WEBVTT 00:00:51.259 --> 00:00:59.964 As fall turns to winter across this nation, many millions will converge on centers of worship large and small, 00:00:59.964 --> 00:01:05.689 to celebrate and give thanks to a familiar God. 00:01:15.631 --> 00:01:19.827 He tells us to buy now and pay later. He tempts us with promises of endless credit. 00:01:19.827 --> 00:01:24.023 As he leads us down the path to eternal debt. 00:01:28.219 --> 00:01:30.313 'Tis the season to be shopping.... 00:01:30.313 --> 00:01:34.287 There's just one more thing you have to do before the end of the year and that is... Shop yourself silly! 00:01:34.287 --> 00:01:37.323 People are saying "Look, we can't just let the terrorists win... 00:01:37.323 --> 00:01:38.675 ...and just stay home." 00:01:38.675 --> 00:01:41.138 Millions of Americans are hitting the stores... 00:01:41.138 --> 00:01:45.092 ... Tradition on this Black Friday is... Get out and shop... till you drop. 00:01:47.153 --> 00:01:50.638 We used to be a nation of producers, 00:01:50.638 --> 00:01:53.761 and are now a nation of consumers. 00:01:53.761 --> 00:01:59.778 American stores, could already fit every man, woman and child in north America, 00:01:59.778 --> 00:02:04.245 South America and Europe, inside them, at one time. 00:02:04.245 --> 00:02:07.431 We love toys and Elmo... - We love Elmo! 00:02:07.431 --> 00:02:11.754 Our gadgets, appliances, tools... - I've a gift for you guys! - flat panel TV's... 00:02:11.754 --> 00:02:15.955 we have to have that or it won't be a happy holiday! 00:02:15.955 --> 00:02:22.804 For the first time, since the great depression, our household personal savings rate is below zero 00:02:22.804 --> 00:02:28.391 and 60% of us, are in long-term debt on our credit cards. 00:02:28.391 --> 00:02:31.764 ...This is free financing for all your purchases... 00:02:31.764 --> 00:02:36.244 We now spend under one hour a week in religious or spiritual time, 00:02:36.244 --> 00:02:39.569 and over five hours a week shopping! 00:02:39.569 --> 00:02:44.188 Over 15 million Americans, may be clinically addicted to it. 00:02:44.188 --> 00:02:49.608 "...people saw that there is very limited supply and they begin behaving like animals. 00:02:49.608 --> 00:02:51.865 I just like to say as I always say, 00:02:51.865 --> 00:02:55.874 sometimes I enjoy my diamond ring much more than I enjoy my husband! 00:02:55.966 --> 00:02:59.729 If you've feed something that She doesn't like, she says "Oh mommy I don't like that! 00:02:59.851 --> 00:03:01.063 She actually goes potty... " 00:03:01.094 --> 00:03:07.723 You know people will run over a pregnant woman to get to the Item they want, there is no surprise there. 00:03:07.723 --> 00:03:13.442 Three quarters of us, view Christmas with more dread than anticipation. 00:03:13.442 --> 00:03:23.134 Yet we'll spend half a trillion dollars on Christmas this year and create five million tons of extra waste. 00:03:23.134 --> 00:03:25.692 Some say it's all gotten out of control, 00:03:25.692 --> 00:03:31.047 this Church of Stop Shopping is planning what it calls "a Shopocalypse tour". 00:03:31.140 --> 00:03:34.174 Drive the demons out of those cash registers... 00:03:34.174 --> 00:03:36.945 Reverend Billy, what is the mission? What is you're trying to tell people? 00:03:36.945 --> 00:03:39.467 We're trying to get people to slow down their consumption, Amen! 00:03:39.467 --> 00:03:45.305 We're addicted, conflicted! We're hypnotized! consumerized! 00:03:50.569 --> 00:03:55.751 ...consumers are expecting to spend around 40 to 57 billion dollars this holiday season, 00:03:55.751 --> 00:04:01.215 this weekend alone, is gonna be the busiest shopping weekend of the year. 00:04:01.554 --> 00:04:09.493 Stop shopping! Save us from our credit cards! You don't have to BUY a gift, to GIVE a gift! 00:04:10.154 --> 00:04:11.398 Amen! 00:04:11.398 --> 00:04:15.245 Stop shopping children, we can go the other way! 00:04:15.245 --> 00:04:19.716 Folks, only 30 days of shopping to Christmas. 00:04:19.716 --> 00:04:24.471 Stop it! Slow down your consumption! 00:04:41.827 --> 00:04:45.826 It's time to stop! Stop shopping... 00:04:45.900 --> 00:05:00.595 Stop, stop shopping, Halleluja, sing Halleluja... we will never shop again, forever and for... 00:05:00.923 --> 00:05:03.489 Halleluja! 00:05:03.857 --> 00:05:07.725 We won't shop again! 00:05:08.585 --> 00:05:15.143 We're gonna put those Nikes down and we'll stop shopping, shopping 00:05:15.143 --> 00:05:21.657 we're gonna put that Starbucks down and we'll stop shopping, shopping 00:05:21.657 --> 00:05:34.513 we're gonna put that Wal-Mart down and we will start to stop, Halleluja! Halleluja! 00:05:41.963 --> 00:05:54.864 Let me tell you something, Who's the man who cast the pall on the big bad shopping mall? 00:05:54.864 --> 00:06:02.520 He will stop you, he will shock you, he will test you, he will bless you. 00:06:02.520 --> 00:06:08.895 Children give up all your sin, 'cause he's our reverend. 00:06:08.895 --> 00:06:11.674 Reverend Billy! 00:06:28.146 --> 00:06:36.155 Help us! Bless us, Give us the power to... STOP SHOPPING! 00:06:36.155 --> 00:06:37.386 Amen! 00:06:37.386 --> 00:06:38.806 Yeah! 00:06:42.403 --> 00:06:49.871 We're here today... 28 days before Christmas 00:06:49.871 --> 00:06:58.684 That's behind so many layers of billboards and supermodels looking down at us... in their Christmas lingerie. 00:06:58.684 --> 00:07:06.439 Billboards covered with fake dickensian gingerbread lattes. 00:07:06.439 --> 00:07:10.730 They're beating each other up at the cash register in the supermalls. 00:07:10.730 --> 00:07:13.056 I think I know what they're doing. 00:07:14.132 --> 00:07:23.866 I have some compassion there, some part of me... feels pretty violent right now about Christmas. 00:07:25.876 --> 00:07:33.520 Oh, we're gonna go out across... this shopping addicted country. Please remember us. 00:07:33.520 --> 00:07:37.441 We might be chased across that Wal-Mart parking lot. 00:07:37.441 --> 00:07:40.220 We don't know what kind of jail in might be in. 00:07:40.220 --> 00:07:42.686 Macy's and Bloomindale's have jails now. 00:07:44.147 --> 00:07:48.396 We're gonna out there. We're gonna keep those biodiesel busses going on... 00:07:48.396 --> 00:07:49.927 and make sense 00:07:49.927 --> 00:07:54.769 of this journey into utter absurdity. 00:07:56.024 --> 00:07:59.391 I know that all we're asking people to do, is to slow down their shopping. 00:08:00.791 --> 00:08:05.334 What am I saying? Stop shopping! 00:08:16.132 --> 00:08:21.230 happy holiday, happy holiday 00:08:21.230 --> 00:08:26.600 while the merry bells keep ringing, may your every wish come true. 00:08:26.600 --> 00:08:31.970 Happy holiday, happy holiday 00:08:31.970 --> 00:08:38.383 may the..... keep ringing happy holidays to you 00:08:38.917 --> 00:08:40.705 it's not a traditional anymore, like where 00:08:40.751 --> 00:08:45.419 you can just be around your family and buy them small things and they appreciate it. 00:08:45.419 --> 00:08:48.502 And now if you get people small things they don't appreciate it. 00:08:48.637 --> 00:08:52.269 I would not want to celebrate Christmas if there were no gifts. 00:08:52.269 --> 00:08:55.712 gotta have the Christmas spirit, with some brand new rims. 00:08:55.712 --> 00:08:59.964 Material stuff ain't important, I just wanna, cruise around flashing my rims 00:08:59.964 --> 00:09:04.466 so you can see me down the street... damn! look what he got for Christmas! 00:09:04.466 --> 00:09:10.625 This year for Christmas I want The Gucci dog tag with the free cuflinks....and Prada shoes. 00:09:11.071 --> 00:09:14.751 Whatever costs a lot, people want. People don't what something that's cheap. 00:09:14.751 --> 00:09:17.708 ...And then you just throw them away, buy new ones. 00:09:17.708 --> 00:09:25.723 It's not a bad holiday, it's just more if... you go broke. And the news lets you know that you're gonna go broke. 00:09:25.723 --> 00:09:29.538 I've had my life threatened, I've had people follow me out to the parking lot and try to beat me up 00:09:29.538 --> 00:09:35.602 as if I have all the systems in my car. I've had people curse me out, I've had people actually spit at me, 00:09:35.695 --> 00:09:38.345 I had a woman who's about 60 years old curse me put and spit on me 00:09:38.345 --> 00:09:41.608 for not having a PS3 for her 6-years old grandson... 00:09:41.608 --> 00:09:46.186 That's just me, too - we've had a lot worse in some of the other stores. 