Televangelism
Read or view the
following links:
Thought and
Reflection
Today we are going to continue the discussion we began last
period. You may recall that we talked about the early roots of religious
broadcasting on radio and television. We identified several factors,
characteristics, and outcomes that typified early broadcasts. These included
the cult of personality, the mixing of religion and politics, church as
theater, public service (getting around FRC and FCC requirements), and creating
content to appeal to children. We ended by considering the movie, “Elmer
Gantry,” which may have been a harbinger of what was to come.
If we looked at modern televangelism we can see parallels
from the past. But if we have to identify modern characteristics or outcomes we would
have to consider scandal, millionaire pastors, and what has been referred to as
the “gospel of prosperity.”
What I want us to do today is to consider what role the
media play in the creation of these outcomes. Did these mega-churches and their
pastors use media to drive these trends and outcomes (created by the power of
media) or did media simply capture what was happening in society.
First, let’s look at the scandals. It seems that scandal
defined the televangelism world for the last two decades of the 20th
century. Ironically, these scandals also indicated a growing amount of
infighting among competing preachers.
This link gives us a nice summary:
It appears that the growing focus has been a move to preach
the values of prosperity. This is worth considering giving the variety of
economic bubbles that have burst and negatively impacted our overall economy.
Here’s an interesting note: While the LDS Church has been a strong proponent of
provident or frugal living, the televangelist world has promoted the zealous
acquisition of wealth.
Watch this link:
The televangelist probably the most associated with the
“gospel of prosperity” is Joel Osteen. His “gospel” is less scriptural and
traditional religion and more about positive self-esteem and success. Some
would argue that he is more motivational speaker than traditional pastor.
Watch some of the link below. What are the traits and
characteristics of “religion” presented here? What is the appeal? Why would
that appeal be so powerful today to so many people? To you? Why would people be
so eager to believe that there is a relationship between “money and peace.”
Here’s another interesting report that gives us a very
different perspective:
Today’s Blog
Assignment
I want you to reflect on what you read and viewed here. Go
back to our original question: How have the media (radio and television, in
particular) changed both the nature and practice of religion? What has religion
become to the followers of these televangelists? As you answer these questions,
go back to the question I asked above: What is the appeal? Why would that
appeal be so powerful today to so many people? To you? Why would people be so
eager to believe that there is a relationship between “money and peace”? I want
to hear your reaction to these things.
Money is powerful. Almost everyone wants more of it and quite often will do anything to get it. Even Judas, one of Christ's apostles fell partly because of his love of money. As human beings it's something we need to survive. The world works around money, everything is seen as dollars and cents (or pounds and shillings etc). Because this is a fact of life, televangelists and other preachers use this to fill up their churches.
ReplyDeleteI feel this appeals to many people because, as a culture, we've grown to distrust each other. We are always bombarded with negative news about businesses and corporations. We see the rich and the famous and we feel there is an injustice in the world. Why can't we be like them? What makes them better than us? Preachers take this injustice and use it. The appeal is that we can all become those people, the rich and the famous. Not only can we become those people, but we can also be religious and do good with the money. As humans we enjoy stories and fairy tales, we like to believe they are true. The same goes with preaching about money and peace. We like to believe this fairy tale, that our happiness would increase with our riches. I took a family finance class and the teacher pointed out that as long as you live above the poverty line, your level of happiness is almost exactly the same as someone who is rich. We want to hope for something better and happier, but it just doesn't exist, not in a monetary form.
Yet, at the same time, I've seen this blessing in my own life. When I've done what's right and paid my tithes and offerings I've always succeeded financially. So while I don't agree with this flagrant preaching of prosperity and these churches begging for money. I do know faith can have financial benefits. This isn't always true, and there may be a time in my life where finances grow very tight. But as a man of faith I have to realize that all things are possible with God, even miracles with money.
The media has influenced the nature of religion and how it is practiced. It allows a lot more convenience for religions to share their message and be known throughout the world.
ReplyDeleteAs the media has developed into what it is today, religions have found different ways to use the media to their benefit.
For instance, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints uses multiple outlets within the media for multiple different purposes. With the push to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the world, the media has opened many opportunities for the church as a whole and for individual members to share the Gospel.
