THE NAKED CITY: POST PANDEMIC PROSELYTISING  

Missionary zeal has been a driving force in numerous religions for hundreds of years. Whether it’s the conversion of heathen savages or the more subtle recruitment techniques of the Hillsong Church, constantly expanding the congregation is a major priority. Covid has put a temporary halt to urban door knockers like the Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses but look out – proselytising is making a big comeback! 

We have probably all experienced an untimely visit at some stage from a couple of evangelists, out to offer us the keys to salvation. Young Mormon missionaries from America have regularly trekked to Australian cities and towns, conspicuous by their suits, ties and clean-cut appearance. A religious version of the old encyclopaedia or vacuum cleaner salesman, they like nothing more than to get a foot in your door and then drill you with a spiritual pitch that has been rehearsed and honed many times over. 

Like the Jehovah’s Witnesses, they never declare their church affiliation first off and there’s usually a seductive intro like “have you ever thought what the real meaning of life is?”. Needless to say they are well accustomed to hostile reactions, like doors slammed in their faces or being told to bugger off. From what I gather most Australians are surprisingly polite in their reaction, sometimes declaring their own religious affiliations or that dinner is just about to served.  

Whilst the missionaries are slowly returning, despite some houses now displaying the sign “NO JUNK RELIGION”, our letter boxes have become the target of a number of extreme religious ideologies. I recently received a glossy twelve page booklet titled ‘The Final Crisis’ which asked the question ”Living in the Earth’s last days. What does the future hold?”. Whilst  part of its message that “Sunday observance, when it is enforced by law, is the mark of the beast”, smacked of Seventh-Day Adventism, there was nothing to say who the issuing body was. 

The main gist of the literature however was a familiar one, that “never before has our world faced such a time of turmoil and fear” – that the day of  judgement is closer than the Brisbane Olympics. In a nutshell, the second coming of Christ, the destruction of all things ungodly and sanctuary in heaven for the true believers. It’s a prophecy embraced by many religions, often defined by the term ‘eschatology’ which deals with things like the end of life and the world itself. 

Whilst these old school predictions of salvation clearly draw from the Bible, there are modern manifestations like ‘the raptures’, a belief embraced by many American evangelicals. Come the day of reckoning, the true Christians will be spontaneously beamed up to heaven, as the rest of the world wallows in its sinful shame. As some have already pointed out, this would not be a good day to fly. Imagine the scenario if your God- fearing pilot and co-pilot were suddenly transported from the cockpit, leaving the plane to fly itself. 

Hollywood has dished up many versions of the apocalypse and Armageddon, most of them free of any religious connection or significance, save for a number of low budget Christian features. Nevertheless propagandists like ‘The Final Crisis’ clearly draw on these scenarios to create a climate of fear, luridly illustrated with images of countless meteors crashing to earth and the planet erupting in flames. It’s enough to scare the bejesus out of any small child who happens to pick up one of their pamphlets. 

Dig deeper into the message of ‘The Final Crisis” and you read “Dark Forces are using Covid-19 and the global climate emergency to introduce new systems and laws which ultimately lead to what they are now calling the ‘New World Order’”. Nothing like a bit of conspiracy to ram home the message. There’s also a distinct anti-Catholic content, illustrated with an image of the Pope underneath the numerals ‘666’ and criticism of Catholicism’s influence in the world. 

This is hard core proselytising, coming to a letterbox near you or your junk email. It almost makes you long for the cheery faces of a couple of young Mormon lads from Utah, even though you might politely tell them to piss off. Having said all that, next time you fly, you might gain some reassurance by confirming that the flight crew upfront are all card carrying atheists, Muslims, Buddhists or any denomination bar evangelicals.