On a mission to save godless Massachusetts

[cbayer]

http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2013/08/17/mission-save-godless-massachusetts/z5fDP7TAhSJHGcXnBIzZVO/story.html?s_campaign=sm_tw

Evangelical 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 weren’t 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. I’d 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 morning’s sermon, “Superstition: Uncovering the truth behind an American holiday.”

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[cbayer]

2. I don't know. They seem to be having some success so far.

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.

[cbayer]

4. Being smart has nothing to do with whether one might join a church or not.

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.

[cbayer]

9. No, actually it doesn't.

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.

[cbayer]

12. You are broadbrushing all religious people when I think you may mean

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]

26. Please don't feed the troll

[TreasonousBastard]

5. They don't need many, although many will drive for miles...

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.

[Adam051188]

8.

<----this is what you think you are.

<-----this is what you are.




STAY OUT OF MY CITY PRO-LIFERS

[cbayer]

11. I just made a long road trip and Sirius saved me.

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]

14. Shocking, isn't it? We all know about the big guys, and even they slip up...

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]

15. I heard one go on for an hour about how women had to be subservient

to men in every way and every situation. He even argued against having female teachers in elementary schools.

Unbelievable.

[TreasonousBastard]

17. Ya know, it doesn't cost much to keep the low power stations...

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]

18. I would love to see some competition.

We couldn't even find an NPR station in some areas.

[TreasonousBastard]

19. NPR charges a lot to local stations since the funding dried up...

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]

20. We have two public stations. One does a lot of music, but it's generally really good music.

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]

22. I'll have to check it out...

unless something really boring is all over NPR I don't turn on Sirius that much when not travelling.

[cbayer]

24. Sunday mornings are my favorite.

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]

25. To be more accurate/honest

I think we could say "target market".

[cbayer]

27. Audience, market - makes no difference to me.

[trotsky]

6. Their church website is suspiciously lacking in detail.

We exist to glorify God by inviting people into a relationship with Jesus Christ and into a community of people who passionately love God, who actively love and serve others, and who are being equipped to become faithful followers of Christ to reach the nations.

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?

[cbayer]

16. Wow, this post contains more religious intolerance and outright prejudice

than one hears from most fundamentalists.

And you got your Texas bashing in there as well.

Congratulations.

[trotsky]

21. What about the religious intolerance and outright prejudice of the article itself?

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]

23. Where did you sees that? It was a light piece on a group...

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]

28. It's the title of the article.

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]

29. Oh come on-- there's enough real reasons to get pissed. You don't have to make them up...

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]

30. The idea that the "godless" need "saving" is religious bigotry.

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]

31. That's an awfully wide definition of "bigotry"...

and can lead to some very strange conclusions if used elsewhere.

[trotsky]

32. Alright, what about the notion that homosexuality is a sin...

and that homosexuals need to be converted to be saved?

Is that religious bigotry?

[okasha]

33. You are attempting to have a conversation

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]

34. I thought he was somewhat familiar as well, and disappearing would fit the pattern.

We will see soon enough.

[okasha]

35. "I don't think he'll be missed.

"I'm sure he'll not be missed."