Church sermons--think back.

[The Backlash Cometh]

I can't remember when I first noticed it, maybe in the early Bush years, when I got the impression that church sermons were being astroturfed. I think the idea first came to me when I heard a sermon in my church, and then read just about the same, word for word, in an article. Does anyone know how these sermons come to life? Are they original ideas, or is there some place that is sending them out to keep a uniform message?

[Capitalocracy]

1. Recced to zero.

There was very little reporting on a letter campaign by the Bush camp directly to churches in 2004. It's an interesting question, to be sure, but I don't have a smoking gun to show you.

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. I think it came in too early for people to catch on to what was going on.

[patrice]

15. I can tell you that on Kerry phone-banks, some Catholics volunteered the information that they were

receiving such letters, ostensibly written by lay leaders in their parishes, on official parish letter-head.

I heard this 3 times in the course of several phone banks over several weeks.

I remember one of the parishes that was having this experience in our metro-area was St. Elizabeth's.

[SheilaT]

2. Why would you be attending a

church that would do such a thing?

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. I stopped going to church shortly afterwards.

At the time, it was everywhere. The looney right and their billboard messages.

How quickly people forget.

[SheilaT]

20. In my case I haven't been

to any kind of church services in very many years, so luckily I miss that kind of crap.

[patrice]

16. Because it's a fascinating question? . . . research? I would if I had the time & stomach for it. nt

[sinkingfeeling]

5. Go to Google and type in 'sermons'. There are dozens of sites offering pre-written sermons and

downloads. Then you can type in 'sermons for xxxx' where the xxxx is any given denomination and you'll get the same thing. I tired 'sermons for Baptisits' and came up with over 16 million hits.

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. Thanks. Shame we weren't paying more attention back then, in the

days leading to the wars to see if someone was intentionally gaming the system.

[Critters2]

23. In my denomination, using downloadable sermons can get one defrocked.

I wouldn't dare use these sites. I like eating too much.

[Brickbat]

6. Depends on the church, of course.

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. I would think so too.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

10. Not in my church

:shrug:

But I recall a DUer a few years back who was the son of an Assembly of God minister who said that the Republicans had effectively taken over that denomination.

[Blue Meany]

9. Different denominations have listservs for clergy in which they

share sermons and ideas for sermons. There are even some that cross denominations, I think.

[Capitalocracy]

11. There's actually a Google ad for downloading sermons on the OP

for those of us whose stars have run out and were too poor to donate this last fund drive

[Ilsa]

12. The Southern Baptist Association has groups within, like subsidiaries, that groom

certain memes and philosophies in their members, teachers, leaders, and pastors. They'll promote ideas such as teaching teenage men that they have to be the bosses in their families, just as they work on teaching the young women to be subservient. these are ideas that are sometimes subtly reinforced in sermons.

The Sunday School curriculum usually follows a theme that can be reinforced, indirectly, in sermons.

[indurancevile]

13. I don't understand why this got moved. The OP is asking a political question, not a

religious one.

And there was a concerted effort to take over churches in the 80s & beyond. Including mainline denominations.

Churches are a weapon of politics, and the right is in the drivers seat on that front.

[The Backlash Cometh]

14. You're absolutely correct. I think it's because they went too political

that they destroyed their own spiritual high ground.

Maybe the mods think there are too many posts on the subject today? Can't be helped since that report came out.

[patrice]

17. Pardon, . . . which report, please? nt

[The Backlash Cometh]

18. .

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/sfl-fv-blog-working-class,0,1298406.story

[patrice]

19. Thanks!

:hi:

[rrneck]

21. Because religions are

corporate media empires producing a product for profit.

[Critters2]

22. In my tradition, using the words of another in a sermon without public attribution

makes a pastor liable to disciplinary action. Doing it too often can get one defrocked. Plagiarism is frowned on in the pulpit as it is in print. So, I don't know what you mean by "these sermons", but I think your brush is a little broader than necessary.