Because of so many controversial issues that are cycled through the media, it makes it more important for religions to stay true to their doctrines.
Even though the Church is adapting to the social world and becoming more and more of a presence online, the doctrine of the church will never change or adapt to whatever the world believes is right. There are many hot topics today that are very controversial. With so many different ideas and opinions being cycled through the media, the Church makes it clear what their stance is on the tough issues, even if it is not popular.
Unfortunately, I think that there are plenty of people that might not stay true to what they believe. This is due to either wanting to be popular to their friend circles or through being exposed to so much information that they are led to loose their faith. Even more unfortunate, is when religions do change their doctrine because of what is the most popular in the world. There are dangers when religion becomes intertwined with the politics of the day, it is so important to stay true to what you believe.
Pastors and preachers change belief in God to be belief in money. That God has blessed people with the ability to help themselves, specifically by way of squandering money. They preach that money is the only way to find peace and joy, which can skew perception of true happiness. Like many scriptures preach: wickedness never was happiness. Obsessing over money and possessions will only create temporary, artificial happiness which is not a true happiness, and when put under the test of changing circumstances will be destroyed. Also, if people only acknowledge that God provides the means to obtain goods, then people will most likely become prideful in the "works of their own hands" and fail to recognize the true provider of their blessings.
ReplyDeleteThese views about money and about God have twisted how people think religion works. People believe that they can simply buy their way into heaven; that no matter what else they do, as long as they have sufficient means, they can simply buy forgiveness. Just like bartering with a street vendor, people feel they can haggle their way into a peaceful state of mind assuming that their money can take care of all sin and misfortune. Philosophies like these resonate with people and the worldly cravings in them because people enjoy being able to measure their success. Money and possessions give people a obvious measurement of worldly success. Sometimes it is hard to keep working towards a goal if you cannot see progression. Spiritual progress is much harder to track than physical progress. People like to track their progression through specific measurement and money is a very easy, very pleasurable, way of tracking progression and ultimately feeling "successful".
Focus on money and obtaining high worldly status has destroyed the belief that religion is all about personal progression and spiritually coming closer to God. Money blinds the innate spiritual nature to lose one's self in the service of the Lord and bring others to the peace and happiness they are truly seeking. Money is simply the easy way out.
I think that television in particular has changed religion in many ways, just as it has changed professional sports and other types of programming. For example, the NFL negotiated TV deals with major networks for a few million dollars in the 1960’s, but now, those same TV deals are negotiated in the billions. The staggering amount of wealth that is to be had in television has drawn many different types of programming to the forefront, and religion is not excluded in that. Past NFL players (in the 60’s and 70’s) actually did not make a ton of money, and often worked side jobs in the offseason to support their expenses. But with the rise of TV revenue, it allowed not only for players to make more money, but also led to the creation of other jobs like sports agents. For something like football, this commercialization is not necessarily a bad thing because their goal is to reach a wider audience and increase revenue. Modern day pastors are finding that they too can make millions through television, but unfortunately maintain the same goals as the NFL – increased reach and revenue. The consequences of that are a watering down of religion to accommodate the masses, and the need to make the sermons more of a spectacle than anything else.
ReplyDeleteTo answer the question – religion has become a show, just as the NFL is. Just as we ooh and ahh over our favorite sports teams and players, we now have the same opportunity to do that for our favorite pastors and preachers.
I have listened to Joel Osteen many times, and his message is not solely about money, but I do think his teachings are more about motivation and self-help than anything else. I will admit I do enjoy his messages, and the appeal is that are so easy to listen to and create a belief in myself that everything will be ok. It is comforting to listen to many TV pastors because they don’t really require any major changes in myself, but promise peace and financial freedom. I think they undersell the amount of work that needs to be put in for discipleship as well as financial peace. I think people are eager to accept a message of money and peace from TV pastors because it’s something they can SEE. I know Joel Osteen is doing very well financially, therefore, I trust him, why would I not?! I think that because money is tangible it is used as a measuring stick for success. You can say that you have a lot of charity or hope, but there’s no real quantitative measure of it.
