The world is ending.
Jim Bakker has his own show again! I just saw this monstrosity while flipping through the t.v. stations. He came onto the stage with a microphone and his new wife Lori to sell religious jewelry, books, and t-shirts.
He shouts: "Proclaim your faith; show you're proud of Jesus through your jewelry; testify," and they cut to an image of a woman with a 5 inch, huge silver cross around her neck. Then they show her glittering bracelet with inscribed crosses. (Bling, bling).
Is it delusional of me to think the guy who overthrew the money-changers' tables in the temple might have a slight problem with this? (Or with selling t-shirts for $20.00 -- a so-called "love gift" for the ministry?)
They tell people the t-shirts are 20 bucks, but if you send in $100, they'll give you six t-shirts instead of five. This is the message:
Christ is
Christmas
And Jim points to the shirt held up in front of him with his index finger: "'Christ,' 'Christmas'-- 'Christ,' -- 'mas' -- get it? Isn't that clever and brilliant!?"
Because Christmas isn't about materialism; it's about Christ, right Jim? He concludes: "Now who in your friends and family wouldn't enjoy that under their tree?"
Then some guy starts singing: “without him, Christmas lights would all be dim.”
Next, they sit down to chat about prosperity, turducken, and witchcraft: "If you're a Christian, you don't have to worry about witchcraft." And they hand out talking, plastic "Word of God" swords-- that say "The word of God is mightier than any sword"-- to three kids in the studio audience. (They're in Branson, Missouri from what I can gather).
After that, they continue "selling" things, although Jim keeps saying "selling" and he gets corrected by the singing guy that they are "offering" love gifts, not "selling" them.
(Only, you have to pay for them with love, which means dollars).
6 comments:
Yes, faith is proven by what you wear. Love and devotion are demonstrated with cash "gifts." All good Christians have forgiven Jim.
It's like the people making tons of money here in Utah, selling all things Godly between sessions of General Conference. What good Mormon doesn't have their own "awe-inspiring white marble Christus statue depict[ing] Jesus Christ just as the scriptures describe Him, beckoning to us with open arms in a most pleasant manner, as if saying: 'Come unto me'" for just $299.95?!
Now what was that pesky 2nd commandment again??
Ah yes, the Christus statue. Someone gave us one of those, on a much smaller scale back in the early 90s. I had no idea they go for $300 these days.
$300 -- that's a lot of love.
I was curious and looked up the original art the statue is based on, evidently it's by Danish artist, Albert Bertel Thorvaldsen, from 1823. I guess I learned something new today, that and Christians don't have to fear witches.
Hmmm . . . does this mean I'm in trouble?
I have a musical windup pillow featuring Da Vinci's Last Supper that plays "Hey Jude."
I have socks that feature Luther's rose and say "Here I stand." (Matrin Luther's response - "Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise" - when charged with heresy and asked to recant or face excommunication)
Most of the other religious items I own qualify as job related expenses for me. I usually don't wear a cross, but when I do I figure it is something of a job identifier and a comfort to those around me. (Hey, I spend my days surrounded by church people.)
I always wanted, but don't think I could get away with the t-shirt that says "my pastor could beat your pastor to a pulpit."
lutheranchick -- Those socks sound awesome! :)
You HAVE to see The Colbert Report from Monday....he has a very funny take on this (and on toys too!)
Doesn't all this commercialism and the whole graven images thing make you have a whole new appreciation for the whole Islamic tradition thing? It reminds me of my Dad and the whole giving money at a funeral thingie....for what? to buy masses. Yep, to BUY masses. I didn't know they were available for purchase. Did you?
Thanks, I just did!
I loved the Atheist family Christmas letter. "Little Jimmy said his first full sentence: 'God is dead.'" LOL. Colbert's delivery made me crack up.
I'm going to have to check out those Christmas cards. J.D. and I have been trying to think what we could possibly do to top last year's.
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