Lou - oder: Publizistik der religiösen Hybris

Abstract

Damit der Leser es gleich am Anfang weiß: Im Jahre 1972 geht unsere vom Satan
beherrschte Welt unter. Naturkatastrophen, Atombomben, radioaktive Verseuchung
sind Vorzeichen. Nur wer in Lou (sprich: Lau) den Herrgott selbst erkannt hat,
wird gerettet werden und die neue Erde des neuen tausendjährigen Reiches mit
beerben. Er ist aber kein zürnender Bußprediger, dieser „Lou de Palingboer van
Muiden" (= Lou, der Aalhändler aus Muiden), er ist dem Anschein nach eher ein
typischer Kleinbürger. Eine soziologische Studie nennt ihn die „hausbackenste Gottheit", die man sich denken könne. (...)

English

Lou, the Durch founder of a religious sect (actually: Louwrens van Voorthuizen, born
in 1898 in Breezand near Alkmaar and by profession a fisherman) considers himself to be a new incarnation of Jesus Christ. He says that he preaches Jesus Christ physically. He has preached openly since 1950. The rather small community of „Lou-advocates" that has gathered around him is waiting the end of the Satan-dominated world in 1972. Satan, as they see it, manifests himself especially through all intellectualism. The Bible itself has become the devil's tool; as has, of course, all theology. The group has its headquarters in Lou's „White House" in Muiderberg. He preaches once a month in Amsterdam. Lou has managed to get a remarkable amount of publicity for his group in Holland and the neighboring countries at litt!e expense to himself. He sells a monthly called „Maandblad Lou" and his subscription drives penetrate even far into West Germany. The discussion-
happy Dutchmen show quite a bit of interest in the Lou group, but after having
heard them, they wonder just who is out of his mind: Lou or his audience. Lou gains
a fair amount of publicity by featuring the „common ordinary little man on the street"
who carries more interest value for the people of his own wage bracket than do the
subtle intellectuals. Until now it has been more the sociologist than the theologian who has undertaken to describe the Lou phenomenon. However, those concerned with religious publicity have something of interest to learn, namely, how a small group like this whose members seem to be mystically endowed makes use of communications media. Someone should delve deeper into these publicity methods but this time in conjunction with a theologian.