[Marxism] Jesus got me that car

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

In today's NY Times Magazine there's a fascinating article titled "The Soul
of the New Exurb," which deals with the megachurch phenomenon. These are
new, very large churches built in typical Red state bedroom communities
that reinforce the consumerist and status-quo leaning appetites of the
parishioners.

It reminded me of the time when I was still in the Socialist Workers Party
back in 1978 and living in Kansas City. I was out trying to sell my quota
of the party newspaper in front of a Piggly-Wiggly supermarket when a
middle-aged woman with blue-tinted hair came walking toward the entrance of
the store. Feeling obligated to push the party line, I probably said
something like, "Read how the CIA is working to overthrow the Iranian
revolution."

She stopped in her tracks, pointed to a late model Buick in the parking lot
and said, "Jesus got me that car."

---

From the Times article:

It's hard to imagine a more effective method of religious outreach, which
is, after all, the goal of evangelical churches like Radiant. As McFarland
told me: ''I'm just trying to get people in the door.'' To that end,
Radiant has designed its new 55,000-square-foot church to look more like an
overgrown ski lodge than a place of worship. ''For people who haven't been
to church, or went once and got burned, the anxiety level is really high,''
McFarland says. '' 'Is it going to be freaky? Is it going to be like what I
see on Christian TV?' So we've tried to bring down those visual cues that
scare people off.''

In fact, everything about Radiant has been designed to lure people away
from other potential weekend destinations. The foyer includes five 50-inch
plasma-screen televisions, a bookstore and a cafe with a Starbucks-trained
staff making espresso drinks. (For those who are in a rush, there's a
drive-through latte stand outside the main building.) Krispy Kreme
doughnuts are served at every service. (Radiant's annual Krispy Kreme
budget is $16,000). For kids there are Xboxes (10 for fifth and sixth
graders alone). ''That's what they're into,'' McFarland says. ''You can
either fight it or say they're a tool for God.'' The dress code is lax:
most worshipers wear jeans, sweats or shorts, depending on the season.
(''At my old church, we thought we were casual because we wore mock
turtlenecks under our blazers,'' Radiant's youth pastor told me.) Even the
baptism pool is seductive: Radiant keeps the water at 101 degrees. ''We've
had people say, 'No, leave me under,' '' McFarland says. ''It's like taking
a dip in a spa.''

When the church was under construction, people would occasionally ask
McFarland if it was going to have stained glass or a steeple. ''No!'' he'd
answer. ''We want the church to look like a mall. We want you to come in
here and say, 'Dude, where's the cinema?' ''

The spiritual sell is also a soft one. There are no crosses, no images of
Jesus or any other form of religious iconography. Bibles are optional (all
biblical quotations are flashed on huge video screens above the stage).
Almost half of each service is given over to live Christian rock with
simple, repetitive lyrics in which Jesus is treated like a high-school
crush: ''Jesus, you are my best friend, and you will always be. Nothing
will ever change that.'' Committing your life to Christ is as easy as
checking a box on the communication cards that can be found on the back of
every chair. (Last year, 1,055 people did so.)

McFarland's messages are light on liturgy and heavy on what he calls
"successful principles for living'' -- how to discipline your children, how
to reach your professional goals, how to invest your money, how to reduce
your debt, even how to shake a porn addiction. ''If Oprah and Dr. Phil are
doing it, why shouldn't we?'' he says. ''We should be better at it because
we have the power of God to offer.''

In his recent book ''The Transformation of American Religion: How We
Actually Live Our Faith,'' Alan Wolfe, a professor of political science at
Boston College, writes that ''American faith has met American culture --
and American culture has triumphed.'' Radiant seems the embodiment of this
assertion. And yet not exactly. McFarland's long-term plan for his
congregants involves much more than playing video games and eating
doughnuts. He says that his hope -- his expectation, really -- is that
casual worshipers will gradually immerse themselves in Radiant's many
Christ-based programs, from financial planning to parenthood and education,
until they have eventually incorporated Christian values into every aspect
of their lives.

full: http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/27/magazine/327MEGACHURCH.html



Louis Proyect
Marxism list: www.marxmail.org


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