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[HUELEN10]

I would count on it

Yes.

Okay, now I just gotta see how much to send. 10 bucks enough?

 

[KingGondo]

Thing is, there is almost no scriptural backing for this doctrine(then again, the same can be said for the Rapture).

But there's lots of cultural backing in America for this kind of stuff. It's an easy way to reconcile faith with consumerism and shameless capitalism.

 

[Transhuman]

Okay, now I just gotta see how much to send. 10 bucks enough?

Yeah, and ask them to bless a dollar and send it back.

That way you know they read it, yo.

 

[mreddie]

Church of Pizza coming soon. SEND YOUR DONATIONS NOW!

 

[Transhuman]

Church of Pizza coming soon. SEND YOUR DONATIONS NOW!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gKaawCm7M6s

 

[Sagroth]

But there's lots of cultural backing in America for this kind of stuff. It's an easy way to reconcile faith with consumerism and shameless capitalism.

Well sure, and Weber hypothesized almost a century ago that religion would eventually go this route. The theological argument for it is still gibberish contradictory to nearly every tenet of the faith, though.

 

[Amory]

Okay, now I just gotta see how much to send. 10 bucks enough?

$100 minimum.

 

[Pein]

I was hoping the segment would touch on Joel Osteen but it didn't. I can't quite place my finger on it, but there is something off putting about him and his wife. I am waiting for some kind of scandal to pop up from them.

The other problem with them is all I can see is Sarah and Steve Newlin from True Blood when I look at them.

Joel osteen is really likeable, my mom is hindu and she even watches him.

 

[Air]

Good segment. The mandates to qualify as a religious organization should be more strict.

 

[massoluk]

Don't see the point for Tax Exemption for Religious Organization myself. If they really are running it not for profit, there should be that much tax to begin with.

 

[KingGondo]

Well sure, and Weber hypothesized almost a century ago that religion would eventually go this route. The theological argument for it is still gibberish contradictory to nearly every tenet of the faith, though.

Yeah, obviously. 20th and 21st-century America is a pretty different place from ancient Palestine.

You have to work pretty hard to get the teachings of Jesus to line up with the American way of life.

 

[The Technomancer]

Don't see the point for Tax Exemption for Religious Organization myself. If they really are running it not for profit, there should be that much tax to begin with.

Traditionally its a guard against the government "not-actually-but-actually" favoring or persecuting religions or churches via taxation. Which I think is a find principle in theory

 

[Ziltoidia 9]

Don't see the point for Tax Exemption for Religious Organization myself. If they really are running it not for profit, there should be that much tax to begin with.

Its probably the only thing they like about the whole separation of church/state thing.

 

[Fragamemnon]

Don't see the point for Tax Exemption for Religious Organization myself. If they really are running it not for profit, there should be that much tax to begin with.

Donors give to the tax-exempt church, and then at the end of the year get a statement from the church that they use on their tax returns to deduct the tithes as part of their itemized deduction list.

That's why it's a big deal- churches are essentially subsidized institutions by the government since the church body gets tax breaks on donations. It's the same sort of argument people have against the mortgage interest deduction, which to many is a direct subsidy of the home real estate industry.

So when there is no fine charter about what makes up a church and what activities they are allowed to perform with tax-exempt tithes, you get into all sorts of problems with churches doing things like semi-political campaigning and special interest influencing. Should that kind of activity be tax exempt and subsidized by the government? It's a grand mess.

 

[Bitanator]

It is sickening people give money to them. Peter Popoff was exposed as a fraud and then came back years later to squeeze more money out of people with infomercials, dude is the clumpiest shit crust stuck on a buffalo's asshair

 

[speculawyer]

John Oliver continues to be the best show on Television.

 

[DarkKyo]

Edit: I should also say that this doctrine drags from the same well that supports that the rich are god's chosen and that the poor deserve to be so.

There are really people who think that? What kind of perpetual cognitive dissonance must you be experiencing in order to call yourself a christian yet try your hardest to be as un-christ-like as possible?

 

[StanleyStutters]

People like this are the worst. Exploiting people's faith in order to keep themselves wealthy. The worst of the bunch has to be that woman who tells people not to go to the doctor for cancer treatments, but send her money instead.