00:09:46.186 --> 00:09:51.122 What do we have here? Laser tag... drum set! 00:09:51.122 --> 00:09:57.427 It's for the kids, for the kids. I don't care if I go broke, it's for my kids. 00:10:02.302 --> 00:10:06.270 I was living in Times Square and I couldn't figure out where I was. 00:10:06.270 --> 00:10:10.024 My neighborhood had turned into a mall. 00:10:10.024 --> 00:10:14.224 Small shops were getting closed down, and here's Mickey Mouse, here's the Lion King, 00:10:14.224 --> 00:10:20.443 here's all these Disney industries... Nobody really goes here anymore EXCEPT consumers. 00:10:21.889 --> 00:10:24.106 It's lost. 00:10:27.544 --> 00:10:32.366 Than I asked myself "Who's shouting here, who's really getting out there and raising their voice a bit, 00:10:32.366 --> 00:10:34.778 ...Repent..... - It was the sidewalk preachers! 00:10:34.778 --> 00:10:37.191 ... For the kingdom of heaven is at hand... 00:10:37.191 --> 00:10:44.111 I bind the spirit right now with the name of Jesus' Father, I loose the kingdom of Jesus Christ upon them. 00:10:44.111 --> 00:10:48.281 Ye shall be roasting on your roaster, while you're toasting on your toaster, 00:10:48.281 --> 00:10:51.950 ...as you're coasting on your coaster. 00:10:51.950 --> 00:10:57.416 I went and bought little pine pulpit. I was catering tables at the time, so I had a tuxedo. 00:10:57.416 --> 00:11:05.225 And I just started to bellow: "People.... tourists... listen to me! 00:11:05.225 --> 00:11:10.668 Mickey Mouse is the Antichrist! 00:11:10.668 --> 00:11:16.748 We have to start our own church that isn't about the worship of the retail moment. 00:11:16.748 --> 00:11:23.218 Goofy's come to steal the dreams and imagination of you children! Hallelujah! 00:11:23.218 --> 00:11:27.148 You're under arrest. Put your hands behind your back. 00:11:27.148 --> 00:11:31.936 Stop shopping! Stop shopping! (Crowd shouting: Let him go!) 00:11:47.644 --> 00:11:57.562 If we were able to change Christmas ...we would change the whole year. 00:11:57.562 --> 00:12:01.511 You know, the 'Stop Shopping' Church doesn't necessarily... we don't have the answer. 00:12:01.511 --> 00:12:07.510 And we're trying to slow down our own shopping. I think we have .... the question... 00:12:07.510 --> 00:12:10.464 ..the question. 00:12:17.157 --> 00:12:24.182 Toasters, remember? Toaster! Now, see someone! 00:12:24.255 --> 00:12:31.650 Well, Billy and I fell in love before I ever saw Reverend Billy and really knew what he was up to. 00:12:31.650 --> 00:12:36.100 We were married by the time I started directing the show. 00:12:36.100 --> 00:12:41.914 I was intrigued from the beginning by the choir. I watched the choir grow from, you know, 00:12:41.914 --> 00:12:49.282 six people and a musician to 35 singers and a 7 piece band. 00:12:49.434 --> 00:12:56.099 We say 'Stop shopping' just to get your attention. Certainly nobody can stop shopping. 00:12:56.099 --> 00:13:00.270 But you can have a conscience about your shopping. 00:13:00.270 --> 00:13:03.520 Think about how it affects other people, 00:13:03.520 --> 00:13:08.680 just explore the options, that's all we ask. 00:13:09.592 --> 00:13:19.389 We've got scientists... preachers' kids, high-school teachers, recovering executives, 00:13:19.389 --> 00:13:25.730 and we're all joined together in the 'Church of Stop Shopping gospel choir.' 00:13:25.730 --> 00:13:30.140 I've no idea how Billy does it really. I even don't know how many times he's been arrested. 00:13:30.140 --> 00:13:32.016 I couldn't even tell you. 00:13:32.016 --> 00:13:40.380 Sometimes I worry... Billy is going to jail for a while. you know, it doesn't slow him down at all. 00:13:41.004 --> 00:13:53.984 The Shopocalypse... it comes in the form of the Stonehenge of logos! 00:13:53.984 --> 00:14:01.875 And we pray today for protection and safety as we get into our two bio-diesel busses 00:14:01.875 --> 00:14:11.615 and if the fabulous unknown protects us and keeps us we'll be in the Promised Land of customers! 00:14:22.623 --> 00:14:25.547 While many people hit the malls to do a little Christmas shopping today 00:14:25.547 --> 00:14:30.264 one man is on a mission to stop what he calls 'The Shopop.... Shopo... 00:14:30.264 --> 00:14:33.302 Shopocalypse. It's like Apocalypse and shopping together. 00:14:33.302 --> 00:14:38.115 The church of Stop Shopping! They're on a month-long, cross-country tour 00:14:38.115 --> 00:14:45.753 to convince people to reject overconsumption and change their shopping ways. 00:14:59.357 --> 00:15:02.491 This year for Christmas I want a disposable cell phone. 00:15:02.491 --> 00:15:10.497 XBox 360, Nintento 'Revolution.' -Nintendo DS for Christmas. All the kids are talking about it... 00:15:10.497 --> 00:15:19.604 This year I want so much! - I want an iPod! - a Batman mobile.. - An army knife and an army gun! 00:15:21.419 --> 00:15:26.206 What do you want for Christmas this year? - A outdoor dog and ferries... 00:15:26.555 --> 00:15:31.395 and Rudolph the rednosed Reindeer to come to my house! 00:15:31.395 --> 00:15:35.210 How many presents do you think is 'A lot of presents'? - 100! 00:15:35.210 --> 00:15:37.664 Oh, 100, that is a lot of presents. 00:15:37.664 --> 00:15:41.559 When you can afford it, it's hard to draw a line sometimes between 00:15:41.636 --> 00:15:46.008 being moderate and giving them all they need and want versus spoiling them. 00:15:46.008 --> 00:15:55.952 All over here are The toys. And over here are my doll-house stuff. And my dream things are over here.... 00:15:55.952 --> 00:16:02.827 She has seen commercials on the Saturday morning shows, and anytime she sees something 00:16:02.827 --> 00:16:09.361 she yells out: "Mommy, come see this! I want this!" 00:16:10.007 --> 00:16:15.061 It's a crocodile and I named him Chum-chump. My favorite toy is Chum-chump! 00:16:15.061 --> 00:16:20.178 Do you think you have too many toys? -Yeeees! - Well how did that happen? 00:16:20.178 --> 00:16:25.431 Because you and mommy gave them to me, and Christmas.... 00:16:25.431 --> 00:16:31.220 This... has nothing in it. Daddy, what's this? 00:16:31.220 --> 00:16:37.817 The intriguing thing really is that most of the 'togetherness' is now created around the gift-giving. 00:16:37.817 --> 00:16:43.346 Christmas almost died out in America after the Revolution. Then it was realized 00:16:43.346 --> 00:16:48.017 this was a wonderful commercial opportunity because it combines this commercialism 00:16:48.017 --> 00:16:53.526 with a true feeling of love and affection. 00:16:56.476 --> 00:17:05.252 Our parents go to such immense trouble for making seem to children that nobody shopped for Christmas. 00:17:05.252 --> 00:17:09.617 The presents were all brought by Santa Claus who made them each by hand 00:17:09.617 --> 00:17:17.267 and disguise the fact that the gifts they bought for their kids have in fact come out of a shop 00:17:17.267 --> 00:17:25.347 and come out of a season of anxiety and sometimes - tragic desperation. 00:17:30.313 --> 00:17:36.488 From the very beginning all of us as babies are conditioned in this society 00:17:36.488 --> 00:17:43.579 to see Christmas in a certain way. And so they associate the material goods with the symbol of love, 00:17:43.579 --> 00:17:49.092 which is exactly what the marketers want them to do. 00:17:49.092 --> 00:17:54.306 In some countries it's illegal to advertise to children under 12. 00:17:54.306 --> 00:18:00.030 But in America we spend over 15 billion dollars marketing to them. 00:18:00.030 --> 00:18:07.675 Studies reveal that until the age of 8 most children don't know the difference between advertising and entertainment. 00:18:07.675 --> 00:18:13.680 American children now absorb over 40 hours of media exposure a week. 00:18:13.680 --> 00:18:21.326 While meaningful conversations with their parents will total less than .. 40 minutes. 00:18:21.326 --> 00:18:26.649 Despite suffering a shotgun blast through his chest Michael Penkala stayed focused 00:18:26.649 --> 00:18:31.832 on being one of the first US buyers of the new Playstation 3 from Sony. 00:18:31.832 --> 00:18:37.848 Penkala was on the floor coughing out blood and telling the workers to take the wallet out of his pocket 00:18:37.848 --> 00:18:42.435 to purchase the PS3. 00:18:45.118 --> 00:18:49.168 It's like drinking Dickens. 00:18:49.352 --> 00:18:52.493 I hear you brother. 00:18:52.493 --> 00:19:01.623 Had to plaaaay the XBox 360, WOW, it's craaaazy, it's just like Real Life! 00:19:01.623 --> 00:19:04.980 This is my secret.... 00:19:05.233 --> 00:19:09.988 Gonna go tackle the choir?.... Billy, that's what I want you to say. 00:19:09.988 --> 00:19:12.651 I want you to really practice the thing we talked about yesterday: generosity, 00:19:12.651 --> 00:19:17.639 opening your eyes.... I want you to go in the other direction about connecting to people. 00:19:17.778 --> 00:19:23.716 Don't go to the performance! Let the performance emerge, OK, from a real situation. 00:19:23.898 --> 00:19:28.951 Hallelujah. Exactly! 00:19:41.136 --> 00:19:47.682 So you ask 'What exactly is the Shopocalypse'? 