tim and i were watching lateline last night ... and sometimes stuff makes me cringe. it was about peter costello addressing Hillsong conference. all well and good, until it got a little more politics and Christianity. things like Hillsongs "marketing empire", Jesus wanting us to make money, that congregations can be marshalled to deliver votes. i don't like the implications and assumptions i jump to in my head - so what does that mean for someone who isn't a Christian or who is anti-Christian. i'm not bagging Hillsong. i'm just cringing at how Christianity is sometimes represented and portrayed in the media.
BRUCE BAIRD LIBERAL MP: The new charismatic Pentecostal churches are huge in number, in the number of people who go, and so, therefore, it's significant that you attend from time to time and let them know who you are, take an interest in their interests and certainly have a dialogue with the leaders.
STEPHEN MCDONELL: Hillsong Convention is put on by Sydney's Hillsong Church, a high energy Pentecostal church and marketing empire based in the Sydney's Hills District. 15,000 people attend the huge church every Sunday to hear straightforward messages about Jesus and how he wants you to make money. Senior pastor Brian Houston even wrote a book called You Need More Money.
REVEREND TIM COSTELLO, WORLD VISION: Some of the quotes in that book I felt were very troubling because the American televangelists who also preach a prosperity gospel, have bred the greatest cynicism that you might have towards authentic Christian faith by turning it into that get-rich formula.
STEPHEN MCDONELL: Reverend Tim Costello has spoken to Brian Houston about his concerns and he says the Hillsong preacher has now stopped publishing You Need More Money. But he doesn't have any concerns about his brother, Peter, speaking to the Hillsong Church.
REVEREND TIM COSTELLO: Look, I think any politician asked to speak to 20,000 people recognises the potential and I think Peter did that. Peter would also justifiably point out that he has Christian convictions and any group that invites him to speak, particularly if it's a strong group of Christians, he would go along to.
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STEPHEN McDONELL: One thing that can be said about cohesive, fundamentalist congregations is that they have discipline, a discipline that can be marshalled to deliver votes.
Category: The World We Live InI think it is great that these things are getting reported in the media, even if the reporting does misrepresent things a little. At least when it gets into the media, people can't ignore it, it's just another way that they can be triggered to wonder why it is that these Churches are growing so fast and so successfully in their country, filled with people like them.
Posted by: Joel David Parsons at July 12, 2004 10:53 PM