| April 1, 2005 Prevoland by Nova Stubbs, insurgent49 “Religion
is the opiate of the masses.”
-Karl Marx Everyone has an opinion about Anchorage’s infamous Jerry Prevo. Some resent him because of his suffocating conservatism and deep ties to local politics. His congregation, at the Anchorage Baptist Temple, worships him as if he were God. Love him or hate him, however, Prevo is unquestionably one of the most powerful and influential people in this state.  This notion drove my curiosity, so on Palm Sunday I attended the Prevo Show. Large breasted elderly women in peach pantsuits abounded, the multiple television screens lit up the stadium, and the sound of Prevo’s voice mesmerized the masses. Jerry Prevo is the opiate of Anchorage. Prevo has been the head pastor of the Anchorage Baptist temple since 1971 and today he continues to guide his 2,200 patrons into the light. The 350,000 square foot building towers over the corner of Baxter and Northern Lights Blvd. The sky-scraping windows face the man-made streets, while the pristine view of God’s mountains is obstructed by walls. ABT is one of Alaska’s largest churches and Prevo’s coercive control must be recognized. In the U.S., 67% of confirmed Baptists are within the lower and working classes. “The generous giver will prosper,” states the glossy religious literature given to me at the door. And, according to Prevo, “ Tithing (giving one-tenth) of your income is the Biblical method of supporting God’s work,” In 2002 the Alaska Baptist Convention reported over a total of ten million dollars worth of gifts and offerings to the Baptist Church. The amount received by the ABT is mysteriously undisclosed.  “It is greed that moves the kingdom of darkness. The kingdom of darkness is expanded when men with selfish desires seek their own way.” Oh Pastor Prevo, please tell me more, I thought as the lights swirled and women with mullets approached the stage to sing the great gospel, and the working class man placed his tithe into that shiny pan. He was saved. I must be going to hell, straight into to the kingdom of darkness, the kingdom of tax breaks. It is widely known that Prevo is a staunch supporter of the Republican party, as he was seen standing proudly next to Lisa Murkowski on the night of the November 2nd elections. Prevo preaches politics in his church and encourages the congregation to support his party. He does not say, “vote Republican, because I will get tax breaks.” Instead, he bashes homosexuality because it goes against the word of God, and anyone who supports civil unions must be “wrong”. On Palm Sunday he said, “It is important to get the right kind of people elected. AMEN! And it’s important to keep the wrong kind of people out.” The “right” kind of people, conservative Republicans, are generally those who cut funds to social programs such as education and municipal health care. These “right” kind of people inherently take away from the lower and working classes, who once again makeup the majority of Prevo’s congregation. However, Republican policies assure Prevo’s continuing lifestyle of power, status, and of course tax breaks. The Prevo Show was full of lights, song, words from the Bible, and last but not least the infamous Jerry Prevo. The congregation eagerly sat at the edge of their seats clinging to the Pastor’s every word when it dawned on me … does this man believe in God or does he believe in the power of his own voice? Karl Marx never said, “ God is the opiate of the masses.” I left the service early and slightly sick to stomach. On my way out I waved to one of the large breasted elderly women wearing a peach pantsuit, and in my mind I knew that she needed to be saved, not from going to hell but from a man who went by the name of Prevo. Nova Stubbs is a freelance writer, college student, and ace barista who lives in an undisclosed location in Alaska. She can be reached at nova@insurgent49.com. |
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| Copyright 2005
Insurgent Media. All Rights
Reserved. in-sur-gent (in sur'jent), n. 1. a member of a group which revolts against the policies of its leadership. |
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