God’s Next Army
God’s Next Army investigates Patrick Henry College (PHC), set up five years ago in Virginia, near Washington DC. Its mission is to train young fundamentalist Christians to become the next generation of America’s cultural and political leaders. Though the separation of church and state is enshrined in the US Constitution, with financial backing from the evangelical community the college aims to ‘rechristianise’ America; to ‘preserve the world from the sinfulness of man’.
PHC students are an isolated group who come from close-knit communities where everyone prays together and shares moral certainties. Most have been educated at home and have had no contact with either the social diversity or the political and intellectual cut and thrust of mainstream schools. Derek Archer, a prospective PHC student believes home – schooling has protected him from the ‘moral decay of the world’.
Once at the college, the students ceremonially sign a covenant which commits them to a strict behaviour code: no alcohol, drugs or obscene literature; sex will be reserved for marriage; personal conflicts will be resolved biblically; the students will be above reproach, will uphold the tenets of evangelical Christianity and lead the nation for Christ. (Excerpt from channel4.com)
Watch the full documentary now
These poor children. A heartbreaking documentary.
What a horrible place…a veritable camp of brainwashing.
Their science department is contemptible! What a dangerous group these children will become if they ever achieve any significant power. In some ways this reminds of the way the Hitler Youth were indoctrinated.
I had a friend who went to PHC for a year before transferring. He was a homeschooled conservative evangelical. I guess you might say that he had a sheltered upbringing from hearing that, but he did have the fortune of being able to travel to Europe a couple of times so he wasn’t totally ignorant of the world around him. Anyway, at some point his BS detector got set off and I got to watch his transformation into one of the more liberal people I’ve ever met. Granted, being from Oklahoma that might not be saying much.
I know, cool story bro.
The only thing I thought worthwhile watching and funny, in this holier than thou, brainwashing, goody two shoes doc. Was the gross commercial.
1 minute 48 sec. in, about a extremely fat guy jiggling his whale fat about, while weighing himself!
There is nothing else for me to comment on about religion, that people have not heard before!
Wow! This was a great documentary! I didn’t know of Patrick Henry College before this documentary. Thanks Vlatko.
I support these young people 100%. A very wise move to better our country.
The documentary summery says:
“Though the separation of church and state is enshrined in the US Constitution, with financial backing from the evangelical community the college aims to ‘rechristianise’ America; to ‘preserve the world from the sinfulness of man’”.
This is obviously a media bias. The constitution does not separate church and state as they would have us believe. It actually wants to stop a state-run mandated religion like the Chruch of England, not living out your Christianity in office.
As the Bible says: “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; But when a wicked man rules, the people groan.” (Proverbs 29:2).
“Father, from the White House to my house, Lord, let our nation honor and serve You yet again.”
“When a Religion is good, I conceive it will support itself; and when it does not support itself, and God does not take care to support it so that its Professors are obliged to call for help of the Civil Power, it is a sign, I apprehend, of its being a bad one.” – Benjamin Franklin (from a letter to Richard Price, October 9, 1780)
I wonder where are all the minorities that live in America??
Also they remind me of a taliban madrassa
An insightful film into the Republican fundamentalist movement.
The indoctrination of do your masters bidding (not Gods, but your employers), is the arms length distance that allows for over zealous actions to happen, while those in power to aviod blame.
I can’t remeber seeing any African-Americans in the film, which is odd because Patrick Henry owned 300, the same number as the student body.
The danger here is that we could make the same mistake as Nazi Germany before WWII. The Nazi came to power on a platform of condemning social ills, poverty and other things while claiming to be for God and Christian. Today many rightly believe that the government has swung to far to the left. The danger is when the opposing party develops and cultivates a ground swell of support to take back the high ground and swing the pendelum to the right. How far to the right will it swing? Nazi Germany found out the hard way. Their leaders claimed to be Christian yet a close look at their leaders theology practices and believes tells us they were bad fruit.
Dominionism theology and Joels Army theology and Kingdom Now theology is creeping into many churchs. People do not read their Bible for their selves. Jesus did not tell us to conquer the World. He told us to spread His Gospel to all nations by our words not swords. Many people are decieved by this theology today.
Many people blindly followed Hitler and his leaders in a passionate way and thought they were doing right. There is nothing wrong with stopping and critically thinking about what your doing and believeing. This documentary is a good example of how leaders can cherry pick scriptures totally out of context to mislead many thinking they are serving God.
Don’t follow man. Don’t be afraid to question motives of others. Follow Jesus Christ. Know those who labor amoung you.
