Sunday I attended worship services at
Southeast Christian Church, AKA Six Flags over Jesus. Southeast is a mega church and one of the largest in the nation. Founded in 1962 it has experienced explosive growth and presently consists of 20,000 members. Their campus includes more than 100 acres with several buildings housing four basketball courts, an activity center with an 1/8 mile indoor track, and a media center with eight computer stations. A 40-foot cross adorns the worship center. For the bizarre trivia buffs the church also contains 403 toilets. Southeast brings in more than 20 million dollars each year with police officers escorting their weekly contributions to the bank deposit.
The church supports various ministries such as overseas mission trips, prison bible studies and a counseling center with a board certified psychiatrist on staff. As you might expect they also strongly support
anti-choice agencies and endorse homophobic groups such as
Love Won Out. During the 2004 elections Southeast spent $150,000 on marketing including billboards and TV ads in support of KY's marriage amendment. It is the house of worship for YUM! Brands CEO David Novak, Papa John's founder John Schnatter and our state's former Lt. Gov.
So how did we get here....My partner and I attend a small Unitarian Church and recently started working with a group of youth members ranging in age from 12-17 years old. During a discussion of future activities and exploration of other religions, Southeast Christian Church was mentioned. I was disturbed as several adolescents relayed stories of interactions with peers who belong to Southeast. Even though the youth all attend different schools they each had at least one encounter with a peer who eagerly informed them of their certain damnation in the fires of Hell. While details varied, the overriding consistent theme was one of condemnation, judgment and rejection.
As we left on our journey my partner and I were somewhat anxious. My biggest fears were a) that I would allow my prejudices to override and taint the experience, preventing me from witnessing something positive b) that someone would recognize me from a recent interview I gave on the local news in support of abortion rights and make an ugly scene. Craig & I took a few minutes to pray together before gathering our charges. My hope was to see the good in what Southeast has to offer and understand in some part why so many people choose to belong.
I felt a little bit like Frodo crossing over into Mordor. I've been to various religious services throughout my life from Assembly of God to Catholic to African Methodist Episcopal. While attending college in the late 80's I visited the infamous World Harvest Church. My father is a member of his local Methodist Church and I accompany him to worship when I visit every month or so. I've even attended Icthus on several occasions so I'm not unfamiliar or at unease with typical church events but in my mind Southeast represented something beyond "church".
We were advised to avoid the traffic jams inherent at the church's campus (there are 8 different lots) and parked almost a mile away at their off-site lot. Southeast uses a fleet of old school busses to ferry parishioners to services. As we rode to church I understood Southeast's oft repeated nickname "Six Flags over Jesus". There was a sense of anticipation, local police officers directing lines of traffic and then the mammoth behemoth came into view.
Upon departure we followed the crowd and gradually made our way pass the bookstore, construction for the soon to be unveiled cafe 920 and to the atrium. One of the youth commented "it looks like an airplane terminal!" To our right was a 24 foot long kiosk that put you in mind of rent-a-car counters but instead of signs advertising Hertz or Avis they were labeled Men's Ministry, Adult Bible Study or Kids Check-In. Numerous chairs, sofas and tables dotted the floor. For individuals seeking to reach the upper floors there were two glass elevators and eight escalators. After seeking directions from the volunteer behind the Information Desk we were directed to our seats in section 108, row H.
At the front of the 7 ½ story sanctuary was the stage or what they referred to as the pulpit. The stadium seats can accommodate up to 9,000 people and we estimated the crowd to be between 4,000-5,000. A huge video gondola hung from the ceiling with five 14-by-14-foot screens. There was another even larger screen behind the stage. Several cameras were stationed around the space capturing the proceedings. As we waited for the show to begin various announcements and verses were displayed on the screens ("Pray for our troops"; "Blessed is the nation who's God is Lord") superimposed on images of the American flag. Southeast successfully managed to merge national and religious iconography throughout the service.
The first half of the service consisted entirely of music including an all men's choir (Caucasian only) accompanied by an orchestra (I assume that there must be rotating choral groups with women performing on other Sundays). Instead of hymnals the test of each song scrolled across the screens. Personally I found it difficult to follow the tunes without access to the actual music but then again I'm usually off key and wasn't too thrilled to sing about the presence of demons in the world.
During this period of song the collection was taken. I of course noted that no women participated in this process. According to information they provided, last week's contributions totaled $542,345.82.
Communion...I've witnessed communion rituals in other denominations where they take the time to read passages of scripture describing the last supper. There is usually mention of the meaning behind the elements and what they represent for the particular tradition. Interestingly, considering the number of visitors they host each week, there was no explanation or liturgy or comments other than the announcement that communion was taking place and then back into song. While the communion ushers (again all men) distributed pieces of crackers and juice a video played on the jumbo screens. It began with a hand slowly and repeatedly tossing dirt onto a white surface before smoothing the particles. Next, water from a garden hose gradually washed the surface clean. The final scenes involved the slow, laborious washing of hands while the congregation sang along to the words of a song about God washing them clean. The video was well done with high production values but it is the first time I experienced communion via MTV.
After the final song there was a quick set change including the addition of a backdrop with replicas of DaVinci's famous works. Yes, as luck would have it Sunday was part two of the series "Seek the Truth" which served to simultaneously debunk The DaVinci Code while demonizing the author Dan Brown. Since I seem to be one of the few individuals who haven't read this tome I don't plan to discuss the plot in any detail. But let me say this - I question the priorities of a religious body that spends two weeks dismantling a work of popular fiction. It seems to me that a faith that is threatened by one book wasn't that strong initially. And perhaps a faith so weak should be shattered.
