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Goodbye Jesus

The Hillsong Church


DaveL

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Ok guys,

 

I'm officially disturbed. Australia has a rapidly growing Charismatic group known as the Hillsong Church with centres are cropping up all over the place.

 

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Hillso...9547435083.html

 

http://sunday.ninemsn.com.au/sunday/cover_...rticle_1811.asp

 

Hillsong and its fellow Pentecostal churches are now home for 200,000 churchgoers, second only to the Catholics. But while Catholic Church attendances have dropped by 13 percent in the past decade, the Pentecostal congregations have grown by 30 percent.

 

Despite its popularity, Hillsong draws more than its fair share of flak — its style seen as more American, than Australian. And far from encouraging a modest lifestyle, Hillsong is a church that celebrates success. Since the last Federal election, it has attracted even greater scrutiny — especially from the Labor Party, which has investigated the $800,000 in grants its charities have received from the Federal Government in the past five years.

 

I was never a Pentecostal, so my understanding is that Hillsong appeals to middle class young professionals, with lots of smiley happy songs about praise. Hillsong music is now so popular that it's songs rate high on our local charts. This probably has alot with their music being on sale after every Hillsong Mass. 'Empty your wallets in the name of the Lord".

 

http://www.undercover.com.au/news/2004/jul...2_hillsong.html

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillsong_Music

 

Sounds like Australia is headed for an upswing in Pentecostalism. Does anyone want to share their thoughts on Pentecostalism?

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My background is Pentecostal, and then Word of Life.

 

I feel sorry for you Dave, this is a viral meme that just won't go away.

 

The cheerfull, happy dancing to rythmic music, with praising a fictious character, it's too attractive to people in general.

 

Just wait and see if they rumours of people running up the walls and chewing carpets starts to come out too.

 

I thought you People Down Under liked parties? :grin:

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Atheists need some cool music, and a mythical being!

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One of these has sprouted up in London. I think my brother is gonna try to get me to go :ph34r:

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In the words of the "Pod People", "Where you gonna go, where you gonna hide? We're everywhere!" :grin: The only thing I like about Hillsong is their music.

 

*loses "infidel street cred" at the speed of people falling down when touched by Benny Hinn.*

 

Yes, folks, I still listen to Christian Music, but I do it with the same mind set I listen to gangsta rap. In other words, I don't go out and "f*k a nigga up" or "slap my ho" after listening to Snoop Dogg.

One good thing I've observed about Hillsong's Sunday services, though, at least they're not of the fire and brimstone flavor that many pentecostals are in the U.S. More like saccarine sweetness with a hint of that fresh cow dung aftertaste. :lmao:

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Sounds like Australia is headed for an upswing in Pentecostalism.  Does anyone want to share their thoughts on Pentecostalism?

This is upsetting, Dave.

 

Australia was my exile country of choice once America becomes too conservative and too fundy. (Next year maybe!)

 

Now that John Howard has lasted for a decade and with pentacostalism on the upswing I'm not so sure. That's a shame.

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Yeah,we are really screwed when they falsify their record sales figures.

It gives the impression that Australian music is turning into Godrock.

 

It tries to show that Hillsong are just soooo popular, that they are taking over. Sure they will make inroads into traditional churches but then what?

 

I've never even heard their stuff. Maybe I'm a just grumpy old atheist in his 30's and I'm not with it anymore.

 

However don't give up on emigrating. There are plenty of cool secular people here. Just a few sprinkings of nuts to make it interesting.

 

:HaHa:

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I went to a christian women's conference once - in the Uk at a church a Bradford that has some links with Hillsong. Bobbie Houstan was the guest speaker.

 

We were shown clips of a women's service in Hillsong when all the women were given a glamed up pair of marigolds to wear and sang a song in praise of the 'stay at home wife' .... I kid you not.

 

Apart from the above embarrassing episode - the whole thing was very polished and slick and the music was OK - I can see why it appeals.

 

They are big on merchandise - and name it and claim it get rich quick coz God loves to bless you stuff. They are also big on 'God wants women to be sexy for their husbands'. The conference I attended had a huge poster as a backdrop, of four very beautiful, if slightly over processed, women. I nicknamed it 'the church of the little black dress'.

 

I remember Bobbie Houstan and the pastor's wife from the church in Bradford, driving past us in the carpark, in a mercedes convertible, dark glasses and plenty of finger bling - they smiled broadly as they drove away.

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I went to a christian women's conference once - in the Uk at a church a Bradford that has some links with Hillsong. Bobbie Houstan was the guest speaker.

 

We were shown clips of a women's service in Hillsong when all the women were given a glamed up pair of marigolds to wear and sang a song in praise of the 'stay at home wife' .... I kid you not.

 

LOL!! The songs might be modern but the message is still the same.

