For real real.
+Joseph Wagner Well, if it's for real real than it must be true! But for real what are you talking about?
Winterwacko Reborn It's too late to pretend, broseph.
We watched him become emotionally destroyed as a child to get to this point. The pchycosis was obvious
*Is
Yep
God I really hope we don’t see his picture on the news after a mass shooting…
Does it matter? This kid is smart. He has access to something deep. I am a pretty "devout" atheist, but I can see intelligence, passion, and maybe even peace of mind in him. Again, as a pretty hardcore atheist, I love that he can believe so deeply in something as he should have the right to. Good for him. Hopefully we can all be that passionate.
+Peter Honan He would be putting that intelligence and passion to better use if he devoted it to anything besides right-wing Christianity.
+Peter Honan
Uh... no. This kid literally had no other choice but to go along with the "education" of his mother's home schooling. He has never been challenged. He has never challenged. He has not exercised skepticism a single day of his life and yet is so sure of himself. He has no doubt about it and does not exhibit a single ounce of humility to the possibility of being wrong. This isn't _passion_. This is _arrogance_. And that was the point of their whole mission.
+88Keyz102 spot on.
Lol you're a straw man atheist brah, and a pretty bad one. Atheists don't refer to themselves as "devout" or hardcore, or love that people can believe so deeply in something that they don't believe is real. That makes no sense. You're envious of being gullible and willfully ignorant? I'm an atheist and I pity people who have been convinced to believe in someone elses delusion. This kid is wasting his one and only life on utter nonsense. You can be just as passionate about things that are grounded in reality. Nice job trying to convince people that atheists lead hollow pointless lives devoid of meaning. It's like the 9th commandment means nothing to christians. It's ok as long as you're doing it for jesus I guess.
he was literally in a cult and he calls it “experiencing god” like bruh u need therapy😬
nah i dont need therapy
I wonder if he still thinks global warming isn't a thing
Is this even a Christian stereotype...?
Luke Gosnell It’s not a stereotype; in the documentary we saw his homeschooling where he was being taught to argue that global warming was a myth
@@tai2527 Global warming is a hoax
@@f30rocity78 Just like Covid? And the 2020 election? . . . oh, and don't forget the biggest myth of all - that the Earth is round.
@@7n154 liberal detected
These folks are easy to shake down for $$ because they live in a constant state of guilt and the church loves it. It's time to start taxing the churches, just wanted to throw that one in for good measure.
Even though I'm an atheist now I don't believe that raising your kids religiously is inherently abuse. I was raised super religious and I still never regreated going to church as Youth Service was some of the best moments of my life.
This documentary however is absolutely abuse and it's really sad to see kids go through the terrible things that they had to experience in that camp.
From the movie Inception:
"What is the most resilient parasite? Bacteria? A virus? An intestinal worm? An idea. Resilient... highly contagious. Once an idea has taken hold of the brain it's almost impossible to eradicate. An idea that is fully formed - fully understood - that sticks; right in there somewhere. "
Nice quote :)
Yep, ideas can convince otherwise sane people to fly planes into buildings.
That's liberalism for ya
This poor kid. Let me just say that not all church camps are like the one portrayed in the film. I went to my church camp every summer and had a blast. But we just sang songs and put on goofy skits. We also swam and played a lot of vollyball. We weren't flopping around and weeping all over the place. That's the thing about the camp portrayed in the film, it doesn't look like much fun. I wouldn't send my kid there.
Your camp is fun and balanced. That is what it is supposed to be. Kids aren’t supposed to be brainwashed.
I would've like to have seen Rachel & Tori, the other 2 kids that they focused on in the film, just to show how they've changed.
They tried but it was past visiting hours.
@@eternalreign2313 genuinely lol'd - cheers!
His family is never going to let him out of their cult. His only chance is if he cuts them out of his life like you cut out cancer.