00:19:47.682 --> 00:19:57.900 It's that discounted luxury item, that we are all buying as we are all dying. 00:19:57.900 --> 00:20:00.357 We're proceeding into the shopping season under an enormous misunderstanding: 00:20:00.357 --> 00:20:10.606 We think we are consumers at Christmas time. NO! We are Being Consumed at Christmas time! 00:20:10.606 --> 00:20:15.974 Over there, that new XBox 360, Oh My God, NO, NO, I gotta have it, gotta have it, 00:20:15.974 --> 00:20:19.535 IT FEELS LIKE REAL LIFE! 00:20:19.704 --> 00:20:23.501 Somebody give me a Changelujah here. 00:20:23.501 --> 00:20:26.176 Changelujah! Can you do that brother? 00:20:26.176 --> 00:20:31.505 May this young man..... may the ability to distinguish between real life and simulated life 00:20:31.505 --> 00:20:35.349 come into his body yeeeeah! 00:20:51.483 --> 00:20:55.254 I can live in the mall. I dreamed about living in the mall once. 00:20:55.254 --> 00:21:00.378 It was a cool dream! It was like my parents owned the mall and I could get whatever I wanted. 00:21:00.378 --> 00:21:04.085 That just made me want to smile. 00:21:04.085 --> 00:21:10.810 I mean, I'm a pretty smart girl, I can tell when they're trying to get us buy stuff, 00:21:10.810 --> 00:21:14.123 but then I wanna buy their stuff, so...you know... 00:21:14.123 --> 00:21:16.560 doesn't really make a difference if it's advertised or not, 00:21:16.560 --> 00:21:22.420 I still wanna buy it because everybody's buying it. If everybody buys it then I'm gonna buy it. 00:21:22.420 --> 00:21:26.145 I just feel like sometimes you HAVE to buy your clothes at certain place, or else 00:21:26.145 --> 00:21:32.498 you won't be considered... normal. People will laugh at you, rumors will spread. 00:21:32.498 --> 00:21:38.002 And that is a bad thing. Very bad thing. 00:21:42.518 --> 00:21:47.471 We lost our whole box of Lola's Christmas outfits, everything's just gone, we can't find it. 00:21:47.471 --> 00:21:52.420 Noooo! - Her whole Christmas wardrobe is gone! 00:21:52.420 --> 00:21:56.500 Oh look! Here's a Louis Vuitton bag with the cherries. 00:21:56.500 --> 00:22:00.801 I think she needs that, don't you? 00:22:05.402 --> 00:22:08.494 Good bye, thanks a lot! 00:22:08.728 --> 00:22:13.646 This is Lola's Christmas tree, she has her own ornaments; this is Lola's closet, 00:22:13.938 --> 00:22:21.173 Her wardrobe is kept and organised, her dresses and fancier things here, 00:22:21.173 --> 00:22:25.039 sweaters, slacks and coats all across the bottom here. 00:22:25.039 --> 00:22:28.809 Hi sweetepie, you wanna put this on? 00:22:28.809 --> 00:22:36.038 That's so pretty! Let me see you. That's pretty. 00:22:37.546 --> 00:22:39.675 Cheers! 00:22:41.859 --> 00:22:46.529 Compulsive buying is something that overtakes someone. 00:22:46.529 --> 00:22:51.635 They need skills, tools and strategies to stop it; it's not enough to say: 00:22:51.635 --> 00:22:58.474 'I'm not gonna do it anymore!', because one has to respect all of the functions that it serves. 00:22:58.474 --> 00:23:03.400 I have a little reminder card that I give everybody I work with; it's got questions: 00:23:03.616 --> 00:23:12.575 Why am I here? Do I need this? How will I pay? What if I wait? And Where will I put it? 00:23:12.575 --> 00:23:17.079 Holidays do trigger some people. Buying is equated with love, 00:23:17.079 --> 00:23:21.526 and happiness is just the next purchase away. 00:23:21.526 --> 00:23:23.989 Try to talk to me about your shopping sin. 00:23:23.989 --> 00:23:29.337 There's a store that I love; and I faithfully go everyday at lunch. 00:23:29.337 --> 00:23:32.471 Every day?? - Every day, and they always have a bargain. 00:23:32.471 --> 00:23:38.387 And the last time I was there they had this great blue dress, and I really wanted it! 00:23:38.387 --> 00:23:42.250 And I knew it would fit, I mean, I knew until I took it to the dressing room 00:23:42.250 --> 00:23:47.634 and got undressed and I ... got it up to my hips and I could not get that dress on. 00:23:47.634 --> 00:23:52.137 So I pushed the dress on; couldn't get it over my shoulders, so I thought: 00:23:52.137 --> 00:23:56.357 'No, this dress is gonna fit!' - and I put it on, and I wanted this dress SO BAD! 00:23:56.357 --> 00:24:01.051 And I pulled it at my.... Got It! Oh my.... I could not get it off. 00:24:01.051 --> 00:24:05.219 I tried every way: back down, back up, I could not call those ladies because 00:24:05.219 --> 00:24:12.672 I go there every day! I had to destroy it and I had little key scissors on my keychain 00:24:12.672 --> 00:24:16.557 and I cut myself out of it, cause I didn't want to embarrass myself and not be able 00:24:16.557 --> 00:24:19.808 to go back to that store, so.. I can still go to the store. 00:24:19.808 --> 00:24:21.862 But I probably shouldn't have done that. 00:24:21.862 --> 00:24:26.817 Sister, the fabulous Creator that gave you your wonderful body... 00:24:26.817 --> 00:24:32.997 is saying something to you at that moment. Your body destroyed that dress and 00:24:32.997 --> 00:24:39.297 it did the right thing. Maybe your needs will be what you refer to 00:24:39.297 --> 00:24:43.803 when you make the decision to shop. 00:24:43.803 --> 00:24:53.344 Go now and sin no more. - I just felt bad for ruining the dress, not for shopping! 00:25:15.686 --> 00:25:20.982 Yeah, it's lovely, it's got pictures of God holding semis in the air... 00:25:20.982 --> 00:25:26.321 hear my testimonial.... I just want to let you know that .. 00:25:26.321 --> 00:25:29.685 Travel John came in handy in my car last evening. 00:25:29.685 --> 00:25:38.276 It's just.... can't we shop? - We're not shopping, we're just.... uh.. 00:25:40.552 --> 00:25:44.997 My fear is that we'll be perceived as weirdos or not taken seriously, but.. 00:25:44.997 --> 00:25:52.955 there are people here that totally left their lives behind to try to do something. 00:25:52.955 --> 00:25:57.374 Before the Stop Shopping choir I always thought protesting was marching on Washington, 00:25:57.374 --> 00:26:02.249 shouting with signs, but it's a new serious political work in creative, fun ways. 00:26:02.249 --> 00:26:05.254 It's incredible, like nothing I expected. 00:26:05.254 --> 00:26:11.962 The chipmunk was wearing a little robe made of leaves; inside there was a crucifix and some holy wafers, 00:26:11.962 --> 00:26:15.870 that have been missing from the church for a week. 00:26:15.870 --> 00:26:18.846 I'm a sinner, yes I am, and I own a lot. 00:26:18.846 --> 00:26:27.082 Okey-dokey, I think it's a sale.... no, that's a waste, I can't pay 6 bucks on this crap... 00:26:31.081 --> 00:26:37.651 Thank you very much! I did not buy one thing! It was hard... 00:26:46.861 --> 00:26:50.195 What would Jesus buy? 00:26:50.195 --> 00:26:52.757 XBox 360! 00:26:52.757 --> 00:26:55.081 Jesus would probably buy a Playstation 3. 00:26:55.081 --> 00:27:00.144 Ooooh, this year he'd probably get a Wii, or a 360 if they didn't have any Wiis available. 00:27:00.144 --> 00:27:03.146 Well I don't think we'd see Jesus at Wal-Mart buying a new pair of shoes, 00:27:03.146 --> 00:27:06.796 although it is cold down here and he might get socks. 00:27:06.796 --> 00:27:11.601 I don't know... I don't think he'd have to buy anything, well I guess he would. 00:27:11.601 --> 00:27:17.837 He would buy because, you know, you need bread, he'd buy the necessities. 00:27:17.837 --> 00:27:24.191 I think he was very conservative. Not a Republican! 00:27:24.191 --> 00:27:30.007 He might with love and maybe a bit of sternness in his voice, say: 00:27:30.007 --> 00:27:35.503 "Look, you're reading the Scriptures, but you're missing half the message! 00:27:35.626 --> 00:27:39.880 Why don't you learn about what to do about the poor?" 00:27:39.880 --> 00:27:47.088 Why do the CEOs get 500% more than the one at the bottom? 00:27:47.088 --> 00:27:53.494 God is wonderful, he answers all prayers. 'Cause for a long time I prayed: 00:27:53.494 --> 00:27:57.641 'Please get me off the streets of Outskid Row.' 00:27:58.671 --> 00:28:09.991 And here I am with my own room, fully decorated for Christmas, and I'm just really, really thankful! 00:28:17.943 --> 00:28:23.274 "Buy the baby gift. Do we shop, do we die? Oh no that kind of gift! 00:28:23.274 --> 00:28:30.272 What would Jesus buy, whaaat would Jesus buuuuuy." 00:28:34.176 --> 00:28:39.903 Sam Ruben live from Hollywood. This is WGM Morning news at 8. 00:28:39.903 --> 00:28:44.183 He's the only reverend with a court order barring him from entering any Starbucks in California. 00:28:44.183 --> 00:28:47.246 He says Mickey Mouse is his own personal Antichrist. 