Before delivering his message, the minister led the congregation in a condescending, belittling prayer for Dan Brown that he might find salvation and redemption through Jesus Christ. Then the sermon began. As the minister spoke I was struck by how well he utilized the theme of US vs THEM. He read the following quote from a 1994 issue of Time Magazine while it was displayed for all to see on the multiple screens:
While Jesus may have been a carpenter, that probably meant he was illiterate and belonged to a low caste of artisans. He did not preach salvation from sin through sacrifice; he never said "Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called sons of God"; neither did he say "Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." For that matter, he probably never delivered the Sermon on the Mount. As for the question posed to Peter and the disciples, Jesus never asked it. And he never cured any diseases. As for the other miracles? No loaves and fishes, no water into wine, no raising of Lazarus. And certainly no resurrection. What happened to his body then? Most likely it was consumed by wild dogs.
Of course the crowd was horrified and gasped in unison. The minister then discussed an interview of Dan Brown's where he said:
I began as a skeptic. As I started researching The DaVinci Code I really thought I would disprove a lot of this theory about Mary Magdalene...I became a believer.
Again the crowd gasped. It was a brilliant pairing of the extreme emotion generated by the initial quote, suggesting Jesus' body was consumed by dogs, followed by Dan Brown endorsing belief in Their Lord's marriage. The minister alternated between poking fun at Dan Brown and his writings or acting as if the author possessed great, terrifying power. Beneath it all was the subtext of fear. It is easy to see why members of this congregation respond so well to the Republican message.
FEAR "They want to destroy your religion"
FEAR "They're going to destroy our way of life"
FEAR "Your beliefs are in danger"
FEAR "Our country is in danger".
The conformity of the audience was simultaneously amazing and frightening. Carefully constructed programming was supported by the use of stage theatrics (lighting, music, videos, and mood) to produce the intended results. They laughed, clapped and groaned en masse with each cue supplied as if it were a choreographed performance. Even a non-conformist like me was acutely aware of being the odd one out. I doubt many people attend services at Southeast without quickly learning how to play the game.
At various times during the message, the minister cloaked himself in anti-intellectualism by disparaging scientist or claiming ignorance that wasn't his. It seemed that the embracement of complex intellectual concepts were associated with abandonment of God. College was described as a frightening place where agents of evil teach that Jesus was married or merely mortal. When explaining the odds of Christ fulfilling a certain number of prophecies he explained that it was one in 10 to the power of 157, then giggled and said he really didn't know what that meant. Of course he actually did understand the concept or he wouldn't have included it in the study guide we were provided.
Towards the end of the service the sermon veered towards the scriptural support of Christ's divinity. Surprisingly, the minister said he wanted to move through this section quickly and his rate of presentation increased noticeably. There was no effort to involve critical thinking processes or discuss involved constructs and the very foundation of their faith were glossed over in an apparent aside. The main gist of the message had been to play on the congregations emotions while spoon feeding them overly simplistic sound bites. I was disappointed with the shallowness of their spirituality as well as the self-centered focus. At no time was there any impetus towards service or benefiting others but instead the primary theme was one of fear and the anger it fuels.
Throughout the service I was reminded of Lakoff's writings and the power of framing. He would be proud of Southeast's talking points. There were frequent references to "our church family" which brings forth images of a small, loving unit which serves to protect the individual. The reality is that Southeast, with its security forces, huge coffers, softball leagues and school system bears more in common with a municipality than a family. But they do serve to protect - and convince you of the overwhelming need for protection. They've created an elaborate well designed cocoon so members may never have to interact with the scary people who live outside the gates and threaten their beliefs. There are scrapbooking groups, motorcycle clubs, whitewater rafting trips, and volleyball leagues. If the selection of books at the public library intimidates you Southeast has a children's library containing 10,000 items. If you're afraid of hearing vulgar language at the local gym they have a fitness facility complete with pilates and spinning classes. If the staff at the local coffee house frightens you with their tattoos and piercings then come drink a latte with other Christians at the café. Southeast has orchestrated a world that enables it's parishioners to go about doing the things they enjoy but without ever encountering anyone who looks or believes differently.
Watching all of this was rather depressing. The church is so organized, proficient, and well funded that it seems hopeless for the rest of us to even try to resist them. They're kind of like The Borg from the Star Trek stories (You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile!). I don't mind that they think and act differently than me but I am extremely bothered by their repeated attempts to legislate their brand of morality in my community. As we left the sanctuary my partner intoned "Our country is doomed".
The bright spot in all of this for me was the youth who accompanied us on this adventure. Interestingly, when I initially discussed the visit with co-workers and associates who attend Southeast they discouraged me from bringing the adolescents to the regular services. It was suggested that we observe an informal gathering in the evening or have the youth join their same age peers in Sunday School. Largely, the reasoning proffered was that no other adolescents would be in the audience and the youth would not grasp the message being presented. I find that last suggestion laughable. I don't know what lessons are taught in Southeast's school system but the adolescents from our church were more than able to discuss the water downed sermon we heard. In addition, they noticed the lack of diversity, commenting on how many non-Caucasians were present (we counted eight including our bus driver) and the absence of women in positions of status. They also plan to read The DaVinci Code as soon as possible. And in my effort to identify some positive aspect of Southeast let me mention that their facilities are completely handicapped accessible and ASL interpretation is provided.
Before leaving the church we browsed in the bookstore where my partner pointed out this lovely piece of framed art titled "Praying for Peace". I thought for sure they would call security after I screamed in horror.