My thoughts and reflections on 'American colony'

I guess my title will let you know what this post is about today. With all the hula loop going on about the National Geographic film on the Hutterites from King Colony that is being aired every week, I think it's time I say my piece. :-)

First of all I will say how disappointed I am in the members of King Colony and that they chose to participate in this disgraceful representation of Hutterite life. I understand that they were to a point unaware of how deceitful and cunning NG was about the filming, and that when they did realized just how far NG was willing to go to exploit some sensitive issues and the airing of dirty laundry, and they wanted to pull out, they were threatened by NG that they had signed a contract, and it was no longer an option. Well there is a saying, "nobody held a gun to their heads". It has made we wonder: "How far are we willing to go to compromise what we believe in for any amount of money?" Or as another saying goes, "Selling my birthright" losing our integrity... For the outsiders that see this, please don't lose your faith in us, and we will survive this.

As for NG, I think I can safely say, that they lost a lot of credibility with a great many people. To quote someone who said that this didn't change his view of NG. "Represents nature, but denies it's Creator" Well I must say I am saddened and disgusted with NG. For all that I never liked the evolution pushing that they did, I still enjoyed the magazines and the films. But never again will I read or watch anything by them again where I won't wonder 'how much of this is true and factual and how much has been acted and exploited for their own selfish gain and publicity?' Until now I thought they were admirable and honest when portraying a culture, this film has shattered that illusion. 

Come to think of it, a year or so ago I saw a film called "The devil's playground" this is a film about the Amish youth, where supposedly they go completely wild and party and what not, and their parents can do nothing and don't do anything about it, it's their 'rumpaspringen' before they get baptized and join the church, kinda sowing your wild oats, when I saw this film I was actually upset because I don't believe it is as bad as it was shown. I remember arguing with some of our colony members, that it isn't quite that way, that they are exaggerating, and they were quite adamant that it was exactly that way, I said it was acting and that no true Amish would participate in such a film. This film of the Hutterites finally made them realize that it was acting.

Can this even be called a film of the Hutterites? Absolutely no mention of why we are living in community, can I say that some of those members have no idea as to why they are there? The constant line: "what will the elders say" and never a mention of: "what would Jesus say" The complete disrespect and the swearing, the using of God's name in vain, deliberately knowing they were being filmed is so sad, really, I think they are to be pitied and prayed for. Who and what for are we living our lives? Isn't it for Jesus and not our elders? Who are there to guide and lead us, and not to be feared as shown.

I really don't think this will discolor the worlds view of Hutterites, at least not those that know us, but for those that don't, I think it will. yes, we have faults, yes we may at some point not always agree with our elders decisions, and yes we may grumble about it, but in no way do I lose my disrespect for any of them, and in no way would I go on national television to air my dirty laundry.

Not once did NG want to know why we live our lives in the community, for those of King colony that did try to tell them why, they weren't shown or only a few seconds, obviously NG wasn't interested in the spiritual side, only in the shock value. The lengths they went through to show Hutterites in a bar, Bar age in Montana is 21, so they went to Canada to film those young girls drinking where bar age is 18/19. To be sure, they shouldn't have been in any bar, but just to show the extremes. The Hutterite girls that Wesley is flirting with at the wedding in Canada, are not hutterites, they are actors in hutterite clothes. Obvious to us, but not to outsiders. C'mon!

I think enough has been said by me, but I must say I do feel better, :-) As upset and disgusted as I am with National Geographic, I will continue to watch the shows, and read the magazines, and although I won't cancel my subscription, (after all my money is in it! ) I certainly won't renew it when it does run out.