00:28:47.246 --> 00:28:51.095 Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping gospel choir are here this morning, Morning brother, 00:28:51.095 --> 00:28:53.153 how are you? - Hallelujah! - Nice to see you. 00:28:53.153 --> 00:28:57.930 So, you have a specific message, uh? - Oh yes, we're trying to... 00:28:57.930 --> 00:29:00.538 get people to think about what to do in this Christmas time. 00:29:00.538 --> 00:29:06.730 You wanna express love for the person you're giving the gift to with just another product from the supermall? 00:29:06.730 --> 00:29:12.006 Ask the question: 'What would Jesus buy!' - Right, I don't do it! 00:29:12.160 --> 00:29:17.491 Exorcise your credit card... that's all right, that's OK. 00:29:17.629 --> 00:29:21.198 Hey, what if you sing a song here! I gotta get to the mall! 00:29:21.198 --> 00:29:26.256 Get out of here! That guy's got a shopping problem. Follow him! Hallelujah! 00:29:26.256 --> 00:29:31.339 Blessed are the Mickey D' free for they wil SAVE OUR CITY! 00:29:31.339 --> 00:29:37.614 Blessed are those who forgo the Gap, for they will save our sins! 00:29:37.614 --> 00:29:45.140 We will remoooove Starbucks! and Disney! 00:29:45.140 --> 00:29:51.990 Many shoppers have gone into the Magnificent mile and have never been seen again. 00:29:51.990 --> 00:29:57.653 Starbucks with a billionaire at the top and impoverished people at the bottom! 00:29:57.653 --> 00:30:02.006 Don't spend four dollars on a latte in this café. 00:30:02.006 --> 00:30:08.952 We didn't mean to create banana republic! It wasn't our idea! 00:30:08.952 --> 00:30:15.417 The Dysney company still presides over sweatshop facilities around the world. 00:30:15.417 --> 00:30:22.176 Suddenly, we see where it came from! We back away! 00:30:26.895 --> 00:30:39.630 We won't go back! We won't we won't, no more, no more! Hallelujah! 00:30:42.769 --> 00:30:52.240 Wake up America! Are you people, or are you sheeple, led to the Shopocalypse? 00:31:03.174 --> 00:31:09.250 I always wanted to have the high fashion shoes, and now I'm in debt. I'm 21 years old. 00:31:09.250 --> 00:31:14.765 Credit cards give you a false sense of economic security. That 'Buy now and pay us later!' 00:31:14.765 --> 00:31:17.493 - at high interest rates, that's what people forget about. 00:31:17.493 --> 00:31:22.010 You turn 18 and you get your first credit card and it's like this amazing thing... 00:31:22.010 --> 00:31:25.176 I'm just walking in, show the people this piece of plastic and I get what I want! 00:31:28.129 --> 00:31:33.513 It would typically take me until the end of fall next year to pay off Christmas bills. 00:31:33.513 --> 00:31:39.209 Christmas is when I go all out, you know, maybe I didn't always have nice stuff when I was growing up 00:31:39.209 --> 00:31:42.832 and I want them to have everything, I want them to grow up having name brand stuff 00:31:42.832 --> 00:31:47.551 and all the cool toys; and when their friends come over they can say they have it, 00:31:47.551 --> 00:31:54.786 My husband is ... like ... "No! We have a budget and we stick to a budget" and he doesn't know I have three or four. 00:31:54.786 --> 00:31:58.666 I don't believe in credit cards or anything like that. We do have a credit card 00:31:58.666 --> 00:32:00.959 and if we use it we just pay it off every month. 00:32:00.959 --> 00:32:04.584 Here it is again: Christmas and I'm just not getting cards and... 00:32:04.584 --> 00:32:09.157 I think he'll just have a fit when he finds out, so... 00:32:09.157 --> 00:32:14.592 This is a card that I just received in the mail and it will be maxed it out by the end of the day. 00:32:17.496 --> 00:32:21.120 When I was a girl there was no plastic. When I was a girl your credit was really 00:32:21.120 --> 00:32:25.251 just a matter of a handshake; that's how my dad would hit the deal in my home town. 00:32:25.251 --> 00:32:31.734 You know that I'm gonna pay the store when I get paid, right? That was the credit line. 00:32:31.734 --> 00:32:39.450 American consumer credit debt has surpassed 2.4 trillion dollars, and 60% of us are carrying 00:32:39.450 --> 00:32:44.250 13 000 dollars in credit card debt this Christmas. 00:32:44.250 --> 00:32:50.461 At over 1 mln. a year bankruptcies continue to rise especially after the holidays. 00:32:50.461 --> 00:32:54.993 Yet, Americans will still get over 4 billion new credit card offers 00:32:54.993 --> 00:33:00.993 and charge over 100 billion dollars on Christmas gifts this year. 00:33:00.993 --> 00:33:07.241 We're seeing gift cards that function like credit cards; marketing to 12 - 13-year olds, 00:33:07.241 --> 00:33:14.726 we're seeing the marketing of consumerism to children as young as 3-years old! 00:33:14.726 --> 00:33:24.427 Friend! Friend! Lock that door! There are people here with... too much credit! 00:33:24.427 --> 00:33:32.499 I want everybody here to reach down in your wallet and I want you to bring out your credit card 00:33:32.499 --> 00:33:41.716 and I want you to wave it in the air, magnetic stripe facing Reverend Billy. 00:33:41.716 --> 00:33:47.239 We're gonna exorcise the credit! 00:33:47.581 --> 00:33:52.418 One time Jesus got violent was the money changers; 00:33:52.418 --> 00:33:58.685 when the Visas, the Citybanks came into the temple - that's when he got upset 00:33:58.685 --> 00:34:05.017 because of the outrageous users' rates that were being charged. 00:34:19.650 --> 00:34:23.810 Two weeks until Christmas that year. Wrapped up your shopping yet? Have you wrapped up 00:34:23.810 --> 00:34:29.751 your presents yet? Matell is feeling swell, saying barbie doll sales are up this year. Matter of fact it`s the top toy for girls... 00:34:53.159 --> 00:34:57.394 How are you guys? I love the hair! 00:34:57.394 --> 00:35:01.311 I'm Reverend Billy and this is the stop hopping gospel choir. 00:35:01.311 --> 00:35:04.287 All right, give me a cue here. 00:35:43.976 --> 00:35:50.075 I love this! OK, I feel you man!, I really do! 00:35:51.568 --> 00:35:57.399 Look at this! - Can we sing you a song? - Absolutely! 00:36:39.133 --> 00:36:41.859 Serious! The little boy loved the brat line. 00:36:41.859 --> 00:36:49.274 He had a good sense of humor about it. Maybe that's the governor's. A certain awareness. He invited us inside! 00:36:49.274 --> 00:36:54.344 Oh yeah! Time to end the workday. 00:36:56.677 --> 00:37:04.225 Probably one of the happiest Christmasses that I can recall we sold some pop bottles 00:37:04.225 --> 00:37:09.395 and some rags, my wife and I. We used to buy rags, haha. 00:37:09.395 --> 00:37:16.672 So we sold pot models and rags. We were able to buy some paraffin wax and we made candles. 00:37:16.672 --> 00:37:22.212 And we gave everybody! Everybody had candles; actually when we left that little appartment 00:37:22.212 --> 00:37:27.351 it still had candle wax all down the stove! 00:37:27.351 --> 00:37:33.451 We didn't know we were poor, you know, because everybody was in the same boat. 00:37:33.451 --> 00:37:46.223 And my dad made Christmas so special because he always made sure there was oranges and apples 00:37:46.223 --> 00:37:51.061 along with maybe a pair of boots or something that we had to have. 00:37:51.061 --> 00:37:54.645 I was thinking that Santa was gonna come down the chimney and I was waiting for 00:37:54.645 --> 00:38:02.461 everything to be all right the next day...I just felt very happy, I had candy and 00:38:02.461 --> 00:38:07.810 a couple of basic things I had... and I was happy. 00:38:18.979 --> 00:38:21.312 Amen! 00:38:27.411 --> 00:38:33.839 Dear Reverend, today's my first visit to your website; I find that what you're accomplishing 00:38:33.839 --> 00:38:37.411 ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL! Amen! 00:38:37.411 --> 00:38:44.456 This is Elisa and Grace and Uncle Billy... 00:38:44.517 --> 00:38:48.434 So these are Christmas cards... Right, we were supposed to be singing carols around the piano. 00:38:48.434 --> 00:39:02.470 Bill's probably about 7 here? And here's he's about 11. This is South Dakota. 00:39:02.470 --> 00:39:08.668 We were really made to have a creative life. So Bill had piano and cello, 00:39:08.668 --> 00:39:13.416 and he was actually very gifted musically. 00:39:13.416 --> 00:39:16.467 You know, it's one thing to be performing in the family in the living room, 00:39:16.467 --> 00:39:19.155 but it's another thing to say 'This is my life!' 00:39:19.155 --> 00:39:24.380 We'd go out there in the world with my talent, my heart, 00:39:24.380 --> 00:39:28.974 and make this be how people know me, what I do. 00:39:28.974 --> 00:39:34.727 I would say the performance element came to be totally in service of the message. 00:39:34.727 --> 00:39:39.981 And the message became the reason for Reverend Billy's being. 00:39:52.010 --> 00:39:55.218 We have to take Starbucks into our bodies! 