should t.v. huckster preachers who lie, cheat & steal be shut down by law?

[mopaul]

I am referring to guys like Peter Popoff and Benny Hinn, and others, who prey on the most desperate, sad, and poor individuals in our society and take their hard earned money, of which they have very little. Robert Tilton, and for that matter, Pat and Jerry, and countless others hucksters, on t.v. and radio, are to me, the lowest of the lowest scum. Parasites, leeches, sucking blood out of true believers, seeking healing and peace, and fellowship. I've always thought 'there oughta be a law' against these jerks, living in baronial splendor off the suffering and desperation of their followers. Popoff and Hinn perform these bizarre and sickening fake 'healings' on the ill and infirmed, an old trick that shamans have been using through all human history.

Speaking personally, my mother sent thousands of dollars to Jim and Tammy Baker back in the 80's. And thousands more to Pat Robertson.
Now, shes sending huge sums to Benny Hinn, and calls him a holy man on a mission from God. She's serious as hell, and I even told her about the 60 minutes expose on what a huge fraud and rip off Hinn is.
That didn't deter her off her path for one second. She's utterly hypnotized, and is a host for this parasite, like millions of other sad people.

Some will call my proposal to stop these men by law, an infringement on freedom of worship, or freedom of speech, but I just want to see someone who is selling lies and using the Bible to back it up, and stealing the last 5 dollar bill from little old ladies stopped.

[Muddleoftheroad]

1. Come on, give us a proposal

Not just a rant.

Tell us how you propose to do it. Then we will skewer it.

[mopaul]

4. open for suggestions

don't they arrest people for selling phony stocks, or phony property in florida, or phony diet pills, or phony anything?

it seems like a crime is going on to me. they just use bible verses to show that you must send money and save your soul from hell and it seems as though the hosts can't see through the parasites.

i'd like to see more exposes like 60 minutes did. show how robertson owns gold mines with slave labor, and lives like a monarch.

at least make them pay taxes on their profits, like the rest of us have to

[Muddleoftheroad]

5. No suggestions from me

I think it's multiple violations of the 1st Amendment. As would be your tax idea.

[mopaul]

6. so, you support what Hinn and Pofoff and Robertson are doing?

cause i didn't hear you agree or disagree on that

[Muddleoftheroad]

8. I support their right to do so

Since I don't watch them, kind of hard for me to critique.

[mopaul]

12. you support stealing, lying & cheating, how unbiblical

not to speak for jesus, but don't you think he would have spit in the faces of these charlatans?

[Muddleoftheroad]

14. I support their freedom to speak about their religion

The rest of that is, as they say, in the eye of the beholder. Your eye, in my opinion, is highly suspect.

[Az]

19. The unfortunate aspect

is that twisted within the freedom of religion are those that would ply their trade on trusting individuals in the name of god. Selling false hope and putting people on paths to destruction. I will fight these people in any means I have available. But I do recognise the dangerous place they hide within. A person's right to believe anything they choose to cannot be abridged.

[NicoleM]

11. Can you prove

that they're not saving souls? YOU believe it's phony, I believe it's phony, but apparently lots of other people believe the Hinns of the world are for real. Unless you can prove that they're not delivering what they're promising, I don't see how what they're doing is fraud in the legal sense.

Participation is voluntary. You are welcome to try to convince people not to engage in the activity, but I don't see where you have the right to prohibit them from engaging in it.

[Az]

21. Actually yes we can

People like Peter Popoff have been caught. They lie, cheat, and con people. Its what they do. They hide behind religious freedom and sell false hope and steal real hope. They are the scum of the earth. I do not have this level of disgust for many people, but religious conmen preying upon those most in need of real hope sicken me to a degree that I do not wish upon anyone.

