Do you think it has helped or caused damage to the integrity of religion and politics today? Ripped from the wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Televangelism
I sort of lead the question so I suppose you could read between the lines. But who cares what I think? I'm a disbeliever and whoa unto me.
Definitely 'hurt' the true Gospel of Jesus Christ! Televangelism brought big $$$, showmanship, the cult of personality,etc. all resulting in enthroning men with fame & much 'power,' of which has long been established as corrupting any all things. The only thing that has been worse for the untainted Gospel of the early Christian church is when it was 'co-opted' as the state religion by the Roman Empire and mixed with the traditions of men.. I've seen many ministries start out small and earnestly motivated back when during the early days of Televangelism, that went from struggling, to prosperous, to corrupt and eventually fell or became but $$$ making machines.....too many to mention.
Making money off of the spiritual fears and anxieties of other people is contemptible. Of course fad diet salesmen, and self help book authors do the same thing. If Dante were alive today he's likely formulate a separate level in hell for them all. Perhaps something involving a cuisinart...
What do I think of televangelism? It's a good way to get rich! Just get a southern accent, learn how to lead the gullible, tell them they have to pay their way to heaven and sit back and count the money flowing in from Really Stupid People...! It's a great job! .....don't even need to waste money on a college education!
You forgot the 'big hair!' But your personal bias totally slants the intent of 'Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.." I've seen small ministries (20-30 ppl in attendance), of well-intentioned men who started out meeting in a YMCA bldg or school cafeteria, with honorable goals at the start of their ministries, eventually with growth, go local TV and then move-on-up to national TV, where their ministry changes and becomes a big $$$ business. And since air-time is expensive, spend 1/2 their programs hawking 'gifts' for donations. And altho there may be some who as you say 'try to buy their way into heaven,' many as they get near the end of their lives become more philanthropic, and due to age, cannot directly participate in spreading the Gospel, and so give to other's ministries with 'sincere hearts.' Not being 'stupid, but well-intentioned and trusting (something my parents' generation used to do!). And so, put your 'broad brush' back into your assassin's holster...
And televangelists live in in stables and sleep on straw....OK. I should put my broad (but dead accurate) brush away but you feel free to slam an entire generation?... "Not being 'stupid, but well-intentioned and trusting (something my parents' generation used to do!)."" """'Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.."...to earn several fine cars, a bigbutt mansion, servants, expensive suits, big hair, and lots of heavy makeup ..it's all just so 'godlike"! I like your Christ, I do not like your christians, they are so unlike your Christ." Mahatma Ghandi
As usual, dealing with you is a waste of my time. Where did I 'slam' a generation? That generation was based on character and honor in one's words and public dealings. If any generation shud get 'slammed' it is the present one!! Where did I extol the $$$, mansions, etc?! I in fact took 'sincere intentions' when no-dollar, small ministries are starting out, living in a $200/mo apmts and driving a 5 yo beater, and then are corrupted by the big $$$ involved in what becomes a 'business' and no longer a 'ministry!' Your USUAL disingenuousness in 'critiquing' (as in distorting) other's postings is pretty disgusting NOTE: Dont you have a lake nearby to go trolling for fish, or suckers?
There isn't a problem with televangelism as such. Media are just a way to bring your points across and I wouldn't deny anybody's right to make use of them. Do I agree with the points of the televangelists you mentioned? I'm a liberal Christian, so: No, not in the slightest. Some of them may actually believe what they preach though. I'd doubt very much that crooks such as Creflo Dollar do that. Prosperity theology makes me want to vomit. I don't believe in eternal hell, but I certainly like the thought of some of these televangelists rotting in it (not a very Christian notion, I know, but I can't help it, may God forgive me).
Those preaching the "Prosperity Gospel' use OT examples like Abraham and Solomon to justify their wealth from the Gospel...so I guess the apostles and early disciples 'missed it' (to use the prosperity vernacular) when it came to living the 'High Life' in this life, huh?! I remember the salutation by Paul used in his letter as "I wish above all things that you 'prosper,' body, soul, & spirit." Must have left off the Lexus, $1M mansion, etc, part....
I am always wary of televangelists because such ministries are susceptable to many temptations as the money and power flows in. I have great respect for Falwell, Pat Roberson and Warren. Rev Warren has made it a point to continue to live humbly which I think is a good sign he is wary about the temptations too. The Bakker's got very lost. Oral Roberts and even Oral Roberts family marred their standing--but the Oral Roberts University is a wonderful university with God-Centered people involved. Frankly---I'm just glad I go to a tiny church that struggles but does great work.
Unfortunately, the 'success' of a church is judged by the size of attendance, size of bldg, etc. I agree, that the smaller churches are usually more sincere in their ministering and more like the early churches, meeting in small informal groups, etc.
I don't see it that way. I don't see a megachurch as "successful" unless I see God's work. There is a mega church where I live that has the resources to do great work--I've seen it. I've seen its members build houses for homeless families, and reach out into countries far and wide to minister and help shelter and clothe. My church can't do that---but my church is in a rather horrible area filled with children that come from broken families and drug addicted parents. We do our own kind of work that is very important. Where my church is tempted to dispair and give up, a mega church is tempted to misuse its funds and get drunk on power. Ultimately---all churches are built by sinners who will fall if they stop focusing on the word of God.
Yes, the mega churches draw families and even 'singles' because of all of the activities they provide. But I would hate to be involved in determining the salaries of the 100 ppl on staff there, esp what the 'senior' pastor is allocated...bet it's a turn off to those with a heart for missions, the poor, etc. The bigger the ministry, the bigger the 'business' involved in running it! And $$ is a big 'distraction,' whether it be a $-poor small church or a big $$$ mega! I've been involved w/both...
You clearly have a very limited knowledge of Falwell, Robertson and Roberts. Power mad crazy people, every one of them.
That's the problem with Warren's book "The Purpose Driven Church". It is a growth manual and has been adopted by many corporations as a blueprint for expansion. And down the rabbit hole the church goes.
My experience has shown me that the ideal congregation size is 300-400 regular attendees---still somewhat intimate where ppl know each other, bills get paid, expensive bldgs arent erected, lay ppl 'cover most bases' w/o getting paid, and big donors are not yet attracted so that the pastor has to 'hone his ms' so as not to offend them and lose their giving!
Basically agree with you, although I know from experience how much pastors compromise their messages to appeal to the masses and not rock their ingrained beliefs. They take a path of least resistance to keep the 300-400 coming back each week and tend to not want to challenge them.
No. I don't have limited knowledge on these folks. Its possible you simply have a problem with conservative Christians who consider the Bible God's Word.
No doubt, the ol' "Comfort the afflicted, and afflict the comfortable' is a long gone "Old Time religion"..
True, but that's not it. I have a real problem with hucksters who fleece people for money. Robertson and his diamond mines. Roberts threatening the faithful that the Lord would call him home if they didn't donate a million dollars by a certain day. And then there's Jerry. Do you know who Cal Thomas is? Look him up. Unimpeachable conservative Christian bona fides. He was Falwell's media director for the Moral Majority and quit because he felt Falwell had become more interested in power than in purity. He wrote a great book about it called "Blinded by Might". Falwell did a slick maneuver to take over Jim and Tammy's network when they stumbled. He was a bloviating clown, even before he blamed 9/11 on gays and feminists.
