Why I fear Scott Morrison’s Pentecostalism


When I went to bed on the night of the election — early, to escape the growing fear and despair on my social media — I had a knot in my stomach about what I’d wake up to. For many people, their own knots of anxiety formed as they realised that Peter Dutton would not just hold onto the seat of Dickson, but that there was a swing towards him. My knot had been forming since Easter Sunday, when Scott Morrison invited cameras into his Pentecostal Church.

I knew he was a Pentecostal Christian when he was first elected leader of the LNP, but seeing it made it more real.

The first picture I came across from the series taken at Horizon Church in Sydney was ScoMo with his hand raised, eyes closed, mouth open in prayer. Scrolling through the news article, my palms began to sweat, my mouth went dry, and for the first time in years I had a trauma flashback.

I joined a Brisbane Pentecostal church at the age of twenty-one. I started going because it was one of very few social activities my then boyfriend approved. We both still lived at home: him on the south of Brisbane, me on the north side. If I was going to church on Sunday night, he’d concede the day (and sometimes Saturday) to my side of town. And when my friend came to pick me up for church, he’d go home leaving me without his looming presence for a few hours.

When I first walked in the door at that church, they saw me. I was broken and ripe for recruiting. They built me up and made me feel strong. Even though they helped me get away from my relationship, it wasn’t long until the church became an abusive relationship in itself.

Pentecostal churches like Morrison’s Horizon and my former group here in Brisbane are massive: thousands attend services every week. They are devoted, faithful, and loyal. They worship to pop music and are full of young, attractive and well-off people who desperately want to be good and kind and do the right thing. That’s what terrified me so much when I saw our Prime Minister at worship. Because the right thing to Pentecostals, is not going to be the right thing for most Australians.

There’s something about those images that made me connect the dots with my own experience of sitting in a crowded Sunday service with people who claimed to love everyone. People who love everyone – but also believe homosexuality is against the Bible, that life begins at conception, that sex out of marriage is a sin and that anyone who is not a Christian is worshipping a false God. It made me think of the time I was told my parents, who are good and kind people, would go to hell if they did not come to church. The alternative, for my parents and anyone guilty of any number of grave sins – including the sin of simply not being a Christian – was to get ‘Saved’.

Pentecostal churches are evangelistic. Witnessing to and converting the unchurched is critical to their doctrine. At my church, pastors often preached their hopes that the whole world would be converted. As a small group leader for university-aged youth, part of my role was reporting back to leadership each month as to how many new members had attended my sessions and how many of those newbies had been saved. Those numbers were fed from each of the church’s demographic groups back to senior leadership. If they were good, we’d be praised. If they were bad, we were chastised and sometimes re-assigned to other areas. It was imperative that the church be growing all the time.

Witnessing was done through acts, by receiving prophecy and speaking God’s truth to the unchurched, even in difficult and dangerous situations. I was encouraged to witness to everyone unchurched in my life, and while freedom to practice my religion protected me from potential repercussions from my constant preaching in the workplace, it placed my housing and relationship with my parents at risk. Not to mention the massive toll the constant pressure put on my mental health.

When I went to my leader and said I was struggling, I was told to work harder. Every time someone prophesied over me, I prayed they would see that I hadn’t dealt with the trauma my ex-boyfriend had inflicted on me and give me some magic answer to make it feel better. But the more broken I got, the less they saw me. I was likely no great loss to my church when I left because I wasn’t growing the flock, nor was I prosperous or powerful enough for them. I wasn’t even black enough to contribute to their diversity quota.

Though Scott Morrison professes to ‘love all Australians,’ I believe his love comes with conditions. His abstinence from the 2017 Marriage Equality Survey, his belief that those who ‘have a go will get a go,’ his decision to end his victory speech on election night with the words ‘God bless Australia’ and his willingness to be photographed at worship are all demonstrations of what those conditions are. Those of us who are queer, black, have uteruses, have immigrated, who are not Christian, who aren’t in secure jobs with savings, and who care about the environment, may be loved by the prime minister, but we are not his priority. Our issues and the things we need and care about can’t be his focus while he lives a faith that excludes the people who are struggling the most. I’ve heard the sermons and I know that the Pentecostal doctrine allows little room for separation between ideology and other aspects of your life.

