Televangelists – Prophets for God or Profits for Their Ministry
Today I’m going to blog about my sensational upcoming book, The Bastard Preacher. More accurately I’m going to write about what prompted me to write the book.
The Bastard Preacher and the scheduled sequel, The Ruthless Preacher is about a handsome, charismatic, but ruthless young man, named Jamie Lee Vincent. Jamie Lee attends a tent revival in his medium sized Texas Town and receives an epiphany. Unfortunately, his revelation, instead of being about God is about easy money and sex.
Before I start, let me say that my book is fiction. It is not based on any facts other than history has revealed certain famous television preachers to be less than they pretend to be. Or would it more correct to say they turn out to be more than they pretend to be. From Tony Alamo to Jimmy Swaggart, the list of disgraced preachers is long and disappointing. Some like Jimmy Bakker have even gone to jail. Others like Ted Haggard, are being kept under lock and key, while they undergo re-programming to remove homosexual tendencies. Is it any wonder why I am dubious about the sincerity of certain high profile television preachers and skeptical about televangelism in general?
Things I’ve Noticed
From luxurious lifestyles to self-promoting, I’ve noticed things about some television ministers through the years that turned me off about religion. Some so called men and women of God live so lavishly that Congress even initiated an investigation into the extravagant lifestyles of six Mega Church leaders in 2007. Whatever happened to the humble servant of God?
Family Values
Some of these high profile couples, who basically tell us how we should like our lives, can’t even keep their home life out of the papers. High profile religious couple Paula and Randy White of the Without Walls International Church, who were one of the above mentioned six, divorced a couple of years ago. And Prophetess Juanita Bynum declared herself the ‘face of domestic violence’ just before her high profile divorce from Pastor Thomas Weeks III.
God’s Love
Many of these purveyors of God’s love have trouble telling the difference between love and hate themselves. In my book, I used a quote from a famous television pastor as an epigraph at the beginning of each chapter. I will let some of these quotes make my point.
I believe that all of us are born heterosexual, physically created with a plumbing that’s heterosexual. Rev. Jerry Falwell
You say you’re supposed to be nice to the Episcopalians and the Presbyterians and the Methodists and this, that, and the other thing. Nonsense. I don’t have to be nice to the spirit of the Antichrist. Rev. Pat Robertson
AIDS is not just God’s punishment for homosexuals; it is God’s punishment for the society that tolerates homosexuals. Rev. Jerry Falwell
If I do not return to the pulpit this weekend, millions of people will go to hell. Jimmy Swaggart
I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way — all of them who have tried to secularize America — I point the finger in their face and say, ‘You helped this (911) happen. Rev. Jerry Falwell
We have imagined ourselves invulnerable and have been consumed by the pursuit of…health, wealth, material pleasures and sexuality… It [terrorism] is happening because God Almighty is lifting his protection from us. Rev. Pat Robertson
I know me, and those close to me know me. But sadly, the outside world thinks I’m some kind of a crook. Rev. Benny Hinn
Feminism encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians. Rev. Pat Robertson
If I have stepped on anyone’s toes, I apologize. My intent was to talk and write, not about religion itself, but those people of religion, who use it as a tool to obtain wealth and power. People who set themselves up as role models, as pillars of society and give us hypocrisy.
Whether you agree or disagree, I’d like to hear your thoughts.
And now a few words about The Bastard Preacher and an excerpt. I think this book is like nothing you’ve ever read.
buy link, The Bastard Preacher
Blurb
Some people do the right things but for the wrong reasons. The Bastard Preacher is such a person. Smooth, handsome, and self serving, Jamie Lee Vincent decides there’s easy money in religion after attending a big tent revival in his home town of Tyler, Texas. Catching the interest of Reverend Sonny Riverton’s youngest daughter, the lovely and vivacious Missy, he charms his way into her bed and in short order the Riverton clan. Utilizing his charm and natural-born talent for chicanery, Jamie Lee takes over the ministry, and when his popularity soars finds himself among the most revered of television preachers. However, the wealth, fame, sex and power he now enjoys isn’t enough-nothing is ever enough!
Silly Things 