Religion
Related: About this forumOn a mission to save godless Massachusetts
http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2013/08/17/mission-save-godless-massachusetts/z5fDP7TAhSJHGcXnBIzZVO/story.html?s_campaign=sm_twEvangelical Christians are arriving from Texas and elsewhere to plant the seeds of new churches here.
By Jonathan D. Fitzgerald | AUGUST 18, 2013
Myke Wilkerson and Brandon Allison, pictured on Revere Beach, moved their families here from Texas to start a new church.
AT QUARTER TO NINE in the morning on Easter Sunday, I drove into the sprawling parking lot of the Revere Showcase Cinema, a megaplex theater across the street from The Squire strip club. I passed an expanse of run-down carnival equipment and pulled in alongside the few other cars parked there that early. We werent there to see a movie; we were going to church.
Outside the main entrance, I was greeted by a man and a boy of about 10, both wearing black T-shirts bearing the words TrueVine Church in a simple white font the hip-looking shirts might have just as easily been for the latest Apple product. Id seen the logo for the first time a few days earlier on an advertisement on the back of a MBTA bus.
The man in the T-shirt smiled and opened the door, warmly welcoming me and directing me to the next clutch of volunteers, similarly T-shirted, who he said would continue to point me in the right direction. I walked past an auditorium that would later be showing Spring Breakers and into the theater that had been transformed into a church sanctuary.
As I helped myself to a free cup of coffee, others began to trickle in about 80 people in all. Boys and girls in their Easter best climbed over the seats while their parents chatted between bites of pastries. Christian music played over the PA. Projected on the screen, as if it were the name of some summer blockbuster, was the title of this mornings sermon, Superstition: Uncovering the truth behind an American holiday.
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Response to cbayer (Original post)
Adam051188 This message was self-deleted by its author.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)The difference here may be in their approach. They are not going into communities blind, but with a fair amount of information about their target audience.
Response to cbayer (Reply #2)
Adam051188 This message was self-deleted by its author.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)There are a growing number of "nones" who may be actively looking for communities that may fill some needs/wants. Some of them might be looking for new kinds of churches.
The people pursuing this "mission" are not stupid either.
You seem to be drawing some conclusions about who they are "targeting" that are not accurate, according to the story.
At any rate, it's an interesting phenomenon worth watching, imo.
Response to cbayer (Reply #4)
Adam051188 This message was self-deleted by its author.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)Levels of poverty do correlate with religiosity though.
Who are "church people"? All the people who go to church?
Most religious people don't read the bible literally and many are scientists or embrace science.
Your assumptions are too broad and caricatures of who people really are.
You can't keep religion out of public places. That would be a first amendment violation.
Response to cbayer (Reply #9)
Adam051188 This message was self-deleted by its author.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)just a certain group.
"Church people are dangerous" - yes indeed. MLK was dangerous. Bill Moyers is dangerous. Gene Robinson is dangerous. Nuns on the bus are dangerous. Moral Mondays are dangerous. They all challenge(d) the status quo and the religious right.
Your assertions are also as broad as all the good that religion has done worldwide. Have you seen "Half the Sky"?
While I am where?
Leontius
(2,270 posts)TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)to get there.
Oncet upon a time I used to have to regularly drive to Boston and going through Springfield my radio was filled with nothing but rap and Christians. Bad enough you only got less than half hour per FM station at best, but the choices were pretty dismal.
Caused me to subscribe to Sirius, it did. Teterboro to Boston without one channel search.
Anyway, there seems to be a fairly large market in Mass for these fundie churches, although I doubt most most of the true believers make themselves known.
<----this is what you think you are.
<-----this is what you are.
STAY OUT OF MY CITY PRO-LIFERS
cbayer
(146,218 posts)In some areas, we listened to the christian stations for the pure entertainment value. It was some of the most outrageously bigoted, homophobic, misogynist stuff I have ever heard.
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)every so often no matter how hard they try to sound reasonable.
But those little guys with 500 watt stations are under the radar and completely insane.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)to men in every way and every situation. He even argued against having female teachers in elementary schools.
Unbelievable.
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)on the air, so the cretins can go on forever for little money and fewer listeners.
But, there is at least one leftwing low power station out here, and we could put more up around the country if we tried.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)We couldn't even find an NPR station in some areas.
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)so a bunch of them simply folded, and the only buyers for their licenses were churches.
I heard something about NPR making adjustments to stop the drain, but there seems to be plenty of fundie money out there to grab struggling stations.
This is, of course, lower power out in the woods-- FM stations of any sort in major markets don't come cheap.
Out here, I, btw, have the luxury of 3 major NPR stations with at least a dozen transmitters and several substation lessees.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)The Sirius NPR station is ok, but I would like to see a more interesting line up during the week.
I am personally addicted to Sirius's The Loft. Do you ever listen to that?
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)unless something really boring is all over NPR I don't turn on Sirius that much when not travelling.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)David Johnassen does a fantastic show, followed by Meg Griffin and Frannie Thomas. Meg also does some shows during the week and her Saturday night soiree is great.
Bernie Taupin's show is pretty good, but he talks too much. Lou Reed's show is like being on a bad acid trip.
They have some Live from the Living Room in NYC shows - great acoustic music most of the time.
Check it out sometime.
JNelson6563
(28,151 posts)I think we could say "target market".
cbayer
(146,218 posts)trotsky
(49,533 posts)Heck, a group of atheists puts an ad on a bus and they're accused, even by liberal Christians here at DU, of being in-your-face proselytizers.
But I'm sure these guys are OK. After all, they're from Texas, home to the most progressive Christian churches in the country, right?
Response to cbayer (Original post)
Adam051188 This message was self-deleted by its author.
cbayer
(146,218 posts)than one hears from most fundamentalists.
And you got your Texas bashing in there as well.
Congratulations.
trotsky
(49,533 posts)Why does "godless" Massachusetts need to be "saved" in the first place?
Religious bigotry at its worst. Why does that get a pass from you?
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)expanding in the state. The same kind of piece they would do about AAA baseball or a chain of craft shops expanding.
Describing them is not agreeing with them. There was no sales pitch in the piece.
Yes, it is publicity for them, but why should they be forbidden publicity when anyone else can have it?
trotsky
(49,533 posts)Plus if you read the whole thing, it becomes clear from the interviews with the preachers they view it as a mission to save the heathens of New England.
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)Again, we're talking description, not advocacy.
The author has no obligation to argue with this group any more than he would be required to point out injuries in a Little League article-- which, btw, would be a far more egregious omission than pointing out the errors of fundamentalist Christianity.
He would, however, most likely quote the coach of a wretchedly losing team saying its best season is coming up.
trotsky
(49,533 posts)Whether or not the author believes it himself. He's repeating an old, false idea. I have no doubt the missionaries in the article actually DO think the godless need saving, however.
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)and can lead to some very strange conclusions if used elsewhere.
trotsky
(49,533 posts)and that homosexuals need to be converted to be saved?
Is that religious bigotry?
okasha
(11,573 posts)with someone who equates poverty with ignorance but is himself so ignorant he thinks the "Roman senate" wrote the Bible.
And he's starting to sound rather familiar, too. Anybody running a book on how long this one lasts?
cbayer
(146,218 posts)We will see soon enough.
okasha
(11,573 posts)"I'm sure he'll not be missed."