00:39:55.218 --> 00:39:59.594 It has come into our neighborhoods like space aliens! 00:39:59.594 --> 00:40:02.763 Would you please shut up! 00:40:02.763 --> 00:40:06.363 What is it that you feel when the corporation is your best friend? 00:40:06.363 --> 00:40:12.007 When the corporation, the multinational corporation is your lover? 00:40:12.007 --> 00:40:15.954 Is Starbucks my lover? It's not my lover! 00:40:20.939 --> 00:40:28.682 Changelujah children! I call on the God that is NOT a product! Come into this evil Wal-Mart! 00:40:28.682 --> 00:40:33.521 Exorcise this cash register! Don't touch our children! 00:40:37.196 --> 00:40:44.798 Can I talk to you for a moment? - No! We're in church here! We're worshiping here! 00:41:02.892 --> 00:41:15.079 I just wanna ask the fabulous Unknown ...... for forgiveness on this leg of the trip! 00:41:15.079 --> 00:41:20.611 We froze our vegetable last night because we ran out of heating in this bus! 00:41:21.740 --> 00:41:28.758 I feel like Jimmy Swagger in this church when he got caught at 4 in the morning with a prostitute. 00:41:28.758 --> 00:41:34.617 He was in his church, his wife was in the front row and he was: 00:41:34.617 --> 00:41:39.991 "Dear, dear, I'm so sorry dear, I HAVE SINNED! 00:41:39.991 --> 00:41:43.233 Forgive me! 00:41:44.619 --> 00:41:52.809 We're back to fossil fuel. I'm so sorry! Forgive me!" 00:41:52.809 --> 00:41:56.019 Hallelujah brother! 00:41:56.390 --> 00:42:06.063 Amen! Amen! Amen! 00:42:35.292 --> 00:42:37.615 Give me your camera. 00:42:37.615 --> 00:42:40.490 Talk to him.... Liza! 00:42:40.490 --> 00:42:44.069 Stand on your knees..... we love you, we're with you! 00:42:44.904 --> 00:42:47.488 Don't move anybody! 00:42:47.842 --> 00:42:50.857 Everybody who's not injured, get off the bus right now! The paramedics are here.... 00:42:50.976 --> 00:42:52.973 Where are you hurting, buddy? 00:42:52.973 --> 00:42:56.469 Fractured ribs I believe.... 00:43:00.070 --> 00:43:04.101 Flight is coming in here? - Yeah. 00:43:04.848 --> 00:43:13.559 We were rammed by an 18-wheeler headed for Minneapolis. I don't know about the tour... 00:43:13.559 --> 00:43:19.298 Everybody's hugging everybody... it's ...we're getting MedEvacs... 00:43:26.635 --> 00:43:30.403 A semidriver apparently misjudged the speed of those buses and plowed right into the back 00:43:30.403 --> 00:43:33.747 of that second bus. 00:43:41.997 --> 00:43:45.246 They're apparently members of a performance activist group, in fact, 00:43:45.246 --> 00:43:48.084 and they're on a nation-wide mission with an intriguing message for shoppers 00:43:48.084 --> 00:43:49.789 this holiday season. 00:43:49.789 --> 00:43:56.734 We're on a mission to save Christmas from overconsumption; we want people to discover 00:43:56.734 --> 00:43:59.910 another way to give gifts to each other this year. 00:43:59.910 --> 00:44:03.340 And that right there was Reverend Billy. Although the group is based in comedy, 00:44:03.340 --> 00:44:07.379 their message is serious. Members say they're fighting against false idols 00:44:07.379 --> 00:44:10.727 of the Christmas spirit. 00:44:10.833 --> 00:44:18.042 Yes, we're the people that were touring in the bus together; we'd like to visit our friends... 00:44:18.042 --> 00:44:21.790 in the IC department somewhere. 00:44:23.797 --> 00:44:36.270 Oh, we can order medical university license plates. Don't delay, order yours today! 00:44:36.270 --> 00:44:39.107 Violin section in the background... 00:44:42.829 --> 00:44:49.023 They're went 13 people into the hospital, here, but they're starting to come around. 00:44:51.329 --> 00:44:53.174 Hey champ! 00:44:53.174 --> 00:45:00.189 So we're gonna try and charter a bus in the morning, I don't know really how that's gonna go. 00:45:00.189 --> 00:45:07.378 But, now everyone wants to just get back on the road. 00:45:15.102 --> 00:45:19.899 Of course, my mom was like 'You need to stop that tour, you're coming right home!' 00:45:19.899 --> 00:45:21.319 My momma said the same thing! 00:45:21.319 --> 00:45:26.761 I told her we don't give up! 00:45:29.874 --> 00:45:45.220 We will mooooove, yes we will! You know we're gonna GET BACK, right back, oooon that roooad.. 00:45:45.220 --> 00:45:57.009 and we'll spreeeeead, the gospel, of Stop shoppiiiing, and we won't give up, we won't give up; Push on! Push On! 00:45:59.116 --> 00:46:14.335 We will revive our church and continue, go on and on and we'll find, somehooooooow, somwheeeeere 00:46:14.335 --> 00:46:29.154 and we'll get on a brand new bus tomorrow early in the morning, and we won't give up we won't give up. Push on! Push On! PUSH ON! 00:46:38.474 --> 00:46:43.613 Are you the Reverend Billy? - Aaaaah, no. - We thought that's pretty funny, 00:46:43.613 --> 00:46:48.068 because our reverend is Reverend Billy. - Oh, really? - That's what he said. Reverend Billy. 00:46:49.652 --> 00:46:53.842 All right, your reverend is from what church? - The church of Stop Shopping. 00:46:56.318 --> 00:46:59.504 Interesting... - I've never heard of it! 00:46:59.504 --> 00:47:07.522 So, you're trying to establish a church here? Oh, you're just travelling.... - Oh, crusade! Way to go! 00:47:07.522 --> 00:47:13.488 You guys are doing a wonderful work! You are doing a mission! 00:47:13.488 --> 00:47:19.233 We here in Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, a missionary's job is to spread the Word, 00:47:19.233 --> 00:47:23.302 not just keep it to yourself but spread it throughout the land. 00:47:23.302 --> 00:47:31.150 That's the good thing. And it takes some guts to do that! 00:47:40.982 --> 00:47:45.263 Have you experienced the kind of electric charge as when you're going to a Big Box, 00:47:45.263 --> 00:47:51.724 you're going to a chain store, and you just get a little bit out of the proper prescribed behavior? 00:47:51.724 --> 00:47:59.258 Just a little bit outside of that, maybe raising an original issue; and maybe that issue goes to a table next to you... 00:47:59.420 --> 00:48:02.367 And it's just your first amendment, that's all. 00:48:02.813 --> 00:48:09.237 And maybe somebody finds you obnoxious? Nothing new for me baby! 00:48:21.860 --> 00:48:25.825 There are many places in America where there are no sidewalks. What does this say about us? 00:48:25.825 --> 00:48:30.660 It says that we have to either be in our car, or in our house, or in the mall! 00:48:30.660 --> 00:48:36.661 There are only commercial spaces in almost all of America, or private spaces. 00:48:36.661 --> 00:48:41.865 You're either trespassing, or you're buying. 00:48:41.865 --> 00:48:44.871 It's as if we live under a kind of enchantment. 00:48:44.871 --> 00:48:49.056 In a 100 years from now we won't be doing the things we're doing. 00:48:49.056 --> 00:48:56.463 We would've figured out way more interesting things to do than go shopping as our main activity. 00:48:56.463 --> 00:49:00.729 Unfortunately I also know that we don't have 100 years to make that transition. 00:49:00.729 --> 00:49:04.840 We gotta make it more quickly than it would happen naturally or else we're gonna derail 00:49:04.840 --> 00:49:10.132 the Earth's physical system, especially its climate. 00:49:10.132 --> 00:49:16.075 This consumer frenzy makes everything into a commodity - everything has become a thing. 00:49:16.075 --> 00:49:23.691 Even Christmas, even Christ. The shopping mall is a symbol of everything that has gone wrong with Christmas, 00:49:23.691 --> 00:49:29.678 This isn't what Jesus had in mind for us. 00:49:32.517 --> 00:49:39.150 We would like to invite you to come to the Mall of America. 00:49:39.150 --> 00:49:52.907 We have 100 robes, we have this wonderful idea of sort of a anarchic mormontanemental choir. 00:50:03.303 --> 00:50:08.566 The once sleepy town of Bloomington, Minnesota. A monument for the ages has risen, 00:50:08.566 --> 00:50:12.633 with their own police force, an amusement park, a wedding chapel, 00:50:12.633 --> 00:50:18.102 and the first ever college campus built inside of a mall. 00:50:18.102 --> 00:50:24.056 Over 4 miles of storefront, with more than 42 million visitors per year! 00:50:24.056 --> 00:50:31.553 That's more visits than to the Capitol, Mount Rushmore, the Grand Canyon and Disneyland combined. 00:50:31.553 --> 00:50:36.947 Behold! The Mall of America! 00:50:48.606 --> 00:50:55.438 We're gonna spread the good gospel to Mall of America! 00:50:55.438 --> 00:51:00.477 Walk away from the product! 00:51:08.605 --> 00:51:13.588 Drive the money changers out of the temple! 00:51:16.115 --> 00:51:27.785 We're all ending up inside these supermalls! These products are taking over our lives! 00:51:28.157 --> 00:51:32.168 Shall I just get up there.... 00:51:34.290 --> 00:51:38.078 Stop shopping! 00:51:38.662 --> 00:51:45.986 Hallelujah! Changelujah! Let's change! 