Source: www.organiser.org
NEW DELHI, INDIA, October 10, 2010: Televangelism has come to India with a number of evangelical television channels competing for viewers. In addition to aiding missionaries send their message of conversion, televangelism greatly increases the revenues of the global Christian groups. A research publication “McDonaldisation, Masala McGospel and Om Economics: Televangelism in Contemporary India” by Jonathan D. James looks at some of these issues, unraveling how the global networks operate in India and how they are culturally alien to the Indian ethos. The book is based on field research, interactions with pastors at various levels and some Hindu leaders.
Explaining the term McDonaldisation, the author says “McDonalds turns its customers into involuntary unpaid labor, where they must queue to give their orders, carry their food, eat most of their food with hands and clear away their own rubbish. Likewise, global televangelism is turning their audiences into their labor force as fellow evangelists.”