Making Merchandise of Things Sacred

After watching the clip above, many people will laugh. It is really funny. I suspect one reason why people might find it funny is because the ailing caller maintained that the TV pastor's histrionics didin't do the magic. As is usually the case, the TV pastor will attempt to save face by convincing the caller that he/she had been healed. He might say a few words about having faith and then cut to a commercial.  He might even capitalize on this opportunity to sell a few miracle handkerchiefs or towels; anointed oil and water; healing powder, incence or candle; or any string of bizarre supposedly spiritual bells and whistles. And people buy them faithfully.

The US is an ultra-capitalist nation where the desire for profit sometimes, or in many cases motivates people into doing things that are, on close eamination, outrightly unethical or immoral. The long tentacles of this beast called Capitalism has reached the religious sector. Suddenly, without remorse or inhibition, mischievous and money-hungry charlatans appropriate elements of the sacred in order to make profit. I find it quite repulsive especially when you observe closely to see that many people are suckered into this carefully crafted web of deceit laid by these spiritual charlatans. Suddenly, all over the place, strange pastors, prophets or what-have-you have emerged to peddle falsehood. What makes it even more offensive is that these people back their shenanigans with quotations from the scripture thus deceiving many people who ordinarily would not have fallen for their deceptive effusions.

I suppose all these are simply signs of the times. There have always been false preachers, miracle workers, pastors etc, but their audaciousness or the mere fact of their seeming ubiquity now has me worried. Perhaps, because people are hankering after miracles and not the true essence of whatever spirituality they ascribe to, it has become possible for these capital-conscious, avaricious highwaymen to unbridlingly peddle their pseudo-spirituality. Christianity simply has to mean more than automatic healthcare from a compassionate Almighty; it has to portend more than promises of wealth and prosperity; it has to signify more to people than elaborate assurances of divine intervention. It is because of these misplaced priorities that gullible people fall under the sway of spiritual legerdemains and silver-tongued mountebanks. My hope is that a lot of people who deeply desire some religious direction, or want to embrace their spiritual natures will have the gumption to examine the various entities vying for their patronage. Something tells me that the serious seeker will not be fooled by these dissimulators who have brazenly taken their bodacious antics to the big screen.

"Hey, call 1-800-Miracles-r-us for your miracle duster." " The Lord wants you to whip out your creditcard and buy this prayer handkerchief"..... WHATEVER! NEXT!

tags: fake pastors  poems/spirituality  

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