Voddie Baucham Jr in Australia

[courtlylove]

I've been a lurker here for quite a while, but have only posted a couple of times so far.

I just had an 'AAARRRRRGGGGG' moment when I found out that a young person I know is a 'Pastoral Intern' at a fundie church not far from me, and he is promoting a visit by Voddie Baugham Jr, scheduled for mid-April.

I'd love to be able to go and observe, but I really, REALLY don't want this young man being able to identify me … which he would easily be able to because of our common interest.

[miffy]

I've been a lurker here for quite a while, but have only posted a couple of times so far.

I just had an 'AAARRRRRGGGGG' moment when I found out that a young person I know is a 'Pastoral Intern' at a fundie church not far from me, and he is promoting a visit by Voddie Baugham Jr, scheduled for mid-April.

I'd love to be able to go and observe, but I really, REALLY don't want this young man being able to identify me … which he would easily be able to because of our common interest.

I looked it up, he is doing a seminar for a bible church in Endeavour Hills(ages away, off my radar), but the actual event is at the Melbourne School Of Theology on Burwood highway, which is only ten mins or so on the freeway. Tempted!

It's really strange to me that it's on Easter Saturday. The Easter weekend is a pretty big deal for my particular flavour of Christianity.

[courtlylove]

Yep - Endeavour Hills is less than half an hours drive for me.

[Minijumb]

Also popping out of lurkdom for a min. I don't know where in Aus you are, but he will also be near me next month. Meetings he is speaking at are free, and I don't really give a rats about anyone recognising me; however, his visit coincides with my husband travelling overseas and the middle of the last frantic data collection period for my research, so I probably won't be able to use up valuable babysitting resources or work time to go and check him out :(

I would have thought that the patriarchal/ dominionist perspective would be too radical for Australians. I would be interested to see how the audience responds to his message.

[lilith]

Is he coming to Sydney?

[uber frau]

Or Perth? (so bummed the NCFFIC deigned us unworthy of their presence last year-but Hobart wasn't, go figure).

[fancypants]

He'll be the keynote speaker at Keswick Convention in Perth April 11-13.

[Minijumb]

Yes, I'm in Perth. I was surprised he was going to Keswick. It's been awhile since I've been in church, but I would have thought he'd be way too out there for Keswick. But I could be wrong.

[Hane]

USAdian here: Is it just me, or does the whole fundie-lite version of non-denominational Christianity seem to be leaking into Australia? From what I've read, Australians have tended to be mostly mainstream Christians or unchurched.

[courtlylove]

As far as I can determine there are pockets of fundie lite communities throughout the country, with a particularly large and vocal contingent in the state of Queensland.

[Arete]

I doubt Voddie is going to lay out the full crazy during this tour. These cults tend to creep up gently.....

[flubber]

As far as I can determine there are pockets of fundie lite communities throughout the country, with a particularly large and vocal contingent in the state of Queensland.

Really? Where? They can't be too vocal, I've never heard them.

Although I'm sure it's all right up our honourable PM's alley, but he'd never get the votes if he admitted it.

[lilith]

USAdian here: Is it just me, or does the whole fundie-lite version of non-denominational Christianity seem to be leaking into Australia? From what I've read, Australians have tended to be mostly mainstream Christians or unchurched.

ATI has a yearly conference here that seems to be fairly well attended. That's where the pecan thief got his akubra hat.

I have also heard anecdotally that conservative Christian homeschoolers are becoming a significant minority among the hippie/alternative lifestylers homeschooling majority here

[lilith]

Really? Where? They can't be too vocal, I've never heard them.

Although I'm sure it's all right up our honourable PM's alley, but he'd never get the votes if he admitted it.

Not really, as a hardcore catholic he wouldn't be too fond of most fundie lites and they would probably prefer Fred Nile's Christian Democrats.

[uber frau]

There's a fairly large fundie/super conservative set in Tasmania from what I have seen. There's pockets here in Perth but not.that many. We do have our fair share of Exclusive (Plymouth) Brethren though.

[uber frau]

ATI has a yearly conference here that seems to be fairly well attended. That's where the pecan thief got his akubra hat.

I have also heard anecdotally that conservative Christian homeschoolers are becoming a significant minority among the hippie/alternative lifestylers homeschooling majority here

The fundie movement comes from a few sources IMO. Most of them are homegrown but all have them have had a significant boost from the US movement (mostly in ideas and moral support, rather than actual ppl). In general, the Australian population is pretty non-religious so the religious folk tend to stick out more obviously. Maybe it's just because I know to look.

When it comes to schooling it's worth mentioning that the funding structure for private schools is very different to the US or Canadian models. Basically, the federal government hands out a certain amount of money per year to every school for every student enrolled. It doesn't matter if the school is public or Catholic or Independent, as long as it meets government guidelines. I'm not sure of the exact figures but I'm pretty sure for primary school kids, it works out to about $12 grand a year. It's more for high schoolers. The private schools can charge fees to cover costs over and about what they get from the government but, for all but the most exclusive private schools, the majority of the budget comes from government funding. Independent church-run schools are common and quite affordable for most middle income earners here and it's not unusual for school funding to be supplemented with church tithes. It makes it comparatively easy for even a big fundy family to send their children to a christian school and it also decreases the support for the fundy homeschool movement.