What I tell people is I love meth more now than I ever have in my life, it's just as I've been getting older, I've had more experiences with meth. There has never been anything anyone has said or did that convinced me meth was awesome, it was when I experienced more of meth that I've fallen more in love with it everyday.
This comment is perfect. Thank you for this.
I was raised in a healthy, happy religious household, and attended a private Christian school and church camps every summer. And I kinda wish I had his enthusiasm for what he believes. I did, and truly tried, but I just can't still believe what he believes.
Yes, Faith in Jesus is difficult because we can't see the evidence; and it's only natural and normal to want that. But faith doesn't come naturally, it's a spiritual gift given by God; I firmly believe this. It is a function in the heart, not the mind, so you will not attain it by natural means. It is not a "belief system".
Since it comes from the Heart, one has to reach out to God from the heart, then he will hear you. It's not a "Hello God, are you there?". Think more: "God, if you there, please reveal yourself to me. I will do anything to know you". See the difference? One is dry and wants to know. The other is desperate and wants "know" Him.
"..many are called, few are chosen" - Matthew 22:14
@@Angelica._.officalll god is a lie
@@canaancox5379 Well, I mean, what else are you going to say?
Heretics there’s only one true church and it’s the orthodox church. Your protestant church is such a joke and an insult to us… look around! What in Limbo’s place does breakdancing have to do with our religion? We’re supposed to teach our children with guidance, protection, wisdom, … not with fear, …
Don’t feel bad, you seem like you had a great upbringing and we’re very blessed, I’m sure you’re a great person and a good soul..just keep being you ❤
my stokholm-syndrome-alarm is going APESHIT!
the man
who got right to the point!
Isayama brought me here
same oop
same
I was once just like him, now I am an atheist. There is always hope.
Thank you... I needed to hear that!
@BossClayWin Why is it meaningless? I found meaning without god. Just because god gives your life meaning doesn't mean it gives others meaning. Grow up and realize that your experiance is not the standard.
@BossClayWin It's the extreamism that is worrying, not the belief in god. Extreamism of any religion is dangerous. There is hope that he will leave extreanism. Why the actual fuck would I think my life is stantard? You said life without god is meaningless. That only applies to you. I found my meaning without god. But that sure as fuck only applies to me. Extreamism is bad and meaning to life is subjective.
@BossClayWin a life believing in your god is a miserable life.
I'm glad that I'm free
I just finished watching Jesus Camp. I just have a hard time with the contradiction. This particular sect of Christianity is founded on fear. They seem more invested in the devil, evil and warfare than they are in the love and forgiveness that Jesus brought. There is only one way, theirs. They spent time practicing war techniques and destroying (cups.) God shouldn't hurt. Jesus gave His blood to save us from our sins. There is no joy in these children or in the people. They have created a painful place and chosen to live there.
Good 10 year anniversary article in The Guardian on these kids.
“There is only one way, theirs.”
Am I missing something here? How is this different from any other sect of Christianity? All of you are basically preaching “believe this or (literally) go to hell.”
Having spent a good deal of my life towing the line between practicing Christianity and paganism/witchcraft - often concurrently - it blew my mind how they were smashing those cups to symbolize the demolition of adversaries to their faith (or whatever that was supposed to represent...) As anyone who has practiced witchcraft can tell you, that is called sympathetic magic and it's a very basic form of spellcasting used by witches, myself included. I'm not even taking it out of context; the way they used it was virtually a textbook example. I was rather appalled to find it being used by other Christians, and such a fundamentalist sect at that. Based on my knowledge of the bible and Christian theology and doctrine, I'm 100% certain that that is exactly what is prohibited in the old testament as a form of witchcraft. I would know better than most; I'm both Christian(ish) and an actively practicing witch. If what I'm doing is evil and against the bible, then what they did there absolutely is.
@tripcode1722
You can't serve 2 masters if you call yourself a Christian (can't practice magic), but thank you for bringing awareness on the pathology of doing a creepy ritual.
