Allegations that Hillsong engaged in large scale money laundering, tax fraud and misuse of Jobkeeper to buy assets.

[HurleyHepsHird]

This is pretty damn cooked.

Especially the allegations that Hillsong used Jobkeeper funds to buy Melbourne's Festival Hall.

Hillsong under investigation by charities regulator over explosive allegations aired in parliament

Documents tabled by MP Andrew Wilkie claim to show church used jobkeeper funds to help purchase Melbourne’s Festival Hall

www.theguardian.com

 

[sataris]

Sounds like a job for the crack auditing team at PWC

 

[campbell]

I am shocked to be hearing this.........Not.

 

[E Shed]

Bizarre world when corruption on this scale involving a Church that our most recent ex PM was involved with, whose leader he called his mentor and whose opposition government still has members in can't even get a conversation going.
Its just so expected now that these people are crooks.

 

[Crankyhawk]

Bizarre world when corruption on this scale involving a Church that our most recent ex PM was involved with, whose leader he called his mentor and whose opposition government still has members in can't even get a conversation going.
Its just so expected now that these people are crooks.

Maybe many here are thinking "this is too good to be true" and "allegations not yet tested by court"
(as well as not having much of the detail to dissect)

 

[kalex6251]

as much as im enjoying the heat directed at hillsong, it would be a worthwhile exercise looking at the sector as a whole .... the church of scientology especially - any faith-based organisation that actively shields its elected leader from the law deserves robust scrutiny

 

[Baltimore Jack]

as much as im enjoying the heat directed at hillsong, it would be a worthwhile exercise looking at the sector as a whole .... the church of scientology especially - any faith-based organisation that actively shields its elected leader from the law deserves robust scrutiny

Don't mention all the shitty things all cult religions do, (particularly the abuse and rape of children), I did once but sadly I didn't get away with it

 

[Cookie]

Bizarre world when corruption on this scale involving a Church that our most recent ex PM was involved with, whose leader he called his mentor and whose opposition government still has members in can't even get a conversation going.
Its just so expected now that these people are crooks.

"Growing up in a Christian home, I made a commitment to my faith at an early age and have been greatly assisted by the pastoral work of many dedicated church leaders, in particular the Reverend Ray Green and pastors Brian Houston and Leigh Coleman. My personal faith in Jesus Christ is not a political agenda".

Extract from Scott Morrison's first speech to Parliament.

 

[QuietB]

"Growing up in a Christian home, I made a commitment to my faith at an early age and have been greatly assisted by the pastoral work of many dedicated church leaders, in particular the Reverend Ray Green and pastors Brian Houston and Leigh Coleman. My personal faith in Jesus Christ is not a political agenda".

Extract from Scott Morrison's first speech to Parliament.

It was a political shield though.

 

[kalex6251]

its all falling apart for the former chief hillsong happy clapper

Hillsong founder Brian Houston charged with drink-driving in the US

Houston says at the time of the incident in 2022 ‘all hell had broken loose’ within the church but ‘that is no excuse’

www.theguardian.com

 

[HurleyHepsHird]

its all falling apart for the former chief hillsong happy clapper

Hillsong founder Brian Houston charged with drink-driving in the US

Houston says at the time of the incident in 2022 ‘all hell had broken loose’ within the church but ‘that is no excuse’

www.theguardian.com

Damn, them trying to expand into the US has brought them completely undone.

 

[Not Important]

it's always been a money making cult headed by dodgy peeps. so no surprises here or that scummo and others of his corrupt gov't were part of it.

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

it's always been a money making cult headed by dodgy peeps. so no surprises here or that scummo and others of his corrupt gov't were part of it.

Yep, I grew up in the Assemblies Of God (something of a precursor to Hillsong) cult due to having a mother who bought their bullshit lock, stock and barrel.

Some of the stuff I bore witness to, most specifically about how they go about fleecing the gullible of every last cent they can, is truly frightening.

 

[Gough]

Yep, I grew up in the Assemblies Of God (something of a precursor to Hillsong) cult due to having a mother who bought their bullshit lock, stock and barrel.

Some of the stuff I bore witness to, most specifically about how they go about fleecing the gullible of every last cent they can, is truly frightening.

Like Del Boy Trotter selling hooky gear down the Peckham market only they actually became millionaires.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

Yep, I grew up in the Assemblies Of God (something of a precursor to Hillsong) cult due to having a mother who bought their bullshit lock, stock and barrel.

Some of the stuff I bore witness to, most specifically about how they go about fleecing the gullible of every last cent they can, is truly frightening.

Did your lot get fleeced by the ostrich scheme?

 

[The Cryptkeeper]

Did your lot get fleeced by the ostrich scheme?

That I couldn’t tell you mate. What I can say is that the AOG cult we were involved with in Wodonga 30 odd years ago had a very charismatic pastor named Warren McMartin at the helm. I believe he is peddling a Hillsong type (an offshoot called Planetshakers Church but related to Hillsong) snake oil somewhere in Melbourne these days.

The head of that particular offshoot of Hillsong faked cancer in order to raise a copious amount of money. Then he was miraculously ‘healed’ by God. And then it was revealed he had a pr0n addiction that somehow lead to him fleecing tens of thousands of dollars off gullible people.

 

[campbell]

That I couldn’t tell you mate. What I can say is that the AOG cult we were involved with in Wodonga 30 odd years ago had a very charismatic pastor named Warren McMartin at the helm. I believe he is peddling a Hillsong type (an offshoot called Planetshakers Church but related to Hillsong) snake oil somewhere in Melbourne these days.

The head of that particular offshoot of Hillsong faked cancer in order to raise a copious amount of money. Then he was miraculously ‘healed’ by God. And then it was revealed he had a pr0n addiction that somehow lead to him fleecing tens of thousands of dollars off gullible people.

Sounds like the Trump cult.

 

[radiojake]

When we were teenagers we had friends thru the skate punk scene who were totally hooked into the Modbury Hillsong church rubbish - I remember they'd have a 'Planet Shakers' youth focused weekends that they'd go to and even back then we'd joke and call it 'Wallet Shakers'

 

[Ice-Wolf]

Yep, I grew up in the Assemblies Of God (something of a precursor to Hillsong) cult due to having a mother who bought their bullshit lock, stock and barrel.

Some of the stuff I bore witness to, most specifically about how they go about fleecing the gullible of every last cent they can, is truly frightening.

The old Assemblies of God church in our area was eventually abandoned and then bought up and turned into a garden by the Catholic School next door. The local Jehovist Witness Kingdom Hall also died out and is now a Funeral Home.

Anglican, Uniting Church and Catholic Church all still going affairs. With a couple of Pentecostal on and off (I think they have a tendency to implode every so often).