00:51:47.936 --> 00:51:52.648 We're here in the heart of Mall of America (Calling all security...) 00:51:52.648 --> 00:51:58.937 to tell you to join us with many other Americans in saving Christmas 00:51:58.937 --> 00:52:04.332 FROM THE SHOPOCALYPSE! 00:52:09.667 --> 00:52:12.746 You've gotta stop protesting and you're gonna have to leave, OK? 00:52:12.746 --> 00:52:15.637 You've gotta walk out of the property, you're not allowed to be on the property. 00:52:15.637 --> 00:52:17.907 We're just everywhere, you never known when we're gonna show up. 00:52:17.907 --> 00:52:21.137 That's fine but you can't be here today. - You've gotta stop shopping! 00:52:21.137 --> 00:52:26.662 Your consumption is getting out of control! Hallelujah, that wasn't nice! 00:52:26.662 --> 00:52:29.043 Try it now, it's never too late. 00:52:29.043 --> 00:52:37.369 I'm sorry I yelled at you! I get angry at police pretty easily! We'll see each other again somewhere. 00:52:56.778 --> 00:53:00.983 It's Texas. Jay from the Dallas Morning News, Amen. 00:53:00.983 --> 00:53:05.914 Savitri, would you say hello to Mr. Jay? - Hi there, how are you? 00:53:05.914 --> 00:53:14.254 We try to... First of all, we know how hard it is to shop in America without compromising... 00:53:14.531 --> 00:53:19.838 these values. You know, I think you can go in any store and be hard-pressed to find a product 00:53:19.838 --> 00:53:26.127 that's made in America. But first of all, we look for things that are made in America, 00:53:26.127 --> 00:53:31.535 then we try to shop in places where the money we spend will come back into the local communities, 00:53:31.535 --> 00:53:35.011 into local economies. 00:53:51.342 --> 00:53:54.731 Gordon's Barber shop. 00:53:54.731 --> 00:53:57.474 You don't need a haircut! 00:53:57.474 --> 00:54:03.934 Hello! We thought the whole store was empty! - Well I'm here, I didn't want to get in your way... 00:54:03.934 --> 00:54:12.810 I'm Bill, how are you? What's your name? - Mike. - This is my wife Savitri there. 00:54:12.810 --> 00:54:18.305 We just came up from Demoin this morning and we're freezing, cause I just don't have... 00:54:18.305 --> 00:54:25.979 I need a good sweater. Can I try it? Then if I don't like it check the quality. - That's all right. This one's wool. 00:54:26.226 --> 00:54:33.526 Is this... made in America, or is this too much to ask? - Let me see. Are you gonna take it back off? 00:54:33.526 --> 00:54:37.508 - No, I would never take it off. 00:54:37.508 --> 00:54:42.953 Made in USA. Yeeeeeeah! Hallelujah! 00:54:43.826 --> 00:54:50.388 The gentleman next door said there were Wal-Marts on 20 miles in either direction. 00:54:50.388 --> 00:54:57.113 Has that affected your store at all? - Oh yeah. Wal-Mart is killing small town America. Seriously, it is. 00:54:57.113 --> 00:55:03.354 Saturday nights everybody came to town, and we'd be busy, be here and be busy 00:55:03.354 --> 00:55:08.768 until 11 - 12 o'clock at night! We have two sons and I have not encouraged either one of them 00:55:08.768 --> 00:55:13.034 to come back to the store. I mean, there's no future... and that's sad. 00:55:13.203 --> 00:55:18.943 When you think of a business that's been in our community for over 125 years, and 00:55:18.943 --> 00:55:20.480 it'll be gone. 00:55:20.480 --> 00:55:27.481 It all goes back to the mindset of the people and it goes back to the Wal-Mart mentality. 00:55:27.481 --> 00:55:32.524 We gotta buy this as cheap as we can buy it, we don't care where it's made, 00:55:32.524 --> 00:55:39.844 we don't care they're not paying the employees anything. As long as I bought that pair of socks 00:55:39.844 --> 00:55:44.534 for 50 cents instead of 2 dollars - I'm happy. 00:55:44.534 --> 00:55:48.662 Lots of folks think it's inevitable - they're gonna disappear into the big stores. 00:55:48.662 --> 00:55:52.711 We don't have to feel that way. So let's talk to each other, 00:55:52.711 --> 00:55:57.971 put our money back in our own community. 00:56:08.358 --> 00:56:11.827 As long as I get a good deal it doesn't matter where it's made in. 00:56:11.827 --> 00:56:15.264 It's the price. I think everybody just looks for the price. 00:56:15.264 --> 00:56:19.073 I doesn't really matter to me where things are made, because I just get them, 00:56:19.073 --> 00:56:27.072 I don't really wonder where they're made, because that just takes ....is too mind-boggling for me. 00:56:27.072 --> 00:56:32.117 They go to other countries to make cheaper stuff, and then we get jobs in Wal-Marts, K Marts 00:56:32.117 --> 00:56:38.854 and Targets, and we get paid less because of course cashiers don't make a lot of money; 00:56:38.854 --> 00:56:47.290 stockers don't make a lot of money. But you know, what are we gonna do? 00:56:47.505 --> 00:56:49.735 There's nothing we can do! 00:56:49.735 --> 00:56:55.437 I can't like boycott everything, cause I won't buy anything...So... 00:56:55.437 --> 00:57:00.189 I really don't know what to tell you, I'm sorry. 00:57:02.687 --> 00:57:09.820 Well, people have a choice: Are they gonna choose low prices or high wages? 00:57:09.820 --> 00:57:16.590 And that's not a choice that I can make for them. 00:57:16.590 --> 00:57:24.017 Jesus said: Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the sick. 00:57:24.017 --> 00:57:34.990 There are more people being fed by Wal-Mart than any government in the world. 00:57:34.990 --> 00:57:43.998 Globalization doesn't mean that America is losing. It means that America is shifting its locations, 00:57:43.998 --> 00:57:55.331 It means maybe that.... the workers are not making as much in salary, but.... 00:57:55.331 --> 00:58:01.668 And they're losing insurance, and they're losing retirement benefits, 00:58:01.852 --> 00:58:09.251 which always says that.... that nothing is guaranteed anymore. 00:58:09.251 --> 00:58:15.611 Been at Wal Mart for 5 years. Started as plain clerk, now I got promoted to invoice clerk. 00:58:15.611 --> 00:58:25.945 Well, I put in about 6 days a week, over 70, no, 96 hours, I say a week. 00:58:25.945 --> 00:58:32.445 The benefits are good, we have.... 00:58:34.568 --> 00:58:39.696 Wait a bit, you got me.... 00:58:39.696 --> 00:58:49.724 As far as benefits, as far as the wages that are coming here... you got me here. 00:58:50.763 --> 00:58:56.918 If companies are allowed to pit the American worker against desperately poor people in the developing world 00:58:56.918 --> 00:59:02.441 who don't have the right to organize, who don't have any form of democracy at all... 00:59:02.441 --> 00:59:06.133 You can't compete against slave labor, it's impossible. 00:59:06.133 --> 00:59:10.883 Well, how do workers live in Bangladesh that make all Wal-Mart shirts? 00:59:10.883 --> 00:59:19.961 They get paid 13 to 17 cents an hour. Well those workers live in utter misery. 00:59:19.961 --> 00:59:23.662 Those wages translate into not being able to brush your teeth. 00:59:23.662 --> 00:59:28.331 They get up in the morning and brush their teeth with their finger, using ashes from the fire, 00:59:28.331 --> 00:59:32.925 because they can't afford a toothbrush. 00:59:33.488 --> 00:59:36.309 And there is a certain decency to American people. 00:59:36.309 --> 00:59:42.550 When they stand face to face with a 13-year old kid, and that kid tells the American people 00:59:42.550 --> 00:59:47.375 that she works 7 days a week, and every other day they work until 3 AM, 00:59:47.375 --> 00:59:51.383 they keep them for an 19-and-a-half hour shift... 00:59:51.383 --> 00:59:54.998 She got 7 cents an hour sewing clothing for Wall Mart. 00:59:54.998 --> 00:59:58.835 And while we were walking away from her, she just blurted out: 00:59:58.835 --> 01:00:02.426 'I feel like I'm dying! I'm so sick and exhausted!' 01:00:02.426 --> 01:00:06.442 13 years old and she tells us she feels like she's dying. Yet she works for the largest 01:00:06.442 --> 01:00:13.058 retail corporation on the face of the Earth, that had 11 bln. dollars of profits. 01:00:13.381 --> 01:00:22.764 Wal-Mart led the way and now everyone wants to milk the system for as much as possible. 01:00:23.313 --> 01:00:28.111 The biggest fear to the corporations is that young people wake up and start asking 01:00:28.111 --> 01:00:32.430 not even negative questions. Just like: 'Wait a second! Let's slow down a bit! 01:00:32.430 --> 01:00:34.857 Who made this product?' 01:00:34.931 --> 01:00:40.836 I had no idea.... Really... That would definitely cause me not to buy from that place anymore. 01:00:40.836 --> 01:00:46.953 Yeah, but this thing is everything is made there. Your shirt was made there. 01:00:46.953 --> 01:00:49.953 Like probably a kid made that. 01:00:49.953 --> 01:00:57.112 This is Philippines, the one is Vietnam... We could call someone. 