"But of course.. had the author of the book believed in the Lord Jesus HimSELF.. rather than the Hillsong church.. she would have ended up looking for a different fellowship rather than ending up as a ROBERT from olo."

Or perhaps David, if you got out a bit more, thought about the idea of who is head of the church and just how vile a lot of what continues to happen within it you to might follow in my footsteps.

Hillsong is a symptom of a missing or neglegent head. Your failure to examine the evidence or reach the same conclusion as I have from the evidence does not equate to belief in a particular church.

The church has some great people but as an organisation which is supposedly headed but an all knowing, all powerfull and just being it's an abject failure.

If the example of Acts 5:1-13 was a bit more common I might have cause to rethink my views on the role of Jesus in the church.

R0bert

Peter, I wasn't aware that we had a State Church.

The Hillsong people encourage their members to read the Holy Bible for themselves. The pastors do their very best to make the study interesting, and connect the dots, so that the bigger picture can be seen. Ottokonoko and Onnanoko alike are encouraged to work out the plan Almighty God has for them, and many claim that the words spoken by the pastors are directly applicable to their daily lives.

Why are we members of a State church? Because the Parliament in 1924 decided to make us members and force us to vote for the National Synod called Parliament. The system of Government adopted by Australia remains pure Anglican, with the Queen as head of the Church, Head of the Army, and Head of the Law and Parliament, not because She is a person, but because She was ordained in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey in 1953 to represent Almighty God as Sovereign.

Church and State under Roman Governments were one and the same. English Law is an exception. The English separated Church power and State power, in the Magna Carta in 1297, and reinforced the separation of powers in 1640 in the Habeas Corpus Act 1640 16 Charles 1 Ch X. A war followed and in 1688 a King and Queen who would retain the Separation of Powers, were installed. Jury trial was the cornerstone of English law, Protestant Christianity , and their and our Constitution. Its abolition for forty years is an aberration that must be corrected.

In 1970, New South Wales enacted a law to give lawyers absolute power, just like the Roman Governments in Spain, and elsewhere. The English would not allow a lawyer/priest representing God ( Queen) to exercise power, except on the verdict of a jury.

In 1970, the State of New South Wales became a Church State, and a committee of lawyer/priests makes all the law that matters. Instead of One God/Sovereign , we have nine Parliaments all claiming to be Sovereign/Gods appointing Judges. The lawyers they allow to practice, Judges and Magistrates are their merciless enforcers. Church and “Court” and State are one.

TRUTHNOW78: I'd much prefer my kid to be in Long Bay Gaol than in Hillsong. He'd stand more chance of emerging psychologically intact.

Well there aint no tellin how some people think. Psychologically intact after a stint in Long Bay Gaol. Whew, how some people hate to admit someone else may be doing some good. Even an atheist Pommy Journalist admitted in the Times that the Christian systems are working in Africa. The ABCD that Christianity teaches has turned around the Aids epidemic in many communities. Of course unless you went to Hillsong you would not know. A stands for Aids, B stands for belief in chastity, commitment and monogamy. C stands for Christ, and D stands for Death.

The really sad thing about Africa is the majority of victims are women and it is rape, not consensual sex that gives them aids. You never see a Hillsong Girl drunk in the pub. You never see the young people doing anything but dancing, singing, and having a great time. all without the benefit or curse of alcohol. One of our pastors said she was surprised when her parents opposed her committment to Hillsong.

She had thought they would be pleased she did not do bongs any more, get drunk and throw up under the table in a pub, or wind up in some strangers bed with no memory of what had happened. Hillsong turns lives around, by teaching the fundamentals of living, healing the wounded and abused and extending a hand of friendship to all who come to Jesus Christ.

Hillsong does not judge people, and the whole of Australia would be a better place, if it realised that judging another is a deadly sin. In fact judgment is reserved for God Almighty, He gave it to Jesus Christ in the New Testament,and Jesus Christ gave it to the Holy Spirit. Christianity differs from all other religions, as the Lex Misericordiae, the Law of Mercy. Judge not that ye be not judged. Get that Mr Magistrate.You can give people Christian juries.

On my fundamental belief that "by their deeds shall they be known", I have found Hillsong folk to display some of the least objectionable traits of any brand of Christianity. Right up there with the Salvos, in fact.

I know quite a few, by the way. They are mostly young, invariably bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, and have a significantly positive outlook on life. As employees (I have employed three in the past two years, to my knowledge) they are diligent and honest. All had church- and/or charity-related activities that they conduct in their spare time.

None has attempted to proselytise, but at the same time none has hidden their allegiance. I haven't heard one word about the evil of other religions, not a syllable against Islam. Nor has any discussed the inner workings of their church, or expressed concern that they might be somehow being ripped off.

I speak as I find. As far as I am concerned, if someone needs religion as part of their emotional support mechanism, Hillsong represents one of its least harmful manifestations.