Hillsong poli free

This year's Hillsong convention, the annual conference of Sydney's largest evangelical church, will apparently involve no key note addresses or high profile appearances by politicians. This decision was made by the church, following significant cries of protest (including mine) resulting from last years fiasco. Last year, no less than 16 politicians, including 5 federal ministers and a state premier, made appearances on this high profile evangelical cat walk. A number of them also addressed the stadium of church followers, in what can only be described as U.S style politics.

This is an admirable move by the Hillsong church. I have no issue with any politicians choice of religious belief. I do not have a problem with them attending this event as a private member of the church. I do, however, have a problem when politics is played to the extent that it was last year. The thought of both major parties vying for the vote of the religious right sends more than a few shivers down my spine. Clearly, the church would have benefited greatly from the high profile attendees last year, which is also of great concern to me. Politicians yield power in a number of ways. Having state premiers and federal ministers addressing a huge stadium of church followers is in my view, an abuse of the power bestowed upon them by the voters. They have not been given their high profile positions for their religious beliefs, nor have they been given it to endorse a particular faith. Why can't they just sit up the back and sing along like everyone else.

So I applaud the Hillsong church for nipping this one in the bud (well maybe not quite, but at least before it became totally ridiculous). Now the convention will no doubt focus on the real task at hand - axing big brother.