I spent 18 months in the Philippines, one of the world's most poverty stricken countries per capita in the world. Being there completely turned me entire world upside down. All of a sudden I was surrounded by starving children who wanted the food out of my trash to survive. I also learned that these people were not in poverty because they were lazy- they were in poverty because for years and years that is the only thing their government told them they could be. They were oppressed. As I watched the "Prosperity Gospel" video I felt a deep connection to my Filipino people. I can see why the African people are so attracted to this idea. They want to believe so badly that if they can just have faith, their money problems will be solved. They have been so poor for so long that they are so ready to find a believable means out of their poverty. The Filipinos heard and believed similar sermons.
ReplyDeleteIt was frustrate me to hear these televangelists give these sermons because all of that money that they were "sacrificing in the name of God" was going right back into the pockets of the preachers. I have a hard time believing that these men (and women sometimes) actually believed that God could make these people rich if they had enough faith. If they actually believed that then they would be praying themselves, rather than going around and asking for money.
The appeal to these poor people to televangelism and prosperity gospel is that it feels like a pathway to riches that they can actually believe in. Going to school is not an option for them, trying to find a new job is very difficult, and leaving their country is even more impossible in their eyes. But, believing is God? Now, that's an option that they can get behind. It saddens me still to think that there are people out there who are taking advantage of these people in the name of Jesus. I wish it didn't work, but it does. Until people begin to see the deception behind these sermons, I am afraid that more and more people will fall into the trap of the Prosperity Gospel.
Media has been key in getting preachers/pastors a more widespread audience to listen to their teachings. Without the ability to broadcast their messages instantly to millions around the world, it would be impossible for these religious leaders to have the mass viewership that they now enjoy. Whether it be for genuinely altruistic reasons (like the LDS Church who broadcasts uplifting words to the world without getting paid to do so) or for personal gain, the media provides endless ways to spread a religious message quickly.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, due to the scandalous television preachers like Jim and Tammy Baker who abused their power, many people see churches and religion in general as a business that seeks to profit from consumers just like any other business, thus causing them to distrust religion and seek out spirituality in their own individual ways (AKA the "nones).
Though the media could potentially be used to bring about so much good through people who aren't seeking to deceive or exploit, it may in fact be too late to repair the damage done by those who use it for evil.
It's understandable that many people would find the words of preachers telling them how to get rich appealing because everyone is struggling to make sure that they are in a good place financially and people are willing to follow almost any advice on how to improve. The problem comes when the preachers mislead those that are desperate for help instead of actually helping them by teaching them about God and other more important things than getting rich. After all- money won't buy anyone a place in heaven.
The media in like most cases provides a skewed version of reality. It highlights peoples flaws and dramatizes to gain emotional appeal. The media has provided an outlet for people to use religion for fame. It has increased the theatrical necessity to misconstrue feelings of adrenaline for feelings of the spirit. To me it is the same as if someone drinking non-alcoholic beer thought it was alcoholic and acted as such. Followers of these televangelists have a misconception of what religion is. Like we had talked about before, people like what is convenient rather than difficult and being told you are healed or forgiven on the spot by being touched on the forehead is just that.
ReplyDeleteThe craving for wealth and the belief that money equals happiness has been around for a long time. This skews peoples perception of what true happiness is. In the Gospel of Greed and Prosperity video, the pastor talked about how money brought strength and "when you're wealthy in God, you're content all the time." Money brings moments of happiness but not lasting happiness. It's inevitable that with spiritual highs comes times of trials. Money and materialistic means shouldn't be our main focus in this life. Jacob 2:18 it states, " Before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God."
Obviously people want to have the ability to provide for themselves as well as their family, but flaunting it and being prideful is the opposite of being humble and charitiable. Money can be considered a measurement of success and is the main reason people would be attracted to that form of religion. I feel like people are in constant competition with one another to see who has the nicest clothes, shoes, house, ect. It gives people a sense of accomplishment and confidence but tares others down when they don't measure up.
Money is a motivating factor for everyone, we all strive for wealth and hope for prosperity for the future. Often, religious people are warned that money can be evil, that it is not something to be concerned with God however when people are told otherwise, they can be more attracted to that doctrine, idea, or religion. People find appeal in relating money, a material thing, with something deeper like their religion. Because people are already so naturally focused on material wealth, they find an appeal in relating it somehow with God. Another appeal to the idea of money and peace is that many struggle financially. When people are promised peace and comfort during a difficult time by a church or a high power, they are attracted to that church.
