Solid Gold Tickets to Heaven.....

[Big Muddy]

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Thump oughta try selling these on ebay. ;)


7300

[quercus alba]

He might be trying to cut out the middle man, the transaction did take place behind a KFC

[BarryBobPosthole]

My grandma on my step Dad's side had migraine headaches. She used to listen to Oral Roberts on the radio and he'd tell her to send money, which she did, and lay her hands on the radio, whch she did, and he'd cure her headaches. Even when it didn't work she sent that bastard money. Money she needed for her own damned food. While she ate indian fry bread, he lived in luxury.

This old Dire Straits song always reminded me of that jewel encrusted asshole.

BKB

https://g.co/kgs/49Cp81

[quercus alba]

Three things

1) there are people stupid enough to fall for this

2) he doesn't need the alien, sounds like he's already in space

3) I wonder if he has any of those tickets left

[Thumper]

My grandma on my step Dad's side had migraine headaches. She used to listen to Oral Roberts on the radio and he'd tell her to send money, which she did, and lay her hands on the radio, whch she did, and he'd cure her headaches. Even when it didn't work she sent that bastard money. Money she needed for her own damned food. While she ate indian fry bread, he lived in luxury.

This old Dire Straits song always reminded me of that jewel encrusted asshole. BKB

P-hole, I had a regular customer back when I had my company and did work for her for many years. EVERY time I went there, she was watching some tv evangelist. As far as I could tell, that was ALL she watched, day and night. Her house was FULL of misc. brochures, books, cheap trinkets, beads, crappy statues and little vials of "holy water" etc. The kitchen table was piled high with junk mail requests for donations to various churches and evangelical organizations. Her eyesight was pretty bad and if I'd been an a-hole, I could have ripped her off because whenever I'd finish a job, she'd simply hand me her checkbook and ask me to write a check to myself for whatever the charges were, then she'd sign it. One time I sat down at the table and the pen she handed me wouldn't work, so she went to the back of the house to find another one. I skimmed through her checkbook and EVERY dang check in her ledger was to some frigging crooked-assed tv evangelist! She literally wrote thousands of dollars worth of checks to those worthless fucks and all she'd get in return was more junk mail asking for additional "donations". I have to admit, I was PISSED off, but what could I do? And, was it any of my business in the first place? GRRRRR! That was many years ago and it still pumps my blood pressure up a few points thinking about it. :pissed

[quercus alba]

Yes religion is used to scam people. So do roofers, carpenters, plumbers,, mechanics and virtually every form of trade is used to take advantage of the gullible. Preachers don't have the market cornered in scamming the public. However, there are hundreds of good honest hardworking preachers who actually believe in what they are doing and help and comfort millions of people yet they're painted with the same brush as the oral Roberts and Jim bakers of the world.

Ecclesiastes 5:8
If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter; for he that is higher than the highest regardeth, and there are higher than they.

Nuther words, what goes around comes around

[Thumper]

I'm fully aware of that Q/A. My grandfather and four of my uncles were preachers, as well as one if my closest friends I grew up with. They were all good, honest people.

The problem I have is, if a roofer scams you by installing 15-year shingles and charging you for 25-year shingles, or a mechanic charges you for an engine overhaul but did nothing more than change the spark plugs, they can end up in jail. You can prove they ripped you off. These jerk-offs promising to "pray for you" if you send them a check for $1000, are free to continue plying their trade. They may promise you that $1000 will guarantee you a place in heaven, but who can prove them wrong?

[Captain]

These jerk-offs promising to "pray for you" if you send them a check for $1000, are free to continue plying their trade
Well if people are willing to PAY someone a 1000 bucks to pray for them, and the receiving party does in fact pray for them, what's your issue? Are you just pissed that you didn't think of it first?

[Thumper]

Well, I don't know how common it is, but in Florida there are laws against exploiting the elderly. That's my beef ... a scam "evangelist" can "exploit" the elderly, but it can be looked at just as you pointed out above. I suppose, in a way, a "scam" is in the eye of the beholder. I seriously doubt you'd stand by and say/do nothing if some jerk offered to pray for your 93 year old grandmother in exchange for her "contributing" her life savings to his cause. What MY beef is, how do you prove a scam? It's a scam in MY eyes, it may be some sort of goofy religious "service" in yours.


Florida Statute: Title XLVI, CRIMES, Chapter 825

ABUSE, NEGLECT, AND EXPLOITATION OF ELDERLY PERSONS

825.103 Exploitation of an elderly person (fill in tons of legal mumbo-jumbo here).

Is the above situation "exploitation"? It is in MY book. BUT ... evidently it is NOT in YOUR book. That's where the problem lies and is my complaint. The scam artist preacher-man is free to do whatever he wants in the name of religion and get away with it. I guess you could say this religion gig can be the ultimate scam and nobody is going to do a damn thing about it ... UNTIL you start driving around in your Rolls Royce wearing a Rolex and expensive Italian suits. Only then will anyone raise an eyebrow.

[quercus alba]

Just so happens I agree with you Jimbo, at least as far as scammers taking advantage of the elderly. I just try not to paint with too wide a brush. I'd rather let a dozen scoundrels slip thru the cracks rather than tar and feather the wrong man. You see, that;s one advantage about being a believer, I'm certain that the evil doer will get his in the end. I don't have to depend on man for justice. If i'm wrong, i'll be dead and it won't matter.

I do like to see the bad guys get their comeuppance, don't suppose some would consider that too christian like tho

[Thumper]

Q/A, I don't care for the "broad brush" approach myownfineself. As I said, I come from a very religious family and I do respect those of you who call yourselves "believers" ... I really do. As stated above, most of my family were preachers, my dad was a deacon in the church and my grandmother (his mom) read her Bible EVERY night ... without fail ... for as long as I can remember. She died with it lying on the bed beside her. So I understand the broad brush, but I'm the heathen in the family and was able to take off my rose-colored glasses and avoid drinking the Kool-aid. To be honest, I don't know what the hoopla is all about ... gold-lined streets just don't excite me in a place where I can think of nothing I'd need to buy. Now, on the flip-side, those 72 virgins sound a bit enticing ... but I digress. ;)

The rose-colored glasses I mentioned are the big "excuse" IMO. They provide an explanation when there is none. They solve the mysteries and cover any scenario. A scumbag rapes, tortures and murders a 10-year old little girl and the perp gets 20 years in prison. Why did God let him live? Better yet, why did He let HER die the way she did? No problem, whip out the ol' glasses and "he'll get his when he faces God". Sorry, I'd rather witness that right here and now. Like the little girl I mentioned at the head of this thread who suffered the acid burns. Why was she allowed to die such a horrible death? No prob, her dad was a preacher, the whole family whipped out their rose-colored glasses and all agreed "God simply called her home because he had other plans for her". Well then, dang-it ... if He wanted her, why didn't He use something a little quicker without the excruciating pain involved? You know, like getting hit by a train she never saw coming? You see it every day ... a drunk drives his car head-on into a car on the freeway and kills a family of 5, but the drunk comes through it with a scratch on his elbow. No problem, "he'll have to face God ... someday". I'm really, really sorry I don't own a pair of those glasses. Mine were broken long ago ... you know, like when I discovered the ability to think, reason and make educated decisions on my own without being told, "That's just the way it is because the Bible says so". To many, religion and being a believer is "incredible". Me personally? I think the word "incredulous" is a better fit. That may change some day ... I may "see the light", then I'll get in line for my glass of Kool-aid. Until then, I guess I'll remain the nutbag on the outside looking in and shaking my head in amazement while people line up to purchase their "golden tickets to heaven" from a couple of Florida scam artists.