Former Today Producer Debuts HBO Doc on Rise of Manic Evangelical Leader
Tonight at 8 pm, HBO will premier Hard as Nails, the first feature-length documentary of former Today Show producer David Holbrooke.
The doc focuses on the hardcore ministry of a hyper-charismatic 29-year-old un-ordained Catholic minister named Justin Fatica, who travels the country, using somewhat unorthodox methods to attract legions of angsty teenagers to the word of God. At one point in the doc, Mr. Fatica blindfolds teenage participants, who then carry around heavy wooden crosses while others haze them, a la the Romans berating Christ.
Such tactics have earned Mr. Fatica both a large following among young, atypical parishioners, as well as critics within the Catholic Church.
In a recent interview with HBO.com, Mr. Holbrooke said: "This is a very uncertain world we live in, between 9/11, a crumbling environment, and the advance of technology. The rise of evangelicals has come about because if you look at the 20th century, it was the most sped up century we have ever had--cars, planes, radio, television, computers, space age; just astonishing developments in one century."
"And with Justin and the Hard as Nails ministry, what I see is that kids feel a little lost," added Mr. Holbrooke. "There are so many choices between the YouTubes and MySpaces and I think they really don't know how to feel grounded. And here comes something tangible that makes them feel better about themselves, and they grasp it."
I think this guy is a cult leader..he uses all the same tacticts and motivations to recruit as cult leaders such as charlie manson did..he's a charismatic person who attracts outcasts to join his group in search of a chance to fit in somewhere..that's all he is, a cult leader
seeing this guy brow-beat kids is terrifying. I dont see a leader, I see a bully who has charisma, and he uses it on unknowing kids. His screaming at the girl who was overwiehgt, calling her fat over and over and over... thats not a way to bring someone to their faith.
This guy is obviously getting off on the adrenaline and testosterone and adoration of outcast kids.
Cult-like and scary is what I saw when watching this.
I am so way not impressed with this Justin Fatica. From what I can tell , he is trying to make himself another Jim Jones! What point was he trying to prove with his child? I am not sure on what just watched, but is this guy a "Rogue Element" in the Catholic church? I think this doc is a low budget wrestling event? And this guy is there "John Cena"? Why does nt this guy join Opus Dei if he is devoted to the advancement of the Catholic cause.
He's showing there are other alternatives out there to get the message across, yes it may be drastic, but we are in the 4th quarter with 2 minutes left in the game. We need urgency and our youth are smarter and more technologically advanced than any generation in the history of man, and simply put, the traditional techniques are ineffective and outdated. Where's the cult tactic in advising of living a better life and following Christ? Anyone who has a better way should go out there and do it, but I guess it's safer (and easier) to sit on a couch behind a computer and cast judgement.....
Justin Fatica is an awful human being who is using his religious cult as a means to express his twisted sadistic sexual perversion. He is no better than a drug dealer...he just gets away with taking advantage of the emotionally vulnerable because he claims to be doing the work of Jesus Christ. I hope he dies in a chemical fire.