84 Comments
Sep 6, 2021Liked by David Farrier

I didn’t get around to reading the previous post that this one is response to (I’ll try to get around to it later) but this was a great read. Dr. Helen Jacobi brought up some points that I’ve been thinking about often myself as I’ve been walking away/deconstructing the evangelical bubble I grew up in.

Dr. Jacobi’s point of “checking your brain at the door” is so spot on. I feel as though many religious leaders (and people who abuse their power in general) promote, for lack of a better term, uneducation and encourage their followers NOT to rely on critical thinking skills and consequently NOT to pursue higher education. I’ve noticed this especially in the case of women in church. And if you must pursue some kind of higher education, god forbid it’s at a secular, worldly institution. I remember when I applied to go to undergrad at a popular secular university, gossip spread in my church and some of the members confronted my parents about it. Sadly, I also see how this manipulation has effected my mother. I was trying to explain to her one day how the Rapture was a doctrine invented in the 19th century. I had done my research from a variety of sources and had my argument laid out. Unfortunately, my mom’s main takeaway was to ask me why I was looking to outside resources instead of just the Bible for answers…My response was, “Because that’s what research is, Mom! This is what critical thinking entails - looking beyond just one ancient text and looking beyond what one charismatic person standing at a pulpit says.” I was flabbergasted to say the least. Also, I just spent a weekend with family members who fit into this category of religious anti-vaxx and I honestly can’t understand their logic. It confounds me and makes me sad. That weekend I walked way feeling really discouraged and disconnected from family. My aunt was raving about the likes of Ben Shapiro and Jordan Peterson and so, being the critical thinker and open-minded person that I hope I am, I listened to some of their podcasts with her…I’m still trying to decipher that experience and why she’s such a fan of these two. Then she went on to express how wrong feminists are all the while I’m sitting there - a feminist who is trying to be more vocal about my feminist stance - feeling incredibly uncomfortable.

Same with my other aunt who is still unvaccinated, even after attending my mom’s wedding of approx. thirty people, and also, as I discovered that same weekend, Islamophobic. I expressed my anxiety and fear for women in Afghanistan right now and her response was to hate on Muslim people…not extremist terror groups, but Muslim people in general. I felt sick. To summarize, what I'm ranting about here is that from my perspective this can perhaps all dwindle down to not engaging in critical thinking, thinking little of higher education and, consequently, only listening to charismatic people in leadership positions. This has been weighing so heavily on my mind so to be able to express it in this safe community is 🙏🏻 Rant over and thanks for listening you guys.

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Sep 6, 2021Liked by David Farrier

Thanks David. As one of your Christian readers (and friends), I was palpably relieved that you got an alternative perspective from a respected and authentic person in the wider church world. Mortlock, Tamaki et al give the rest of us reasonable, smart, compassionate and liberal people a very bad name and I often read pieces like this (incl. the back and forth between you and Mortlock) with great discomfort and misery. I'm grateful to feel represented by Helen and her ilk (similar to my own smart, compassionate and liberal Anglican vicar). Arohanui, e hoa.

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Sep 6, 2021Liked by David Farrier

My SIL is a very highly-trained nurse practitioner in Aus and runs a start-up pain management company that has caught the eye of Otago Medical School and several prominent insurance companies. In addition to advanced nursing credentials, she holds post-grad degrees in pain management and psychology. And she's taking hydroxychloroquine, refusing the AZ vax, and encouraging her thousands of social media followers to do the same.

While not religious in any way, she displays exactly the same traits as the religious nutjobs who insist that some invisible sky friend will save them from anything and everything. Her crutch is the "power" of natural immunity.

It just defies belief. And it's impossible to discuss with her because it's not simply a matter of dealing with sketchy religious views; it's that she uses her medical heft to dismiss what her own profession knows (and has proven) to be true.

This has driven quite a wedge between our families, and I'm watching my partner watching his sister head off down the rabbit hole, maybe never to return.

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Sep 6, 2021Liked by David Farrier

I really like all the guest writers you feature in this newsletter. It's so respectful, and also enlightening.

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founding
Sep 6, 2021Liked by David Farrier

I love how Mortlock doesn’t want “ necessarily to get you to change your mind” about him, and doesn’t need or want publicity. He just wants yoi to write from a “personal knowledgable perspective” i.e. use his words.

Total b.s. He wants just the opposite and is operating from a place of false humility. The playbook that these guys operate from, it’s so blatantly obvious, their manipulations are so pathetic.

These people give Christianity a bad name.

Love the photos.

On a different tangent, a couple of my favorite hikes in Malibu are the Bulldog Trail in Malibu Creek State Park (it’s a loop, but the trail is unmarked by the water treatment plant), and Nicholas Flats in Leo Carillo State Park. Great views from both, but Nicholas Flats is heaven after the rains and when the grass is green. Go during the week when the parks aren’t crowded. If you enter Nicholas Flat trail from Mulholland, it’s an easier hike and there aren’t so many people.

