The War God rising
Fellow Virginia Blogger and Southwest Virginian Brian Patton notes the improving situation for technology workers in rural Virginia and governor Tim Kaine’s Return to Roots campaign. As I noted in the comments at Brian’s site, we need more than just economic opportunity to feel able to return; we need to know the region is at least accepting of people with different ideas. I’ve been back to Bristol many times, and there are certain elements there who are eager to make it clear that SWVA is God’s Country. The Conservative Christian, Warrior Jesus kind of God’s Country. It’s a situation that’s getting worse instead of getting better.
The Elf and I talked about this some yesterday; we’d like to move to a rural area, but we’re afraid of the environment we’d be raising a child in. “Most parents worry about their kids doing drugs and having wild sex,” I said. “I’m going to be laying awake nights worried they’ll join a Christian youth movement.”
I’m not talking about daycamps and crafts and coloring in stories from the Bible, which I think is perfectly fine and necessary education even if we’re not Christian—I’m talking about this:
Speaking in tongues, weeping for salvation, praying for an end to abortion and worshipping a picture of President Bush—these are some of the activities at Pastor Becky Fischer’s Bible camp in North Dakota, Kids on Fire, subject of the provocative new documentary, “Jesus Camp.” “I want to see them as radically laying down their lives for the gospel as they are in Palestine, Pakistan and all those different places,” Fisher said. “Because, excuse me, we have the truth.” [ Film Shows Youths Training to Fight for Jesus ]
Gary says Christians don’t get violent when insulted, but I say wait and watch. We’re getting there.
