Results tagged “consumerism” from Powers Perspective

Whether or not you believe in a divine entity, this time of year serves to remind us all that the mighty dollar should not be our de facto deity, and that department stores, however glorious, should not be our surrogate churches. Reverend Billy, performance artist and leader of The Church of Stop Shopping, is a man on a mission to save the souls of those who spend their lives in the service of credit. On an individual, national or international level, the darkness of debt results in hell on earth, damning those who succumb to its power to a future eternally in the red. We therefore asked the good Rev. to shine a light on the shopocalypse. In this special SuicideGirls sermon he shows us the path to redemption -- through congregation (outside of the now literally as well as metaphorically empty malls) and communion with our own vital human spirit -- and offers some surprising commandments for our personal and global, financial and spiritual, wellbeing in 2009.

Click HERE to read Rev. BIlly's very special Stop Shopping message.

Further reading: What Would Jesus Buy?

Richard Patrick, Filter's (hybrid) driving force, is frustrated. With one man down (the Webmaster of a fan site), and an ex-band member currently on the frontline in Iraq, what's going on in the Middle East is less remote for him than for most. So, while supporting our troops, he's speaking out against the war, but feels his cries of protest on Filter's May 2008 album release Anthems For The Damned are lost on a nation that downloads everything and values little.

In 2002 General Motors ironically launched their gas-guzzling H2 to the sounds of Filter's "The Only Way (Is The Wrong Way)." In 2003, to fuel a hunger for democracy -- and oil --America invaded Iraq. With our government, economy, environment -- and music industry -- in crisis, Richard talks about how he reconciles his need to make a living with his own value system...

Click HERE for full interview.