Bulldog Loop trail has great views of the ocean and some caves that look like they are from Planet of the Apes (the original movies). Plus you hike through the old set from M*A*S*H*.

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Sep 6, 2021Liked by David Farrier

The old "I'm not anti vax! I'm just encouraging people to do their own research!" defence 🤢

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Sep 6, 2021Liked by David Farrier

Thanks David. It was nice to have balance in the narrative around church leadership.

For the dickheads its not even about god. Its just a platform for power and manipulation. They are like shitty politicians. The David Seymours of Jesus, if you will. They will spin anything for their own purposes, which mostly seems to be financial gain and kudos from other arseholes- always at the expense of those they claim to care about.

But its not everyone and we do need to remember that.

Thanks :)

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Sep 6, 2021Liked by David Farrier

Thanks for the postcards from Silent Hill at the end there

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Sep 7, 2021Liked by David Farrier

It’s a bit like tithing, but way cheaper 🤣🤗

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Sep 6, 2021Liked by David Farrier

The whole anti vax thing gets me so effing riled up I can't STAND IT. People nowadays think they're so special and have so much choice. They've done the research and they just personally don't think the vaccine is for them because Bill Gates wants to harvest their organs and the WHO is a cabal based in a tax haven trying to turn us all sterile? Massive eye roll. We take vaccines to protect the vulnerable that either can't have them or that will be severely impacted if they catch the disease. We accept a tiny amount of those that receive the vaccine will experience side effects. Of course if you caught the disease the vaccine was vaccinating you against you'd definitely suffer side effects, some of them deadly or with life long debilitating consequences. I find it deliciously ironic that these preachers use fear to control their congregations with wild stories about conspiracies about being controlled externally by governments 😅 Its all a bit reminiscent of a Steven King novel? In other news, I'm off to get my second Pfizer today! Apparently the second one is the nasty one so thoughts and prayers everyone 🙏😂

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Sep 6, 2021Liked by David Farrier

My parents have regularly attended church throughout the pandemic, despite my mother being in a very high-risk category. They're not denialists or antivaxxers--just the opposite in fact. Both were vaxxed as soon as they were able, and they've had a small stock of N95 masks for years "just in case".

They're also very Catholic though. They livestreamed Mass for the first few months, until the Church started offering outdoor services, masks mandatory with hand sanitizer provided at the door. But as summer started, and the infections started to level off, services went back to indoor-only, with masks only "recommended". This being a very conservative part of California (they exist! It's Kevin McCarthy's district, in fact), you can imagine how many people heeded that recommendation. Now my parents are stuck attending indoor services with people who may or may not be vaccinated, but refuse to wear masks either way. Luckily, they still have some N95s.

It's infuriating to watch people preach love and care towards others, but still refuse to take the most basic precautions to protect others. I know for certain that the reason they won't institute a mask mandate is for fear of "offending" their nuttier members.

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Sep 6, 2021Liked by David Farrier

Brian Tamaki is obviously against the legislation to Ban Conversion Therapy in NZ, but not just his NZ flock he's sending his message all over the world getting homophobic's everywhere to submit against a ban in little old New Zealand. Along with all the other churches who want to pray away the gay. Last day for submissions is September 8th.

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Sep 6, 2021Liked by David Farrier

Great photos!

As someone who was raised in a church (Methodist) I find these evangelical happy clappy churches fascinatingly weird & dangerous. Thanks for highlighting their weirdness. I left the church community I was raised in at the age of 16 because of the homophobia that in many ways took over the churches true calling card. I’m happiest out of those confines & living a good & fully vaccinated life. Kia ora

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Sep 7, 2021Liked by David Farrier

Somewhat off topic, but I see Peter Williams is leaving Magic Talk. Wonder if he was pushed? Can’t say I’m upset - one fewer covid crank on the airwaves…

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Sep 6, 2021Liked by David Farrier

Thanks for this David. I have a sister and her grown children who belong to some church group who have gone completely down the rabbit hole of conspiracy theories. And my sister-in-law belongs to Destiny Church - enough said. I have nothing to say to them - I just cant even understand how, why, WTAF ?? Helen Jacobi's comment about 'leaving their brains at the door' certainly rings true because they believe without question or critical thinking which exactly how their respective churches want them to keep control. And they can't even see the irony

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Sep 6, 2021Liked by David Farrier

Wow Helen Jacobi is a lovely, humorous fresh breath of feminist air, what a joy after the inane ramblings of those two other male church “leaders”. More of this sort of thing! Also your photos are divine David. Perhaps you can do a limited print run? Put my name down!

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