Do you think that a child scramblig desperately for money in a wind tunnel chamber of circulating banknotes , do you think that is a healthy experience for a child, supposedly in "church". Just because these poor kids are in the inner city, doesn't mean they've got no class, like they should be treated like a cheap game show contestant. Just imagine your church, with a clear perspex chamber, and your "Pastor" is telling you that it's good religion, it's a good think to teach your kid to enter this chamber and chase around cash as it is blown about inside by massive fans. What does this teach the child? I'll tell you. It teaches them to WORSHIP MONEY, not God. I also believe that there are many other good urban churches, or other places of faith and worship, that cater to disadvantaged children without resorting to off colour money grabbing tactics and parlour games. They seem to have no shortage of local kids who are prepared to come in without the lure of cheap and nasty amusements, that distract from a true religious message.
"Pastor" Bill says the children would never come if he didn't offer the stunts, the dune buggies, the rock bands, all the expensive lights and stages and acts that are put on. I have my doubts.
Also, every penny, every penny of that budget should be spent wisely. For every dollar wasted on "Pastor" Bill Racing up on stage in a dune buggy, you could have fed a family of kids for a month. And what if the novelties and amusements are donated, shouldn't they all be used to raise money to actually help these kids, regardless of whether you draw them in to a big top circus freak show or not. Jesus, from what I know as an atheist, Jesus did not need a big entertainment arena to preach his gospel, he didn't need anything, not money, not lights and sirens and bands on stage, and certainly not a dune buggy. I think "Pastor" Bill has become so carried away with himself that he refuses to believe you can reach out to kids any other way. So while good money is wasted on stunts, that could be better spent on needy kids, you must also ask "OK, so it draws a crowd, but what does it teach them?" It teaches kids
*Normal life is boring
*Only follow the crowd
*Only go where there are bright colours and loud noises, and big toys and fun and games, because anything "serious" is boring
*Go where you can get free stuff and free entertainment, follow the offer of money and materialism and instant gratification
*Nothing that is not wealthy enough to offer such things could possibly be worthwhile
THE LIVE CRICKETS INCIDENT
Nobody forced the kids to eat live crickets. But think about it. What did it mean? Why would a man who says he loves god and believes his teachings, and says he loves the kids, why would he be telling the kids to eat live crickets. You have to remember a few points. "Pastor" Bill is quite strict. I have seen him, when kids didn't do as he wanted, he had them immediately ejected. SO then the message sinks in that around "Pastor" Bill, you must do as you are told. And also remember, I don't blame the kids. IF they go there for entertainment and not religion, that's not their fault, I don't blame them, it's the fault of the ones who draw them in by such cheap devices. But think about it. These poor kids, many have no money, some have hard, tough and sad lives, imagine how boring and depressing life can be if you have nothing to do and nowhere to go. So then "pastor" Bill comes along and it seems he offers everything in the world that is fun and exciting. But there are strings attached. Around him, you can't laugh out of line. That leads to expulsion. If you talk among yourselves. Expulsion. Pretty soon you get the message that if you want the "fun", entertainment, some free food, a present once in a while, well you have to take the loyalty and obedience to go with it. Not to God; to "Pastor" Bill instead. Do as he says. Tow the line. So then one day he says "Eat this live cricket". So you do it. Maybe the kids were scared to say no. Maybe they didn't want to lose the fun time with friends. Maybe they knew you have to keep "Pastor" Bill happy by helping to entertain the other kids. Who nows, maybe some were waiting for a real meal through Metro Ministries, maybe some were waiting so long they had sore stomachs, and they knew that if they wanted to keep getting the free stuff they needed, then they had to do this trick he demanded.
My point is, I don't think it's appropriate to see these kids being told to eat live crickets, to hear the inner guard run by Wilson exhorting the children to "chew it up, swallow it". That's not appropriate. And "Pastor" Bill says, these kids need a more extreme form of entertainment. Yeah? Well, ask any one of those kids if they ever did that on their own. Ask them if they would ever do such a thing just "for fun". I think then you'd see they only did it because "Pastor" Bill told them it would be fun.
And I know it sounds silly, but what about the crickets? I know we will kill flies and cockroaches, and what the kids did was hardly the same as teasing a kitten, but nevertheless what does it teach little kids? That good, harmless creatures should be killed for fun and amusement? Just for the sake of it? I'm not making a big deal about crickets, but my point is, getting kids to chew up and kill any live animal "for fun" does not teach them a good example when it comes to other
little creatures that do no harm to us. If I saw a man telling a little kid to kill a butterfly, well, I would find that quite disturbing.