ReplyDeletePeople also find an appeal in a promise for a more prosperous future. In these clips, the audiences were promised peace, prosperity, and a higher ranking with God the more they invested in their churches through tithes and offerings. Those who gave more money were considered to have more faith. Many of the members in the audiences shown were willing to give up very large sums of money for their church to prove their faith.
While watching these clips, I was surprised to find that the churches that were frequently talking about money were quite boisterous, yelling and dancing, singing praises and feeling the spirit through movement. Some might find appeal in this kind of religious worship, feeling more connected to the spirit with yelling and moving.
Media has changed the nature and practice of religion because the media focuses less on specific doctrines and religious beliefs. Televangelists are no longer preaching about minute details rather, they are focusing on a more “self-help” approach whether it be anything from money to positive self-esteem. We saw this in Bishop Sheen’s video and this practice has only increased since then. This approach to a more general, self-help sermon has appealed to a much greater audience and in turn created a larger revenue for the churches and channels.
As shown in the videos you asked us to read, we can see that many televagelists use the idea of promised salvation as a way to lure their followers into making donations. As I mentioned in my last blog post, I knew of very financially poor people on my mission who made frequent donations to televagelists because they thought it would save them. They did it because they wanted one way to assure their salvation. They might have been superstitious or doubtful that they could achieve salvation any other way because of the lies they were being fed by many televangelists. So I definitely see here that the media is promoting this idea of "buying" salvation. But I do not think it is the media that has caused this corruption. This ideology is not new by any means. The Catholic Church for hundreds of years has used indulgences—the idea that people can and should purchase their repentance. The very reason Martin Luther posted his list of complaints against the Roman Catholic Church was largely to stop the church from stealing money from the people. The only thing the media has done, in my opinion, is just create a larger audience for these corrupt "evangelists" to steal money from.
ReplyDeleteThe video about the prosperity gospel alarmed me! I am absolutely disgusted by what that preacher was asking of those people, especially since it is apparent that money is something very precious and limited to them. I am especially surprised by the fact that people are so willing to follow these preachers who are stealing from them! You asked what the appeal is...and I honestly don’t know. All I can think is that people will pretty much do anything to assure their salvation. They want to feel like they can be saved or promised lifelong peace and they are taught that they can use money to make that happen. It may have a lot to do with superstition or fear. But I also feel that many religious followers donate money because they are feeling hyped up or excited by Pentecostal practices or loud music. These numinous feelings often can be mistaken for the spirit. But as I said earlier in my post, I do not believe that the media has caused this erroneous connection, but simply made the audience larger for corrupt religious leaders to effect.
I think the media helped show what society was becoming. At the same time I believe that since people saw this happening the media fueled further changes. Since we live in a world where everything is driven by money it does not surprise me to see people determining their faith by how much money they have. It seems that everyone wants to have that perfect life where they have religion and plenty of wealth. The relationship between money and peace totally exists, especially because we feel more at peace when we have more money and can have everything we want or need. Knowing that we don’t have to work as hard or worry about paying off a bill comforts us. And who doesn’t want that peace?
ReplyDeleteFrom the business side, being the leader of a congregation is a great idea. Getting up in front of a few people and telling them if they pay a certain amount they will be saved or have more faith. Media spreads your message like wildfire. If you create something people will believe then the media would be the best outlet to get your word out. More viewers mean more money in your pocket.
I can see people relating this to paying tithing. In the LDS church we aren’t told to pay an exact amount of money because everyone make different amounts and nobody forces us to do it. However, when we don’t pay tithing we lack the blessings that come from the temple. And our faith isn’t determined by how much money we give. We also know that our tithing money goes toward helping others eat, the building of temples and churches or even helping missionaries. There’s another difference. We actually know where our donated money is going.
From a members point of view it seems like a great way to prove your religiosity. If you have enough money you’ll feel satisfied in your faith. I wonder if the people who pay their way to exaltation ever feel the spirit at these meetings.
