Greta and Evangelist 'Kids'

After watching the UN clips of Greta Thunberg, I turned off the sound and watched the animation of the speaker.

If you've ever been in the south of the US for an extended period....particularly in the 1960s and 1970s.....especially in the heat of the summer, there are revivals.  Around one-percent of these will include Evangelist 'Jimmy Joe' who was typically 12 to 14 years old, and some teenage kid who'd gotten all Jesus-energized, and started quoting scripture (mostly all from the New Testament). 

After he'd impressed his parents and relatives....some minister would hear about 'Jimmy Joe' and come over.....getting some hyped-up feeling over this kid's minister actions.  Then he'd convince 'Jimmy Joe' to come to a revival one evening to preach.

They'd put out the word in the community, dozens of extra folks would drive five to ten miles out of their way, to hear this 13-year-old evangelist to preach to them.  Maybe a two or three dozen young teens would show up....who typically wouldn't be at some revival. 

'Jimmy Joe' would put the emphasis into his speech....slaming the Bible down, talking trash on Satan, praising John the Baptist as if he were a uncle, describing angels as if they were from the Dallas Cowboys, and trying to touch people (usually the adult minister would try to correct him and avoid that fakeness) to rid them of demons. 

A dozen folks would come forward at the end of the 'show'....confessing their sins, and they'd all hustle on Sunday to be baptized. 

Most 'Jimmy Joes' would last around five years, and half the time....they'd get burned out or emotionally strung up to such a degree that they needed to be sent off to a rehab unit in Bessemer or Ozark Springs.

I look at Greta and I basically see the same behavior, and the same 'saving' at work.  'Jimmy Joe' characters always believed they were doing God's work, and Greta believes she's saving the Earth. 

At some point, she'll go over the line, and say something that will bother the social folks of Sweden, and they will come to suggest to the parents that she's either burned-out, or emotionally unstable.  My guess is that they will swiftly remove her from Sweden and find some country where they don't grab folks for forced rehab. 

But I'll say this.  There's nothing wrong with 'Jimmy Joe' people being evangelists and carrying on this 'save-your-soul' business.  If it makes them happy.....fine.  I generally believe the same for Greta, and her save-the-Earth business.  If it makes her happy, fine.  But there is this fine line where you are burned-out, and I would suggest Greta is about half-way there.