Charles B, how do you watch so many documentaries and yet, are still are so unbelievably ignorant?
Separation of church and state isn’t what “everyone thinks it is”? Have you ever read the freaking bill of rights? I’m guessing you haven’t as it is spelled out VERY clearly, and even using a VERY digestible vocabulary. You simply try and make a twisted interpretation of it, that, I’m guessing, you probably got from some creationist. You certainly couldn’t read the actual bill of rights and come to such an ignorant conclusion. It is not in place JUST to protect us from Church of England type organizations – it is in place to protect us from zealots and fanatics of all flavors. It is simply unconstitutional for a public servant to act solely to behest his religious views. If you think otherwise, you’re simply wrong. I’d paste the exact sentences from the BofR but I honestly couldn’t expect you to learn anything, so I’m not going to bother. Look it up.
“The bible says…” The bible also says it’s okay to rape a woman as long as you marry her afterwards. Some book! Don’t quote mine your disgusting desert fairy tale as if its some sort of judicial literature. Just because children and the supremely naive fall for such a foolish gimmick doesn’t validate it or bolster your argument whatsoever.
The bible says… jeez. On this site too?? You gotta be kidding me man. It’s a shame how polluted some peoples minds truly are.
“The learned corruption of learning – THAT’S what makes people ******.” – from Definition of Stupidity.
I’m sorry, but if in this day and age, if you still honestly believe the bible to be “the work of god”, you deserve absolutely no respect on an intellectual level and you should be publicly debased at every opportunity. Eventually, with any luck and a no-********-attitude, we’ll finally rid our planet of the perverse psychological virus known as religion.
I apologize for my tone to some degree, but that ignorant comment really ticked me off.
Nate – Right on, excellent story.
Charles B. Who are you trying to convince? It seems to be yourself.
John, a truly awesome Benjamin Franklin quote, among many a wise word from the maestro.
Capricious – Charles is not ignorant. He is just in a power struggle with himself. He needs to defend the word of his God to justify his existence. If he knew God existed, he would have no need to justify it. Deep down he knows this. If he didn’t, the word “faith” would become meaningless. That is something Christians can’t do, no matter how born again they are. That is their eternal psychological conclusion.
As for the film, none of them look as sharp as Ivy league students, and sound much less so, as almost all educational subjects are totally at odds with the existence of a god or the literal word of the bible. Indeed, the dean says that “we do not need knowledge of the outside world”. How can they compete with Ivy league educational establishments?
Also, Ivy league colleges are not named after just one man, as only religion and its arrogance that it knows better than you, can come up with such egotistical propositions.
If they are working hard to become tomorrows “good christian leaders” and they are studying under the pretense that the United States is a Christian nation, I would like to know what those students’ opinions are with regard to people who are not Christian.
And what happened to the “separation of church and state?”
This documentary made me very uncomfortable.
I hope these kids never gain any power. To run our country on a book of lies is scary “****”.
I swear I’m tellin people im russain…
i pity this kids..sheep
This is the first time I’m hearing about this college. I’m so glad for these kids. Most of all, I’m glad these kids have the guts to get in the face of secular relativism. I applaud them.
Hope to see them lead this country!! Down with the ACLU. They have done us no good at all.
PHC represents a dangerous threat America’s liberal republic. Its mission is to train young Evangalist Christians take hold of the levers of Government power at the highest levels in order to “Re-Christianize” the US. Anyone who isn’t Born Again better be damn scared! Separation of Church and State?!? Not in their eyes. They want the laws of our country to reflect the teachings of the Bible as they understand it in their own narrow reactionary way.
As usual, they’re obsessed with homosexuality. One kid says he would like to see not only the Estate Tax repealed, but all property taxes. Why? Because the Bible says the land belongs to God, not the state. Well, logic like this can’t be debated, because there isn’t any to debate. Apparently, Evangelicals would also like to rid our country of the scourge of Social Security. I’m firmly convinced they’d actually like to dismantle any and all social safety nets. Why? Because the poor and desperate, the elderly and disabled will have little choice but to come to the Church for private charity. How glorious! A growing captive audience for your Christ Cult.
If only the Liberal Left were 1/100th as organized and radicalized…
Let me preface my comments by saying that I’m an atheist and my political views lean towards Ron Paul-style libertarianism, so I basically think both sides of the US political spectrum are full of cr^p.
This film is somewhere between hilarious and terrifying. It embarrasses me to be associated with this institution, its teachers, and its students as fellow Americans. The “education” this “university” offers is a joke and their political agenda is rather sinister and frighteningly narrow-minded.