Pentecostals take a literal, miracles-based approach to interpreting the New Testament. This is where speaking in tongues, being ‘slain’ in the spirit (falling to the ground), laying on hands, healing, and other acts which they perceive as invoking the Holy Spirit all come from. Pentecostals preach a prosperity gospel and expect that members will tithe not only ten percent of their wage (that’s before tax, by the way), but also make offerings above that. While they’re making those offerings, they believe that God will reward them for their faith, and for those high in the ranks of the church —in my experience, people who are white, attractive, and valuable to the church in some way — there are rewards. It wasn’t uncommon for people to give testimony about how they’d been struggling financially, but pushed themselves to increase their offering, believing that God would remove whatever financial hurdle they were facing. In these testimonies, God didn’t just meet them their needs, but rewarded them ‘a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown’ (Matthew 13:8).

When I finally left the church, I realised that those giving testimony had usually been rewarded by the church or received gifts by wealthy members of the leadership: jobs, cars, wedding and house deposits were given to those people who would use those gifts in ways that made the church look good. House deposits went to those who would open their shiny, perfect lives up to small groups and Bible studies which were used to recruit new members. Jobs to those who had particular gifts for evangelising. Wedding money to attractive couples being groomed for leadership.

I was an overweight, depressed, white-passing Aboriginal woman with issues at home and at work, and it didn’t matter how much I sewed and believed. (I estimate I sewed at least a house deposit’s worth of offerings.) It didn’t matter how many unpaid roles I took on at the church, or how many groups I led, or how much I witnessed to other people. I was not godly enough to receive even tenfold of God’s promises.

It’s understanding the meaning behind Scott Morrison’s words that make me terrified for minority and marginalised communities in the face of his continuing prime ministership. Our black, uterus-owning, queer, elderly, immigrant, poor people are not the ‘right’ kind of people to receive the blessings that the Liberals are promising. If people don’t have jobs or money, that’s their lot. If they’re LGBTIQA+, that goes against the Bible. And if you go against the Bible you’re not getting into heaven, so what would be the point in trying to understand what you need and want out of this life?

To believe in religious freedom is to believe in it for all people, including those in power. Despite my own experiences, I don’t want to dictate what others believe. But if Scott Morrison’s faith is personal and separate to his leadership, then why invite the cameras into church? Why talk so publicly about your belief in miracles? Why would you ask your god to bless Australia? Scott Morrison is not the first religious prime minister of this country. However, the subtext of his words and the extremely public display of his faith makes the combination of his particular brand of religion with politics deeply unsettling.

I hope I’m wrong. I hope that he will lead with grace and compassion that extends beyond the white, rich, and powerful. I hope that he stops asking God to bless Australia and starts listening, learning, and fixing. But until we have someone in power who can genuinely separate church and state – or, better yet, has no connection to any church – I think I’m right to be afraid.

 

Image: Thomas Hawk

Melanie Saward

Melanie Saward is a proud descendant of the Bigambul and Wakka Wakka peoples. Her work has appeared in Kill Your Darlings, New Australian Fiction, and Overland and she’s been shortlisted for the David Unaipon Award (2018 and 2020), the Boundless Indigenous Writer’s Mentorship, and the Harlequin First Nations Fellowship.

More by Melanie Saward ›

Overland is a not-for-profit magazine with a proud history of supporting writers, and publishing ideas and voices often excluded from other places.

If you like this piece, or support Overland’s work in general, please subscribe or donate.


Related articles & Essays


Contribute to the conversation

  1. “To believe in religious freedom is to believe in it for all people, including those in power. Despite my own experiences, I don’t want to dictate what others believe. But if Scott Morrison’s faith is personal and separate to his leadership, then why invite the cameras into church?”

    What? It’s not as if media speculation about Morrison’s religion would go away if he refused to let them in his church. Letting them in with him was a PR strategy but doesn’t really have anything to do with his policies.