[bryant69]

2. It's hard to see how you would do this

Without infringing on freedom of religion or freedom of speech. I mean it's not like I don't realize that it's a problem, but not sure that's a road we want to start down.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[library_max]

3. I hear you and I feel your pain.

This kind of thing makes me sick too. But there's no way in law to distinguish between preachers who are deliberately lying to make money and those who believe the preposterous things they say. And the latter are protected by the First Amendment. The government has no right to control what preachers may and may not say to their flock, or what their listeners may and may not contribute to the church. The minute you start licensing preachers, religious freedom in this country is officially over.

Freedom leads to some sucky situations. Gotta take the bitter with the sweet.

[KharmaTrain]

7. Mo...A Couple Of Companies Under The Radar...

I was thinking of posting this sometime and ask fellow DU'ers...especially those with the magical ability to dig...to look into these operations and expose them for the dangers and frauds they are.

These companies include:

Salem Communications...the owner of the largest chain of commercial religious stations in the country and buying more. They shake the tree from both ends...charging preachers for airtime to fill their coffers, sell advertising (primarily to GOOP donors) and asking their listeners to send in donations. They also produce some of the most rabid hate radio around...Ollie North, Janet Parshall...virtually all fundamental Christian...occasionally a Catholic program and none for other religions.

American Family Radio..."non commercial", but feeding a 24 hour line of homophobia and seperatism. Claims to operate "family safe" stations that feature fire and brimstone preachers who use the "Liberals" as a target for all evil in our Society.

Family Radio...a different company from Oakland, California. This powerhouse is on thousands of stations (mostly small) as well as shortwave and spews some of the most right wing hate around. Dr. Bruce Camping advocates for a biblical state replacing our secular one...and doing this on airwaves given to this group BY that government.

There are more I can add to this list...Moody Bible, EWTN and so on...but let's just open the window here and see how sunshine affects these vampires.

[mopaul]

9. how unchristian to amass great wealth

and not return it to the poorest of the poor, as a certain early christian suggested. i know, many churches and preachers DO give to the poor, but not the vampires

[Muddleoftheroad]

16. UnChristian ain't illegal

And again, even "unChristian" is in the eye of the beholder.

[mopaul]

17. it's legal cause they donate big to REPUBLICANS

who in turn keep it legal for their cut. sort of like dividing up pieces of christ's body and blood for money. can't you, as a christian, see through the nastiness and ugliness and hypocrisy of this practice?

[Muddleoftheroad]

18. It's legal because of the Constitution

I know that's inconvenient at times, but oh well.

[KharmaTrain]

31. Legal? Seperation Of Church & State

I have a serious issue with broadcast licenses being issued to religious organizations...abusing their disguise as "non-profit" to overpopulate the educational broadcast band that was originally intended for colleges and civic broadcasters. The mainstream doesn't hear about these thousands of stations, but right now they're under the radar mobilizing and scaring their hordes with misinformation and outright hate.

Salem is the exception as it is a commercial corporation...and is a big GOOP donor, but nowhere on the scale of Clear Channel. I see this company preying on the bible-belters for their own profit (nothing wrong with that).

I find it far more offensive for my children to hear religious-laden messages that are intended to seperate and discriminate. As non-Christians, and proud of it, I find it offensive when I or my children are forced to hear a message that repudiates our own faith and culture.

When Stern brings on the strippers. most people turn red...either switch to something else or watch closer. No harm no foul. When a preacher screams that unless you accept Jesus as your savior you're doomed to a life in hell, that carries far more damaging implications...and has.

Cheers

[Muddleoftheroad]

34. I have a problem with limiting religious people

So religious people can't have broadcast licenses? Just atheists?

You are not FORCED to hear anything. There's this thing called the off button...

[Az]

41. Atheists have to obey the law

So to do Theists. Break the law, get investigated. Fraud is a crime. Do you really wish to defend these people stealing from those who have so little hope? They are the inheriters of the snake oil caravan. They take the money of those who need it most and send them down a trail with no hope. They shatter their beliefs in the end and take the last bit of trust they posess.

