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Colorado Springs and Mega-Churches

By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Sun May 29, 2005 at 11:56:55 AM EST
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Great find by Crooks and Liars....the May issue of Harper's with this long expose on Colorado Springs as a mecca for the radical right. Go read, Soldiers of Christ.

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    Colorado Springs and Mega-Churches | 7 comments (7 topical)
    Re: Colorado Springs and Mega-Churches (none / 0) (#1)
    by MikeDitto on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:27 PM EST
    C&L isn't the only blog that caught that today. It seems to be getting a fair amount of coverage. Including by me!

    Re: Colorado Springs and Mega-Churches (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:27 PM EST
    Scary people. The one who described the "demons" that could jump on you if you walked by the scene of a crime, or a place like a gay bar would have left me laughing my head off, were it not for the fact that it's the superstitious fools like this who seem to be the only ones the admin. listens to. Oh well, with W.'s "leadership" they just might get that apocolypse they want so bad.

    Re: Colorado Springs and Mega-Churches (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:28 PM EST
    Read that article in Harpers. The religious right and these megachurches seem to have almost no christian message. A christian message to me suggests a story or theme based upon the teachings of a guy named Jesus as they were recorded in the synoptic gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

    Re: Colorado Springs and Mega-Churches (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:28 PM EST
    Made me think of Matthew 23: The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observ and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move one of them with one of their fingers. But all their works they do to be seen by men. they make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments. They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greeings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, "Rabbi, Rabbi." ... But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. ... for you devour widows' houses and for a pretense make long prayers... for you pay titeh of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith... for you cleanse the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of extortion and self-indulgence... There is more, but the tone is pretty clear. These megachurches look temples of the Pharisees to me.

    Re: Colorado Springs and Mega-Churches (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:28 PM EST
    CA- some comparisons I found on Slacktivist I thought you might enjoy... [text deleted, this space is for comments] The scripture quotes above are from the NIV. The quotes from the early fathers are mainly from Justo L. Gonzalez's invaluable book, Faith & Wealth: A history of early Christian ideas on the origin, significance and use of money. I could easily have gone on and on and on citing both the scripture and the saints in a similar vein.

    Re: Colorado Springs and Mega-Churches (none / 0) (#6)
    by Aaron on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:28 PM EST
    TalkLeft nice posts, everyone should read this issue of Harper's. Harper's Magazine is a must read for those who want a deeper understanding of what's happening in the world these days

    Re: Colorado Springs and Mega-Churches (none / 0) (#7)
    by Dadler on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 12:59:29 PM EST
    c.a., stop bagging on the parisees, dude. they were the victims of gospel and new testement writers who, aside from paul, knew nothing about judaism. saducees were the real old school hardasses of judaism then. the pharisees were actually more like jesus, kind of reformers. the saducees wanted to keep the faith about sacrificing a sheep at the temple, keeping every little law, etc. paul himself brags about being the descendent of pharisees. and i'm trying to remember from a decade or so ago, when i went through an intense period of reading about the historical jesus vs. the jesus of faith. so my chops aren't as sharp as they once were. btw, "Jesus: A Life" by A.N. Wilson is a great bio if you haven't read it. the book that really got me going.

    Colorado Springs and Mega-Churches | 7 comments (7 topical)