I always sensed something was off about the Jesus Camp group
Especially when they prayed to a cardboard cutout of Bush(which is false idol worship)
When he is talking about "experiencing God"; he is talking about heroin.
ha ha haa haa haaa! You Tube comment of the year! It's due to context. You scroll down through all those stupid atheist vs. believer arguments and there's this hilarious unrelated comment down in the middle of them. It's beautiful in its single sentence simplicity too. Come to think if it, a little smack would make this guy a hell of a lot cooler and edgier, so it works in that respect too.
He seems like a nice kid. I'm an atheist and I like Levi but I feel back that he has been bamboozled by goofy middle eastern religion. :-( I think it's shady to prey on children like that.
I feel like parents should let their kids decide whether they're religious or not.
Too late for them now. They grew up drinking the Kool-Aid
Should parents let their kids decide if they want to eat vegetables or not?
The documentary made me angry and sad at the same time
If Jesus makes people feel better, fine. Just don't shove that shit down other people's throat and don't be hypocritical.
nothing convinced him except for growing up in an evangelist home since birth and your evangelist mother being your teacher
I was raised in a conservative Christian household and believed it fervently until I was 19. I started to research and think for myself thank goodness and found out it's a load of shit. Luckily I wasn't put through the ringer like these kids, I just feel bad that impressionable children are allowed to be brainwashed like this. It's unethical to force beliefs among children imo.
The main problem is since 100 of years back im jersusalem, one of the 3 big religions will be #1 in the world, thats the reason we have all this war on earth.
The main theme of religion is peace, but main religion leaders speak only from war. Like in the documentary & thats happen all over the world, and nobody think one second, thats a mistake, its the wrong way...
at least andrew sommerkamp( the blond kid w/ mushroom haircut) broke free.
Like those who indoctrinated him, he is not at all genuine. When he's 45 and working part time in a car wash in between gigs as a street preacher he might realize what a complete waste it all was, but chances are slim.
***** Now that you mention it, they all had baaaad haircuts just like those kids from "the thaw" video. So I stopped getting haircuts. Not makin that up either.
***** I'd like them to wear sandals where I live during winter, specially last winter during that ice storm. Since you started about Rapunzel I'm gonna let Snuffles Magoo know about that comment cause you know its blackmail material.
The best thing for this kid is to experience the world and travel outside of the bubble he was raised in. Experience god? This kid needs to experience the world? Maybe he will start to see people chose to think for him by taking advantage of an innocent impressionable kid.
I was forced to be catholic my entire childhood, and I hated it. I didn't believe it, or connect with it - You make your own choice whether or not to be brainwashed by what beliefs your parents raise you with.
This guy is who Captain Levi is named after.
Levi is still a gullible individual. Maybe one day, he'll break the invisible chains that retain him.
You are a proud destroyer.
what
Fingers crossed, but cult indoctrination is powerful sadly.
And 5 years, he made himself more brainwashed.
Weird that you can "experience" your god but only if you were told of him
Strange that experiences happen to be the most subjective thing that can happen to a person
Have these parents really helped this poor kid, it’s child cruelty to scare a kid so completely he changes his entire thought process.
I’m amazed this is allowed to happen to children, they’ve experienced nothing in life & are subjected to this shit.
Surely someone has to be held accountable, it’s disgusting to watch
I would have thought Levi would have woken up after talking to old Ted Haggert
This video is 11 years old. Wonder if this guy is still a christian today.
I clicked this video hoping he's changed...I'm disappointed
Fundie freaks like this usually never change as a life inside the cult is all they know.
Vot a mishegoss. I've been a Christian for fifty years but when I hear the sorts of things that almost every one of these people say it not only boggles my mind; I really feel sorry for the kids.
I always thought he was so cute when I was younger
He's still cute in this clip. Yeah, he could get it.