[Muddleoftheroad]

42. Fraud is a crime

Many here, however, consider religion a crime as well. I don't want to start a witch hunt because of a couple questionable practices.

[mopaul]

47. witch hunt? like the roman church & the folks in salem had?

witch hunt? like the holocaust that killed 15 million men women and children as witches, based on one passage from the good book:
...'thou shalt not suffer a witch to live'.

this ain't a witch hunt, this is a jerk hunt. weed the jerks out of your religion, they disgrace the followers of jesus

[KharmaTrain]

51. Whose Limiting? They Have Exclusive Access

This is not calling for the banning of religious radio or religious expression on the airwaves, just the licensing of stations to SPECIFIC religious groups that spread messages of discrimination and inclusion. Are these things the public airwaves should condone?

One of this nation's largest broadcast companies is Bonneville International. They own large commercial operations in Chicago, San Francisco, Washington, St. Louis and are a subsidiary of the Mormon Church. The operate very clean, open operations and occasionally pump in an LDS PSA. They also prohibit advertising they consider offensive...hard liquor, sexual content. Here, they maintain standards we all can agree are their perogative and within the structure of a religious organization holding a broadcast license.

I'm not an atheist, I'm Jewish. There are on Jewish radio or television networks, very few programs (none for Conservative and Traditional) for people of my faith. We've learned to live in the Christian broadcast world, but I and my children have been in situations where we don't control the OFF switch...and are subjected to messages we find offensive.

And as a Jew, I could never expect these stations to offer me or someone with a similar view rebutal time...yet alone equal time...on their stations to present our faith or conflicts in Christian teachings that lead to misunderstandings between the two faiths. I could go into personal discrimination problems I had, but we'll leave it at that.

Peace.

[LeahMira]

46. There's a difference...

The Constitution does not permit lawlessness just because it's blanketed under the cloak of religion. If a preacher is running a scam, that preacher is every bit as guilty as any other con artist.

I fully understand that there are greedy people out there who are so anxious to make a fast buck that they fall for scams. There are also people who are so anxious to get into heaven that they fall for religious scams. That doesn't excuse an exclusive "let the buyer beware" attitude. Those individuals who prey on ignorance as well as on greed need to be held accountable for what they are doing. It has to do with placing a stumbling block before the blind, if you care to put it in biblical terms, and it enjoys neither biblical nor Constitutional protection.

[Malva Zebrina]

54. but what is the scam?

During my lifetime, I remember "indulgences" being sold by the CAtholic Church. I also remember drives going on in my neighborhood where people, mostly poor middle class, were almost shamed into signing up for, or pledging, a certain amount of money to be given to the Catholic church. At that time, almost fifty years ago, it was three hundred dollars. These persons went door to door to collect these pledges. It still did not work, however, and the cathedral like church eventually deteriorated and went into disrepair, The only thing that will save it is government church welfare money which we all will pay for. And, additionally, if the faith based charity money goes through we will all pay for that also. Is that not a scam? No oversight required, and the church not required to adhere to current civil rights laws.

People get entranced by religious personalities as much as they become entranced by movie stars.

Money has been collected by many churches over time, the sale of indulgences for one was widespread and lasted a long period of time. It just happens that these religious actors are not entrenched in the "mainstream" religions so are more vulnerable to criticism and scorn.

[carrowsboy1]

10. Definitely shut them down

It is disgusting how they take advantage of people and their fears of death & the afterlife.

[madrchsod]

13. my mother said

that every dollar sent to these con men could have gone to the local churches to do good work for the congregation and the community. doesn`t your mom have a local church she goes to? there`s not much you can do unless you can legally control her money. i don`t think even showing "leap of faith" would show her how these guys work. steve martin traveled with benny for a month so he could learn the tricks of the trade....good luck...

[Az]

15. For entertainment purposes only

This is the clause they include on this drivel that allows them to get away with virtual murder. It has been railed against by skeptics for years now.

