Still struggling.

[KevinM1]

Try this experiment: Watch any of the popular televangelists with the sound turned off. Pay particular attention to any close up-shots. Examine the preachers’ smile, their jaw tension, neck or forehead veins; watch their hand gestures – how many aggressive, forward-pushing, knife or hatchet-type gestures do you see? Now ask: If you saw this person in a coffee shop talking like this, how would you classify his or her behavior and emotions?

Actually, most of the popular televangelists now are those who preach prosperity gospel.  Creflo Dollar, Joel Osteen, etc.  Their mannerisms are much more like a used car salesman than anything else - dead behind the eyes fake smiles, flamboyant energetic gestures, lots of welcoming body language as opposed to threatening body language.  And it makes sense.  They're literally trying to not only sell their faith, but books, DVDs, pay-per-minute phone prayers, etc.

But, your larger point remains.  Everything these people do is calculated.  How it manifests differs from church to church.  Your "gays are to be blamed for 9/11" types definitely use more aggressive gestures, while your "in Jesus' name, amen... don't forget to buy a book or DVD on your way out" types try to foster a more welcoming, friendly, and happy mood.  Catholic priests try to foster an air of authority between their dress, their surroundings (Catholics sure love their vaulted ceilings and gargantuan crucifixes), and their generalized solemn mannerisms.

It's really kind of interesting to watch once you're out of religion because it's so obvious, especially if you've learned anything about propaganda and/or persuasion.  P.T. Barnum had nothing on priests and preachers.