    And here’s another question for you – why is a God-bothering PM only ever an issue when it’s a God-bothering coalition PM? Kevin Rudd was famously churchy; he started doing doorstops from the church after his worship. But Christianity never became an issue then. Tony Abbott, on the other hand, drew a lot of criticism for being Catholic.

        1. The difference how they practice their religion and tie it into their politics. Abbott and Morrison want to shove it down our throats, Rudd didn’t.

          That being said, I miss having an atheist PM

          1. That’s exactly it, Duane. It was more that Kevin Rudd seemed to be separating it more effectively. To highlight my own position from the essay though, I would prefer a PM who had no religious affiliation.

            Thanks for reading!

    1. My understanding was that PM and Bill Shorten had agreed that Easter was a no go zone as far as politicking went. In my opinion that photo was clearly political.

    2. It isn’t an issue because of the party he belongs to, it is an issue because of the fact that his claims of being a Christian do not stack up against his behaviour. In each portfolio he has held, he has been at best insensitive and at worst wantonly cruel to extremely vulnerable people. Oh, and don’t forget how he came to be preselected for his seat in the first place.

    3. A decision was made by all parties at the time that there would be no political promotions over Easter. Thus is why Morrjson should not have had tge cameras in to a meeting of his SECT.

  2. A holdover iron-age world view in a position of power is a disaster waiting to happen. Whether it is Islamist or Christian or Judaism, true believers are guaranteed special consideration in an imaginary hereafter post mortem or otherwise. Who could forget Ronald Reagan’s open mike soliloquy as to whether he had been chosen to institute Armageddon as required for the coming reign of Jesus Christ? Does the environment matter if Jesus is poised to arrive with cheaper electric power? Gubbity gubbity bowsy wowsy. (Pray for translation).

  3. Thank you for writing this. I’m worried about the ascendency of the sneaky fuker PM.and his cabinet, now taking the country back to pre-union wet dreams.
    The American evangelism has finally caught up to a lot of insecure types needing to be swept up in the confidence trick of all time.
    So Providence has given us ScoMo with a Halo.Richard di Natalie is right about him being dangerous, and mean. The fact he doesn’t think global warming is going to cause a catastrophe on every level is shocking. Has Hillsong got a church that turns into a space ship?

      1. I agree, and why would he care about Australia on fire right now? It’s what they pray for! And more funding to combat fires? Forget it! It’s about bringing in legislation to stop you protesting against his ‘views’ on climate change and making sure you can be discriminated against according to the belief systems of a mistranslated Bible! Religious discrimination act should be called ‘the bigot bill’ … he should be sacked as our constitution clearly states a separation between politics and religion!!! He is a traitor to this country

  4. Thank you Melanie for your perspective on Pentecostalism, it was most informative. But, best of all, you write so beautifully which was an added bonus when reading your essay.

  5. Wow Melanie. Thanks for writing this article. It mirrors my recent experience in an evangelical/Pentecostal church I became a part of after leaving an abusive relationship. I stayed for almost 4 years and found it really damaging to my recovery , outside relationships, mental health. It was wonderfully supportive at first but then turned into a very confusing, spiritually dark place for me and my sons. I found it very hard to leave but it was only when I did that I began to heal and move forward in my life. Thanks again.

  6. Thanks for a wonderful and well written article Melanie on the pitfalls of getting involved with these far right religious whack jobs!

  7. In 1981, US President Ronald Reagan’s Secretary of the Interior James G. Watt raised a bit of a controversy by proposing that all the US national parks be opened up for strip-mining of coal.
    He argued that whatever side effects that might have, it would not matter in the slightest, because Jesus Christ was about to return. The signs were all there! (And they still are!)
    IMHO people like that should be constitutionally banned from seeking power; of any kind.

  8. Very well written, thank you.

    I cannot stand any evangelicals in any way. I too have personal experience of them, and their very odd way of looking at life. For many years I ran a group accommodation centre with a meeting hall.

    They would push for a cheap price to come and stay for a weekend, quoting ‘we are just a poor church’. But on arrival, it was BMW’s, Nike shoes, Rolex watches, designer clothes.

