Brian Houston, Hillsong, and Child Sacrifice

Brian Houston, Hillsong, and Child Sacrifice

A royal commission concluded that Brian Houston, and others, failed to report the repeated and numerous sexual assaults against children.

There's a meme going around the internet mocking believers whose roots are in the Abrahamic tradition for believing in a god who would allow the sacrifice of children... such as what Abraham was willing to do.

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But it seems to me that we don't have to look back thousands of years for evidence of child sacrifice. Do we? I

n this news story we witness the modern-day sacrifice of our children.

What are they sacrificed to or for?

Here's just a short list:

Keeping the peace.
Protecting family and friends.
Dodging bad press.
Keeping up the good appearance.
Guaranteeing continued income.
Stupidly believing no real harm was done.
Fame and fortune.
Avoiding embarrassment.
Assuming kids aren't real people yet.
Keeping the ball of success rolling.

No, it's not just Hillsong. It happens a lot. Everywhere!

But the church just seems to create and even nurture a rich culture for this to happen over and over again.

I do realize Houston was in a difficult position. But, in my opinion, now he's made it more difficult.

Maybe the story of Abraham does teach us something:

Sown into the DNA of the church is that it will do anything to be good with God. 

(EDIT: I do not wish to suggest that Abraham provides a model for child sacrifice. However, I do know that this story and others like it have been used, inappropriately, to encourage absolute sacrifice, even if it means the sacrifice of those we love. And to be clear, I do not mean literal shedding of blood, but the surrendering of the quality of life of ourselves and others.)