How do others view such Christian religions? The Evangelicals, the Pentecostals, and the older fundamentalist Christians. Are they simply "happy clappers", with the odd ball door knockers, more an inconvenience for most, rather than a problem. These religions are not new in Australia, evangelicalism kicked off in the 1920's, the Jehovah's Witnesses (International Bible Students Association) in 1914. All have their roots in the United States, and all have a commonality that the Bible is the first and last word on everything. While the mainstream Christian denominations have seen a decline in numbers, with an ever ageing congregation, my wife's local Anglican Church would have an average age of 70+. Not so the above, growing rich on a young cashed up congregation of under 40's, offering a rock style of religion that promises so much, one group can even boast of having the current PM as a devotee. Are these "new" fundo Christians nothing more than a benign group of happy clappers rockn' an rolln' to an upbeat version of 'Kum Ba Yah'.

Given a recent family experience, where a niece, and initially her partner, both in their 30's with 3 small children, fell in with one of these revivalist style churches. Once the novelty wore off for him, she become more and more involved and it has now lead to their long standing relationship breaking down. The niece has gone to the extreme of cutting off all family contact, even changing her mobile phone number to one known only to trusted people. To me there is more to the happy clappers than meets the eye, bigotry, control, stc.

Hi Paul,

I've not had any really bad experiences like
your niece has had with any religious group.
I feel sorry for your niece and your family.
I hope things will end well for all concerned.

I've had the door-knockers - but they've always
been polite and I've never turned down their
literature. I prefer the old traditional
church services and I have to admit I do miss
the Latin mass even though I didn't understand
most of the words. Still there was something
special about them.

Whether there is a danger in these religions?
I guess like anything it depends on the people
running them. You get people who are motivated
by different things - not all of them are good.
That's human nature. Not religion to use religion
for their own selfish, greedy and immoral means.
Even the traditional religions have often erred.

We need to keep our eyes open before we fall for any
of the hokum being preached.

The worst fundamentalist threat to Australian comes from the Greens, whose nutbag leader, with the ONLY lower house seat the Greens have, declaring a list of SHADOW MINISTERS! This nutter thinks that his nutty party is the Opposition! He is probably so sure of Labor’s reliance on the Greens that a coalition might be formed with a cranky Labor leader who hasn't learnt the climate change lesson from his predecessor's big-time loss at the last election; he will need all help the Greens and their delusional supporters can give him - particularly now that Morrison is dumping the dud subs and putting us into the AUKUS defence camp.

The only person with any brains on the Green Labor side is Joel Fitzgibbon who has the sense to jump ship at the next election.

Of course there's a danger! Indeed the danger is arguably greatest to evangelical Christians, as it causes them to miss the point of what's in the Bible. Although IMO the danger is actually greatest to those who view Christianity as hostile because of that.

However whether the JWs belong in that category is debatable - they have their own agenda which, though a Biblical justification for it has been contrived, is set by the leaders of their organization and has very little to do with Jesus. Christians widely regard JWs as a cult.

Who are fundamental Christians in Australia?

What evidence is there that these people, if they exist, are a threat to Australia?

Hi Foxy,

Just on the niece, what I knew of her before she got "religion", and I knew her well, was that of a vivacious young woman, fun loving and a little bit outrageous. Her outgoing personality would make her the life of the party, great to have around. Despite the party persona she was a good mother devoted to her children, and a loving partner. I did, as did her favourite Aunty, notice subtle changes to her personality before we left Sydney three years ago. Becoming very defensive of her new religion, and surprisingly judgemental of others who she believed were on the wrong path, like her Dad and sister, I can only imagine what she thought of this atheist, although to respectful to say. Her partner blames the Church and some within, for the break up, as it and they become more important in her life than anything else, with the possible exception of the children.

She is actually our grandniece, being the granddaughter of my wife's oldest sister and her husband, now deceased. In Maori culture that makes her a mokopuna of ours, and her welfare is seen as our responsibility.