03/12/2009 7:00 am

Sheconomics

Comic Preacher Reverend Billy on America's Life After Shopping (Video)

Billy Norwich asks, 'Is this economy a punishment from God?' And Reverend Billy performs at the Highline Ballroom ...

Billy Norwich’s full interview with Reverend Billy and Savitri D:

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RainbowPower
This is hilarious and should be taken simply as a comic’s show.  But, in my opinion, we should all remember that God tests us.  I have always thought that this testing is so we can see the real situation and then experience the resulting victory.  If we are to believe this theory, then yes shopping will return.
By RainbowPower on 03/12/2009 8:23 am
nanchanu

I really like your comment about God testing us.  One of the things that I have been warning people about since September is that fear breeds panic ("The Sky is Falling!  The Sky is Falling!") and that makes the situation worse.  If you look at the stock market trends, you’ll see how right that is.

Does that mean the situation isn’t real, isn’t bad, isn’t indeed REAL BAD?  NO!  But I believe it was sent from God to remind us of what our true priorities need to be.  Did you see that more and more couples are staying married through the recession (mostly for monetary reasons, such as taxes, can’t afford two residences etc but hey, they may end up working it out)?  Television viewing is up dramatically, meaning that a lot of people are spending more time at home with their families (albeit with the tube on).  Simple pleasures are making a come back.

God does indeed test us as well: but it won’t last forever.  And when the bucks do come back, maybe we, like our grandparent’s generation who lived through the Depression, we will look fondly at the simple pleasures we enjoyed during our crisis.

Maybe we just needed a good ole kick to remind us to be grateful.  As Shug says in "The Color Purple": "I think it pisses God off when you pass by the color purple and don’t think to thank him." (Or something like that).  There is always purple in our lives.  We just need to look a little harder to find it sometimes.  Thank you for a good post.

By nanchanu on 03/12/2009 10:26 am
RogerfromOhio

It seems to me that he is preaching against shopping because that means less money for his church.

Religion is a big money maker…. if anything gets in the way of that money (like shopping) then those involved in the church will preach against it. 

By RogerfromOhio on 03/12/2009 9:32 am
leftylib

Don’t you just feel so good when they start singing the first ammendment? The thrill of our American lives when we celebrate being on the right side of history! Hallelujiah! 

By leftylib on 03/12/2009 11:41 am
sibelledaubigne
Great Performance! Fun fun fun!
By sibelledaubigne on 03/12/2009 9:42 pm
margamerimargameri
The Church of Stop Shopping is brilliant. No, they are not collecting money for themselves. Their message is dead serious but delivered with exquisite humor. Shopping in our world is a form of entertainment, for some a substitute for family & community, all so superficial and empty. I’m delighted to see Rev. Billy on WOWOW.
By margamerimargameri on 03/12/2009 10:39 pm
Kathy Ley
I went to De Pere High School in Wisconsin with "the Rev" and love that he has grown beyond the values of that isolated, conservative town. He has blossemed into someone with real vision and insight. Go Rev go! Oh, and have fun along the way… 
By Kathy Ley on 03/13/2009 12:52 pm
DeBrcaobj
Rev. Billy’s stage hair gave me my laugh of the morning! Btw, I love the message behind their schtick.
By DeBrcaobj on 03/16/2009 12:06 pm
DeBrcaobj

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." 

Great lyrics.

By DeBrcaobj on 03/16/2009 12:13 pm