Mars Hill Revisited

jason - did you hear what alicia just said? it is supported by mhc -- money doesn't go to them. it's a gift from someone you don't like. so sure, you don't have to accept it, but going is not supporting...

I'll tell you what's a cult: Husky Football...GO DAWGS! BEAT FRESNO STATE!

no, it's not a cult (a term i'd object to, anyway, even if applicable). it's evangelical christianity. even if i don't care what they believe, i have every right to find the church's actions objectionable. proselytizing, even if not actively done in the club, bothers me. i've skipped shows there because of the connection.

i don't want my money supporting their beliefs or actions. i do think it's a bad thing because i'm supportive of the local music industry, and definitely all-ages venues, but won't support this one. plenty of all-ages clubs in this region(vera, cafe fusion, old fire house, kirkland teen union building, halcyon) exist without ideological support many find repugnant. i'm glad the volunteers are happy with their choice, but i don't have to support them.

if i found out that any business in which i was a patron was potentially using their money for such a reason, i'd stop going. i've still never stepped foot inside a wal-mart. just because you don't care doesn't mean the rest of us should fall in line.

Jason, whoever you were speaking with that volunteers at the Paradox has it wrong.

We pay rent for the night to use the space, everything after that goes to pay for expenses (promotions) and then the rest goes to the bands.

We don't make a profit at the Paradox (the rent we pay doesn't even come close to covering property taxes on the building) - so the church doesn't make any money from it. The amount they bring in from their congregation is really what keeps them going.

Just wanted to clarify!

- Alicia (Programming Director for the Paradox)

Dale is right.

Also is guest...

It's not a cult - get over yourselves.

So how long have they owned the Paradox? Is it really that bad of a thing? It's a venue for people to play shows, they don't jam their beliefs down your throat and because at some point, MAYBE they will make a dollar of of all of the volunteer hours people put in (out of their own choice) it's horrible? If it's a good show, who really cares? I go to alot of places where I have no idea who ownes the lease on a building. Do I agree with everything that lease owner, who I don't know, does? Probably not. Do I care? Not usually.

It's not a cult, get over it. Also, what was the bad press? Any links?

the paradox got some (deservedly) bad press when they were in the theater on the ave by not being upfront about the church owning the building. that's clearly no longer an issue.

a volunteer told me that their lease says that after paying the bands and covering all the other expenses of running the show, any leftover money would be due to the church. it hasn't happened yet. i guess it works, but i'm going to make sure it isn't my dollar that puts them over the top.

Use of schools and/or other public facilities by churches is not a "comingling of church and state". Churches have the same right to rent or use public facilities as any other organization, be they secular, liberal, conservative, etc. under the established policies of the relevant agency. Note - the courts have determined in several jurisdictions that those established policies CANNOT discriminate against religious groups.