    Then the ‘speaking in tongues’ would start. OH, what a terrifying sight that was.

    But at exactly 10.15 am, it was morning tea to be served, and all of a sudden, it all stopped. 10 minutes later, the trance started again.

    Politics aside, this was a very very weird and disturbing thing to experience.

    I priced ourselves out of their ‘budget’ requirement.

    Hypocrites, all of them.

  9. Thanks for the article. And I share your fear. I’d hope whoever is PM would express their love for all Australians – note bold on all – via policy and programs. I believe in separation of church (faith communities generally) and state as much to protect both actually. I hold Christian faith – possibly also evangelical but what has been described as compassionate evangelical. I attend a Uniting Church for what its worth. The PM can only influence his party to a point (I think political photos inside church’s shouldn’t happen as it blurs the personal and the political – that should be considered via a Ministerial Code of Conduct). Overall, its the parties that concern me more. Could write a lot more …

  10. Thank you so very much Melanie, you have soundly articulated what many of us would like to say….. I’m currently struggling with my own faith as I observe those who profess theirs loudly but don’t put words in to actions or otherwise. I myself am still trying to work out why and when Christianity, according to this church, only became the right of financially secure money-grubbing people…….

  11. I was involved in this type of church for over 10 years….. it was simply multi level marketing applied religion. The worship success and image and very little else.

  12. This peice was probably an eye opener to some but I have worked for a ‘young attractive white couple with 4 young kids’ who fit the descriptions to a tee..
    I witnessed some very unchristian behaviour when the highrachy arrived at the restaurant for meetings.
    I heard from young people and their thoughts on their role in life. It was clear they would not choose their own path but take the chosen path.
    Marriage was very early for the kids. They kept the youth in the ‘fold’ by way of very young trendy chic leaders running the youth programs where everything is happy and beautiful.
    When Antony Green called th election result that night I spontaneously and unexpectedly began to cry. I shocked myself and couldnt stop. Not sobbing just crying. Everything I feared is coming to fruition.
    I’m still very sad and very very angry at what struggling Australians have voted for.

  13. religion is the sigh of an oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions

    it is the opiate of the people

  14. Thank you. I appreciate your thoughts that reflect my own fears. I’m still a Jesus Freak, but moving further from the term ‘+christian’ for the same reasons you have expressed. I know great people in the church, and awesome churches and pastors, but I wouldn’t make them PM.
    Christians are basically sitting in the boarding seats waiting for a plane to take them somewhere much better than here. Like tourists who care not about the island they just visited, they’ll leave their shit behind and go home with little thought of the poor people they just spent a holiday with.
    Forgetting God’s love was not conditional, and he had asked us as our first task, to Tend The Garden.
    It breaks my heart that christians represents my Lord.

  15. Thank you for your article and I am sorry that you went through those experiences and glad that you survived. It’s interesting to get this insight inside this church community and although it is scary – the self centredness, the disregard for others and the fakery – seeing as our leadership is now bound up in this, we need to know more about it.

  16. My experience with the Hillsong style of Christianity … was the people don’t have bad intentions per say, they believe they are doing the will of the creator. It’s just really misguided. They often hold all the right wing values that often cause harm in the vulnerable. Blaming your attitude, or evil spirits, Satan, (or something else a person is doing) for their depression, anxiety, or whatever else a person struggles with. And unless you’re sold out to achieving, my impression was that, you’re not perceived to be on the right track. So there’s pressure to preform. And the author is right, unless you have “gifts” the church can use you’re often left out. If you aren’t the most socially gifted you often get left out as well.

    I firmly believe the Church/Mosque ought to remain in the house and Church/Mosque buildings and left out of Government, keep politics religious free.

  17. Scott Morrison has narcissistic Personality Disorder if you observe closely. His wife Jenny would see this hands on. He never rally says sorry, blames his kids for his holiday during fire. Where a normal Person without NPD would not have left and during Australia’s bushfire crisis as a Prime Minister. Most older Catholics know that it is soo…. unchristian to say, a fair go for those who have a go. Jesus would have been outraged by that comment. I am also very surprise no catholic priest hasn’t pulled Scott Morrison up over such. In the 1960’s, 70’s and 80’s they would have been appalled by that comment, as it goes against Jesus teachings.

