Destiny Church and its mates

Hey friends,

Brain Tamaki’s Destiny Church has always been loud and offensive. Though a relatively fairly small congregation, they’ve managed to capture the media’s attention for years with their abhorrent views and actions.

A few weeks ago, it was no surprise to hear about their last scummy act: violently protesting a Pride event in an Auckland library, punching, pushing, and shoving their way inside. It was reminiscent of Trump supporters storming the Capitol.

Brian Tamaki’s disciples forced their way up the library stairs, with two women throwing punches at those in their way. A 16-year-old girl was left with a concussion after being assaulted.

Why were they protesting, you ask?

Destiny Church followers are enraged by the growing empowerment of LGBTQI identities and voices.

As Anton Blank writes, Brian Tamaki, like many conservative men, is terrified of what happens when rigid gender norms collapse. Because when masculinity isn’t defined by dominance, where does that leave him?

Christian fundamentalists have been spinning fake news about ‘Pride Propaganda’ since the gay protests of the 1960s. They want to turn the clock back to the dark ages, when men led and women served—no in betweens, no outliers, no exceptions.

But maybe Brian Tamaki should be looking closer to home. A few months ago, one of his church’s youth leaders pleaded guilty to hundreds of sexual assaults on boys in one of their youth groups.

It’s not only Destiny Church.

The reason this situation has stayed on my mind this week is that many people are overlooking the fact that these issues go far beyond just one organisation. The loud and proud gay haters at Destiny aren’t on their own.

With Destiny Church in the headlines, other New Zealand churches are managing to keep in the shadows. But they’re all connected.

Destiny’s Brian Tamaki alongside City Impact’s Peter Mortlock and Life’s Paul De Jong smiling for the camera at Spark Arena for a giant gathering of like-minded pentecostal and evangelical churches called “Open Heaven”.

David Farrier writes (paraphrased):

All the other much bigger, much wealthier churches in New Zealand like Arise, Life, and City Impact essentially hold exactly the same beliefs as Destiny Church. They all teach that being gay or trans is a sin, and anyone engaging in that “lifestyle” are sinners who are going directly to hell for all eternity.

They just don’t get any attention for it as they’re quieter and more subtle than Brian Tamaki. They keep their heads down.

David continues:

The idea that Destiny is the only violent megachurch in New Zealand is misleading.

A small number of Destiny church members chose violence. But what’s the difference between Destiny church members who didn’t choose violence at an Auckland library, and members of Arise, City Impact and Life? How are they so much worse than church leaders and members who hold identical beliefs at other churches?

Surely these other churches aren’t like Destiny?

Maybe New Zealand’s biggest churches see that Destiny Church took things too far?

David Farrier sent an email to all of these megachurches who follow the same pentecostal and evangelical teachings that Brian Tamaki hands out week after week. He asked one a simple question:

Does your church condemn the behaviour of Destiny church at the Te Atatū library?

None of them chose to condemn it.

As David writes, they didn’t answer because they support Brian Tamaki, and believe what he believes. They’re just quieter about it.

Just what Jesus would have wanted!

All this megachurch stuff continues to fascinate me. When I started exploring Christianity two years ago, as well as discovering how much good they can do, I quickly saw the power these organisations had to do harm—particularly when the victims of megachurch Arise were gave a voice, which led to its leaders resigning in shame.

It’s a strange conflict. Most of my favourite people are Christians. They’re incredible people with hearts of gold. They struggle to even feel hate, let alone ever project it onto others! But somehow, the modern megachurch has inspired so much hate towards some of our communities.

For a religion that is supposed to be all about loving thy neighbour, you’ve got to wonder if anyone involved has even read the bible. But hey, hating trans and queer people is exactly what Jesus wanted from his followers, right?

Let’s just be kind to each other. Surely that’s what Jesus would have wanted.

Have a good week and be kind,

Ben x

---

Two thoughts from James Clear that got me thinking this week

On living a life full of life:

"There are two ways to live a longer life:

1) Biologically. Extend the timeline between your birth and your death.

2) Psychologically. Fit more lives into whatever time you are given.

Make each decade rich with experiences and perhaps you can live a handful of lives before you are done."

On things to minimise:

"Things that keep people from fulfilling their potential:

• Lacking the courage to try

• Trying to please everyone

• Imitating the desires of others

• Chasing status without questioning why

• Playing superhero and trying to do it all alone

• Dividing attention between too many projects"