Evangelistas

Artist Song
Loudon Wainwright III  I Am The Way 
Steve Earle  Angel Is The Devil 
Alison Krauss & Union Station  There Is A Reason 
Joni Mitchell with the Band  Shadows and Light 
Timbuk 3  Prey 
Robert Forster  The Evangelist 
Susan Werner  Lost My Religion 
Ray Stevens  Would Jesus Wear A Rolex on His Television Show? 
De Dannan  Operator 
Sandy Posey  Down In The River To Pray 
Porter Wagoner & Dolly Parton  Daddy Was an Old Time Preacher Man 
Original Blind Boys of Alabama  Old Time Religion 
Tom T. Hall  The Little Lady Preacher 
Amos Lee  Street Corner Preacher 
Ben Folds  Jesusland 
Robbie Robertson with Neil Young  Soap Box Preacher 
Smokelahoma  Jesus on a Candle 
Townes Van Zandt  When He Offers His Hand 
Billy Joe Shaver  Jesus Is The Only One Who Loves Us 
The Sovines  Jesus Dionysus 
Clem Snide  Messiah Complex Blues 
Ted Hawkins  Long As I Can See The Light 

Comment:

"Hallelujah" is, to use a religious term, no revelation.
The close of the 20th century was a bad time for TV preachers. One moment, men like the PTL Club's Jim Bakker and television's Jimmy Swaggart seemed bigger than life, men who had been blessed with an uncanny ability to attract followers and money. The next, they were fragile, flawed, and the butt of barroom jokes and newspaper cartoons. In many ways, it seemed like big-time TV religion would start to fade away. Look, the critics said, the emperors really have no clothes.
But Americans, at least many of them, seem to have forgiven and forgotten. TV's salvation shows are still here, bigger and flashier than ever, thanks to the proliferation of the Internet and the continued spread of satellite and cable TV. The names may have changed - Benny Hinn, Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Creflo Dollar, Paula White, T.D. Jakes and Joyce Meyer have replaced Bakker, Swaggart and Oral Roberts at the top of the evangelical mountain but the message remains virtually identical.
Believe with all your heart and soul, they tell the faithful. Give and you shall receive, sow and you shall reap. And give, give, give until you can't give any more. God, they say, loves a cheerful giver.
Two decades have passed since Bakker's Praise the Lord empire turned to dust, the victim of a motel tryst with Jessica Hahn and a criminal conviction of defrauding thousands of investors in his Heritage USA theme park. Swaggart, too, fell fast and hard, after a rival minister caught him meeting with a prostitute. His guilt-ridden, tear-streaked face still graces mocking Internet websites, though he has made his way back into the lower tiers of the industry. Even Roberts, dubbed the father of television evangelism, took fire for claiming that God would "call me home" unless his viewers sent him $8 million, a statement seen by some as a form of evangelical blackmail. Oral's son is carrying on the family tradition of corruption and deceit, by being temporarily relieved of his duties at the university bearing his father's name because of "improper usage of university funds for political and personal purposes along with the improper use of university resources."
Critics of the evangelists risk accusations of being in league with Satan. That's the ultimate response to questions about the ethics of these evangelists, but it falls short as we have seen to serving as a get-out-of-jail-free card. Worse yet is their still relevant influence over our political sy stem. We only have to see John Hagee's en dorsement of McCain and McCain's pick of Sarah Palin to realize the potential these preachers have for undermining the democratic process.
Doowad and Avocado Rabbit put together this mix about the "Evangelistas" still cluttering up the TV and Internet. Don't take it as gospel, though there are flavors of gospel throughout.
We have two extra copies with artwork to be given away to aotm-ers commenting on the mix, so don't hesitate to tell us what you think.

Feedback:

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natalyesaurus
Date: 10/28/2008
great take on a subject i've never seen approached via mix before. lots of artists i don't know, too.
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Texas Hobart
Date: 10/28/2008
This looks so good!I want to hear it.Great Job guys!
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French Connection
Date: 10/28/2008
What no 'Jesus Is Just Alright With Me' sinful omission!!! Never even heard of a single preacher you mention, amen to blissful ignorance. I only know the closer so can't really offer an insightful comment on the mix.
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Mixxer
Date: 10/28/2008
Testify, brothers. One famous TV preacher is known for throwing all the contributions up in the air, saying "God will take what he needs, whatever falls back down is for Reverdnd Ike."
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njr
Date: 10/28/2008
You guys are my mix heroes. Thank you for this inspiring playlist.

It's all a bit sad, really. Where have all the "normal" people gone when it comes to religion in the USA? Code words, message bracelets, costly wardrobes, underage brides, and so on, make conservative Christianity look like pimping. So-called "Christian" bands that aren't very talented. Spare us, Lord!
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gabechouinard
Date: 10/28/2008
A lot of folks I'd expect to see, but quite a few nice surprises as well. And goddamn, I want to listen to this on my ipod while going through the creationism museum!
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gabechouinard
Date: 10/28/2008
And by the by, the best song that's missing from this? Ministry's "Jesus Built My Hotrod".
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strange loop
Date: 10/28/2008
Aw man!No Stryper either? C'monReally great job guys. Love the Ben Folds particularly.
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e. buster
Date: 10/28/2008
I don't know nothin' about no relijun, but this looks fascinating. Can't wait to have a listen.
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Funky Ratchet
Date: 10/29/2008
Lordy, Lordy! As I live and breathe, this is a fine lookin' mix!
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kmbone
Date: 10/31/2008
I'm listening to this right now, and it's fantastic. Underlined and italicized.
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anthony lombardi
Date: 11/3/2008
praise it! looks like a fine job, fellas
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G-Sphere
Date: 11/4/2008
A fine lookin' mix.
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sammyg123
Date: 11/4/2008
Never knew the late Chris Farley was an Evangelist.. Terrific mix guys.
I actually could've sworn I'd commented on this already, singling out Jesusland for special praise, oh well..