The very popular televangelists seem as though they are giving motivational speeches rather than sermons or testifying of anything. They teach that being successful financially will also bring about spiritual success. Do they ever talk about God or being good people? What about service? Do they pray or read any kind of scripture? What doctrine could they have? Or do they solely care about the amount of money in your bank account? What they have doesn’t seem like a church, rather a club they paid to join. The media makes it seem okay because so many people are doing it and other people are watching the same program.
Many people let money run their lives. It governs what they can and can not do. In a way, money is a dictator of themselves. In the youtube video where the man went to Ghana and attended the church to see on a different level how money was for them vs. us. He found out that having money is the same. People want money because they thing money is power. In this church, the pastor talked about all the fancy cars he had while the others had nothing. This was a power that he had over his congregation. It makes me wonder how powerful the people would think he was if he didn't have the cars and valuable things that he owns. It's the same for us in the US though, we think popularity and money defines us. People who are rich and famous, people who have everything are so cool to us. In a way, we think they have power. It is the same in some religious aspects. In some religious broadcasts on television, the pastor or preacher is considered "famous" because he is on TV. Just because he has famous, he automatically has some sort of power over us and we should idolize everything the preacher says. I think the idea of being on television and having money brainwashes some people and they just do what they say because it is "TV culture." I think it is interesting to think about the mind power that these TV sermons have on some people. People aren't as focused on religion anymore, they are more focused on how to better their lives with earthly things and money.
ReplyDeleteMost forms of Christianity are big on missionary work, and spreading the gospel to the entire world. Televangelists bring a whole new meaning to sharing their message. Mega churches and their pastors definitely use the media to drive power, money, and fame. After watching these clips, I think that televangelists as a whole are a big scam. I thought the Rachel Maddow YouTube clip was very interesting because it showed how a scandal could actually bring more attention to a pastor and his church. I think the most popular example of this was Jimmy Swaggart. Swaggart condemned other pastors for cheating, and prostitution when he was actually committing the same sins. When members of his congregation found out, he went on television and started hysterically crying and repeated, “Please forgive me” over and over. In the background of one of the videos, I think I even heard women crying because they were so touched by his repentance. He put on a show that people believed.
ReplyDeleteI think the scriptures discredit these pastors. Proverbs 13:11, “Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.” These men are the complete opposite of what they are teaching—they are materialists and just want attention, hence the on-going scandals. The NBC dateline clip showed that eventually, people come to know that what these corrupt pastors are preaching is mainly for the pastor’s own personal gain and wealth. Media gives us a skewed view of reality. Reality TV shows are usually scripted, so what makes us think a church meeting televised isn’t? Benny Hinn makes over $200 million dollars a year by promoting that he can heal anyone. When in reality, he is only promoting those who aren’t even sick.
When contemplating why people pay these pastors and believe in them, I think it is because they truly think these men are doing God’s work and they want to prosper, be healed, and saved. The more emotional the televangelist, the more support they receive. We live in such an instantaneous world where people are desperate to “be healed.” The Prosperity Gospel is especially captivating to people because I think in a sense all humans want to prosper financially. When you bring finances into the equation, you can convince people to do almost anything. The YouTube clip said that when you donate money, you are demonstrating how small or big of faith you have. As Mormons, we demonstrate our faith by paying tithing—when we pay we aren’t told we are going to receive abundant amounts of money, but we are told that if we pay the 10% no matter what, and have faith, we will be blessed. Finances are such a hard topic for a lot of people, and when you bring it into religion like the Prosperity Gospel, you are basically saying that money will bring you peace—when in reality the only thing that should bring you peace in this life is living by the true doctrines of the gospel.
There are still a lot of pros as well as cons of having radio and television mixed with religion. As far as corruption goes, I don’t think we’re seeing anything different than what we’ve seen before. The only change is that it’s become more wide spread and competitive in nature. Peaceful and doctrinal based messages are not enough to catch the eye of the public and gain donation. This is where doctrine becomes watered down and excited speakers and pastors come into play. As mentioned in class, religion has become a choice between which person speaks better than which doctrine is more correct. The problem that many followers of these televangelists will inevitably find is that man is flawed. When these religious leaders mess up, then people’s whole system of belief will be shaken. I think that’s the issue with the way followers of televangelists view religion through the media.