  18. SCOTT MORRISON YOU WILL READ THIS AS A TYPICAL NARCISSIST MUST. Jesus said, “It is easier for a camel to got through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven”. Saying ‘a fair go for those who have a go’ showing an absolute discard for the poor and needy in our society. Jesus would have been appalled as one of his most important messages was about caring for the poor. Your continual lack of empathy with a continuing inappropriate smiles really are signs of NPD Narcissistic Personality Disorder. Most psychiatrist have spotted this by the way. Jesus would have turned the table over in your Church for saying such bout the poor and less fortunate. He also would be outraged with your use of cameras in a church for public self-interest. Clearly you are not following the word of God, so fake. In the Bible it talks about fake self-centred (= narcissism) worshipers like you, nearing the end days.

  19. Wasn’t Morrison the architect behind turning back the boats (i.e. consigning refugees to death)? If he’s all that good, over there in the Horizon church, why doesn’t he turn his Pentecostalism to some good and turn the bushfires back?

  20. Scott Morrison brushes off angry bushfire reception that included firefighters who would not shaking his hand. Saying today 3/01/2020 that he does not take it ‘personally’. ‘Personally’ deflecting accountability with no self-reflecting is typical of Narcissistic Personality Disorder. They never say or truly mean sorry, often using ‘but’ instead. I know experts who have confirmed NPD in Scott Morrison. Apologies for the minor spelling error in my emails above, I have eye sight issues. I’m sure you got the drift anyway.

  21. Thank you. Most enlightening. Follows my story to some extent. As a face reader immediately had a negative connotation to Scomo. I Am the Messenger – Messages of love to stir the soul followed my experiences and travel published 2018. There is far more in this amazing world to discover without the blinkers on. Blessings of light.

  22. “I don’t hold a hose, mate, and I don’t sit in a control room.”

    … I just point cameras at myself, engage in some gratuitous (and utterly unwarranted) humblebragging while real people are fighting and dying amidst a catastrophic crisis, and get the usual gang of half-witted bigots to defend my soulless ineptitude.
    — Shonky Morrison

    1. hmm …

      and What are the chances Shonky’s mooted Royal Commission into the bushfires will investigate News Corp’s campaign of disinformation ?

      Ba-ha-ha ! Yeah, I know.

      On a positive note, the tax havens in the Seychelles and Canary Islands are sure to appreciate the $2billion of Australian tax payer dollars funnelled offshore through financial backdoors.

  23. After reading the other day that Dubya’s evangelical belief in the End Times was partly behind his decision to invade Iraq in 2003, I wondered if Morrison’s lack of action on the bushfires (he was approached back in April last year by 22 forner emergency services leaders to discuss the situation, but he declined) may be influenced by his same nutcase belief that the world is about to see the imminent return of the messiah, and that the fires are just a manifestation of this.

  24. ‘the world is about to see the imminent return of the messiah’

    that ‘messiah’, post fires (should that eventuate) being morrison himself, of course

  25. I read saying yes a lot as I went. I think the narrow issue for me is that Pentecostalism is an externalised and individual approach and a consumer model. Whereas other forms of Christian Faith like, Anglicanism, is an outward expression of a inner experience. I was also quite taken by Sue’s comments at the beginning of the thread, I see the difference in that Rudd has a grounded and applied faith, whereas Morrison has an affected approach, a consumer approach to faith.

  26. Actually TimT it’s because if he knew his scriptures he would know that parading one’s religiosity is expressly denied us by Jesus in the Scriptures. And if he flouts this what else is he prepared to ignore in terms of his ambition and vote catching, advertising. Note his behaviour in Question Time.

  27. Generally I agree with most of the comments about Scomo. He approaches life and his politics as a marketing man playing on peoples weaknesses and he doesn’t lead he follows popular trends
    I would suggest that he familiarise himself with the Sermon on The Mount particularly the Beautitudes for an attitudinal change.

