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Televangelists
December 4, 2017 at 8:36 pm
Televangelists.
We've all seen them at some time, those overdressed, fake looking people who appear on your TV late at night, or early in the morning, selling all sorts of fake "blessings" and asking you for money so they can live their extravagant lifestyles while their followers often struggle.
From Peter Popoff, who was outed as a fake by James Randi in the 80s, and is still going strong, to the appropriately named Creflo Dollar jr, and so many others, these slick conmen are milking millions of desperate people out of their money every week.
Do these people, in your opinion, have ANY redeeming characteristics?
Have you ever encountered these individuals, or any like them, in RL?
Do you have any stories about these professional crooks?
Dying to live, living to die.
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RE: Televangelists
December 5, 2017 at 12:02 am
Redeeming???, NO. They are the pinnacle of religious manipulation, preying (praying?) on the most vulnerable and week.
I don't have any personal experience with the TV ones. I remember that my dad's preacher used to strong him (badger/shame) all the time to do work for free on the church and parsonage. Not in lieu of the tithe but on top of.
I have noticed that theists don't have much to say about them. They are such a bad representation for the faith, I don't understand the silence.
I don't have an anger problem, I have an idiot problem.
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RE: Televangelists
December 5, 2017 at 1:29 am
(December 4, 2017 at 8:36 pm)The Valkyrie Wrote: Do these people, in your opinion, have ANY redeeming characteristics?
Yes. Their corpses makes as good fertilizers as any others’.
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RE: Televangelists
December 5, 2017 at 2:55 am
(This post was last modified: December 5, 2017 at 2:57 am by Gambrinus.)
The only redeeming characteristics I can find in any of them is the ability to make money, but what a horrible way to make money
they rank right up there with most politicians.
With morbid fascination I used to watch Jim and Tammy Faye Baker, but what really got me were the people who literally bought their crap.
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RE: Televangelists
December 5, 2017 at 5:59 am
I am happy to just call them money-hungry, con-man scumbags.
Don't believe their schtick for one nanosecond.
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RE: Televangelists
December 5, 2017 at 6:12 am
I feel so fortunate to have never seen any of those, before coming to this forum! 
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RE: Televangelists
December 5, 2017 at 7:56 am
(December 4, 2017 at 8:36 pm)The Valkyrie Wrote: Do these people, in your opinion, have ANY redeeming characteristics? Sure, just imagine what sort of shit credulous believers would spend that money on instead. Paper targets in the desert. Crates of de-commed 7.62. Bags of fertilizer, tarps, and used pickup trucks.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: Televangelists
December 5, 2017 at 8:48 am
(December 4, 2017 at 8:36 pm)The Valkyrie Wrote: Do these people, in your opinion, have ANY redeeming characteristics?
Wow, you're asking people to dig deep. Being a drunken sod, I often wake up to these guys while laying on my couch at 3 in the morning. They are horrible. They often commend someone who only makes $300 every two weeks for sending in a donation of $200. This is followed by assurances that God is now working on their problems and fixing their life. Vultures!
The only benefit I can think of that they provide is the placebo effect. Maybe the poor guy who sent this asshole two-thirds of his paycheck becomes emboldened upon hearing the pastor's assurances and is therefore able to approach the next day with gusto and confidence. But really, what redeeming qualities lie in someone who sells sugar pills for 200 bucks a pop? A snake oil salesman should be regarded with higher esteem. After all, "snake oil" often contained alcohol and/or opiates which have some kind of real medicinal value.
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RE: Televangelists
December 5, 2017 at 9:02 am
Luckily we don't get these scumbags in Britain (at least I have never seen any, but then I watch very little television)
The meek shall inherit the Earth, the rest of us will fly to the stars.
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RE: Televangelists
December 5, 2017 at 9:03 am
(December 4, 2017 at 8:36 pm)The Valkyrie Wrote: Televangelists.
We've all seen them at some time, those overdressed, fake looking people who appear on your TV late at night, or early in the morning, selling all sorts of fake "blessings" and asking you for money so they can live their extravagant lifestyles while their followers often struggle.
From Peter Popoff, who was outed as a fake by James Randi in the 80s, and is still going strong, to the appropriately named Creflo Dollar jr, and so many others, these slick conmen are milking millions of desperate people out of their money every week.
Do these people, in your opinion, have ANY redeeming characteristics?
Have you ever encountered these individuals, or any like them, in RL?
Do you have any stories about these professional crooks?
I don't like them either. Even ones that aren't necessarily "crooks" often still have the fakeness / fake drama, that turns me off.
I'm not against it as an idea, but I can't watch most of TBN.
However, interestingly enough, I came to faith, from watching one you had mentioned (Creflo Dollar). At least as I remember it, it must have been the one time, that he wasn't asking for money. I bought one book, and seen him one more time, where he was back to the send me money, and I'll make you rich... haven't watched him since.
It is said that an argument is what convinces reasonable men and a proof is what it takes to convince even an unreasonable man. - Alexander Vilenkin
If I am shown my error, I will be the first to throw my books into the fire. - Martin Luther
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