ReplyDeleteI think there is a strong appeal to listen to anyone that would promise you anything. It’s just like when you hear a compliment—you believe it more when it flatters you. These messengers know how to flatter a people, while making them feel guilty. The guilt and general “feel good” messengers are what appeal most to people. It creates a sense of responsibility that one has to the speaker/pastor, while having a love for their message.
As far as money and peace go, I think I’d agree with others on this matter. In the LDS community, it’s easy to correlate faith to immediate, material blessings. This life isn’t a time for immediate blessings, necessarily. If we pay tithing, we should do it out of love and obedience, not a hope for blessings. (So guilty of this mindset.) This is why I think people love the message of money and peace. The pastors are providing an if-then solution. In reality, that’s not guaranteed and shouldn’t be a religious base of believe.
As a global society, more and more we are beings who look for ways to get by with the least amount of effort and struggle. The success of televangelists is due in great measure to their promises of healing, of success, of relief today. However, I believe that faith in those who promise instant gratification today isn’t faith at all. The scriptures teach that faith is a hope in things which are not seen (see Hebrews 11:1). In other words, the end isn’t always in sight. People don’t always remember that every hope and every plea of our hearts are not all realized in this lifetime. God wants us to struggle and put forth effort so that we can grow. He doesn’t want us to stay the same.
ReplyDeletePart of the televangelist doctrine includes the idea that money brings peace. I think that people are inclined to hope that such doctrine is true because it is easier. If I obtain money, whatever else is going on in my life is irrelevant; I have peace! I believe that peace comes from within, and while money can offer temporary financial security, it does not bring lasting inner peace, which is priceless. To those who do not have financial security and who have not found inner peace (which is probably most people), this message is very appealing. On the other hand, I do believe that God wants us to receive blessings in this life and He does want us to be successful. I just don’t believe that money is the only thing that constitutes success.
Money and media go hand in hand. Media runs on money, and money is then turned around and given back to the media. I feel the same is true with money and religion. People place their degree of wealth into organizations that bring them reward or help them feel like they have a place. With the community that media and religion create, it makes sense why both would produce large fiscal outcomes. However, especially after watching today’s clips, it is apparent that with increased prosperity comes equal potential for demise.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing to think that so many religious leaders have found themselves in the middle of scandals going against their teachings. In our own religion we do not believe in an infallible prophet, so I am not saying that mistakes denounce a leader, but when their practices become hypocritical to what they preach it begs the question what when wrong? I believe that a little humility goes a long way in leadership positions. Our LDS leaders are most often called later in life when their financial situations are already stable, and they are in a position where they can “leave their nets” and devote their life to serving in the church. While the church offers support in the needed ways while in their service, they are not accumulating great wealth in their positons unlike many of the televangelists. Televangelism’s “ministries” often revolve around building a brand that can bring in enough prosperity to not only keep their air slot, but also keep up with a pretty lavished life style.
From Televangelism’s examples alone, it seems that the pride which accompanies great wealth often diminishes spiritual prosperity, yet it surprises me that so many churches preach that money brings prosperity. One quote I found interesting was from the African American preacher who stated that giving and getting money on earth is a witness of heaven we can experience now, rather than having to wait to receive confirmation that you were a faithful follower of Christ. They see your willingness to give to the church in dollars a measure of your faith. While our church does support a system of giving to the church, I find it to be very different in our outcomes. Yes, we believe our tithing brings blessings; however, our over-arching theme in finance is to live within your means and invest in areas of lasting wealth (education, family experiences, etc.) rather than worldly wealth.
Ultimately I find it fascinating the connection between these ideas of prosperity and scandal. While the idea of popularity, attention, and fame may seem attractive and brings reward, I am not sure it’s a reward that lasts. Money only gets you so far if you don’t maintain what matters most, and in the case of televangelist’s, their scandals make me question the true value of their dollars.
When the teachings of God are offered up by temporal men, then the tithings paid are not matters of consecrated living or service, but rather in the dealing of temporal currency. This is the idea that seems to affect the relationship between modern televangelists and their followers. The problem with these televangelists, is that in focusing entirely on how much people are willing to give to their church, they have reduced the tithing of their believers to a paycheck, and the faith of their audience to a tangible currency that they can use to support their worldly lives. Never in the dealing of so much money, could something seem so cheap.
