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A follow-up question then, based on your answer: Do you have a first-hand knowledge of what, if anything, is being taught to this congregation?

Yes.

I am a New Zealander. Auckland is my home town. I go back there from time to time and have many friends there.

Back in the '80s, there was talk of closing St. Matthew's. In fact, I'm not sure that it didn't actually close for a while. Now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure it did. It was a dead zone. As an inner city Anglican parish, it's numbers had dwindled and nothing was happening. Then it took a sharp left turn and reopened as a with-it, church-in the-now.

This is not the first time they have caused controversy. There have been other incidents. In fact, I'd go so far as to say it was all part of the marketing drive to get people to come. At times they went for the "shock" factor and apparently still do.

Unfortunately for all, the one becomes the other, and is inseparable.

Entirely wrong.

I can say that the Jehovah's Witness credo is not Christian without having to judge a soul. Any sect which denies the divinity of Christ is not "Christianizing" anyone. It follows logically from this that I wouldn't attend a JW service, nor would I advise anyone else to do so.

Am I being too judgmental or should I just say "yeah......go along and check it out for yourself."?

> I can say that the Jehovah’s Witness credo is not Christian without having to judge a soul.

And in doing so you would be dead wrong.

The Jehovah Witnesses believe that Christ is the only begotten SON of God, but not God Himself. That would make them non-Trinitarian. That would NOT make them non-Christian, as Christianity does not require Trinitarianism as a core belief. Christianity also does not require a belief in the Immortality of the Soul — which is something else the Jehovah Witnesses reject.

> Any sect which denies the divinity of Christ is not “Christianizing” anyone.

Based upon what? Your definition of Christianity? (Which would be very similar in most respects to mine, I would guess) Sorry, that assertion is wrong: many Christians believe that Christ is the Son of God, but not God Himself.

> I am a New Zealander. Auckland is my home town. I go back there from time to time and have many friends there.

Gidday mate. Something else we have in common, tho’ I was born overseas. Next time you are in town, why not let’s do coffee or a beer or something?

> Am I being too judgmental or should I just say yeah...... go along and check it out for yourself.”?

Most assuredly I will check it out for myself, as it is on my TO DO: list. I intend to meet all the social agencies in Auckland, as time permits, as a part of my work with the Guardian Angels.

I don’t know whether you’re being too judgmental: you have clear opinions that tend to err on the side of caution, and that’s not a bad thing.

For my part, I try to go and see the uglier parts of life and often wish that some of these inner-city denizens could Christianize themselves, even a little bit, because they surely need it. As do we all — the difference between us and them is that we know it and are trying to do something about it.

One other note: up-thread another poster pointed out that the *actual message* on the billboard isn’t too far wrong. Pondering that point carefully, I can see what he means. It’s a double-entendre, but it almost works.