The trouble is that some people do believe in miracles. Banning their rights to the airwaves runs afoul of the seperation issue. How exactly do you discern the difference between a con man and a true miracle worker? It is a minefield legally speaking.

[HootieMcBoob]

24. I think they should be investigated

If they claim to be healing people and it can be proved that they are faking it then it needs to be made public. They should have to open up their books to public scrutiny. No one says they can't preach but if they are doing anything illegal then it needs to be stopped.

If what they are doing is "for entertainment purposes only" then it needs to be clearly labeled as such. In large letters at the beginning and ending of any broadcast it should also be announced clearly for the elderly who have poor sight.

If what they are doing is determined to be "entertainment" then maybe they should have their tax status changed as well.

The way to discern the difference between a con man and a true miracle worker is to investigate them. A true miracle worker doesn't need an ear piece telling him what to say and if people are being healed then lets see whether these people actually had the problems that they claim in the first place.

[Muddleoftheroad]

25. Open their books?

Under what law should religions have to open their books?

[LeahMira]

30. Same laws apply to religion as to you.

Under what law should religions have to open their books?

I'd guess under the same law that you would if the IRS thought there was something fishy in your tax returns.

[Muddleoftheroad]

35. That is not open books

That is an agency of the government doing a criminal investigation. You have to have cause for that, warrants, etc.

[Az]

40. Churches are not immune to the law

They break it they are investigated. If they commit fraud they can be investigated. Its that simple. It is simply that going after a religious individual has proven to be politically tricky. Thus they run wild and the helpless are conned and robbed of hope.

[Az]

37. Murder

Manslaughter, homocide, and a host of other laws including the RICO clause. Religions are not above the law. It is simply that no law can be made to single one out. Fraud is a crime. It is just an unfortunate political descision not to prosecute as many as could be prosecuted.

[PA Democrat]

60. If they are incorporated as a Tax-exempt

they are required by law to make their tax returns available to anyone who asks for the information. The returns disclose how much money is taken in in the form of contributions, grants, etc. and how funds were spent.

I have served on the boards of several tax exempt charities and know this to be the case.

[HootieMcBoob]

62. that's what I thought

thank you for that information.

[mopaul]

28. the fake healing trick has been shot down many times.....yet

it never ends. the 60 minutes expose of Hinn, actually showed how they pick which crippled people to heal. sad, desperate and terminal people come in, in wheelchairs and beds, and the OBVIOUSLY UNHEALABLE ARE SEGRAGATED TO THE BACK OF THE AUDITORIUM!!! they only pick ones who are middle of the roadish, and some of them are outright plants.
many are put into wheelchairs before they go up, even though they don't need them, just to make it appear that the healing is more obvious. very devious.

while the truly unhealable and the 'least among us' as christ might say, are not even allowed onstage for the phony ritual. they are sent home, rejected even for healing. how cruel.

benny hinn once bragged to freinds when he took a little old ladie's last 5 dollar bill at a hotel pool one day. it caused his right hand man to quit.

[NicoleM]

20. Seriously.

See post #11. Can you prove they're not healing people and saving souls and all the stuff they promise?

[Az]

23. Yes we can

We can tear them apart logically and demonstrably. But they continue to hide behind freedom of religion. Once they are dismantled in one location they simply more or wait till a new audience of suckers comes along.

Time and time again they are shown to be frauds and charlatans. But the sea of victims is endless and desperate for hope. As long as there is a demand these scum will be there stealing their money in exchange for false hope and broken dreams.

[NicoleM]

27. How?

If somebody says, "send me $20 and your soul will be saved for all eternity," how do you prove that the person's soul won't be saved?

I'm not defending what they do, but I don't know how you prove legally that they aren't delivering some of the things they're promising. I can see if they say, "send me $20 so we can save the starving children in Africa" and then they use the money to build a waterpark in their backyard or something.