ReplyDeleteWhether by malicious intent or misguided efforts for good, both the preachers and the worshipers have broken up the sacred foundation of what makes faith worth supporting. On the side of the preachers, it has become an outright and obvious example of priest craft: leveraging the teachings of the gospel and the faith of its followers to one’s personal gain. On the side of the worshipers, it is a subtle but equally troubling realization that their efforts to live consecrated lives are a perversion of why we pay tithing and support our churches. The practice of such things as the “gospel of prosperity” and measuring their faith directly in how much they can contribute to their preacher, seems oddly reminiscent of the ecclesiastical debate between Martin Luther and the Catholic Church, over the concept of buying indulgences. It’s acting as if matters of repentance, salvation and eternity have any sort of exchange rate with our temporal currency.
The concept of currency is that it is meant to be a place holder for labor or direct bartering. We can’t always work directly for the things we need, or bring a whole chicken coop to market in exchange for a cow, so instead we use currency as a placeholder, so that we can store wealth for later use and exchange the product of our labor in the way we see fit. This is, a rudimentary explanation of why currency exists. It says nothing about what kind of labor was used to earn that currency, and therefore, nothing about the type of labor that is being offered up in exchange for a product or service. This can be especially troubling as we consider the idea of offering money for peace and salvation. That currency says nothing about what was done to earn it, or whether or not it translates into a moral and decent person that is exchanging it for access to heaven.
I would like to think heaven is just a matter of paying a couple dollars every Sunday, because it would ease the cost of daily moral accounting and the need to live a morally consistent lifestyle. The appeal is to a very indulgent lifestyle that is willing to barter anything on hand for what is stored up in heaven. The problem though is that this type of worship is essentially saying that a life of peace or an assurance of heaven in the afterlife is worth the change in our pockets. The belief that there is a relation between money and peace, seems a momentarily comfortable and easy way out of what might otherwise be a troubling realization: that one might have to repent of wrong doing and offer up good deeds to feel that they’ve earned the grace that is given to them.
It is really disgusting that these individuals make so much money off of innocent people who are seeking spiritual guidance. These men are able to prey on the weak in search of bettering their own lives. With how many people do these things today, I have begun to hear people questioning other church leadership around the world such as LDS prophets. People question the intentions of these men after seeing what others have done in the past.
ReplyDeleteThrough radio and television, real predators can reach individuals around the world. They reach those who are looking for acceptance and spiritual experiences. Although everyone makes mistakes, it is clear that these men are dirty and lacking true intent with their efforts. They give the appeal that, through them, individuals will be able to find a connection to Christ. They preach that they know the true doctrine. Many of these situations make me think of Joseph Smith in his day and age. His community was filled with different voices and teachings. This caused drastic confusion until he finally chose to pray and ask God for the truth. Through sincere prayer, we are promised answers and the truth.
The appeal of having a life like one of the preachers shown is what draws people to the televised churches. People begin to feel that if they reach a certain level of spirituality, they will also be blessed with riches and fame. Unfortunately, God's plan does not always work in the favor of worldly riches, but instead, eternal happiness. They give individuals a false hope and a false sense of reality. It is too bad that there aren't more investigations against these individuals and the fraud that they commit.
There is an interesting dichotomy in how radio and television have religion. It may absolutely be argued that the ease of communication has allowed sects to further their denomination and preach their doctrine to a wider audience. It allows people to stay home and worship, rather than head to their local chapel. However, in expanding that presence, the televangelists now have a viewing audience to wow and impress. Viewers and followers may be forced to ask, to what lengths are they willing to go to keep their viewers?
ReplyDeleteMy mind instantly goes to a comparison from my youth. I can think of at least 5 of the teen stars on kid’s networks that I used to watch that ended up making it into larger productions or musical labels and eventually turned to drugs or illicit activity. When fame pressures someone to conform to viewer’s preferences, it often has harsh side effects. I’ve also thought a lot about the original article we read last week and how people often mis-trust organized religion. I believe televangelism and the media coverage of the many scandals associated have contributed to a general distrust of religious leaders.