If we can't win you girls into the kitchen with mysoginistic quotes from the bible, we can try smiley, happy Jesus songs - YEAH!!

 

Apart from the above embarrassing episode - the whole thing was very polished and slick and the music was OK - I can see why it appeals.

 

Trained actors with a musical backing band and stage show. This photo is a scream. It looks like something from a Britney Spears concert.

 

hillsongangel_ent-lead__200x282.jpg

 

They are big on merchandise - and name it and claim it get rich quick coz God loves to bless you stuff. They are also big on 'God wants women to be sexy for their husbands'. The conference I attended had a huge poster as a backdrop, of four very beautiful, if slightly over processed, women. I nicknamed it 'the church of the little black dress'.

 

I wonder what they think about gays and lesbians? Their merchandising would explain why their records sales have gone crazy. They never sell them in record stores, only at Hillsong gatherings.

 

I remember Bobbie Houstan and the pastor's wife from the church in Bradford, driving past us in the carpark, in a mercedes convertible, dark glasses and plenty of finger bling - they smiled broadly as they drove away.

 

I'll have to look into him a bit more. I'm always suspicious of husband wife evangelical couples. Dunno why. Maybe it was the whole Jim and Tammy Faye saga. I bet he's rolling in cash.

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I went to a christian women's conference once - in the Uk at a church a Bradford that has some links with Hillsong. Bobbie Houstan was the guest speaker.

 

We were shown clips of a women's service in Hillsong when all the women were given a glamed up pair of marigolds to wear and sang a song in praise of the 'stay at home wife' .... I kid you not.

 

Apart from the above embarrassing episode - the whole thing was very polished and slick and the music was OK - I can see why it appeals.

 

They are big on merchandise - and name it and claim it get rich quick coz God loves to bless you stuff. They are also big on 'God wants women to be sexy for their husbands'. The conference I attended had a huge poster as a backdrop, of four very beautiful, if slightly over processed, women. I nicknamed it 'the church of the little black dress'.

 

I remember Bobbie Houstan and the pastor's wife from the church in Bradford, driving past us in the carpark, in a mercedes convertible, dark glasses and plenty of finger bling - they smiled broadly as they drove away.

 

Why does this church sound like a Lakewood Church clone? Yep, Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, America's largest congregation(they're moving into a former 11,000 seat basketball arena), prosperity gospel, "name it, claim it", pastor and wife with luxury everything and books, music and conferences throughout the country.

 

As for the Anglican ministers and other clergy in the article, I think they're just jealous they didn't think of it first so they now hate on Brian Houston and Co. to sound sanctimonious. :lmao:

 

As for singing the praises of "stay-at-home wife", wouldn't it be better for them to instead honor the women who make more sacrifices than we can ever imagine yet are demonized for trying to make it without a partner......single mothers?

 

Let's here it for the praises of the single mother! (love you, mom :HappyCry: )

 

:sing::clap::notworthy::thanks::Medal:

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Ok guys,

 

I'm officially disturbed.  Australia has a rapidly growing Charismatic group known as the Hillsong Church with centres are cropping up all over the place.

 

 

As far as I am aware, there are basically three forms of pentecostalism: Classic pentecostalism (Azusa street), Charismatic movement and Third Wave (Peter Wagner, Vineyard, Toronto blessing etc.) Third wave has been successful in giving pentecostalism an image as a respectable form of christianity.

 

I do wonder if Hillsong somehow is related to the third wave and the New Apostolic Reformation.

 

I have no facts on it, it just seems that all the churches follow the same pattern.

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Hmm, you know I've given thought to attempting to slip into one of these megachurches, and challenge the pastor up close and personal. Kind of a "Cast out these demons :asshole2: " challenge. Be nice to laugh in his face.

 

Perhaps this can help them realize the fraud they've stepped into. Oh well, more idle dreams.

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Hillsong is not a church. It's a business, and its business is church.

 

It's goals include wealth and power. Hillsong now has enough money to build a swanky new building and to franchise its enterprise overseas, and it now has enough power to get the State Premier and the wanabe Prime Minister perform for them like a dog performs for its reward.

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Well this is a bad thing.

 

Sadly, the same is increasingly true in my thankfully primarily secular homeland of sunny ol' England; the American-style religious crazies are proliferating all across the island like fungi. Thankfully, most British people are sufficiently cynical to treat them with nothing but disdain. But I do wonder for how long?

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Well this is a bad thing.

 

Sadly, the same is increasingly true in my thankfully primarily secular homeland of sunny ol' England; the American-style religious crazies are proliferating all across the island like fungi. Thankfully, most British people are sufficiently cynical to treat them with nothing but disdain. But I do wonder for how long?

 

 

It's all part of the purple economy, and the tax free exemption people like Huston enjoy. You'll see from this article how much they downplay the money aspects of their organisation.