  28. Brilliant writings Melanie. Thank you.
    Australia so needs people like you to write for us at this time in history. I am appalled that our PM would knowingly allow a megachurch like Hillsong to hold a conference (allegedly a celebration fir women and girls – the ‘Colour’ conference (guest speakers from US) in the week leading up to a ban on gatherings of greater than 500 people – in fact thousands gathered at Sydney Hills venue on the 15 March – the ban came into effect at midnight that night. As NSW Covid19 cases escalate we will no doubt look into muddy waters for the evidence of community spread of a virus so deadly the world is in hiding. Mr Morrison showed what Pentacostal fervor does to a person…blinds them to their human weaknesses. The issue of our PMs religious beliefs is not only relevant but something so sinister it can hardly be spoken…I thank god for people like you Melanie.
    Stay safe …we are going to need your skills st expose’. Thanks again.

  29. I am a fair person. John Howard did not have NPD Narcissistic Personality Disorder as Scott Morrison does. Morrison cannot take accountability using “but’ frequently. He is condesending, speaking down to us like we are children. I know experts have also noticed this.

    Hair cuts 30 minutes for himself and men, where they should have stopped hair cuts for everyone.

    I am sick of all our government parties that are patriarchal in their structural design and outcomes. An archaic patriarchal system designed by men for men. It is time for a gender equality party. Just as cars are a tax write off for businesses so should childcare be for women. Women’s superannuations should also be topped up and for as long as they wish with pay in the vital caretaking time required in raising a mentally balanced human being. All mothers are the CEO of the society. They should be paid accordingly. They are creating the next generations of taxpayers and most of the economy thrives on these women’s unpaid work. The patriarchy has been preying on women over history. Even Peter Costello told women to have a child for the country, meaning the economy. Mothers who were at home at the time deep in nappies could have killed him. The patriarchy doesn’t understand what just one child does to a women’s mental health, physical health, happiness, and especially (financial health). Why women are in poverty in their old age, homeless, and many older women trapped in loveless and even abusive marriages to just survive. It takes two to create a child women should be copping this full cost. We need a gender equality party or a women’s party. It is time.

    Just imagine having a wife woman if you can. Just as Scott Morrison does. An unpaid worker meeting all his needs. I wish i had a wife. Why men are happy in marriage and women are miserable. Money for this thankless but unbelievable vital work in society called motherhood with free childcare would change these patriarchal rules. It is time.

    Who will help me start a gender equality party in dismantling the patriarchal system? Again, the patriarchal system is a system designed by men for men. I am now old now and have felt the chains of patriarchy over me, other women, my whole life now. I don’t want the next generations of women to also suffer. I don’t know how to create a party. Help me people.

    I am sorry errors above as I have eyesight issues, I am not stupid.

    1. The fastest growing religion in Sub-saharan Africa, Carribean, Latin America etc is fundamendalist pentecostal christianity. Pentecostal christianity is fundamendalist.

  30. I agree with Jenny above, Scott Morrison has Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

    It would also be Christian to have a gender equality party now that focuses on dismantling the archaic patriarchal system rules that all our political parties follow, therefore the women in these parties are also forced to follow.

    Such as 30-minute hair cut for NPD Scott Morrison and men, when there should have been no hair cuts at all. But most importantly, just as there is a tax cut to write-off cars in businesses, there should tax write-offs for childcare. Women should not be copping the full cost of parenthood as it takes two to create a child. Women should be paid a full wage to stay home for longer than 3 months and their superannuation also topped up as long as required.

    Mothers are the CEO of the society and should be paid accordingly.. Women should not be in poverty in their old age, homeless or forced to stay in a loveless marriage otherwise in poverty as many older women are. The patriarchal system has always been a licence to oppress, exploit and humiliate women and children. It is not even taught in our education system so women don’t see this predatory behaviour. Just imagine have an unpaid wife women, as Scott Morrison does. So men can meet their full potential, not held back by children. So a man is served by a mother and then a wife for free from the day they are born to the day they die. I wish I had a wife/slave!

