A Conversation for American TV Evangelists

Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned...

Post 1

Mustapha

Nice article, but it omits one crucial facet of the TVangelist.

Sin and Redemption.

Every single one of them at some point either runs afoul of the IRS or has trouble keeping the Sixth Commandment (that one about adultery).

This is not a result of weak-will or the Devil - it's divine insurance. it makes the punters believe that anyone can sin and that anyone can be redeemed. Plus if you keep thumping on about sin, all the while forgetting about one's own little transgressions, it's going to be pretty embarrassing when you get to the Pearly Gates, St Pete looks in his big black book and says "Oh dear, tsk, tsk!" So it pays to commit one big sin every once in a while, just so you canget forgiven for it and anything else you might have done. A kind of karmic colonic, an enema of the anima.


Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned...

Post 2

Fruitbat (Eric the)

I liked that: Karmic colonic; enema of the anima. What happens to them when their karma runs over their dogma?

You make a very good point which I hadn't seen before: thanks.
This illustrates the point that the only unintentionally-funny programme on television after politics is organised religion (makes me think of the film Elmer Gantry, actually).

Fruitbat


Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned...

Post 3

Mustapha

Cheers!

There's another point I forgot to mention.

Pride and humility. Without the latter, you succumb to the former. Pride, while not explicitly mentioned in the Bible, is still one of the Seven Deadly Sins. And Pride is the Sin of Lucifer. If you ever want to annoy one of these people, ask them if they're proud of what they do (they'll invariably say yes), and then tell them that little tidbit.


Mustapha the Inquisitor


Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned...

Post 4

WowbaggerTIP

Nice one, man. That's another cannon in my philosophical arsenal.


Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned...

Post 5

WowbaggerTIP

Splatma.


Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned...

Post 6

Potholer

That reminds me of a recent documentary ('The real Tammy Faye', or similar), about the collapse of the TV church run by Jim Bakker (I think). Whilst Tammy Faye herself came across as a pretty genuine person, there was some really


Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned...

Post 7

Potholer

damn, clicked too soon
... sinister-looking guy who ran another televangelist network who turned up to 'help out', but ended up taking over the whole operation for his own ends. If I've ever seen anyone who conjures up the image of a biblical serpent, it was this guy, though I suppose a serpent wouldn't have had his talent for stabbing people in the back.
I think one of the very big problems when power and money start getting involved in religion is that they both bring out the worst in some people, and in an environment where the majority of people are forgiving and trusting (particularly of someone who mouths the right mantras), it's very, very easy for some unwholesome people to slither their way towards the top.


Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned...

Post 8

WowbaggerTIP

Put it this way: next time you see a disgustingly full toilet, notice what floats to the top....


Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned...

Post 9

Locke Huntsley

i gotta agree with most of you. the thing is, tho, that we have had sooooo many screwed up televangalists, that we don't even care about the legit ones. there are some out there who truely want to win souls to jesus, and truly want to help out those less fortunate. the problem is, we have no idea how to tell them apart if we did, this whole problem wouldn't happen.

locke huntsely smiley - fish


Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned...

Post 10

Potholer

Even if there *are* any non-screwed up ones, just because they're on TV doesn't mean they're better than anyone else, and if you really can't be sure, it seems safer to ignore the lot. I reckon you're more much more likely to encounter someone worthwhile and worth trusting in Real Life. (or even on h2g2)


Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned...

Post 11

Locke Huntsley

yeah, all in all i gotta agree. and, i don't think i said they were better than anyone. they aren't. and, yeah, your right, it probably is safer to just ignore all of them. if you really want to know about jesus, ask a person at the church.

locke huntsley smiley - fish


Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned...

Post 12

Potholer

I didn't really mean 'you' as in *you*, but more 'you' as in *one*, but saying '...one is much more likely to encounter...' would have sounded a little pretentious.

P


Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned...

Post 13

Mustapha

Pretentious, vous Potholer? smiley - smiley


Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned...

Post 14

Potholer

Actually, I'm not sure who or what else I'd *really* want to pretend to be.


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