 

[speculawyer]

Lo, true believer, the hour of donating to Pastor, Megareverend, and CEO John Oliver’s Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption Church is at hand! Can you feel the spirit stirring within you? Specifically, the spirit of tax-exempt income?

If so, please send check, cash or money orders only to:

Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption
PO Box 1954
New York, NY 10113

Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption will not be able to accept donations from Church supporters from the states of Mississippi, Nevada, Pennsylvania, or South Carolina. We apologize for any inconvenience. Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption may choose to wind down and dissolve in the near future. Upon dissolution, any assets belonging to the Church at that time will be distributed to Doctors Without Borders, a non-profit charitable organization that is tax-exempt under § 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (EIN: 13-3433452) and which provides emergency medical aid in places where it is needed most.

 

[Sagroth]

Yeah, obviously. 20th and 21st-century America is a pretty different place from ancient Palestine.

You have to work pretty hard to get the teachings of Jesus to line up with the American way of life.

The irony, of course, is that Protestantism may have been a huge factor in the rise of Capitalism/the Industrial Revolution in the first place(according to Weber, anyways).

But yeah, your point is correct, especially considering that folks ignore that the major reason Christianity caught on in the first place was because it was the most effective welfare system that existed during the Roman Empire.

 

[Sagroth]

There are really people who think that? What kind of perpetual cognitive dissonance must you be experiencing in order to call yourself a christian yet try your hardest to be as un-christ-like as possible?

You'd be surprised. When I get home from work later this evening, I'd be happy to quote from some great articles on the subject.

 

[NumberTwo]

Yeah, I've read about these guys. Completely absurd that things like this can persist today.

 

[Prez]

They're not actually religious, are they? They'd have to know they're all going to hell.

 

[andthebeatgoeson]

I think the show is as funny as it needs to be, but I don't think people really watch it for the humor. I think he could do something a little more direct with less zaniness and it would go over just as well, if not better. The jokes sometimes come across as a necessary evil more than anything else.

Yeah, which one of the comedians presenting the news is hilariously funny? Colbert? The content limits them. And I'll take sensible chuckle with a great report on civil forfeitures over knee slapper any day.

 

[Patryn]

They're not actually religious, are they? They'd have to know they're all going to hell.

Some of them may not be. I wouldn't be shocked if a lot of them are huge in the prosperity gospel, where they feel that it's their divine right to this money. If God didn't want them to have it, they wouldn't have it.

 

[BFIB]

James Randi exposed Popoff back in the 80's:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7BQKu0YP8Y

Dude made $23 million in 2003. The blind leading the blind.

 

[Fragamemnon]

They're not actually religious, are they? They'd have to know they're all going to hell.

Shovel shit long enough and it starts to not smell as bad. It might even start to smell good.

I'd be shocked if these guys weren't true believers in what they are peddling, and firmly believe that God's will is being done through their work.

 

[kess]

People should totally check out the story of Marjoe

Marjoe was a precocious child preacher with extraordinary talents, who was immensely popular in the American South. His parents earned large sums of money off him up until the point he outgrew his novelty. Marjoe rejoined the ministry as a young adult solely as a means of earning a living, and not as a believer; he spent the next several years using his fame and status as an evangelist to earn a living from both tent revivals and televangelism.

Eventually, Gortner suffered a crisis of conscience and decided to give up the revival circuit. He offered the documentary film crew unrestricted access to him during his final revival tour, which took place in 1971. The film contains scenes from revival meetings showing Gortner preaching and praying for people in Los Angeles, Fort Worth, Detroit and Anaheim. This is interspersed with footage of Gortner admitting on camera that he was a non-believer and revealing the tactics used by him and other evangelists to manipulate people and move them during revivals. He said he studied Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones.[1]

There's a reason why Elmer Gantry is an enduring stereotype.

 

[Exile20]

This is so disgusting.

 

[speculawyer]

People should totally check out the story of Marjoe



There's a reason why Elmer Gantry is an enduring stereotype.

There is a great documentary for Marjoe.

 

[Cloud Strife]

My Grandma has fallen for this garbage. Very sad and irrational, plus she keeps getting letters to send more money like twice a week.

Just disgusting, taking advantage of the elderly like that.

 

[Catdaddy]

Sam Kinison was a peacher for several years, if that tells you anything...