[Az]

32. Claims

When they make actionable claims they can be gotten to. When they can be exposed they can be gotten to.

Show the public that those blue dots they are supposed to pray on just wind up in the trash. Show that the voice from god is actual their wife broadcasting secret information on a radio.

Yes there are frauds and scams that will be difficult to get to. But exposing those we can undermines their ability to operate as well.

Freedom of religion must be maintained. But the worst of society that prey upon those in need must be stopped.

[LeahMira]

64. Define your terms...

If somebody says, "send me $20 and your soul will be saved for all eternity," how do you prove that the person's soul won't be saved?

What exactly is a soul? What exactly does "saved" mean? How do souls get saved? What is the relationship between the sending in of the $20. and the saving of the soul?


I can see if they say, "send me $20 so we can save the starving children in Africa" and then they use the money to build a waterpark in their backyard or something.

Fine. Then if you define just what is meant by saving souls, you should be able to judge whether or not someone is using the donation to do as they promised with it or if they are building that waterpark with it.

I realize that it's difficult to quantify religious concepts, but that's no reason why someone can't make a start at it.

[Malva Zebrina]

56. AZ--I understand your concern and disdain for these

If people believe it, they will contribute the money. There is no doubt about it. And people also contribute their money to other religious churces--only they have been around longer and are more established, even though their policies may not be as blatantly cheap--they still promise some sort of redemption and some sort of healing that, as far as I know, has not been proven either.

Travelling ministers are a tradition in America. They originated in the southern states, I believe. AS a matter of fact, they maintain that because they were especially singled out to preach the gospel, they do not need fancy schools to teach them the meaning of piety.

They are not theologians, schooled, or Jesuit priests, equally schooled in the art of persuasion. They have no cathedreal like churches, or crystal cathedrals where the congregation boasts eight thousand members.

I see this as a part of Americana. I see other churches using their influence with a god, as extracting money from people also. It is just not as glitzy or blatant, and we know, of course that a priest is not immune from the sins that a Benny Hinn or Swaggert would be.

[Az]

61. I acknowledge the difficulty

in discerning the difference between the true believers and the deliberate charlatans. And this is the reason investigation is so difficult. When does chasing the frauds become overbearing on the true faiths. Suffice to say that I realize that leeway must be provided, but when a deliberate fraud is discovered I believe my rage is fairly appointed.

[nostamj]

22. a little preview of my revue - "Selling God"

from the "Media Montage" sung to the tune of ALL THAT JAZZ from "Chicago"..........

BOW YOUR HEADS
AND TAKE YOUR CHECKBOOKS OUT
WE’RE SELLING GOD

THE PUNDITS BRING US ON
TO SHOW WE ARE DEVOUT
WE’RE SELLING GOD

WE GET RICH
BY TERRIFYING HICKS
THE HYPOCRISY SHOULD
REALLY MAKE THEM SICK

SO BLESS THE CORPORATE WHORES
THEY JUST ASK US FOR MORE
WE’RE SELLING GOD!

[Az]

26. 80's band Big Pig - song Money God

Sorry bout the caps

YOU PROMISED ME A HOUSE AND A WHITE CARNATION
(OH LORD, GIVE ME MONEY TO PRAY)
I NEED A BIG FIX OF SOME HOLY SALVATION
(OH LORD, GIVE ME MONEY TO PRAY)
OH LORD, CAN YOU LISTEN TO MY HEARTBEAT?
OH LORD, CAN YOU WIPE AWAY MY FEARS?
OH LORD, CAN YOU LISTEN TO MY HEARTBEAT?
OH LORD, CAN YOU WIPE AWAY MY FEARS?
THEY WANTED TO START UP A BLOODY REVOLUTION,
(OH LORD, GIVE ME MONEY TO PRAY)
ONLY BIG BUCKS MEAN AN END TO PROSTITUTION,
(OH LORD, GIVE ME MONEY TO PRAY)
GIVE ME BIG BUCKS, LORD, I'VE GOT A REAL SOLUTION
(OH LORD, GIVE ME MONEY TO PRAY)
WE PRAY TO THE MONEY GOD,
TO GIVE US CONSOLATION,
WE PRAY TO THE MONEY GOD,
TO GIVE US RESURRECTION,
PLENTLY OF MONEY AND THE RIGHT LOCATION,
(OH LORD, GIVE ME MONEY TO PRAY)
PLENTY OF MONEY, AUTOMATIC VOCATION
(OH LORD, GIVE ME MONEY TO PRAY)
WE PRAY TO THE MONEY GOD