When fundamentalism is all you have heard, you do not know other alternatives. This part of small town America can be depressing. There are other things that could lift people out of depression other than fundamentalist religion: such as a love of science, love of nature love of higher education, love of supporting non-profits that make the world a better place. I love God and love God's creation. I am glad Levi in 2012 still loves God. I hope Levi will learn more about the world and other ways of being a Christian.
This doc is a warning.
Here because I'm a satanic figure and the Levi's name reminds me of a certain corporal...
@jacfar awad yessir
levi da
Loving something that was never there.
Brainwashed.
The monsters that do this abuse to our children's brains should be thrown in dungeons!
What a fucking waste! It's just sickening and.... sad.
He's...gone.
Do not indoctrinate your children. Teach them how to think for themselves, how to evaluate evidence, and how to disagree with you.
Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion
I hope he's doing better in 2020 since he's most likely fully moved out now.
I wonder if he’s snapped out of it, since he’s about 30 now
What do you expect him to say? This young man has had few free thoughts in his whole life. Renouncing a lifetime of indoctrination must be very hard. Check out the clip of his mother.
Agreed. Give the guy a break. There are literally millions of people who think this way.
True, but as you say, he has been brainwashed as well. As far as I can tell he's not going around preaching any kind of hate.
Absolutely agree, but, at the end of the day, this poor kid has been homeschooled by his already deluded mother, and learned fuck all about logic or reasoning. I thought that he seemed well intentioned in jesus camp and that it was a shame for such a nice kid to be completely corrupted by those wackos around him. I know he is technically one of them now, but it seemed telling of his character when he said he didn't have a problem with how the movie was filmed. No point berating him, I just feel bad for him.
***** They become so malleable. Many will believe the preposterous. A rabid Christian recently commented that I was a "geocentrist" (sp) This is someone who has the absurd notion the World is round. I think this would fall into "harmful" category.
@@Ruthybwn I seriously doubt that. He clearly said in the movie that people who do not believe in jesus make him feel icky... THAT's the word he used verbatim. I can only imagine what he "preaches" now when he gets a chance to do so.
Wonder how he is in 2021.
Like he said, he became convinced of God through his own personal experience of God. Same here. But if you've never had that experience, it's easy to be dismissive of it and say that it doesn't exist. But it does, just outside of your previous experience.
I wish there could be a documentary on regular churches where kids and adults worship and are taught regular Bible stuff. Learning the Bible shouldn’t be an emotional mind game.
i was watching jesus camp and i was really worried and scared for this kid and i looked it up and like.. this isnt really any better but at least he's happy
as messed up as it is... even my self as a non believer, you can tell from brainwash or not that he does have a heart and gets to be non bias from his stance. if that is what keeps him sane at this point. happy. not bothering others. doing what he thinks is best. fuck it. let him be.
Poor Boy ...
Five years later Levi is still as brainwashed as he was then.
I'm really glad I got to experience these conferences when I did because otherwise I'm not sure I would believe in god now....yeah that's indoctrination
He was asked to preach during the movie. He used no actual scripture. Only phrases he heard the adults use during camp, and acted emotional. I never saw so much crying at camp or among kids in my life except those being tortured.
When children came to the actual Jesus in the Bible, they were happy, not sad. He taught them, didn’t scare or shame anyone to tears.
This is a moneymaking scheme.
Bible fundamentalism is not any better.
Still delusional.
I was about to say he is fucking lost but mostly harmless and then he mentioned how these camps and evangelical school-churches were actually "good" for the kids. nope nope nope.
People in the comments can't seem to handle the fact that he really loves God. LOL
he seems like a chill dude
You mean cult member 🙄
Glad he's got something that works for him, but too many walk away from the faith damaged and traumatized, and I wish Evangelicals would divorce themselves from politics and mind their own business for the sake of the rest of us. The sad thing is, there are good Christians and denominations out there who serve with compassion, humility, & non-judgment, but money & theatrics unfortunately speak the loudest.