    Most of the economy thrives on these women’s unpaid work, not to mention creating the next generations of tax-payers. Even Peter Costello told women to have a child for the country, meaning the economy. Women were so… outraged at the time but never heard in these patriarchal parties. These men or women who don’t have children in these parties. Don’t understand what just one child does to a woman’s mental, (financial health), physical health and happiness.

    It is time for a gender equality party, that financially values women’s vital caring work in society. That dismantles the patriarchal parties. Again, the patrirachal system is a system designed by men for men. It has always been a licence to exploit, oppress and humiliate women and children through financial control.

    An example: Jenny Morrison has always been keeping Scott Morrison, not the other way around. Jenny just (hasn’t been paid) for her vital work in society the Scott needs. These are deliberately designed chains of the patriarchal system. We could change these rules overnight with a gender equality party or a women’s party. Help me in doing this as I don’t know how.

  31. The Bible is a patriarchal book, under Bible one serves another. A book that was written by men for men. Not educating girls past 6 class in Australia in prior history as my grandmother was deliberately done by the patriarchy to control women in a box, the house. This was the Western Mans’ burqa.

    I have gone through the Catholic school system in childhood, and know religion is highly brainwashing. Today, I call myself a recovering Catholic. I had a mother who was a Catholic school teacher for over 45 years, highly intelligent, therefore needed religion to function. She had seven children in seven years. You are emotionally neglected in these large religious families; that I believe they are (evil). Not to mention these women being preyed on by husbands in these religious cults. These women aren’t having a child they are having something removed, to get themselves as they believe in heaven, again evil.

    Forgive me if I offended, but I have observed very closely this catholic cult. I have found intelligent people can’t cope without a purpose in life such as religion, while the unintelligent or uneducated follow what they are taught or told blindly. Where people like me with average intelligence will step back with courage and question everything. To the cult’s horror!

  32. Abortion is not a sin and should be removed from these religions cults agenda. As their real hidden agenda for such is for larger numbers in their congregation’s, therefore power and wealth in their church.

    The unwanted childs view of abortion is never heard later in their adulthood, and it should be as they also have rights. An unwanted child suffers every day of their life, being child abuse. Again, I am the youngest of seven children in seven years from one of this religious evil cults, so I know this fact.

    I have since rung lawyers trying to sue the Catholic’s for bringing me into this unwanted world from an unloving religious mother, who’s sole aim for not having an abortion was to get herself into heaven. Causing all my siblings trauma, some even attempting suicide due to unwanted repeated and consistent emotional neglect in childhood. Evil hides where you would least expect it.

    If are women having a chid purely for religious beliefs, not love, you should be locked up. As there is no distinction between physical abuse and emotional neglect, both fall under the umbrella of trauma.

    Protesters outside abortion clinics, piss off! you evil bastards. Being one of those unwanted children who should have been aborted, I have spent a lifetime of suffering, not wanting to be here. We have rights also, to be wanted and loved. Now condeming to mental prisons, wishing we were not born, dead.

    1. you are beautiful jenny and your biological mother was not at fault and was forced to give you up. I agree with you and acknowledge your hurt. lots of love from me Marian

  33. When I got older, and after thoroughly critiquing the Bible I would integrate these many priests back then. When you corner them with their patriarchal bullshit they would have one standard line. “It’s up to interpretation”. Try it.

    As an alter girl I have seen them make their holy water, it is oil and salt. Not Magic. This is what mediums still use today that the patriarchal Catholic church called witches in the 13th century. Witches were women trying to simply break free from the chains of patriarchy at the time with (work) as mediums do today. So they were not forced to prostitute themselves, nor prostitute themselves in marriage to survive under patriarchy. These women gave people hope.

    So Pope Gregory in the 13th century ordered the witch hunts of the 14th to 17th Century, killing millions of women. The precise numbers are not clear because husbands were also allowed to kill their wives, who tried to (work) as witches. Not under their husband’s patriarchal control. Go question priests on that fact. The Catholic church is an evil patriarchal institution. As are most religions who follow the patriarchal bible.