01:01:01.540 --> 01:01:05.450 Hi, can we have some information on where your clothes are made? 01:01:05.450 --> 01:01:10.558 - Our clothes? - Yeah, where they're made? - Where we're located? 01:01:10.558 --> 01:01:14.543 No, where your clothes are made. 01:01:14.543 --> 01:01:21.505 I asked my manager and she told me we don't know. - Is there a law that you should know? 01:01:21.505 --> 01:01:24.147 You could double-check online. 01:01:24.147 --> 01:01:26.678 I never even thought about this before. I had no idea. 01:01:27.815 --> 01:01:29.644 We can only ask questions. 01:01:29.644 --> 01:01:36.119 So these are all laboured , so you can check China Labor Watch, Corpwatch and Labor.net. 01:01:36.119 --> 01:01:39.510 So we should go to this 'Responsible Shopper'.org. 01:01:39.510 --> 01:01:42.952 Ok, so they have specials about workers in Bangladesh. 01:01:42.952 --> 01:01:49.835 Unpaid retirements.... and in some cases even endured beatings by their supervisors? Workers operating the hot glue machines had burn scars and fresh burns on their hands. 01:02:09.044 --> 01:02:15.690 We're going to Wal-Mart Headquarters, because Wal-Mart is the largest retailer in the world. 01:02:15.690 --> 01:02:21.309 The Walton family are 5 of the top 10 richest people in America, but they pay their workers 01:02:21.309 --> 01:02:26.862 very very little. They've gotten that wealthy on the backs of a lot of people. 01:02:26.862 --> 01:02:31.608 Lots of places, lots of towns have been devastated by them... 01:02:31.608 --> 01:02:36.981 They really destroy the American dream. 01:02:36.981 --> 01:02:45.563 We'll park near a graveyard and we'll have a funeral for small-town America. 01:02:45.563 --> 01:02:53.586 In that adjoining cemetery are the buried hopes of the American dream. 01:02:53.586 --> 01:02:57.841 There is a real vision after Supermalls - 01:02:57.841 --> 01:03:06.815 a complex, fun, big American dream in the future, that is not about betrayal. 01:03:08.706 --> 01:03:14.795 It's not being cheated. The teenagers making these goods on the other side of the world, 01:03:14.795 --> 01:03:21.930 they won't have that kind of life anymore! We will know better than to cooperate in that slavery. 01:03:21.930 --> 01:03:26.686 Be able to give a better life for our children. 01:03:26.686 --> 01:03:35.099 Can you see that future? We're gonna exorcise Wal-Marts. 01:03:52.197 --> 01:03:56.097 It's waking up now.... 01:03:58.275 --> 01:04:10.488 I think it's Resurrection time. Let's go to that sign now. Let's take the evil into our bodies now. 01:04:10.488 --> 01:04:17.394 Let the anger come out. We started this country with anger. There is a time for anger. 01:04:17.394 --> 01:04:22.687 There is a time to exorcise, with millions of Americans in our bodies. 01:04:22.687 --> 01:04:29.824 We have millions of Americans in us! 01:04:37.935 --> 01:04:43.822 We'll give our own gifts this Christmas! 01:05:11.314 --> 01:05:15.183 Well, that was miserable. 01:05:15.183 --> 01:05:19.688 Millions of Americans in our bodies.... 01:05:19.688 --> 01:05:27.180 I thought that we'll start levitating and fly over Wal-Mart and something might happen. 01:05:27.180 --> 01:05:30.024 All I did was dive into the shrub. 01:05:30.024 --> 01:05:39.854 I hope nobody here hears us. Those that hear us, they SO don't want to hear us! 01:05:39.854 --> 01:05:54.339 You look pretty tired. - I feel I need for what we do to have some impact on someone soon. 01:06:21.847 --> 01:06:33.821 The weather's still ... the weather outside is frightening. It's gonna be a long ride. 01:06:33.975 --> 01:06:37.977 With convincing song and dance, wailing about the dreaded sins of retail chains 01:06:37.977 --> 01:06:43.892 and corporate conglomerates, Bill and his red-robed choir of followers faces questions of sincerity. 01:06:43.892 --> 01:06:48.194 She does tell them to stop everyone from shopping but she looks to the choir 01:06:48.194 --> 01:06:50.620 and says she was happy he was giving them work. 01:06:50.620 --> 01:06:53.985 They're probably all on welfare, she said, so it gives them something to do. 01:06:53.985 --> 01:06:57.004 That's incredible! 01:07:09.552 --> 01:07:15.637 I don't think people are really stopping their shopping very much. 01:07:15.637 --> 01:07:21.274 It's not surprising at all that we got hit by some truck in a hurry to deliver its goods. 01:07:21.274 --> 01:07:25.655 The malls are packed, the cars are packed, they look at us like we're crazy. 01:07:25.655 --> 01:07:31.214 'Stop shopping?' - Yeah, yeah, stop shopping! 01:07:31.358 --> 01:07:37.853 I think that the culture of shopping is so complete now that even just a single interruption 01:07:37.961 --> 01:07:46.002 is a kind of success. You really do have to start somewhere. 01:08:10.287 --> 01:08:21.621 We live right now in a dark time. Everybody is inside an automobile on the way to a television. 01:08:21.621 --> 01:08:30.322 We've got an emergency here! Oh, we can't stop shopping in Dallas! 01:08:30.322 --> 01:08:38.830 And there's a thing out there they call Christmas. Why are they throwing so many obstacles 01:08:38.830 --> 01:08:45.657 between us and the beginning of their hopes? Hundreds of thousands of grinning celebrities 01:08:45.657 --> 01:08:55.747 on labels, saying: 'No, this is a gift, no, this is a reference to a gift, a simulation, a painting of a gift...' 01:08:55.747 --> 01:09:06.745 Why the obstacle course? I'm gonna go to Wal-Mart and sing! I'm gonna go to Target and preach! 01:09:06.745 --> 01:09:16.210 I'm gonna go to those obstacles and I'm gonna say: "WHY CAN'T I GIVE? WHY CAN'T YOU GIVE?' 01:09:16.317 --> 01:09:21.319 Le'ts give a gift! A real gift! 01:09:21.319 --> 01:09:27.466 We survive the fire, the Shopocalypse.... 01:09:34.442 --> 01:09:39.548 Together we will penetrate the parking lot of the Big Box. We'll go through the electric doors, 01:09:39.548 --> 01:09:47.064 past the cash registers, down the aisles to the devil itself! 01:09:50.406 --> 01:10:00.423 Oh, Victoria, we know your secret! We don't need a million catalogs to have our sexual fantasies! 01:10:00.423 --> 01:10:05.798 Turn the camera off! - Can we take your picture too? Nightmare!!!! 01:10:12.559 --> 01:10:17.522 We aren't allowed anywhere near this mall! Yeah! They're probably having 01:10:17.522 --> 01:10:19.958 the federal police already waiting. 01:10:19.958 --> 01:10:23.440 The guy in the white suit in the white bus. How do I talk to him? 01:10:23.440 --> 01:10:30.774 There are 5000 Reverend Billies with white suits. Sometimes a Reverend Jimmy, Reverend Jimmybob, 01:10:30.774 --> 01:10:34.382 Reverend Jimmybob Billy.... 01:10:34.632 --> 01:10:39.933 We will take the real life that we have within us, that originallity that we've got 01:10:39.933 --> 01:10:47.610 that has got nothing to do with products! Amen, hallelujah!...... 01:10:57.922 --> 01:11:07.182 Shop consciously this year! We have three days to go! Stop your shopping officer! 01:11:08.908 --> 01:11:14.790 We will sit down in the seats before these yellow feet of the most famous corporate logo in the world, 01:11:14.790 --> 01:11:22.857 the one that has chosen to steal our children's imaginations for 80 years... 01:11:23.964 --> 01:11:29.818 The Devil, MICKEY MOUSE! 01:11:30.152 --> 01:11:35.889 You can hear the sounds of this season, right, the Jingle bells, the Christmas carols... 01:11:35.889 --> 01:11:40.940 the horns honking as drivers curse at each other... Today promises to be 01:11:40.940 --> 01:11:45.583 the mother of all gridlock alert days. 01:11:49.468 --> 01:11:54.553 We're so close here, it's the last push. How you keep it together at the end, when you're exhausted, 01:11:54.553 --> 01:11:59.051 is really the test. 01:12:04.641 --> 01:12:09.750 And if they continue to fornicate, after they know the difference, then they might cause 01:12:09.750 --> 01:12:17.389 a 9,2 earthquake to destroy Los Angeles. So a lot of us have to remain virgins 01:12:17.389 --> 01:12:19.854 until the day that we die. 01:12:19.854 --> 01:12:25.768 Let's not give gifts based on cruelty this year! 01:12:25.768 --> 01:12:31.319 I just heard stop shopping.. Isn't it 'Stop shopping' he sings? 01:12:31.319 --> 01:12:33.190 I wish I should've heard this before. 01:12:33.190 --> 01:12:36.376 Give a gift - out of love this season! 01:12:36.376 --> 01:12:42.381 I think it's excellent to bring this message, why people are so much into consumerism, 01:12:42.381 --> 01:12:47.081 and we should really realize what is the true meaning of Christmas. 01:12:47.081 --> 01:12:53.830 It's more about love for each other, than to be so much into consumerism, buying, buying.... 01:12:53.830 --> 01:12:57.775 What would Jesus buy? 01:12:58.990 --> 01:13:06.082 I don't think he'd buy anything at a Staples! 