When it comes to alternative schools, it tends to be much harder to run an alternative school to state education department guidelines. There's fewer of them and most of them are fairly expensive. There are some Christian homeschoolers who favour alternative education but, in general, Christian homeschooling and alternative homeschooling are two fairly different beasts.

[lilith]

The fundie movement comes from a few sources IMO. Most of them are homegrown but all have them have had a significant boost from the US movement (mostly in ideas and moral support, rather than actual ppl). In general, the Australian population is pretty non-religious so the religious folk tend to stick out more obviously. Maybe it's just because I know to look.

When it comes to schooling it's worth mentioning that the funding structure for private schools is very different to the US or Canadian models. Basically, the federal government hands out a certain amount of money per year to every school for every student enrolled. It doesn't matter if the school is public or Catholic or Independent, as long as it meets government guidelines. I'm not sure of the exact figures but I'm pretty sure for primary school kids, it works out to about $12 grand a year. It's more for high schoolers. The private schools can charge fees to cover costs over and about what they get from the government but, for all but the most exclusive private schools, the majority of the budget comes from government funding. Independent church-run schools are common and quite affordable for most middle income earners here and it's not unusual for school funding to be supplemented with church tithes. It makes it comparatively easy for even a big fundy family to send their children to a christian school and it also decreases the support for the fundy homeschool movement.

When it comes to alternative schools, it tends to be much harder to run an alternative school to state education department guidelines. There's fewer of them and most of them are fairly expensive. There are some Christian homeschoolers who favour alternative education but, in general, Christian homeschooling and alternative homeschooling are two fairly different beasts.

I think you misunderstood me - I meant that conservative Christian homeschoolers are becoming a significant minority of homeschoolers, most of whom tend to be alternative lifestylers and/or live in cery remote areas here in Australia. The CC element is distinct - it's not generally using the methods or groups that hippie homeschoolers use, in fact many CC homeschoolers here are importing US curriculum. But anecdotally, I'm hearing from hippie homeschoolers I know that the last decade has seen a big increase in CC homeschoolers. They tend to try the established co-ops and resource sharing groups but not stick around because there is little common ground, and single mothers, unmarried parents, lack of modesty etc are prevalent in the alternative community.

[uber frau]

Yes. Sorry, reading comprehension fail.

[Minijumb]

Some of the leaders of Nile's Christian Democrats (at least in Perth) are, in fact US transplants. They even have their own pregnancy crisis centre, who came out to give fantastically inaccurate 'sex ed' to my fundy lite high school back in the day. Maybe Australia is their mission field?

[lilith]

Some of the leaders of Nile's Christian Democrats (at least in Perth) are, in fact US transplants. They even have their own pregnancy crisis centre, who came out to give fantastically inaccurate 'sex ed' to my fundy lite high school back in the day. Maybe Australia is their mission field?

Wasn't some young fundie girl trying to fundraise for a "mission trip" to New Zealand? It wouldn't surprise me if secular Australia aroused their interest. ATI sends couples here.

I'd feel much better about the Shrader family if they were heading here. Even if they wouldn't get Medicare Esther and the kids would still be a lot safer. But I suspect an Australian holiday is harder to get funding for, and far less romantic.

[Minijumb]

Heh, could you imagine the Shraders getting visas? You generally need some sort of desirable skill these days, though they may still have the religious worker visa.

[lilith]

Heh, could you imagine the Shraders getting visas? You generally need some sort of desirable skill these days, though they may still have the religious worker visa.

We probably do have a demographic shortage of lunatic quiverful fundamentalists.

[miffy]

Would Shrader even want to live in a country with a very Catholic PM? Also even the most entrenched Centerlink 'worker' would probably look down on him for his lifestyle.

He might be able to get a 457 & go work in a mine, but that would involve seriously hard work. Something I doubt he is capable of.

[lilith]

Would Shrader even want to live in a country with a very Catholic PM? Also even the most entrenched Centerlink 'worker' would probably look down on him for his lifestyle.

He might be able to get a 457 & go work in a mine, but that would involve seriously hard work. Something I doubt he is capable of.

Surely an open catholic is better than the secret Muslim he probably assumes Obama is. He could even get pictures with cute black babies in Central Australia. Or Central Station, but that probably wouldn't be quite so picturesque for the folks back home financing him.

[uber frau]

Some of the leaders of Nile's Christian Democrats (at least in Perth) are, in fact US transplants. They even have their own pregnancy crisis centre, who came out to give fantastically inaccurate 'sex ed' to my fundy lite high school back in the day. Maybe Australia is their mission field?

Is that the 'Pregnancy Problem House"?