While in New Zealand, we discovered that sticking ones’ tongue out was good for business. The Maoris believe in keeping alive the warrior faith that made them fearsome fighters. We witnessed bulging eyes and thrusting tongues out and down that were truly amazing and frightening. It is good for the good old Maori religion for little children to be raised so that tongues can stick out far beyond what is normal. We saw only three such displays, aside from movies such as Whale Rider. One, thrust impressively out to the side, was anemic compared to what look like disconnected, freewheeling tongues hanging down to the wearer’s chest. This making faces at enemies is only one example of the extremes believers can reach and it is good for business in some of New Zealand’s seedier neighborhoods.
Mr. Mel Gibson has become a household name because of his fervent faith in meticulously recounting the tale of how Jesus was sent to a horrible death by bloodthirsty Jews back in old Jerusalem. He is in the faith business. He will profit handsomely by distributing a unique movie. This one assures, although I have not yet seen it, that the frightening scenes of crucifying Jesus, once again, match the bloodiest horror movies Hollywood can come up with. Mr. Gibson defends his production as a matter of personal “faith”. His movie is good for bloody repetitions of executions by crucifixion that are matters of continual – in your face – witnessing the protestation of belief and faith in the instrument of the death of Jesus, the CROSS, where he has been nailed throughout two thousand years.
Fundamentalist Christians are supporting the State of Israel in the hope that they can pay for the reconstruction of the ancient Hebrew Temple on its original site where Muslim icons currently are situated. They have supported “Bible Land” theme parks here and there about the United States. They would dearly love to become honorary citizens of Israel in order to regularize and pump up the faith business that has languished since the Intifada and Islamic faith in Jihad has terrorized the Middle East. There is a competition growing here with Israel plum in the middle building a fence that is disputed among faith conscious Jews and secular Israelis who just want to keep wholesale murderers out of their country.
The faith business is one that is very vibrant these days. I do not know if houses of worship are filling up again. This is a phenomenon that has fits and starts and in times of trouble, people find their faith and begin the praying thing. There is a connection between faith and prayer. I have “faith” but do not believe in prayer. I know of some people who pray despite the fact they do not believe in much of anything. I know of professional prayers who will get down on their knees for you for they believe that prayer works. You need only look around the world at the billions of prostrate people on their prayer rugs, others on their knees or yet others with palms pressed tightly together with eyes closed, to see that faith is a BIG business.