[damnyankee2601]

29. I think you could make a RICO Fraud case if you tried.

But I doubt Ashcroft has any interest. He's too busy arresting taxi drivers and gas station attendants.

[JNelson6563]

33. The only time religion is any good

is when it is applied in such a way that it profits no one and benefits everyone.

Unfortunately this is very rare.

Julie

[Muddleoftheroad]

36. Nice one-sided opinion

About what I've grown to expect in these threads.

[Az]

39. So you believe

Religion should be for profit? Did you misread his statement? The statement was that religions should benefit society. Are you suggesting that they do not serve society?

Look to your own eye and remove the plank before you comment on the mote in our eye.

[Muddleoftheroad]

43. Here was the statement

"The only time religion is any good is when it is applied in such a way that it profits no one and benefits everyone.

Unfortunately this is very rare."

Religion or anything else seldom benefits everyone. However, it can benefit people, but according to this definition, it would still be bad.

[mopaul]

44. if jesus had a t.v. show, & took donations, would he live in a mansion?

or would he give every damn dime to the poor, IMMEDIATELY.
would he drive in a stretch limo with body guards like benny hinn?
come on now, you're deliberatley NOT seeing the point.

[Muddleoftheroad]

45. The point

The point seems to be to start a witch hunt against religious preachers in an effort to drive religion from the airwaves.

[Az]

50. The point was outrage

towards those that deliberately con people. Not someone that truly believes. Peter Popoff deliberately put an ear peace on and deliberately set out to defraud people of their money. Benny Hinn has bragged of taking a womans last $5. These are not advocates of peace and understanding. They are huxsters and conmen.

[HootieMcBoob]

63. wrong

I don't understand how you can defend religious charlatans.

[Az]

49. It speaks to the ideal

That is a good religion would speak to the welfare of all. It would not seek to enrich one singular individual or group. It is unfortunate that the consentration of power and wealth seems to taint that which it touches. Thus within the religious community you find those that would abuse the structures taking advantage of them.

[JNelson6563]

57. Here's an explanation for ya

seein' as you're on the defense and all.....

Religion could benefit everyone, even unbelievers such as myself. The messages of kindness, honesty, and charity benefit all. Not pushing a particular doctrine, not teaching that certain kinds of people are worse or better, not teaching fear and guilt are also ways all of society could benefit.

To teach we are all in this together and need to act like it would be very beneficial.

What do I see instead though? I see religious zealotry on the rise on all fronts. Movies like The Passion faning the flames. I don't know how many channels I flipped through last night where I saw people yelling at each other about this movie and what it all means. I see this movie profiting few and benefitting even fewer. I consider this to be among the worst religion has to offer. Right up there with hucksters like Swaggert and Baker and Robertson.

Julie

[GreenPartyVoter]

38. If fraud can be proven, then yes

Trouble is they are so sneaky they find ways around that issue.

http://www.geocities.com/greenpartyvoter/liberalchristians.htm

[derby378]

48. The problem with these guys...

...is that they have the resiliency of cockroaches. James Randi blew the lid on Popoff on The Tonight Show back when Johnny Carson was still the host, and you'd think that exposing Popoff's little 37.910 MHz earpiece would can his faith-healing career for good. Not so. A few years later, he resurfaced on BET, apparently pulling the same shtick for a new crop of suckers. I understand he lives quite the comfortable life now.