Particularly loltastic was the bio teacher:
“I think that understanding the difference between good science and bad science is incredibly important…”
Followed (almost in the same breath) by:
“I personally think the key to understanding geologic observation is the flood of Genesis…”
LOL ok lady.
Very similar to Jesus Camp, but at a much more haunting level. This movie really shows the quasi-intellectual side of the Born-Again belief system. I really hope for all these kids’ sake that they come to grips with reality and realize that the true problems of the world are much more than *** marriage, abortion, gun rights and big government. If these kids end up running Washington we will really be in for dark days.
P.S. Creationism in a biology class? And that explanation of geological stratification; absolute ********.
The Republicans aren’t in charge anymore! I had planned to vote against the Democrats in the next election, but now I’m not sure. These Republican Fundamentalist Christians are darn scary!
Look out! Here comes America’s version of the Taliban!!!
They said they want to make this country Christian again. What do they plan to do with Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Atheists, etc?
Hmmm, maybe these verses in the Bible gives us a hint:
Deuteronomy
13:6 “If thy brother, the son of thy mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or the wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which is as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which thou hast not known, thou, nor thy fathers; 13:7 Namely, of the gods of the people which are round about you, nigh unto thee, or far off from thee, from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth; 13:8 Thou shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken unto him; neither shall thine eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him: 13:9 But thou shalt surely kill him; thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.”
Hmmm Religious zealots. Seeing as we’re dropping scary religious propaganda, I’ll just leave this here. Nothing like a justification for murdering doctors to brighten up your morning… This is from the Army of God’s terror manual.
After praying, fasting, and making continual supplication to God for your pagan, heathen, infidel souls, we then peacefully, passively presented our bodies in front of your death camps, begging you to stop the mass murdering of infants. Yet you hardened your already blackened, jaded hearts. We quietly accepted the resulting imprisonment and suffering of our passive resistance. Yet you mocked God and continued the Holocaust. No longer! All of the options have expired. Our Most Dread Sovereign Lord God requires that whosoever sheds man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed. Not out of hatred of you, but out of love for the persons you exterminate, we are forced to take arms against you
my pagans gods are more peacefull than all your oneless dumb god that teached blood for blood and an eyes for eyes
what kind insane god teach like this ?
Silly evangelicals. Favorite Quote: “Because Christianity is one of the oldest religions…” I can tell someone was home schooled…
On average home schooled children do better academically then children taught via the public school system. The problem isn’t with where they are taught, with the kids in this doc, it’s what they are taught.
On another note, I agree watching this film was very disturbing but I hope others don’t hold these kids responsible for what they say as they are as brainwashed as one could be. Let’s just hope that the light of reason while shine upon them sometime in the future.
Until then and always be sure to get out and vote for any reasonable person who is running in opposition to those with this type of mindset.
dear americans…not that my country is significantly better off but i fear for you guys. many people in your current and past administrations came out of biblical and evangelical colleges, (and law schools, yeesh!).
The entrenchment of low key zealots throughout your government are the very reason that these kids can get internships. i believe that the majority of politicians currently in power in your country will say whatever suits them at the time, however these people as a demographic are being pandered too and they have a certain amount of power in the polls.
the fact that they are rich organizations with well funded lobbyists is terrifying to those of us, regardless of spiritual beliefs, who watch the erosion of hard won freedoms in the country that fancies itself the model of democracy.
enforcing a specifically religious agenda without regard for the rights of others to pursue happiness and freedom on their own terms is what so many find offensive. god is not the issue. the belief that one specific group has a right above all others to determine the points of the moral compass, with regards to marriage, sexuality, knowledge, worship, clothing, music, literature and so on is heinously undemocratic and decidedly un-american. may we all be protected from those who would presume to tell us how to exist in the world. by all means send the poor kids to the indoctrination mills, that is your right, but stay out of our right to think and learn and know differently than you “true believers”. hopefully democracy can save america from a narrow interpretation of god.
I just finished watching the BBC documentary, God’s Next Army. I was not surprised that Patrick Henry College reinvents Biology to fit their erroneous notion that the Bible is inerrant; however, I was very surprised by the way Patrick Henry College contorts the meaning of Biblical scriptures to support the big business agenda of the Republican Party.
For example, what part of the Bible tells us to privatize social security, repeal the estate tax and reject a compensation fund for asbestos victims that would be primarily financed by the manufacturers of this hazardous material? The 24th Psalm is cited; however, that really seems like one is stretching the meaning way beyond authorial intent.
