God almighty! BLESS YEE

[Channing]

Now I've sat here pretty much all evening watching television. I'm in college with absolutely nothing to do except sit in my room, lay on my bed and watch cable tv.

So I'm flipping through tv and I see these church shows. Asking for "vows." (1,000 incriment donations.) A ton of sermons on different things which in reality are generic events that happen regardless. It seems like preaching and blessings happen to all these people, but they make it seem only because THEY instilled faith and money into the programs.

They give an example of a couple in debt donating even while under pressure of debt. And now their debt is erased. Now I am a Christian and all but I feel this is total garbage. You shouldn't make people feel like God is going to bless them just because they choose to donate to some program.

Do you think this is acceptable? Or does it need to be stopped?

Personally I believe they should start ASKING for donations to keep the program going. Not shadow it with God's blessings because of the amounts requested. I just feel like it slanders my religion as a whole. I'm not a saint, and I totally don't live by the book but I do have respect for Christianity. I believe Jesus died on the cross for our sins and he listens to our prayers. But not BECAUSE we spend money. But because we do it out of geniune concern.
;P

Ugh, it's frustrating but it really makes me laugh. I flip the channel thinking "fresh suit, nice shave, nice smile. That man is running a good program. A scam more like it."

[Azure Chrysanthemum]

The practice you speak of is actually quite archaic, a long time ago the church used to sell "indulgences" which people paid money for pardons for their sins. This appears to be merely a modernized version of it. The interesting thing to note would be that since most televangelists tend to be Protestant, not Roman Catholic, they are attempting to revive the practice that so many found so repugnant that they left the dominant church because of it.

[Channing]

Yes I studied Chaucer's Pardoner story and it seemed rather far fetched. But it's so surprising people fall for this stuff.

For example:
I was watching BET, the late night preaching. This guy was asking for a 1,000 dollar vow in good faith. And supposedly he was talking to God (closed eyes) and God was telling him there was a person (Speaking to the listener in 3rd person making it seem like God was talking to him about YOU) who needed help financially, and that God was going to take care of them.

It made me absolutely sick.

[TheAbominatrix]

Well think about people in general. Everyday thousands are taken in by all sorts of scams. Get rich quick schemes, miracle products, etc etc. A good deal of us will look at these things and think "Who would be dumb enough to fall for that?" but SO many people do for so many reasons. Extorting religious beliefs is just another way to scam someone, and an easier way because people feel they're doing good by it.

[bipper]

Do you think this is acceptable? Or does it need to be stopped?

In the christan religion, no one has that power to speak for god. OD is not america, you can't jsut throw money at him, and expect your problems to go away

In mark 24 it speaks of the comming of the end times, and these types of prohpets comming. The only reason I give money to a church, is that it may help spread the belief, and help the other members out. If my church were to say such things, they would never get another dime out of me.

Look at when Jesus says "Give to ceasar what is his, give to god what is his" Yes, in that god seperates money, and the church quicte clearly when he pulls the coin from the fish mouth.

Bipper

[Madame Adequate]

People will be empowered by this. Consider: They'll believe that the most powerful being conceivable is looking out for them, personally. For a lot of people that reassurance and confidence is worth the money.

[Gnostic Yevon]

Actually there's one of those type of preachers on TBN, only I swear he's not only trying to get "vows", but he seems to be trying to hypnotize the audience.

He says the same things over and over and over, something like this

Your gonna be blessed
god is gonna bless you
go to your phone (at this point he snaps his fingers)

Which I think is pretty evil. Bad enough to bilk people out of money when they probably don't have much, but to try to hypnotize them to get them to do it is just evil.

[Shlup]

If people are stupid enough to fall for it that's their problem. They should be informed, but scammers should be stopped by lack of scammable people, not force.

[Shoeberto]

Donating to televangelists like that is a scam, I'd say. It's no different from scientology.

[Jebus]

People are sheep. Why do you think the religion has lasted as long as it has?

People are taken in by anybody who speaks loudly, and promises them things they want. Blessings, eternal life, etc. This goes for all religions, not just the televangelists.

[bipper]

Jeebus has a lot of poiints. Althoguh I am a stout beliver in christianity. There is a sweet book called "A Case for the Creator" that deals with a lot of christain proof - mostly in science etc.

It is a godo read of anyone is willing. and hey, its not written by Sylvia Browne so that is a plus. :rolleyes2

btw jeebus : I was wondering when you would post here
Bipper

[Mr. Mojo Risin]

I read it, didn't like it.

[bipper]

Did you mean the book? Sorry, not sure without any nouns. If so? Why not? jsut currious

Bipper

[Mr. Mojo Risin]

Sorry for the thread jack...

...Yeah, the book completely ignores Euclidean logic. Until Christians trump Euclid, I won't suscribe to Christianity.

(Bipper, you should start a new thread on why you like the book.)