hurrengoa
shopocalypse!!! reverend billy´s freakstorm    Let’s talk about the devil. When did we have a bad time, stop being citizens and become “consumers”? When did we forget that things are products that come from somewhere, are grown by somebody, have travelled a distance before they reach us? After which sales did we see that products we discard have their own character morally and ethically?

All these questions and many more are answered by the Reverend Billy and The Church of Stop Shopping. This radical New York City congregation has thousands of faithful. Under the Reverend Billy’s spiritual guidance, a considerable group of activists organizes acts and shows against consumerism. Reverend Billy’s church has proved that it knows the character of the US well. It has managed to use show business to spread its message in this country which loves show business.

They have many different ways of spreading their message, all of them based on humour and entertainment. They give sermons in the street, have shouting gospel choirs, cash register exorcisms, acts are not just aimed at the media. Every week, for instance, they hold a bicycle demonstration, organize brigades to collect rubbish from parks, hold different boycotts, campaigns to pressurise politicians over the phone and so on. They collaborate with other organizations and take part is various different campaigns. They have denounced the damage done to humanity and the environment by the savage market economy; they started a campaign against Victoria Secret because the 395 million paper catalogues they distribute every year are not made using recycled goods; they spoke out about Starbucks’ Ethiopian coffee suppliers being forced to accept certain prices and conditions; and they put pressure on JP Morgan Chase because of they help they give mining companies which ravage the Appalachians.

Even so, their main activity is spreading the word against consumerism and they never miss a chance to do that. Reverend Billy and his follows never miss an opportunity. In the street, shopping centres, theatres, schools, parks, tv, social networks... that’s where they organise their “masses” and fight against the
devil.