I’m talking about the ones ADDICTED to TV evangelists. Watching them now and again for inspiration or such is another thing altogether. It’s the cult of personality thing that is wrong. “Celebrity” preachers go against the humility Christ taught. In my book, someone who walks around with a microphone headset on a huge carpeted stage is more a self-help guru than a representative of Christ.

My church, the Mormons, broadcasts a random Sunday service every week for shut-ins or others who cannot get it any other way. But, this is a regular service, not a charismatic, ask-for-”donations,” get-your-special-bathed-in-holy-water-prayer-rug-here type of show. The ones who follow the likes of Jimmy Swaggart are, on the whole, pathological needy people, from my experience. Not that Jimmy didn’t preach some good stuff now and again, but reasonable people knew he was a hypocrite of the highest order, and I’m not just talking about the sex scandals. He got filthy rich of these poor saps, instead of truly helping them. My harsh judgement is on the evangelists, not their victims. These “damaged” people truly need help, or simply genuine “enlightenment,” to get them out of their deplorable conditions (usually bad personal relationships–abusive spouses and such) and ignorance, not eloquent, emotional, and eventually expensive, “preaching.”

Wow! Hate much? I can think of lots of reasons why people watch televangelists. Especially shut-ins and the handicapped (remember them?). Televangelists meet a need that actual churches are not meeting. That might be a very good place to start instead of scorning and belittling televangelists’ followers.

This guy should definitely loose his tax-exempt status. He is simply running a business. He’s using the religious-cultural common language to prey upon the fears and insecurities of pathetically needful people. I can’t think of a better example of NON-religious activity. I would almost have more respect for him if were simply a pimp.