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The Religion of Mammon
I just finished reading Tanya Levin’s biographical expose on Hillsong (Australia’s largest prosperity-preaching Pentecostal church) called People in Glass Houses. Ouch!
Having lived with a flatmate who was a conflicted member of Assembly of God, I wasn’t entirely shocked by Levin’s book - it could have been my flatmate’s. We also get the Christian channel with our cable television package, so I’m quite familiar with Hillsong and its cousins.
To be honest, religion-junkie that I am, I always found Hillsong etc. on the Christian channel quite boring, and I could never put a finger on why. I mean as a teenager (and a non-Christian one at that) I used to watch televangelist shows with some interest, sort of like as a bemused spectator. But Hillsong never does it for me. Now I know why. I’m just not interested in the Amway-cult: lots of muzak, a few feel-good words with no substance behind them and that’s about it. Hillsong sells you religion-lite. Apparently, they don’t even take communion anymore (surely that puts them outside the definition of a mainstream church???)
I love religion, with its deep rituals and fascinating theologies. I don’t want a Mills and Boon version of faith, I want Tolstoy or Shakespeare. Hillsong is cheesy passion without any real substance. It’s the McDonalds, instead of Le Cordon Bleu. Part of the reason I am loving The Abbey on Compass is because it is giving me a rare glimpse and insight into deep Christian faith.
Having watched shows of the American versions that inspired or are like Hillsong (most of them are regularly aired on ACC) I really cannot see what they have in common with Jesus’ actual teachings or mainstream Christianity. It seems to me, to be an entirely new religion that has co-opted some of the terminology and symbols of Christianity, but is based around American materialism - Mammon instead of God. So, it’s very scary when I see our politicians getting in bed with them.
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Tags: Book Reviews
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November 1st, 2007 at 3:06 pm
I agree with all this, though I dont see it as particularly scary when our politicians join with them, after all we know that most of our politicians only do it for the votes, and they dont seem to really believe in too much themselves. I did not realise they had done away with communion, and in that light alone it is hard to follow how they can be Xtians. But the really annoying thing is that every one of them (Hillsong) that I have met or seen, seem to be so inordinately happy, its extremely irritating. Do they know something we don’t?
November 1st, 2007 at 3:43 pm
True - I did think it was significant that the Biblical text that John Howard used in his address to the Christian Lobby was the Parable of the Talents. Howard is no fool, he knows how to talk to his audience that is for sure.
It’s the love-bombing technique. Like when you meet reps for Nutrametics or Amway - showing how lovely, luxurious and happy their lives are because they are consuming and selling the products. Have to sell Christianity.
I would hazard a guess that that is what you are being irritated about - not that they are happy. When you meet people who truly *are* happy, their happiness is infectious. Like a really good hearty laugh, instead of the fake ‘tee-hee’s of someone being insincere.
November 2nd, 2007 at 12:21 am
playing devil’s advocate again - in general I’m very unkeen on Hillsong type faith, esp when it intersects with politics. However, human beings are complicated - my close friends in high school were “that type of Christian”, despite the fact that they thought I was bound for hell. And in fact they were quite commited to green politics, rather feminist, and very commited to social justice - very anti-racist, for example.
Have you read Amanda Lohrey’s “Voting for Jesus”? I thought that was a very interesting examination of this issue.
I should also admit that a couple of years ago when I was seriously ill and having a lot of trouble with the housework, a parent from my daughter’s school took me out to dinner with their pastor while their youth group cleaned my flat from top to bottom - when I got home you could smell the pine o clean before I even turned on the light! No overt attempt at evangelism beyond the deed itself.
November 2nd, 2007 at 1:01 am
I like the second point, I had not looked at it that way, It’s just another product in a long line, the first of these pyramid techniques that I remember was one for cosmetics with the delightful name of “Holiday Magic” a name very resonant of “Hillsong” one to give rise to subliminal notions of joy and happiness, after all who ever thought of a hill in unhappy terms. Then add the word “song” Wow.
November 2nd, 2007 at 9:33 am
My review of “Voting for Jesus” - I haven’t read Tanya Levin’s book yet, except for the extracts in the media, so I can’t compare the two books, but I thought Amanda Lohrey’s book was fab.
http://www.sps.org.au/article.aspx?id=d8d78194-1bb5-4057-bfd6-07e9b963bba9
November 3rd, 2007 at 8:44 am
I never understood it either, but I suppose people like feel good, and a religion where you don’t have to do anything hard but you get a lot of feel good has to be attractive.
On the other hand, there’s http://dilbertblog.typepad.com/the_dilbert_blog/2007/11/why-we-should-a.html on why everyone should be a moderate muslim.
Aside from the joke he’s making, it is an interesting thought experiment, how umpteen million brand new converts with their own way of thinking could be socialised into a religion and what would happen to that religion. Reform Islam is likely to be as disturbing as Reform Judaism is to many.
November 14th, 2007 at 8:09 am
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