Wednesday, April 22, 2009

This Scares Me

OK. I've been meaning to post for weeks and I can't seem to get back here. Or get to your blogs either. My boss sent me this video this morning and it really scares me.

I don't know why I feel compelled to post it. The longer you watch it the scarier it is. That the congregation is cheering him on, that they probably think he's been filled with the spirit. That he can imitate his preacher so well. That even though he's not actually preaching he's getting the same inflections he sees every week -- it's just an act for him. How often is it just an act?

That his parents think this is ok -- I don't know what they really think, but I'm assuming they either think it is adorable, a blessing, a sign, or all of those, I don't know. It creeps me out.

What do you think?

11 comments:

Jenn @ Juggling Life said...

Back in a minute--I just need to go throw up.

It's as disturbing as if it were a little girl dressed up doing Britney Spears.

I am terrified of fire and brimstone preachers to start with. I was "healed" when I was about 11. Except not really and it was terrifying and I thought my mom might just kill the mother that took me.

furiousBall said...

jeebus. religion scares the shit out of me

shrink on the couch said...

His parents are proud as peacocks, are you kidding? As far as I'm concerned, he has it down to an exact and precise imitation. It's all just a bunch of repetitive noises. The congregation is laughing at itself but they don't know it.

Rebecca said...

Wow, that was pretty freaky. I don't understand that world so I don't want to judge it but to parade around a toddler that way in the name of some kind of spirit going through him seems wrong on so many levels.

Kate Coveny Hood said...

He nailed it!

It was also incredibly disturbing.

Anonymous said...

I'm thinking that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. And I feel a little ill.

flutter said...

honestly, parents who indoctrinate their kids without giving them the chance to make up their own minds....about religion or politics or I don't know, fucking peanut butter...they just make me sad.

Hatchet said...

That was...bizarre. The boy is a perfect mimic, though and it's interesting to see the difference in our responses vs those in the video. In their world, that's wonderful, for myself (and other comments here), very disturbing.

Flutter is utterly correct about indoctrination. We do it to our children all the time without ever thinking about it, religious, environmental and otherwise. I just hope it turns out well for him in the end.

Bleargh.

JCK said...

It's all indecipherable to me...

Tricia said...

Definitely gives me the creeps!

ducky said...

On my Netflix queue is a film called Marjoe. Looks like this kid is a disaster waiting to happen.