Ok, just watched it. I agree it is highly reminiscent of ‘Jesus Camp’ (and would not be surprised if some of those children now attend this ‘University’), however I would maintain that ‘Jesus Camp’ is still the more disturbing of the two documentaries… if only because we were privy to the extreme indoctrination of those young children. However, these poor students, only a couple of years younger than myself, have been seriously deprived of basic human freedoms… priory to free speech comes free thought, and this has been methodically removed from their pool of abilities. It’s cruel. While some of the morals put forth by various religions are noble and, well, common sense, religion myths as a whole are so obviously fictitious that it is abhorrent to think such a high percentage of a supposedly ‘civilized’ nation adhere to such literal translations of these myths. I wish them all well in their lives. I hope many of them are able to overcome the obstacles to their happiness and success that have been thrust in their path. For those that are unable to do so… I feel terribly for their future children…
The Army is aware of the other religions and other Gods I hope.
Just knowing others out there may extremely hate your believe. Does that not raise a grammar school question about an authentic religion, having around the planet all these other Gods? It’s perhaps all ready too late if these religion victims all force baptized before the age of consent, or read, or understand what baptism means. No changing God’s now (he says)! I’m no expert but since the real God never steped up in three worls wars- maybe hold a World raffle for the real Mr Big. Or just scratch em’ all and start over with the sun again, stars, etc….
I completely agree that these guys are dangerouse but you aint seen nothing yet. I live in the bible belt see North Alabama to be exact. I am from Chicago but had to move here to take care of my parents in thier old age. High schools -heck elementary schools start the indoctrination of Christianity here as soon as they get the child. This is then reinforced all the way through college and beyond if you stay here. It is truly scary, these are the children that will assume control around here as soon as they are old enough. See around here you know who will grow up to be in charge cause it’s the same last names that where in charge in the 1800′s. This small majority uses religion and patriotism to keep the masses ignorant and under paid. This in turn keeps them busy with the small neccessities in life like earning enough to pay the bills and eat. We have an 80% poverty rate and 40% unemployment. This will never change as any new employers coming in are scrutinized by the local city councils- they have to O.K. any business within the city limits. These city councils are made up of the same people they have been for decades, they own all present businesses and most real estate in the Tri-county area. It is in thier interest that things stay as they are. I know that one company that is now operating here was offering to pay three dollarrs an hour more than thier present top salary. The city council told them they would pay what they said or not open a business here. Of course if they had paid what they wanted the people that worked for the guys on the council would have quit and went to the new jobs. So insted of increasing thier top pay to meet current industry standards they had the new business pay no more than them, keeps every thing more simple you see. If any one local starts making money and maybe finds away to get a real education they might realize they where getting screwed and they can’t have that. They run the educational system, the utility system, right down to the penial system. You really can’t speak up about it because if you do where will you work and live.- they will make life hell for you trust me. They pull you over constantly, screw up any chance of getting a job, start crazy rumours about you- you can’t get a place to rent even. I just keep my mouth shut and wait for the day when i can move back up north.
“When you have homosexual marriage, you have a deviation of those Christian morals and it is unproductive for our society as a whole”
what a dumb bitc*.
I have never seen more self-centered, self-obsessed, arrogrant pricks as I do here. It’s all “God did this for me”, “God has a plan for me”…me me me meeeeeeee. Yea, I’m sure your god has nothing better to do than help you get an A in class.
This is both funny and scary. More the latter.
oh dear magical man in the sky, they teach creationism in science class? How is this not against the law?
@Anyone in general with love…
Living principles of love creates a better nation, a better world. It’s the foundation of Christianity. How dare I love my God and hate my Brother? How dare I give God all of me and never extend myself to my Sister? Who am I to proclaim myself as a follower Christ but literally turn my nose to those deemed “moral decay”?
“For if I have faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” 1st Corinth 13:2
It saddens me, yes – the downward spiral of morality, but more so the apathetic attitude from those who claim to be religious towards, How they say? – oh yes, societal decay.
Enough of my rant, pretty interesting school or documentary rather; I’d never heard of PHC before this. I would just caution PHC students (and everyone else)to be aware of who they’re working for here on earth & divinely. Many use Christianity as a campaign peg and could careless about really following Christ. Which is really sad, because His love is so amazing.
So, I’ll end on this note, literally. LOL
I wanted to included a lyric from poem and I hope ya’ll dig – ’cause it really makes me think, especially in regards to what I just watched. Mr. Kweli speak to ‘em….
