100 People Who Are REALLY Screwing Up America -- #7: Kirk Cameron

[Chichiri]

Religious apocalyptic films do have a valuable function in our society: they are good indicators of what actors' film and TV careers have sunk so low that they are now willing to appear in religious apocalyptic films. Case in point: Kirk Cameron -- who, like several others you'll see on this list, appears not on the merits of his own America-screwing accomplishments, but as the archetype for a certain kind of America-screwer.

A very famous face back in the days of "Growing Pains," which, I'm guessing, nobody under the age of 18 remembers at all. Cameron enjoyed the success of that show, as well as a movie or two, while it lasted. Then the shows ended, the movie offers stopped coming, and the world forgot about Kirk Cameron. After (I'm assuming) sulking for a while, Cameron ultimately chose the favored route of has-beens: he became a born-again Christian.

And not in a good way. Many if not most has-beens treat their new-found religion quietly, as a personal thing, and use it as a support system in their new career of writing, or gardening, or architecture, or full-time sulking, or whatever. You know, the kind of thing that Jesus wanted people to do. Not people like Cameron. Starting a few years ago, he made a BIG DEAL out of his religion, and started pushing it on anyone who happened by, willing or not. Nothing new in the arena of America-screwing, of course, but still.

Cameron saw his chance to really exploit his religion for publicity in the "Left Behind" film, based on the millenial apocalyptic propaganda book of the same name. It did terribly at the box office -- the fact that it made it as far as the box office, in fact, was something of a minor miracle. It was followed by direct-to-video "Left Behind II: Tribulation Force" which I'm sure was enjoyed by those who saw it. Both of them.

Probably seeing that that was going nowhere, Cameron then engaged in some REAL America-screwing: he joined forces with Ray Comfort, a fellow has-been, to form "The Way of the Master." Their goal is to take evangelism to the streets, in order to "circumnavigate the intellect and go directly for the conscience." Why a supposedly fact-based religion would require intellect-circumnavigating is a mystery to me, but that's neither here nor there.

In effect, Cameron is now pushing what some people like to call "Bible bullying," where hellfire and brimstone comes with a smile, a casual look and a half-familiar face. It's the common tactic of baiting the atheist with a trap of words, then pulling a bait-and-switch and making him think he's REALLY saying that he needs Jesus in his life. Good news: here he is! True atheists, of course, can see right around this -- but weak and moderate Christians eat it like candy. And with the candy, of course, comes the ultra-right wing platform.

Note to TV and movie stars: if you ever find yourself a has-been, do us all a favor and refrain from becoming an evangelical nutcase. You'll remain in obscurity, relative to your former glory, either way. But there are other ways to make yourself feel important again, and by seeking them out you'll be a lot more respected, and America will be a little less screwed-up for it.

Incidentally, if you should ever meet Cameron on the street, don't call him anything but Mike Seaver. See how he likes his intellect circumnavigated.