I’m very glad he is SOLID with YHWH
This kid is so lucky bc isayama the author of Attack on Titan used his name to make our favorite character Levi
*That's interesting.*
It's almost like he wouldn't have these "experiences" if no one told him he would and he's in a state of constant denial.
How's he doing around drugs and gay hookers? I wonder if that cute kid followed his role model Haggerty.
They grew him mentally ill :(
What?
I feel really sorry Levi that he got spiritually abused from the so-called Kids-on-Fire minister named Becky Fischer. She was too charismatic Pentecostal Conservative babble speak preacher. And a strong supporter to former U.S. President George Bush Jr. Can see that Levi is a Christian but he needs to leave his charismatic views away from the Gospel. Just be a Christian and agree with Jesus says and keep His commandments.
It absolutely did hurt the children... I wasn't in this this documentary but I was one of these kids growing up and I am in therapy trying to deal with the fact that I always think I'm bad or sinful. I haven't done anything wrong. Pentecostal Church is what I call a semicult. It messed me up. God is love, therefore love is god... There's nothing loving about telling children that they're going to go to hell
owwwkey... smile , nod and slleuuwwwly walk away
Jesus Camp is basically my favorite doc and I do think this kid is not too smart & brainwashed, BUT all that said, he seems nice. It's very mature of him that he doesn't seem to have an ill will toward the filmmakers.
There’s a difference from being religious and being brainwashed.
Feeling and experience based faith are shallow and worldly. I hope and pray for you brother that you stand strong in your faith when the season of silence comes your way.
wow 5 years later still a wack a doodle
Proof of god through personal experiences. Ok I can just as easily find someone who is of a different faith to say the exact same thing about their diety. How is that not just as valid?!
Justin Bieber if he never got famous
I don't care about his belief s. I'm just glad he had a haircut.
Well I’m eternally grateful my parents didn’t force anything on me and wanted me to find my own path. If I were to believe in a higher power, that higher power would’ve been kind and accepting, not brutal or causing fear. Damn I feel bad for this kid. He never had a chance
I would really like to explore what he started saying at about 1:50 ... That he doesn't know if he would have believed in God or not if it wasn't for that earlier experience.
This is horrible. Poor kid.
damn the like/dislike bar was evenly split; 476/476. Until I decided to like the video lol
The experience of God that he talks about is a human psychological experience. Their is nothing holy or otherworldly about what they felt. It was all the experience of feeling something through mass hysteria.
I guess God finally told him that rat tail mullet was a mortal sin!!!
He's still crazy
Poor fool, never got any smarter.
Sad to see people steeped in all the Pentecostal idiocy that is not bible based.
Omg so many years after i watch that documentary 😱
I would like to know what happened to the other kids . Are there any videos out there ?
Annalillyk www.hollywood.com/movies/10-years-later-where-are-the-kids-from-jesus-camp-now-60603062/
Padmja Sopori thank you! That's so interesting!
I wonder if God views on global warming have changed...
Oh wow, "I remember so many experiences in my life I was so glad, I was at these camps and I experienced god the way I did because otherwise I don't know if I'd believe in god right now" ... and how did believing in something that doesn't exist get you through those "experiences"? Because somehow I've gotten through plenty of experiences in my life without needing to believe in magic sky wizards, as have millions of other atheists. Heck people who believe in the wrong god have gotten through experiences too. It's almost like it doesn't matter what you believe in. You could believe in a jug of milk and get the same results.
That poor lad 😔
Oki-doki-diddly-doo, neighborino
Perhaps some day this guy'll free his mind from the mental prison of christanity.
After watching "Jesus Camp", I believe that these people are trying to do what they think is right and are probably good people. However, this was brain-washing to the extreme.I also wonder why most of the adult leaders are over-weight. Do they eat to suppress their emotions?
he seems like a mature and insightful person. unlike most people i have met at that age.