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I've been meaning to see this flick since it was released to theatres several months ago but never got a chance to. So last night I sat down to it, thinking there was likely nothing I hadn't seen before in my younger days.
And there wasn't. I've been around Pentecostals, evangelists who make Baptists and Methodists look like quiet subdued Catholics, and have seen the whole 'on fire for Jesus/glossolalia' schpiel before. And it was fascinating to see the ecstasy cult nature of being 'born-again', tears pouring from these kids' eyes as they wished with all their might to be forgiven of whatever mountain of sin they think they bear.
But it was ironic looking at this movie now, filmed probably around late 2005, in light of the recent mid-term elections and the political wind being taken out of the percieved neo-conservative 'majority' in America. So much energy of the film is the delight evangelists take in believing that Bush will lead the country to a realized theocratic/Christian government they've all been anxious for. All to crumble in less than a year's time.
Anyone who ever doubted the connection evangelicals have to President Bush needs to be seated in front of this film, Clockwork Orange-stylee. There is little doubt about the disparity of power then compared to now. Ted Haggard's cameo at the end, as a major power broker of evangelical politics, is the perfect denouement for a film bound so tightly in Dominionist aims.
I won't go into the bare details (there's a wealth of the meatier clips at YouTube) but I'm curious if anyone else saw this and wants to comment on it. |
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