Politicians flock to Hillsong conference

It is good to see politicians paying attention to a Christian message [as reported to-day in The Age] and I am sure I would rather have Bob Carr saying those words of approval than excoriating Christians in the press. But then I run into problems. I think of Jesus walking the earth and how he was treated by religious and political leaders and establishment. Above even that are His words of woe. He spoke them in the Sermon on the Mount to his disciples (Luke 6:26)

Woe to you

when all men speak well of you

for so their fathers did to the false prophets

It is always well to remember that one of the greatest attributes of the successful politician is his or her ability to count. Politics is always a numbers game. Currently politicians believe that Hillsong has the numbers - in Victoria the numbers actually equal a quota+1 for the Senate. I hesitate to say that politicians would turn up for the opening of an envelope by the devil if the numbers were there - they may not but I know they would be sorely tempted. And, if the Assemblies of God are tempted to think they are flavour of the month, they should bear in mind that the Catholics still have the numbers and Cardinal Pell and his sidekicks are equal or better to their organisational skills and certainly carry a lot more influence in the halls of power.