If you haven't read Randi's The Faith-Healers, I recommend it highly for a peek into the mind of people who believe this stuff.

[OneTwentyoNine]

52. Unfortunately they have to make real promises to be charged with fraud..

Jim Baker received millions and millions but was only busted because of the phony time share scam at the hotels/condos at Heritage Center or whatever it was called.

Doing the math you'd had to live to be about 500 to ever get to use the room you were paying a time share on. Baker got busted on that but not for any of his other ridiculous money raising schemes.

If these pray TV guys are collecting for the homeless children in Zimbabwe then they could be nailed if the money isn't going to that fund. But...they can always weasel out with em.."administrative costs"--like a new $20 million Challenger 604 jet.

David

[evil_orange_cat]

53. ignorant people are going to be duped by someone...

I'm not for censoring people or violating their rights to free expression. They aren't holding anyone up. They are expressing their views and people are giving their money willingly.

With respect to Robertson, he should be investigated for his ties to repressive regimes like Charles Taylor in Liberia. Robertson is in the diamond trade business with oppressive African regimes.

[jsw_81]

55. Isn't it interesting how Muddle is always defending the religious right?

I wonder why?

[Az]

58. Because

many of the atheist left are prepared to throw him on the pyre they are setting to all religious institutions. We cannot let our anger blind us to the fact that not all religious indivdiuals are looking to take our rights away. Many are our allies and we discard them when we castigate all religion.

Religion is a system. And like science it can be turned towards good or evil. Some religions actually inspire their adherants to examine their own selves instead of blaming everyone else. Some teach peace and not hatred. Our rejection of particular religious institutions does not mean we know the full range of effects religion brings. It is entirely too entwined in our society to be rid of in an instant. Instead of railing against that which threatens us we should build up that which is beneficial to us. Peace, tolerance and understanding. Anything that champions these things I will defend.

[distortionmarshall]

59. mebbe we should make better lil ol ladies.....

and people in general, so that these idiotic hucksters will be rendered obsolete?

sigh - no one likes blaming the victim - but what about the case where the victim and the perpetrator are one and the same?

[GinaMaria]

65. Hard to keep up with all the scams thrown at the elderly

They seem to be a popular target for people who like to take money without giving much in return for it. It seems like we're always 100 steps behind these kinds of scams. Look at the refinancing scams that caused many older Americans to lose their homes. I've recently heard about older people being taken by sweepstakes scams and sending lots of money. You can do your best to keep people educated and aware of red flag statements or behaviors, but in the end your fighting an uphill battle. They are confidence games. The mark is always confident that he or she will win or benefit.

I understand your frustration and your need to protect your mother. Religeous scams are a spiritual violation in addition to the financial violation. It's extremely damaging. I don't know if you live near your mother. If you do, is there a way that you could get her to a small community church? She would be able to do a lot of good there, connect with people and obtain the positive things she's seeking. Just a suggestion. In my experience those who cannot easily get out to go to church, are the ones who opt for TV church.

A little human companionship with people who believe similar things might relieve the situation for both you and your mother. She's doing this because she believes or feels she's getting something she needs. Try to identify what that is, and see if her needs can be met locally. Just a sugestion. Good Luck. I'm sorry you are going through this. I understand your worry and concern.

Peace,
Gina

[mopaul]

66. thanks gina,

for your concern. my mother and father are doing well financially fortunately, and they've never sent in their last buck to these schmucks.

after her initial born again conversion over 32 years ago, she went church shopping, and no church was 'charismatic' enough for her.
she'd drift from one to the other, but it was the tv guys who really did it for her. i'd ask for a small loan, but i'd get a sermon, and tammy faye got the gold.

people like my mother are so eaten up with the illusion that these are real christian men doing real good samaritan deeds, that they can't see through their evil. amazing how easily fooled they are.