This newsletter focuses on freedom and liberty, but we have to free ourselves from everyone who tries to enslave our minds. This necessarily includes the spate of religious shysters posing as spokesmen for God’s message.
These “religious” fraudsters not only swindle the flock out of their money, like politicians, they routinely endorse murder in the name of God. The Mullahs do it, the Nazis did it, and politicians do it. There’s nothing like having God on your side when you murder your brethren.
It’s all God’s will, they say. See Man admits killing pastor saying he was doing God’s will and had 13 other Christians targeted for crucifixion.
Of course, for many, especially socialists-communists-progressives, a divine creator has been rejected in favor of a government God and benefactor. After all, there’s lots of tangible goodies from the redistribution of stolen money to voters.
So, lest anyone be fooled by these religious hucksters, a short review is in order.
The Gospel According to Profit: A Cautionary Tale of Televangelist Temptations
In the colorful world of American televangelism, salvation often comes with a toll-free number and a suggested donation. For decades, the faithful have tuned in, wallets open and hearts hopeful, only to find that their spiritual leaders sometimes had... let’s call them “financial priorities.”
Let’s revisit some of the most memorable players in this ongoing drama of faith, fame, and fortune. We begin with an admitted sinner.
Jimmy Swaggart: Tears, Trials, and Televised Redemption
Few can forget the image of Jimmy Swaggart, face buried in his hands, sobbing through his now-iconic 1988 confession: “I have sinned against You, my Lord.” The backdrop? A scandal involving prostitutes that clashed—rather awkwardly—with his fire-and-brimstone sermons on morality.
Swaggart’s fall from grace was swift, but like many in his profession, he proved that repentance and ratings often go hand in hand. Before long, Jimmy was back in the pulpit, tears dried, and broadcasting as if nothing had happened. Because in televangelism, a good comeback story is just another form of programming.
He called Roman Catholicism "a false religion. It is not the Christian way," and claimed that Jews suffered for thousands of years "because of their rejection of Christ."
In other words, because Jews killed a fellow Jew named Jesus in 33AD, successive generations (including children in the 1940s) must die in gas chambers. Hitler felt the same way.
Jim Bakker: From Praise the Lord to a Fraud Conviction
Next up: Jim Bakker. Once the smiling face of the PTL Club, Bakker was the king of Christian entertainment. His ministry was part variety show, part infomercial, and all about building Heritage USA—a Christian theme park that looked like Disney World with Bible verses.
But behind the scenes, the books weren’t quite balancing. Embezzlement, fraud, and a scandal involving church secretary Jessica Hahn landed Bakker in court, where he was sentenced to 45 years in prison (later reduced on appeal).
Today, Bakker is back on television, this time hawking survival food buckets for the end times. Because nothing says spiritual leadership like freeze-dried mashed potatoes and a side of apocalyptic marketing.
Oral Roberts: The $8 Million Ultimatum
Oral Roberts was a pioneer in televised faith healing, known for dramatic healing crusades and faith-based fundraising. But in 1987, Oral delivered one of the more... unique appeals in televangelist history: He announced that unless his followers raised $8 million, God would “call him home.”
The faithful responded, the money flowed, and Oral—unsurprisingly—lived to televise another day. Call it divine intervention or inspired marketing, but Roberts set a gold standard for high-stakes fundraising in the name of faith.
Rick Roberts: Fire, Brimstone, and Political Rants
Rick Roberts took a slightly different route—mixing conservative talk radio with pulpit-style rhetoric. Less focused on theology, more focused on culture wars, Rick turned anger into entertainment, railing against everything from public schools to progressive politics.
His delivery? More AM radio rant than Sunday sermon, but the formula worked for a certain audience demographic: crank up the outrage, sprinkle in a Bible verse, and keep the phones ringing.
Joel Osteen: Smile, God Wants You to Be Happy (and Buy the Book)
And then there’s Joel Osteen—the poster child for motivational Christianity. With his signature smile and stadium-sized church, Osteen preaches a feel-good gospel of positivity and abundance. Critics call it “Christianity Lite,” but his millions of followers seem perfectly content with bite-sized, affirmation-heavy messages.
During Hurricane Harvey, Osteen took some heat for keeping the doors of his mega-church closed to flood victims... at least until public outcry prompted a sudden change of heart. But hey, every PR storm is just another opportunity for personal growth, right?
Honorable Mentions: The Holy Roll Call of Shame
We could go on:
Benny Hinn: The faith healer who never met a suit jacket he didn’t want to swing like a spiritual baseball bat.
Creflo Dollar: Literally asked his followers to buy him a $65 million jet. Because Jesus obviously traveled by Gulfstream.
Kenneth Copeland: Looks like he was carved out of old shoe leather and talks like a Bond villain, but sure—trust him with your soul and your bank account.
The Bigger Picture: Faith for Sale?
These men represent different styles—some dramatic, some motivational, some angry, some just plain entrepreneurial—but they all share one thing in common: turning faith into a well-oiled business model.
Whether it’s selling hope, fear, healing, or apocalypse-prep kits, the American televangelist knows how to read a room… and a balance sheet.
So next time you’re flipping channels and stumble across a preacher with perfect lighting and an urgent fundraising deadline, remember: Some ministries spread the good word. Others just spread the invoice.
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Today’s podcast is a review of my book Selling Salvation.
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