THE DANGEROUS BIT I think it sets a worrying example because these kids get hooked in by all the fanfare and hooplah of a three ring circus, but then it's not long before "Pastor" Bill demands obedience from them, up to a point. At first no more than what perhaps a teacher or sports coaqch would ask, but then it goes further. I know that if a sports coach started telling his little league team to eat live crickets, or if a maths teacher did the same to their little kids, the complaints from parents would come in thick and fast. But in the carnival like atmosphere of "Pastor" Bill's Metro Ministries, it seems anything goes.
The real worry is that they become a "test", of the children's loyalty. This is a favourite of cult leaders everywhere. They start out as a leader, then quickly establish themselves as an authority figure. But then the temptation is too great. First they get there congregation to do good, and not do bad. That is there authority. But being good is normal for people, so a cult leader never knows if they are really obeying him, or just obeying society. So then the cult leader decides to deviate from society, as a test, to see if his congregation will follow. It's a test of faith. He cannot resist the temptation to set up a test of behaviour, that is not good, but is outside the bounds of normal behaviour, and he sets up this test to see who will follow, who will be absolutely obedient. It's happened so many times I don't need to give the examples in other cults. But it is a sure sign of danger, that this leader is going overboard, he's setting the bar too high, and might just see if his whole flock will follow him right off a cliff! Beware!
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6 comments:
Have you ever actually visited Metro? worked there? how did you get your information?
besides, it is a responsibility of every believer to present the message of the gospel in such a way that it is the clearest possible way, the way a person would understand and relate to it. Even Jesus Himself did not come and say, "So this is the deal. I will die and live again and you have to talk about it. Oh yes, almost forgot, your life will be transformed." Jesus talked of the Kingdom using stories (parables), life examples. In a culture today children will not understand the "thees" and "thous" of the traditional approach. We need to love them into the Kingdom, to show them that life is not over when you become a Christian - that indeed it has just begun.
Hey Helen, again, I totally agree with you, but you should have seen this stuff. It was bizarre, truly, and it distracts from any genuine teaching of anything, and has degenerated into an obscure set of personal gimmicks, and that money spent on quad bikes to achieve an "entertaining performance" could have been donated to the church for proper good work, or the bikes could have been used by the church to raise money for a good cause [eg auctioned off etc.].
My information is purely factual and based on a documentary that showed the actual footage of these practices, none of this is "hearsay or conjecture", it is all based on video footage of what goes on.
As for using modern language and practices to teach, be it for teaching religion or anything, I agree with you Helen, it is effective and relevant, especially for kids. But if you saw the documentary, you would ask "Yes, but what is he really teaching?"
A lot of it actually debases and cheapens real spirituality, and it is quickly becoming just a self aggrandizing franchise with no real meaning or message other than to grow and grow, but for what purpose?
As a person who grew up at Metro I know I wouldn't have come if it wasn't for the extras. Yes, I did come through the doors for the wrong reason but once I got there I found Jesus so I don't see anything wrong with it. You mention the other churches that cater to disadvantaged children. There are a few in New York City but none with even a quarter of the attendance of Metro. We saw about 7,000 children come through the doors on Saturday alone this week who all heard the gospel message and then received a Christmas present. If even one of those children had their heart touched by Jesus enough to change their life it was worth it. Have you ever spent a Saturday with us or an afternoon on Sidewalk? You said you saw a documentary but come out to Bushwick for a week and see it for real. Do it and believe your mind will be changed. You mention helping and feeding the children. Well, I'm a social worker and I can help a family find a local free food source but in the long run how is that going to change anything. They may be eatting but reality is a)you're not changing the circumstances that made them unable to afford food and b)you're not changing where they are going to end up for eternity. I've helped so many families with tangible needs like food and clothing but the relaity is they need to get to know Jesus to make any real change.
I'm sorry Melissa, but it worries me that you are a social worker. To hear you say that poor people, struggling at the lowest rungs of the socioeconomic ladder "need to get to know Jesus to make any real change" is offensive to me as a believer in secular pluralism, which is supposed to be the foundation of western democracy.
I hope you're not a government employee too, because your beliefs may be risky for you, when you should keep government and religion separate, but those ideas of yours clearly if you were honest about them would not be helpful to people who are not Christians.
I've also seen metro members hassling old jewish ladies as they try to walk home.
The worst part is, the documentary I saw was not trying to damn Bill Wilson in any way, in fact, it was a very sympathetic film made by a religious interest show in the UK. They had no interest in making trouble for him, but what I saw made me feel uneasy.
I cannot apologise for what I am about to say next: you both completely ignored the part about harmless little creatures being eaten alive for Bill Wilson's entertainment.
I ask you again, would ANY of those children have done it if not for Bill Wilson, [who has made himself an authority figure in their lives] telling them to do it?
Ok, come on. Let us know all the video footage you have. And dont just talk talk n talk.. All your words is nonsense untill you reveal some proof. Sorry to say. But if you dont have any proof about them, just get a life. You're seriously unhappy person. Come to Indonesia to travel :)
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