A Darker Truth
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He’s declared 5G a bio-engineered virus and that the United Nations is inspired by Satanic teachings. But as Billy Te Kahika’s wilder conspiracies grabbed headlines, his rhetoric touched on a darker subject.
On June 4, Billy Te Kahika took to Facebook live, as he regularly does, to deliver a sermon to his devotees.
By now these “prayer studies” are nothing new. In May, Te Kahika went viral with videos that weave scripture, 5G, Covid-19, Harry Potter, vaccines, the Labour government, Bill Gates and the UN into narratives of sinister plots to corrupt and control the world.
But this live broadcast is different. The first sign is a poor attempt at a Hebrew greeting.
The build-up is slow. As the flock appears one by one on his screen, he thanks them all for being there, addressing them by name in the soft voice of a preacher speaking to a child.
It’s only by minute five that his audience discovers what’s been on Te Kahika’s mind.
“I want to talk to you about how the nation of Israel was formed... not many people know about it.”
For the next hour, in a video seen by more than 5000, the leader of the New Zealand Public Party spins a story about the Jewish nation. Using historical half-truths and debunked documents he enlightens his audience about its connection to a Satanic conspiracy, and a global plan to engineer a third world war.
He’s at pains to coat the language, expressing love for his “Israeli whānau”, and asserting that although the Jews killed Jesus, it’s only the Zionists, those Jews behind the nation of Israel, that are the real threat.
“It’s a Satanic deception.”
The voice of New Zealand Jewish Council spokesperson Juliet Moses brims with cool outrage when she explains that the Jewish people have heard this message before.
“Anti-Semitism is at its heart a conspiracy theory,” she says.
“It sees Jews as a shadowy nefarious cabal controlling world events and people in accordance with their evil agenda.”
“It’s insidious poison... I felt like I needed a shower after watching the video,” she says.
For some of the audience, Te Kahika crossed a line on June 4. The comments sectioned is littered with “sorry I'm out” and “mate, you just completely lost me”.
And so, the next day, in a 15-minute broadcast, Te Kahika appeared to take a step back in his tone.
“I have some dear Israeli friends... I’d love to visit there,” he says, before finishing with a final swipe at the Jewish nation.
“[Israel is] a political system that’s as abusive as any we’ve ever seen.”
From there, Te Kahika’s live videos seem to drop the subject.
At least in public.
Jewish spiritual leader Yaakov Brown welcomes all guests to his home with a plate of dense sesame seed confection known as Achva Halva - an Israeli speciality.
Dressed in the Yarmulke skullcap and the white Kittel of the Judaic religion, he explains he’s nervous recalling his encounter with Te Kahika - he fears an anti-Semitic backlash.
“I want people to know I'm only repeating what I can clearly remember,” says Brown.
On June 30, Brown was invited by the founder of the Māori Initiatives Charitable Trust, Steve Hutana, to a Zoom meeting with Te Kahika and 10 religious leaders.
Brown aimed to challenge Te Kahika’s earlier statements on Israel and clarify his position on religious issues.
The conversation started civilly enough, but soon became heated after the two disagreed about the history of the Jewish nation.
“The next thing he said was 'we all know whose money controls the world', so he inferred that we Jews control the world banking system.”
“That's the line that Adolf Hitler used.”
“Billy went on to say the Rothschilds were Satanists and that Israel is a part of the bigger picture... he was essentially saying Jews control the world. All the same anti-Semitic crap I've heard since I was a boy.”
Brown made a social media post about the meeting the next day, receiving both support from the Jewish community and condemnation from some of Te Kahika’s followers.
“I wanted to just say, hey, this is the reality. I think this man is dangerous.
“I almost instantaneously started getting abuse from people, public posts some of which... I had to delete because I didn't want them to be seen.”
What worries Brown is the rhetoric can be seen in two ways, both as anti-Semitism and legitimate criticism of the state of Israel.
“I've got no problem with people criticising the government of Israel if their criticism is factual and honest.
“But there’s enough of what he’s saying to denote a much darker underlying ideal.”
Massey University’s Dr Paul Spoonley, an expert on the Far Right and hate groups, says it's the merger of anti-Semitism into conspiracy theories that makes it such a dangerous force - especially because in these uncertain times conspiracy theories are attractive to many.
“We've got to acknowledge the anxiety that's associated with the pandemic. So people are looking for alternative views... that make sense of the world.
“We need a story, a narrative, and we need a target, a scapegoat.”
And Te Kahika, says Spoonley, is an enticing messenger. A charming, empathetic speaker giving voice to those who feel forgotten.
“When you start getting conspiratorial views alongside hostility towards minority ethnic and religious groups, then it's always a formula for disaster.
“It is hate speech, what he's saying.”
What’s both disturbing and telling, to him, is Te Kahika’s thorough knowledge of anti-Semitic doctrine that lies at the heart of historical Jewish persecution.
The Rothschilds conspiracy, a favourite talking point for Te Kahika, was also a major plank of Nazi propaganda.
He uses a hoax letter revealed as a joke by French satirist Leo Taxil, to connect Freemasonry and the Jewish people in a global master plan. There’s even a reference to an obscure theory, now debunked by genetic studies, that the European Jewish population has no ancestral ties to Israel.