 

[Dice//]

all that needs to be said https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=35K6vQRt67g

I remember mentioning this song with friends and they're like "why would do you like a Bible-thumping song?" ... a lot of people never bothered to listen to the lyrics of this one.

Anyways, great segment. John Oliver is killing these segments.

 

[djplaeskool]

I've said it before, and i'll say it again.
Prosperity evangelism makes me physically ill.

 

[Sagroth]

I should also point out that a lot of these televangelist folks do in fact believe that God favors them despite things like the sermon on the mount, etc.

Part of this rationale has to do with the evolution of Christian Faith in the last century(the schisms within schisms within schisms). Calvinism started the notion that only a select few(very few) are chosen for heaven, and that is predestined. Later Protestant-derived sects kept the notion of exclusivity, but added a strong focus of feeling the fact that you are heavenbound(Baptists, etc) regardless of actual acts(discarding things such as the Good Works Doctrine of Catholicism). Essentially, these faiths assert that the most important thing is belief in Christ(or at least their very narrow interpretation of him) and feeling the Holy Spirit inside of you. Belief trumps action.

It's therefore not as much of a jump as you would think to go to "I am saved, so Christ is rewarding me materially also."

This type of religious "I'm all right Jack"-ism can also be seen in the Left Behind series(and the very concept of the Rapture itself).

 

[PHOENIXZERO]

I kind of want to send Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption some money, like a dime.

 

[jmdajr]

I called the number!

 

[Gentleman Jack]

I called the number!

Were you saved? Were you healed?

 

[The Dutch Slayer]

Watched it again still fucking incredible

From the moment he pulled out the letter it was his best segment yet truly an amazing show.
That also does the best journalism besides PBS frontline in the USA, witch is VERY VERY sad.

 

[HiredN00bs]

Ah yes, Televangelists, my dad is a pastor and he will sometimes go on long rants about these guy's. I'm seriously surprised that many of the more blatant frauds haven't been shut down.


Sadly, and to the dismay of my father, it's beginning to find its way around the rest of the world now, there's some Nigerian ministries who make use of it for example.

Yeah, why can't these jerks just swindle people in their own towns and stop taking food off my plate?

 

[Wag]

I suspect he'll donate the money he receives to a legit charity. That said I wouldn't do it, I like to know where my money is going.

 

[HiredN00bs]

I kind of want to send Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption some money, like a dime.

According to the website, all of the money sent in goes to Doctors Without Borders, a worthier cause than paying nuts to spread more crazy.

 

[FriedConsole]

Joel osteen is really likeable, my mom is hindu and she even watches him.

Joel Osteen rarely talks about God anymore. He is more New Age now. Lots of Christians online don't even consider him a Christian. You can say he is widening his nets or getting with the times. He even welcomes in gay and lesbians. He will take anybody that buys his stuff.

 

[Phenomic]

I suspect he'll donate the money he receives to a legit charity. That said I wouldn't do it, I like to know where my money is going.

There's actually verbiage on the website that says if they happen to stop existing that it will be going to Doctors Without Borders.

I think its probably a safe bet to say that all of it will go there anyway.

 

[Seraphis Cain]

I suspect he'll donate the money he receives to a legit charity. That said I wouldn't do it, I like to know where my money is going.

The website states that the money will be donated to Doctors Without Borders.

 

[Vigilant Walrus]

PLANT YOUR SEED DEEP INSIDE HIM!


It reminds me a lot of:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrhJT98IoaQ

 

[Foutrologue]

According to the website, all of the money sent in goes to Doctors Without Borders, a worthier cause than paying nuts to spread more crazy.

Little OT here but I just highlighted Doctors Without Borders in Edge and asked Cortana... effing nice to have a Donate button imbedded in the results..

 

[Lambtron]

My mother, who actually does have lupus, was forced to retire due to disability a number of years ago. She spends a lot of her day watching these people. It breaks my heart to know she's probably giving them her money. And she wouldn't listen to me about it at all. These guys are the scum of the earth, and it made me glad to see more attention being paid to these scum fuckers.

 

[PHOENIXZERO]

According to the website, all of the money sent in goes to Doctors Without Borders, a worthier cause than paying nuts to spread more crazy.

Oh well, then I probably shouldn't send a stack of Monopoly money.

 

[KingGondo]

Still waiting on anything to back up the assertions by some posters that Joel Osteen is anything less than a folksy, money-grubbing hypocrite.