 

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Praise...8609391134.html

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Hmm, you know I've given thought to attempting to slip into one of these megachurches, and challenge the pastor up close and personal.  Kind of a "Cast out these demons :asshole2: " challenge.  Be nice to laugh in his face.

 

Perhaps this can help them realize the fraud they've stepped into.  Oh well, more idle dreams.

 

 

Can I come, too? We could have a demon that jumps from me to you then back again!

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Can I come, too?  We could have a demon that jumps from me to you then back again!

 

I'd like to catch me one of those "lust" demons, myself.

:wicked:

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I'd like to catch me one of those "lust" demons, myself.

:wicked:

 

It would be funny to one of those things in a DarwinFish or IPU T-shirt and heckle.

We could sell our merchandise as they walk out the door. How about a few Atheist-rock happy tunes for sale?

 

A sexy young Christian, a walkie-talkie clipped to her hipsters, greets us on our walk from the car park. "Hiya, howya doin'?" she says, with a flick of her mane and a smile. "Welcome to God's house - what an awesome day!" She points us in the direction of God's pad, a massive Olympic-style stadium up on the hill, and returns to conducting traffic with a fluoro stick.

 

Do you think those smiley-happy god security guards with the walkie-talkies would let us stay? AWESOME!!

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  • 6 months later...

Hello! first time on forums

 

I Live in Baulkham Hills and in my public school, members of Hillsong and another organisation called Crossfire come and serve breakfast then preach for the first session.

The weird thing is they don't really encourage us to go to church, but they give out pamphletes for holiday vacations to the beach and such then preach to you.

A lot of people I know go there. My friend dosn't go to Hillsong anymore and he is constantly called up to come back.

If you didn't know, the pastors also own a local icering and Gloria Jeans. I've also heard of people being billed buy Hillsong.

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Just wait and see if they rumours of people running up the walls and chewing carpets starts to come out too.

 

Uhh...what is so wrong with chewing carpets? It is my understanding that many females tend to enjoy that activity...*ducks before tomatos start flying*

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Atheists need some cool music, and a mythical being!

 

The FSM can have an all String band

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WOW!.... I have read each entry on this thread, and I have to admit that it makes me a little short of breath to contemplate this contagion of mindlessness sweeping diverse continents without anyone even searching for an antidote that could be applied at the level necessary for successful inoculation.....the average person is truly threatened....this appears to be the way of the world....and it has filled me with steely resolve to do something in resonse....

 

I've gotta start my own church. It's just the best damn business on the planet. When times are good they come in droves, when times are bad they come too.....with the auto industry going under (I live in Detroit) I'm looking for new ideas. I've mentioned starting my own church before in other threads, but haven't gotten around to it, .....I feel the call...I must obey...

 

As far as the church in this thread goes, at least they are promoting wealth, which is good. All the stifling of women is distasteful, though. I can understand guys having enough of women trying to change and/or use them, as women are also of men. And I think that this kind of thing is simply a control issue that uses the bible to justify the male side. But a proper response is limited contact with the opposite sex by any individual who feels they are not having the control they want over their own affairs or assets, and a more independent lifestyle. Not some manufactured social climate of repressive bullshit. If they encouraged women to be themselves and pursue carreers, they may even find more money flowing into the church. That would certainly make them competitive among other churches for parishoners. You don't hear of many ( or is it any? ) other churches encouraging that....you see what a good preacher I'd be?...yea, verily...

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest celsusthepagan

I'm actually pretty encouraged by the upswing of the "happy clappy" charismatic/pentecostal churches in the Western world. Ironically, the "happy clappy" mindset is one of the straws that broke the back of my faith, since it is utterly disconnected with the Old or New Testaments and bears only the slightest, most tenuous connection to Biblical or historic Christianity.

 

However, after leaving the faith, I began to see things differently - the worldliness of the movement and its appeal to rank and file Christians indicates a mutation going on in Christianity in developed nations - a turn from the Bible and to pop psychology and feel-good experiences instead. Such a Christianity does not breed religious zealots who will go door-to-door witnessing and involved in political action, but rather it breeds people who use worship as Prozac and will shrink back as soon as any real biblical challenges are issued. Such people pose almost zero threat to society.

 

Now the Pentecostalism blooming in the third world is another matter entirely. . .it will continue to lock developing nations in poverty as people wait for "pie-in-the-sky-bye-and-bye" rather than making the hard changes in society necessary to bring people out of destitute circumstances. It may also breed major wars with Islam which could be globally destructive. But that's another matter entirely. . .

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Atheists need some cool music, and a mythical being!

 

Spock! Or C3P0 and R2D2. Or how about all of them, that way you can get both the Trekkies and the Star Wars fans to join and you won't have to worry about rival atheist groups springing up. Call it the Logical Trinity. And Jar Jar Binks will be the epitome of evil, just because he's fun to make fun of. :HaHa:

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