"Christian youth is deinstitutionalizing the American church for the first time in about 400 years. "

Aside from multiple 'Great Awakenings' and other religious revivals, the changes wrought upon the Catholic Church in America. And the establishment/growth/division of sects without number.

In short, a large amount of the religious history of America.

Can't Salon get somebody who knows anything?

Since I was raised in a cult, (Church Universal and Trimphant), I have a special understanding of the destructive forces at work. The psychological damage of this type of environment cannot be understood by those who have not lived it. Unless you can pull yourself out of it through intensive therapy and introspection, it will ruin your life.

That these organizations take root at all is a testament to human weakness. As long as people have a choice, some of them will decide to embrace totalistic "belief systems" which ironically take away their freedom to choose. It's hard for me to understand how modern liberated women could embrace such a misogynistic nightmare. The men who rely on a book to justify their insecurity and codify their domination of women are equally pathetic. When will men grow up enough to deal with women on equal terms? When will women learn to love themselves enough to stay away from these women-hating religions? How can both sexes continue to be so gullible?

Apparently for some, this abdication is preferrable to a true and deep confrontation with their existential pain, uncertainty, and fear of death. We cannot have self-knowledge without this pain. While attractive at first as an escape, and an exclusive club for believers, cults are a psychological meat-grinder. They have one goal, and that is to destroy people's uniqueness and break their will. Mars Hill promotes the illusion of diversity by its acceptance of modern styles. But no amount of allowances for personal expression, tatoos, etc. can make up for its theofascist demands for congregants to accept the bloody bible as literal truth. An auditorium full of pierced and tattoed fundamentalists is no less scary than one of the scrubbed-and-suited variety.

I wish there was a way to mount a secular response to this type of group, but I don't think it's possible. Secularists are generally strong individuals who would never go in for this sort of thing. They do not readily form communities, which would be needed to 'compete' with the likes of Mars Hill. Since we are all different, we have different needs. It would be like herding cats. It may take generations for today's converts to discover the true price they are paying for their false certitudes. Unfortunately, a free society has no choice but to allow this process to unfold on its own terms.

Folks-

I've been involved with creating some of the vidoes that Mars Hill uses (HighWayvideo.com). I very much appreciate the article that Salon has created here, and how they have honestly portrayed a very exciting and thriving branch of evangelical Christianity.

If none of you have ever experienced what a vibrant, welcoming experience it is to be part of a "young" church like Mars Hill- well, you're missing a big pleasure of life.

My church is like Mars Hill, and the people there are as cool and welcoming as ever you'd find. No judgement, no condemnation, just people ready to hang out with you and help you live a more fruitful life.

I know, I know, many of you are so full of rage and angst and self-whatever that you just can't get around the idea of someone loving God, being a deciple of Jesus and not being a jerk or a clone of Jerry Falwell. But they exist.

My pastor is not only one of the most cosmopolitan, funny, topical, and well-read people I've ever met- he's helpful. I get information every week on how I can live a happier life here and now, not just help to get to spend eternity in heaven.

The modern Christian isn't just living for death, the modern Christian is part of the society. We're your neighbors, we have cookouts, and yes, we sometimes have a beer. We're regular folks.

We love people, and we love to help people. I won't go on and on about volunteer work or whatever, but believe me, I've done my share and glad to do so.

Mars Hill is a shining example of the future we can all embrace, one where tattood, pierced up, or broken or clean cut or black, white, Asian, Muslim or Jew can all approach the throne of God together, to worship God and to have fun.

It's possible. Don't flame me that it's impossible or that I have to be filled with hate and intollerance and all that, because I'm not. You don't know me. You haven't been to church with me. If you have, you'll know different.

Hopefully, you all are wondering, just a little, if there really could be cool people who also go to church. Hopefully, someday, this will lead to you doing some real investigating- experience, for yourself. Go see. Believe. Enjoy.

As a small business owner who shares the neighborhood with these folks, their Sunday parade is quite a sight. Young, hip sheeple on their way to feel-goodiness. Incidentally, these wealthy young troglodytes just bought up another huge parcel of land/buildings. They are the church that ate Ballard, and we all wonder where it is going to end.

Pass the Kool-Aid.

I was drawn into one of these churches.

It's part of a mainline Protestant denomination, and certainly it's not as obvious about the "populate the world with more Christians" message: That may not even be an idea with which my former church agrees (consciously, at least).

But the pop-culture references in sermons, check; various tattoos and/or piercings accepted, check; musicians and artists welcome, check. The appearance of intellectualism, check; and a veneer of acceptance of ME, check.

But over time, I came to realize that the way that these people confused their view of "Biblical Manhood and Womanhood" (whatever that is) with the gospel of Jesus Christ was nothing but spiritual abuse. Period.

One huge difficulty, as another letter writer alluded to, is that it's hard to explain to others how a situation can be abusive, even though no one has lifted a finger against you. Nevermind that their misconceptions are tied up in their ideas/feelings for/ideas about/etc. God as they understand God. Whew.

But also, when it's not actually preached from the pulpit, directly, but occasionally slips out in attitudes and opinions, and is instead largely promoted by the culture...People can and will deny the existance of pressure to get married. And reproduce. And give the man the sole responsibility of supporting the family financially, while the woman stays home.

Or maybe it's okay to not do that, but whatever your family looks like, don't forget that the man is the head of the family, the head of the household.

Anyway, I'm glad to be out of there. I can breathe again. I feel very sorry for (in particular, although I am sorry for every child who is raised in this type of environment) the women who were raised in such a family. Will they ever trust themselves? Their own opinions? Their own judgements? It's really sad.

Still a Christian, but now reading and studying the Bible through the lens of the culture in which it was written, rather than through the lens of the culture in which I live.