01:13:21.626 --> 01:13:34.207 We ask the fabulous Creator, the Mother Father God that's not a product! 01:13:34.207 --> 01:13:44.399 Come into the soul of this blessed baby, give this child, give its parents the loving power 01:13:44.399 --> 01:13:54.004 to not be lost to the mindlessness of consumerism! 01:13:58.486 --> 01:14:06.944 Roxanne Elisabeth, let's all sing! 01:14:14.070 --> 01:14:27.775 Aaaamen! Bless the child... Aaaaamen! Bless the child....Aaaaamen, amen, amen! 01:14:35.541 --> 01:14:42.207 You guys gotta leave. The manager... gotta leave. - Right, we're leaving 01:14:42.207 --> 01:14:46.415 We've just baptized a child, did you see? 01:15:00.891 --> 01:15:12.863 That felt so good, wow. Did you see that? Wow. That makes it all worth it. 01:15:12.863 --> 01:15:18.261 They can take me to jail now. 01:15:31.244 --> 01:15:37.583 America is a fascinating country in many ways. Of course, Los Angeles is the dream capital 01:15:37.583 --> 01:15:42.774 of the world, this is what we sell here. Disneyland is a perfect example of that. 01:15:42.774 --> 01:15:47.895 Disney is entirely fantasy, it is a simulation. Walt Disney built that place 01:15:47.895 --> 01:15:54.479 on the perfect little American town where he grew up. 01:15:54.479 --> 01:16:01.293 Everything is shiny, everything is beautiful. You'll notice at Disneyland there's no time - 01:16:01.386 --> 01:16:10.652 You can either live in the past, you can live in the future, you can never live in the present. 01:16:10.652 --> 01:16:18.490 So Disneyland is like following the yellow brick road and end up finding the Wizard of Oz 01:16:18.490 --> 01:16:23.181 and suddenly turns out that there's nothing behind the curtain, 01:16:23.181 --> 01:16:28.681 except the frenzy that you came from in the first place. 01:16:28.681 --> 01:16:37.071 We've lost the real dream and we've replaced it with this artificial dream. 01:16:37.071 --> 01:16:44.857 In Disney it's funny that it has this image of a magic kingdom and children's dreams and all the rest, 01:16:44.857 --> 01:16:49.049 but even they are completely ruthless. 01:16:50.049 --> 01:16:58.258 That's made in China, Disneypress. And I don't think many people in the US may associate 01:16:58.258 --> 01:17:04.832 this Disney book with crushed and broken fingers, lacerated hands, broken bones, 01:17:04.832 --> 01:17:09.271 even deaths of young women in China. 01:17:09.923 --> 01:17:16.014 And the workers of the factory that made this in Sri Lanka tried to organize a union, 01:17:16.014 --> 01:17:23.873 and they took the union leader out of the factory and broke his kneecaps. 01:17:24.246 --> 01:17:28.524 We don't question things. We don't think about the meaning of life enough. 01:17:28.524 --> 01:17:34.575 Christmas should be a time when we take that step back and we think about 01:17:34.575 --> 01:17:39.658 what really matters, what's really worth it. 01:17:39.658 --> 01:17:47.388 A whole closet full of stuff that we never use is a testament to our dissatisfaction. 01:17:47.388 --> 01:17:55.381 So this endless cycle of not being satisfied, more consumption - less satisfaction. 01:17:55.381 --> 01:18:00.300 How about less consumption and more satisfaction? 01:18:00.300 --> 01:18:06.982 Christmas means the pathetic hope that the coming of one who would just set all things straight, 01:18:06.982 --> 01:18:13.372 turn things upside down. Christmas is meant to shake the world up, 01:18:13.372 --> 01:18:18.683 not just be an occasion for more shopping. 01:18:18.683 --> 01:18:25.190 'Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house not a creature was stirring, 01:18:25.190 --> 01:18:33.190 not even a mouse. The children were nestled all snug in their beds while ads for new doodads 01:18:33.190 --> 01:18:39.214 played out in their heads. When the children awoke they spoke all-too honest: 01:18:39.214 --> 01:18:46.735 'Did we get what we wanted? What Santa Claus promised?' 01:19:04.697 --> 01:19:15.934 We gotta do this. We gotta head over there, to Promised Land. 01:19:58.965 --> 01:20:02.256 First church of Brooklyn? We're gospel choir from the First church of Brooklyn. 01:20:02.256 --> 01:20:06.694 Pasadena. The first church of Pasadena, and it's Unitarian. 01:20:06.694 --> 01:20:11.121 Make sure your wrist watches are synchronized. 01:20:11.121 --> 01:20:18.073 Now arriving from a trip around Walt Disney's Magic Kingdom. 01:20:19.689 --> 01:20:23.235 Each one of you here today has forever become a part 01:20:23.235 --> 01:20:26.937 of the magic known throughout the world as Disneyland. 01:20:26.937 --> 01:20:37.050 May you forever treasure this very special Christmas day at the happiest place on Earth! 01:20:45.684 --> 01:20:51.402 In just 2 minutes Disneyland will present a Christmas fantasy parade! 01:20:51.402 --> 01:20:57.402 This magical place where dreams come true! 01:21:03.516 --> 01:21:14.159 Hello everyone, yooohooo! Mickey wants to know you're rooting for him! Go Mickey go! 01:21:16.927 --> 01:21:21.006 Go Mickey go! 01:21:24.314 --> 01:21:29.834 He did it! He made it to the top! 01:21:56.512 --> 01:22:07.718 This is amazing! Christmas time in Disneyland! We got what Santa gave us 01:22:07.718 --> 01:22:18.350 and it was what we wanted! We're so lucky! Christmas time on Main street in Disneyland! 01:22:18.350 --> 01:22:29.029 But wait a minute! This amazing Main street, it's so prosperous, so beautiful, so healthy! 01:22:30.198 --> 01:22:36.971 The main streets across America they're not this prosperous, they're not this amazing! 01:22:36.971 --> 01:22:42.811 They're empty, they're shuttered, they're outsourced! 01:22:42.811 --> 01:22:52.728 Everything here, Main Street USA, is Made in China! - Sir... - Something's wrong! - Leave now! 01:22:52.728 --> 01:23:02.029 Let's take our magic back to America! Let's go shop at home! We can change! 01:23:02.029 --> 01:23:05.895 Sir, you need to relax... sir... - Let's slow down our consumption! 01:23:05.895 --> 01:23:14.915 Hallelujah! Stop shopping here! We have the magic! The corporations stole Christmas! 01:23:14.915 --> 01:23:21.320 We can take it back! - Will you stop or you'll be arrested! - Let's give a real gift! 01:23:26.165 --> 01:23:33.000 You're going to jail tonight. I challenge you. Stop Shopping here. 01:23:33.000 --> 01:23:38.526 You're going to jail. Merry Christmas! Stop.... 01:23:38.941 --> 01:23:44.560 Leave Disneyland! Stop....ah! 01:23:53.747 --> 01:23:57.771 And your preacher back there, he's gonna go to jail. Everybody here will go to jail 01:23:57.771 --> 01:24:01.937 if you don't stop what you're doing. 01:24:10.607 --> 01:24:19.747 What if we did save Christmas from the Shopocalypse? 01:24:19.747 --> 01:24:25.726 A billion people pause at the cash register: 'Wait a minute, should I buy this thing? 01:24:25.726 --> 01:24:32.907 What is this thing? What do I intend to do with that thing?' 01:24:32.907 --> 01:24:46.527 What if they have.... Ohhhh, then we'll have the opportunity to give the greatest gift of all! 01:24:46.527 --> 01:24:50.149 We can give the gift of Christmas itself! 01:24:50.149 --> 01:24:55.750 Let's pray to the Fabulous Unknown! 01:24:55.750 --> 01:25:05.473 Give us the power to recognize the greatest gift of all, when we have the chance to give it. 01:25:05.473 --> 01:25:09.565 Cause there've been so many "Tickle-me Elmos" and cabbage-face dolls... 01:25:09.565 --> 01:25:17.156 I don't know how to recognize Christmas with all these Christmas decorations! 01:25:17.156 --> 01:25:24.366 What would Christmas itself look like, how would you wrap it? 01:25:29.487 --> 01:25:37.026 Thank you so much for letting us come together 01:25:38.226 --> 01:25:44.802 to look at someone else that you can help, that you can reach out to - 01:25:44.802 --> 01:25:48.677 that's what this is all about. 01:25:48.677 --> 01:25:57.753 What if we could change Christmas? What if the America we all saw together this December could change, 01:25:57.753 --> 01:26:03.066 even a little at Christmas time? 01:26:03.066 --> 01:26:11.681 Then we could change the whole year! Spend half as much as you spent last year for Christmas. 01:26:11.681 --> 01:26:17.292 Let's buy half as much and give twice as much! 01:26:17.292 --> 01:26:23.235 Give my child my time; my loved one my love - a real gift! 01:26:23.235 --> 01:26:38.614 Amen! Amen! Amen! Hallelujah! 01:26:38.614 --> 01:26:47.557 What was Christmas before the shopping started? 01:26:56.640 --> 01:27:06.805 Christmas is the birth of the child we believe will grow up to teach us peace. 01:27:06.805 --> 01:27:13.342 You don't have to be a Christian to hope that's true. Amen? - Amen. 01:27:13.342 --> 01:27:21.705 Somebody give me a Merry Christmas here. - Merry Christmas! Hallelujah!