Christian Decadence

[ElsewheresDaughter]

Run time: 10:01 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDzB2XvWOb8   Posted on YouTube: November 19, 2007 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: November 19, 2007 By DU Member: ElsewheresDaughter Views on DU: 1988

 
How the hell can one person spend that much money? Isn't there some better use for that? Imagine what kind of charity work you could do with that kind of funding. Then again, you do have to keep in mind that this money was conned off the faithful, which makes this spending a double offence.

[ProfessorPlum]

1. Heh heh

Of course that's where all of that donation money goes. It's a big racket. But, I'm glad to see someone busting this guy's balls over it. Hopefully the flow of $ will dry a bit.

[Unca Jim]

2. Well, I'll let the legions of Christian Haters on DU get outraged...

for me, but what a douchebag. The watchdog in the segment was right: When people who start organizations actually start to believe their own bullshit and think they are the only reason the organization exists, abuse of their power always follows. Why isn't someone like this taxed? He's clearly not operating a church and benefiting the community; he's a freakin' seminar emcee.

Hey, at least he tips well! :7

Good segment, I wish more people who send money to these guys would watch it.

[TlalocW]

3. The older gentleman they interview is rather naive in my opinion

When he says that it's not just Benny Hinn but all the big name evangelists who (not an exact quote), "start believing they're something special and deserving of that lifestyle." That implies that these people were once true Christians, wanting to spread the word of God, and they've become corrupted. These pieces of human shit are rotten from the beginning - Benny, Oral Roberts, Tilton, Swaggert, Popoff. They use bad magic tricks to bilk incredibly suggestible audiences out of money, and because they've declared themselves a church, all they have to do is make sure they don't step too far over a few lines, and the IRS is scared to go after them. It's a sweet racket if you have no conscience.

Read James Randi's, "The Faith Healers," for an interesting history and expose on various faith healers throughout the times.

TlalocW

[ihavenobias]

4. What's so bad about Oral Roberts?

http://news.aol.com/newsbloggers/2007/10/21/sex-tapes-arent-just-for-celebrities-anymore-oral-roberts-gets/

[tanstaafl]

5. Man is that guy going to H E double toothpicks ...

"Look into my eyes ... I would rather die than lie to god's people ..."

This guy is so full of it. Only thing worse than him are the lemmings who believe he is telling the truth!

[Divine Discontent]

6. he's such a blaspheme against my faith. not sure why some people are so..

easy to manipulate for cash when others who believe (and don't believe) can see the obvious cash spending and living like an ancient king or modern day oil prince and say, "this guy is a fraud!"...

[PDJane]

7. I firmly believe that these people know that

religion is a myth. They don't believe any of it. They are good at pretending to, but they don't believe in "The Holy Bible." They are good at quotes, but they don't really read the book for guidance.

[ClintonTyree]

8. The greatest con ever devised....

the original "pyramid" scheme. One on the top, and a legion of "sheep" beneath him, keeping him propped up there. And they've been fleecing the flock for centuries. What a con, and it continues to bring earthly rewards to this day.

[bjobotts]

9. Amazing how followers ignore truth and are so easily led. God said don't?

You can call yourself a Christian and still be an asshole. Anybody that tells you God talks to them and you'd better start checking for your wallet.

It's all based on the premise that the faithful never need to know if they're lying.

[Ladyhawk]

10. Faith is not a virtue.

How the hell can one person spend that much money? Isn't there some better use for that? Imagine what kind of charity work you could do with that kind of funding. Then again, you do have to keep in mind that this money was conned off the faithful, which makes this spending a double offence.

Faith is not a virtue. Why do you think con men go after "the faithful"? You may as well call them "the gullible."

-Faith is believing in what you know ain't true. - Mark Twain

-Faith is not the result of fuzzy thinking; it is the cause of it. - Dan Barker

-Reason must be deluded, blinded, and destroyed. Faith must trample underfoot all reason, sense, and understanding, and whatever it sees must be put out of sight and ... know nothing but the word of God. - Martin Luther

-Faith is an absolutely marvelous tool. With faith there is no belief that cannot be justified. - Rev. Donald Morgan (b. 1933), Atheist theologian

-We may define "faith" as the firm belief in something for which there is no evidence. Where there is evidence, no one speaks of "faith." We do not speak of faith that two and two are four or that the earth is round. We only speak of faith when we wish to substitute emotion for evidence. The substitution of emotion for evidence is apt to lead to strife, since different groups, substitute different emotions. -Bertrand Russell

[Divine Discontent]

12. your post

has nothing to do with this con artist, and is simply a post made to attack people having a religious faith, and frankly, is not permitted. Quote all the people you want - but if someone chooses to believe in an existence that we aren't breathing and thinking simply by accident - then that is their right and any comment made in a tangent manner is clearly mocking anyone who chooses to believe this way based on the words of their faith. It is offensive to me. I do not make open posts about atheists and attach negative quotes about them to it.

[ihavenobias]

13. I Disagree

We can't ask for censorship of posts that aren't DIRECTLY tied to the specifics of the topic at hand just because we disagree with them.

We have freedom to express religious beliefs as well as the ability to express disbelief, period.

[Divine Discontent]

14. the DU guidelines state differently

you do, however, have the ability for unfettered freedom of free speech on a board that does not have a code of conduct in respecting differences with your fellow users.

[ihavenobias]

15. I still disagree

that his post was some sort of "attack".

So he disagrees with using faith as a guide in life and he posts some famous quotes on faith from some prominent individuals. You wish to censor him for that? That to me is antithetical to what our democracy stands for.

In my opinion, unless someone is verbally abusive or threatening or going for blatant personal attacks, trying to censor them is completely wrong.

For all other cases where someone is offended, they have an ignore feature. Better yet, speak up and explain *why* you disagree with the supposedly offensive poster. Who knows, you might find some common ground, or learn something or have the other person learn something.

[Divine Discontent]

16. I try & follow the rules. Free discussion is allowed here just not biased mocking of 1's beliefs EOM

[ihavenobias]

17. I try to follow the rules in life too

but, if for example the rule is jay-walking and I see someone break it, I don't try to turn them in.

Free speech isn't about protecting only what we collectively want to hear, in fact it's precisely the opposite.

If this truly is the "Democratic Underground" I'd like to think that would be exactly the attitude we all share, not some sanitized discussion where we're hesitant to be honest about our beliefs for fear of offending the wrong person.

And look, as I've said, if someone is being verbally abusive, threatening and or just plain being a jerk on a personal level, I totally agree. I just don't think that's the case here and I believe diversity of opinion is vital and should be encouraged.

[Divine Discontent]

18. the comment by the person I responded to, that you followed up on

was an attack, and several of the other quotes and ideas expressed are mocking. I'm sorry you don't see that. Take care.

[tomreedtoon]

11. Only the biggest of the con men. There are lots of little ones.

I advise any practicing Catholic to go to one of the stores that sell supplies to priests - the vestments, the shirts with collars and the like. The prices will make your jaws drop. I had a friend thinking that he'd be able to buy a basic shirt with clerical collar and play a priest nice and simple. He did a quick one-eighty after seeing the price tags. And that's not talking about the tailored pants or coats.