“They’re looking for absolution
Living in mass confusion
In a induced psychopath to create
a last solution
Based on their interpretation of what
the Bibles’ saying
Looking to do the work of God but end
up doing the work of Satan….”
Ya’ll can google search the whole thing. Pretty powerful words. “Hell” by Talib Kweli.
Peace & Blessings ya’ll….
@puppets & muppets
Maybe if you just try the one God; he’ll just knock you off your feet with His grace & love. He does it for me everyday. LOL
What you quote in regards to “eye for an eye” law is not completely accurate; though I COMPLETELY understand the confusion.
In Leviticus, yes – it does state eye for an eye, people shouldn’t eat of the flesh of hoofed animals, women on their cycle are unclean, etc…
Historically, the Leviticus Book of Law was the legal & ethical religious text for post Egypt Israelites. And was followed rigorously. Apart of the Old Testament in the Christian Bible, it is still referenced as religious text by followers of Judaism as it is a part of the Torah (Hebrew Bible). The New Testament chronicles the life right before the birth of Christ & and life after His death. The Old & New Testament make up the Christian Bible.
Now, as Christians believed Jesus died on the cross for the salvation of mankind; people (known as Christians) prayed to Jesus Christ, their eternal sacrificial animal, for forgiveness of sins rather than literally slaughter an animal.
Furthermore, Christians (most) do not have the “eye for an eye” mentality because our faith teaches us that Jesus is the vindicator of all. Thus we don’t chop off the hand of a person who steals from us. Or at least we shouldn’t. We believe God to be ultimate judge of justice for all. Kinda like a celestial Judge Judy. LOL.
I can understand how that can seem a bit overwhelming, but I would encourage you to at least research somethings. I recommend reading (at least Leviticus)the Bible as a history book. It’s really pretty interesting – good stories
I seriously fear for this country. Bring the country back to God? The common misconception is that the founding fathers of America were Christian, when in fact they are quoted as saying that the world would be better of without religion! This country was started to *escape* government centralized intolerant religion! If the pilgrims could see us today, they would weep. To think they worked so hard for us to turn into the way England used to be… I’m moving to Japan.
I think it’s interesting to note that if any one group of people, training their children to take hold of the reins of power en masse, held the belief that, say, George Bush’s word was ultimate and irrefutable and that it was their duty to come to power and enforce his will on the mass of people in this nation that we would call them nuts and look at them as essentially dictatorial parasites on ANY manner of republican or democratic principles. So, why then, is it ok that they hold the same views of an invisible old man with a flowing beard who lives in the sky and has wagged his finger at humanity’s transgressions for five thousand years? There is NO semblance whatsoever of democratic tradition inherent in Christianity. There is ONLY dictatorial power that they understand.
What scares me most of all is that their plans are secret. What do they plan to do with us non-Christians? A tax? Concentration camps? And what does re-Christianizing America mean? Public trials and executions for non-believers? Massive government conversion squads?
But I don’t think that we need to be afraid of them. There is a MASSIVE ground swell of disenfranchisement and anger toward the governments, state and local, in this county. I’m not even talking about the Tea Party movement but real anger and genuine feeling of the lack of power that will, if we continue on the course we’re on now, is going to EXPLODE and manifest itself in widespread violence on the part of their people against their government. I feel that when that happens, if these children are where their plan places them in a decade or so, THEY will be the ones being dragged out of the offices of power and subject to the justice of the people whose power they have taken away.
I just hope they never, ever, ever get to control the destinies of myself, my family and my neighbors who don’t believe their warped version of Christianity.
@Charles B. who wrote:
“This is obviously a media bias. The constitution does not separate church and state as they would have us believe. It actually wants to stop a state-run mandated religion like the Chruch of England, not living out your Christianity in office.”
Charles, this is patently false. Do you have a copy of the Constitution on hand? I do. It is the only holy book I acknowledge.
Do you have the works, (diaries, letters, other correspondences) of our Founding Fathers in your library? I do.
I can tell you, without reservation, that this country was founded on the dream that we could, somehow, dig out from under the oppression and tyranny of religion– and christianity in particular.
Our Founders had seen the horror of christain rule first hand and risked their lives to free us from it. And you and your kind betray them.
Sad.
This is nothing new. Rich, white, sheltered Middle-American pussies with no ability to think for themselves who foreclose on the beliefs of their parents, grandparents, preachers and communities without so much as questioning these “traditional” beliefs.
I’d love nothing more than to punch every one of those little goody two-shoes in their pouty-lipped faces.