Because church and state have been separate in America since the revolution, churches have had to compete for adherents. This has led many to embrace marketing techniques (such as advertising and market research) and technology to a far greater extent than churches in countries that have some degree of state support. As a result, they are far more competitive and entrepreneurial, and the consumers respond accordingly: 44 per cent of Americans embrace a brand of Christianity different to the one they were brought up in.

Michael Duffy of the SMH reviews God Is Back: How The Global Rise Of Faith Is Changing The World, by John Micklethwait and Adrian Wooldridge, is published by Allen Lane/Penguin.

Because Australasia is apologetic about its small cousin image, as a small South Asian Nation, it has to some extent mocked the global reach of a Sydney based, evangelical Church, that has and is evangelizing the United States, South Africa, The United Kingdom, Russia France and Sweden, and is having an enormous impact, boxing way above its weight in the global competition to teach the word of GOD.

Michael Duffy is a very thoughtful and insightful reporter columnist. What do you think is happening. My position that Church and State were separated in Australia but have now been merged, under the influence of secularists, may or may not be adopted by a report to be issued soon, by the Committee investigating the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Father Frank Brennan is one of the members of a Church threatened by evangelical churches

God is back to the extent
that all the male gods
have come home to roost,
Peter the Believer.

the question seems rather vague[or is it missleading]there are so many deceptions[missconceptions regarding god...god as far as i am concerned has never been born[being eternal,and as far as i am concerned most definitivly isnt jesus]

jesus..is by far/..one of the greatest revealers of god,..but is not the only..'son'..of the father..[of all living]...my problem with many churches being they worship the messenger..[abouve god]...this extends into the abrahamic sects as well..[i would say peace be upon all the messengers]

jesus revealed the personal god,..who lives in real time..[not dead holy texts,..i have reverance for all the holy texts..[except the talmud]...as well as the messengers/..who collectivly reveal the living loving light sustaining all life to live

i feel that god is like water..[that religions are like wells,..all revealing the same body of water...from seeing one hillsong service[live]..i found it interesting,..but not memorable...i recall mainly a wooden bridge..[prop]...and an overly attentive focus on song
#
[and while they all are meritorous,..they do little to elivate our honour to living/loving/god

the commands are quite clear..[we are..to put none before god...not son nor holy-ghost..not trinity,..not ritual..there is but one..[god is one]..

and while the body of christ..[all those called]..to the father..in his name]..contains many good and true...it is only by service..[like god serves/..even the least..to live]..

that the true reasons of love of neighbour..may bear its fruit...we love each other/..not for love of other..[but to better know the love of one..[the one..who loves all]

at hillsong..i did see a lot of love..[but i went there because of love,..it just seemed..the focus point/..of the love..was for the messenger,..not so much understanding his message..[

yet the play i saw..was meant to make more clear his message..that we might get a more clear knowing of the living good..[god]...but in at least two parts..diverted the messagers intent..[like the blind leading the blind]...all with a higher intent..[and much love,..

but..in the end..not drawing the all..to the one...[only joining one and other]...god is personal..[like teaching a man to fish feeds him for life...knowing all good/..is of god..could give each their knowing..of his good voice..being within us all..[not in govt]

Dear Peter,

Marianne Williamson in her book, "Illuminata,"
I think sums it up beautifully:

"There is a spiritual renaissance sweeping the world.
It is a revolution in the way we think.

Most people feel it, some deride it, many embrace it
and no one can stop it.

It's torchbearers are a motley mix. Some are religious
in a raditional sense, while some are not.

Some are successful in the world, while some are not.
Some genuinely like one another while some do not.
Some are politically liberal, while some are conservative.
Some seek Truth in fellowship and some seek Truth alone.
Some are old and some are young. They are an assorted
group, an unlabeled group but together in spirit they are
affecting the world in significant ways. They are turning
away from purely worldly orientation...However disparate
their personalities and interests, they all agree on one
very important point: Mankind has come to a major
crossroads, at which the spirit alone can lead them
toward human survival..."

I think the important point that Williamson is making
is that, "We have begun to recognize that our
individual minds create our collective realities, and
we are ready to take responsibility for the world by
taking more seriously our individual contributions
to it. Personal transformation can and does have global
effects. The revolution that will save the world is
untimately a personal one..."

Bush brought back the Cristian God and turned him against muslim's!
As the problems on the earth are growing up, all Gods, good and bad , old and new returned back to wonder their creatures!
Oooo! my god what creatures gods created!
Run, run away, before gods start fighting each other! They are more crazy from their creators!
Antonios Symeonakis
Adelaide

Recently during an insomniac night, I had occasion to read the Book of Job. The King James Version of the Bible, has references to the critical governance parts, like Genesis 49 Verse 10, and Isaiah 9 Verse 6, with little black stars next to them. The oldest Bible I have is dated from 1829.

The story in Job, is of a righteous man whose material wealth which was considerable, was taken from him, in a contest between God and Satan. Various individuals then did their best to get Job to denounce Almighty God, and curse him to his face. This Job steadfastly refused to do even in the face of great affliction. In the end Satan has to admit that Job is the ultimate righteous man, and no matter what misfortune is visited upon him, he will not denounce his God. Many of us are tested in a crucible, to see if we are worthy. Finally when it is clear Job loves God almost more than life itself, because his life is no longer worth living, God restores him to all his wealth and power.

Australia has been in the testing stage since 1952. We have invented the greatest affliction on men ever devised called the Family Court. If women were not so darn attractive, the Family Court would cause men to give them up, and many have. The abolition of God Almighty as the sole Sovereign, in Australia and the substitution of Judges and Magistrates for Him, with absolute power in practical terms over every one of their fellow men, ( and women) is Islamic or ancient Egyptian. It has been 59 years since we had a Prime Minister who was not a lawyer. In 1952, the first lawyer coup took place, and you the people of Australia were deprived of the benefit of a Federal Supreme Court.

When the Federal Court of Australia was established right after the Family Court, it further created a Temple to Man. That Temple continues to violate the civil and political rights of all Australians, and will do so until Kevin Rudd moves