Jewish spiritual leader Yaakov Brown welcomes all guests to his home with a plate of dense sesame seed confection known as Achva Halva - an Israeli speciality.
Dressed in the Yarmulke skullcap and the white Kittel of the Judaic religion, he explains he’s nervous recalling his encounter with Te Kahika - he fears an anti-Semitic backlash.
“I want people to know I'm only repeating what I can clearly remember,” says Brown.
On June 30, Brown was invited by the founder of the Māori Initiatives Charitable Trust, Steve Hutana, to a Zoom meeting with Te Kahika and 10 religious leaders.
Brown aimed to challenge Te Kahika’s earlier statements on Israel and clarify his position on religious issues.
The conversation started civilly enough, but soon became heated after the two disagreed about the history of the Jewish nation.
“The next thing he said was 'we all know whose money controls the world', so he inferred that we Jews control the world banking system.”
“That's the line that Adolf Hitler used.”
“Billy went on to say the Rothschilds were Satanists and that Israel is a part of the bigger picture... he was essentially saying Jews control the world. All the same anti-Semitic crap I've heard since I was a boy.”
Brown made a social media post about the meeting the next day, receiving both support from the Jewish community and condemnation from some of Te Kahika’s followers.
“I wanted to just say, hey, this is the reality. I think this man is dangerous.
“I almost instantaneously started getting abuse from people, public posts some of which... I had to delete because I didn't want them to be seen.”
What worries Brown is the rhetoric can be seen in two ways, both as anti-Semitism and legitimate criticism of the state of Israel.
“I've got no problem with people criticising the government of Israel if their criticism is factual and honest.
“But there’s enough of what he’s saying to denote a much darker underlying ideal.”
Massey University’s Dr Paul Spoonley, an expert on the Far Right and hate groups, says it's the merger of anti-Semitism into conspiracy theories that makes it such a dangerous force - especially because in these uncertain times conspiracy theories are attractive to many.
“We've got to acknowledge the anxiety that's associated with the pandemic. So people are looking for alternative views... that make sense of the world.
“We need a story, a narrative, and we need a target, a scapegoat.”
And Te Kahika, says Spoonley, is an enticing messenger. A charming, empathetic speaker giving voice to those who feel forgotten.
“When you start getting conspiratorial views alongside hostility towards minority ethnic and religious groups, then it's always a formula for disaster.
“It is hate speech, what he's saying.”
What’s both disturbing and telling, to him, is Te Kahika’s thorough knowledge of anti-Semitic doctrine that lies at the heart of historical Jewish persecution.
The Rothschilds conspiracy, a favourite talking point for Te Kahika, was also a major plank of Nazi propaganda.
He uses a hoax letter revealed as a joke by French satirist Leo Taxil, to connect Freemasonry and the Jewish people in a global master plan. There’s even a reference to an obscure theory, now debunked by genetic studies, that the European Jewish population has no ancestral ties to Israel.
Shane Te Pou has known Te Kahika, through the music scene, for 10 years.
Back then, Te Pou says, he was a roguish, lovable chap who always had a scheme up his sleeve, but no real interest in politics.
“I’ve been involved in activism politics for 30 years and... I never saw him actively involved in the anti-Apartheid movement or the Treaty movement, environmental issues.”
A few years back the two bumped into each other and sat down for a cup of coffee.
“He told me the Jews are responsible for all the world’s troubles... he genuinely thinks that. The Zionists control the banks. He was firmly of the belief that they’ve got a lot to say in New Zealand.”
Te Pou says he was dismissive at the time. But watching the crowd at one of Te Kahika’s recent rallies, he felt the need to speak out.
“There was a level of evangelicalism.”
“I’m worried because... I think that his real views are very different from the ones he might articulate on Facebook or in mainstream media.
“He's very dangerous.”
But while Te Kahika might speak like a preacher, according to one expert, his message is far from Christian.
Gareth Bazett is the director of Theology House in Christchurch. For the past 30 years, it’s been his job to read and interpret biblical scripture for the Anglican Church.
He says Te Kahika’s interpretation of holy text is just plain wrong.
“It’s just baffling to me... Jews didn’t kill Jesus, the Romans did. Full stop.”
But it's also nothing new.
“Distortion of the Bible for sort of sinister purposes like using hatred can be a great way to control a population or direct them in a way that you want.”
He says today, for most major Christian denominations, Jewish condemnation is a thing of the past.
In 1965, the Catholic Church welcomed the Jewish people as brethren. Last year, he says, the Anglican Church released ‘God’s Unfailing Word’ which both admitted and sought forgiveness for its role in historical anti-Semitism.
The point, he says, is that Te Kahika’s message is a step back to a darker time in church history.
“There's been a massive shift at how thinking Christians are trying to try not to think about Judaism and Islam as well... everyone’s sort of slowly but surely working their way forward.”
But for those in Te Kahika’s flock still in doubt, he would like them to consider John 8:7.
“Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.”
Billy Te Kahika was asked for comment for this feature but did not return calls or emails from Stuff.
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