They come with their crosses

So last night I went to the graduation of a relative and was suprised to see that I was in a church. It didn't come as a total shock due to the fact that my relative was recieving a doctorate in theology. However, she had definately lured me there under false pretences.

They began to sing songs which made me feel oddly peaceful and relieved but at the same time uncomfortable and irritated. There was one funny moment. With them all being charasmatic christians (you know the kind that sometimes clap and dance and sing and shout out "yeah" and jump and bark and count to ten) there was a lot of raised hands in various formations lifted neatly to the sky like they were touching god. My brother leaned aver and said "Duck, they are throwing up their gang signs!" which had me in fits for the whole thing.

The part that struck me most was the use of language. They spoke a lot about god possessing people and working through them and using their bodies. Oddly, for me, this drew closer parrallels to demonic possession than anything divine and beautiful but I suppose it is subjective. They also spoke about this team of theirs (a mission) in the way that it was a business. Totally and utterly with mutterings of god's work and kingdom. I was extremely suprised to see that nobody seemed bothered by this. They went on to talk about books that were being sold at the back for "50 rahnd, 100 rahnd" in these thick Afrikaans accents. They had an American missionary there who was doing the whole enthusiastic, changing lives routine and they threw in a couple of disadvantaged students and all smiled patronisingly as they came up. They did the same with one of the graduates in a wheelchair.

I know that people find solice in these things, but somehow I see religion more and more as a business, a cult even. I mean by definition, a cult is: "The word cult generally refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered strange." This is according to the American Journal of Sociology. There are other definitions and bear in mind there may be other elements that are not related to christianity but from my perspective, I consider their behaviour to be strange and it is based on religious belief. People expect me to clap and smile but ultimately, how would you like it if I sent you to a cult meeting where your relative was getting a doctorate in their teachings!

They want your money. They want your soul. Just a thought.