    Look to quantum mechanics people. There is absolutely something to our reality. Some of these experts believe consciousness exists outside the mind. So be good, you get away with nothing. This may be good or evil? I question everything.

    Also, watch the series ‘Ancient Aliens’ with an open mind, and continue questioning.

    These make far more common sense to the brave than a man written patriarchal Bible with so…. many contradictions.

    Also, watch the series

  34. The Bible has so many contradictions when thoroughly critiqued. When you corner these priests about such, they have on standard line ‘it’s all up to interpretation’. Obviously gone to priest school.

    Holy water is not magic, it is made with salt and oil. The same thing mediums today use and witches used in the 13th century, to ward of entities. Witches were women trying to break free from the chains of the patriarch, (work) instead of prostituting themselves in society or marriages.

    Pope Gregory in the 13th century ordered the witch hunts of the 14th to 17th centuries because these women were breaking free from the chains of patriarchy. Millions of women were torched before death in the vilest ways. We don’t know the exact numbers because husbands were also allowed to kill their wives in the home.

    Any woman who follows the Bible or any religion is simply participating in patriarchal control. Go question these priests about Pope Gregory and watch their response. Also St Augustian the theological father of the Anglican and Catholic church. Who wrote in the 4th Century, “What is the difference if it is a wife or a mother, it is still Eve the temptress we must be aware of in any other woman’. Brand all women as allies of the devil who sway men from virtue.
    Again, If you are following the Bible or any religion you are simply participating in patriarchal evil control, and nothing more.

  35. Look to ‘Quantum Mechanics’ instead. Some of these experts believe consciousness exists outside the mind. Something is involved in our reality, good or evil? You get away with nothing, so I suggest being good and to people.

    Also, watch the series ‘Ancient Aliens’. If you think this all sounds ridiculous, well so does the Bible to many people like me.

    Question everything. Help me reate a gender equality party
    that focuses on dismantling the patriarchal system we all reside under. I don’t know how to. As this would be true morality.

    Bye.

  36. Hi Melanie.
    Firstly, Thankyou for being brave enough to write this piece. It is difficult to survive both dv and Pentecostalism.
    I have experience with both. I’ll tell you about the Pentavv CB Ostwald that turned up yo Kinglake Victoria after 2009 bushfires.
    Definitely their help and love was conditional.
    One of their leaders spoke to me about my lifestyle (I’m a lesbian), and another gave me 4 pages of 10 point font of a diatribe on conversion therapy.
    I put up with these Assembly of God Pentecostals for 2 years. I’ve never met so many dishonest (they stole donations), Selfish, tin hat conspiracy theorists en masse.
    So like you, when I watched him speak the night of the election, I was scared.
    They are perfect cult members sliding under the radar – and that is what makes them dangerous.

  37. I too was mixed up in this type of religion ( by my cousin) after becoming orphaned at age 15! Thankfully only for about 18 months.
    I’m a solid believer in the separation of church and State. I also believe this Pentecostal rubbish is not religion, just mind blowing idiocy , where the big bully boys & girls get to shove the weaker,poorer,smaller,non white people around.
    Exactly as Scotty from Marketing & his Hillsong/ Horizon mates in Government are doing !
    A very well written article with some very good comments!

  38. I have just read Melanie’s great article. I found similar experiences when dealing with Scientologists. Wondering if people can comment on the Religious Freedom Bill. I think Change.org may be reacting to it. I have asked several people about their awareness of this bill, and am concerned that few know about it and it’s consequences.

  39. The Bible is open to interpretation. Civilised people treat people decently, no matter what their faith. I think people used Scott Morrison’s religion to play the man. Everyone overlooks corruption in the mainstream. We don’t judge Albanese because of Catholic faults. No matter what is in the bill, it shouldn’t over ride the rights of anyone, be an excuse to suppress anyone on the grounds that their faith allows it. It is a worry.

  40. Well, Morrison deserved all he got, because he tried to play the electorate like fools. His faith is his faith, but long before election day, and after, he proved himself faithless in respect of the high office he held. One can only hope ICAC will settle the score once and for all.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.