Along with televangelism, distrust in religion can also originate from the financial requirement associated with religious attendance. The concept of the gospel of prosperity has an absolute appeal to the broad audience because of a promise of fortune. Give God a little, and he will give you a lot more. However, after viewing the congregations in Africa, the guest preacher used his platform to talk about his Mercedes Benz collection and how that is a direct correlation to his giving to the church. The world is fueled by envy and want for physical things, that if people are told they can receive more of these things by giving to a church, it’s a no brainer. I did think it was interesting that the video stated that for the poor who go to the healing camps in hope for prosperity, “In a way, this is the end of the line for the prosperity gospel.” These people are preyed on because of their desperation to have a better life and achieve prosperity.
The LDS church absolutely believes in the doctrine tithes and offerings as stated in Malachi, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse…I will…open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” However, this is an obedience principle, not a get rich quick scheme.
I think that televangelism allows for a greater ease of access of religion for people. We live in a world where everything is at our finger tips, the answer to a random question is just a google away, we don't even have to leave our own houses to get food, all our shopping can be done online. This has created a society that is impatient, a society where we no longer see the value in waiting for things. Religions that are easily accessible through tv, or the internet have a great appeal in a society like ours.
ReplyDeleteOur society is also a temporal one, most measure success and security by monetary value. These churches are offering peace of mind and spiritual "salvation" through monetary donations. Money is an easier way for people to "convert" themselves to a religion without having to necessarily change their lifestyles. They can feel like they're contributing to God's work without actually having to go out and do any work themselves. Now this is just a generalization and there are those who don't necessarily follow this pattern.
The delicate relationship between financial prosperity and godly principles is not new, nor introduced by televangelists, but I think televangelists were able to capitalize very literally off of the idea. In most organized religion, Christianity, Buddhism, Judaism, and others, we are taught that giving is more important than receiving, and that the poor will inherit the Kingdom of God. But on the other hand, we all need money to a certain extent: we need to live, to support our families, and we benefit from being able to afford luxury goods. Christ taught that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God. He told the rich young ruler to sell all his possessions and give everything to the poor, and yet, we hold onto a hope and a principle that God condones the possession of wealth as long as we use it righteously. I personally plan on being wealthy and thus being enabled to serve others in a wider variety of ways, and I don't think there is any harm in that. This is where the televangelists take some liberties, preaching that you need huge amounts of money to demonstrate your faith.
ReplyDeleteHow pleasant to hear the words of men telling you God wants you to be rich, He wants you to be able to wear the designer clothes and take your family on a tour of the world, that He wants you to be able to get those tickets to the Superbowl, etc. Instead of hearing a pastor guilt trip you into donating money to the church, because God blesses us for being poor, how many more people will want to listen if a pastor preaches that God will bring you riches, that his goal and plan for your life is for you to be wealthy beyond your imagination, and that this will bring you peace?
I think the televangelists were incredibly intelligent to realize this and start preaching bout prosperity. I also agree with them up to a certain extent. I think God expects us to do our best to be successful so we can broaden our capabilities to support our families and serve in the capacities that he would like us to serve in. We have to have sufficient for our necessities if we are going to be able to focus on greater meanings in life, but beyond that, I don’t think we need to imagine that God wants us to be bathing in money; he wants us to work hard.
I'm going to try to take my LDS hat off here(which I'm finding is extremely difficult sometimes). Back to the question of how media has influenced the practice of religion. TV and radio has become a channel for many people all around the world to access a form of religion that they otherwise couldn't. These people are able to find a sense of spirituality at the click of a button, which, to me, sounds pretty remarkable. The spread of religion has increased dramatically because of the convenience of televangelism.
ReplyDeleteNow, the Prosperity Gospel. This was SO interesting to me, because I had never heard of it before. I saw the Prosperity Gospel as giving a huge amount of people not only hope, but the motivation to reach their highest level of potential. But that potential was more of a financial potential rather than a spiritual/personal potential, which I feel most religions teach. I see the appeal. Who doesn't want to be financially stable? I do! The Prosperity Gospel, to my understanding, teaches that God wants his children to have material things, and to show that you love him, you give him material things. Bottom line. Money and things are important. The wealthier you are, the better follower of God you are. How do you show your faith? Money. On the other hand, the Prosperity Gospel is limited to only those who have money in the first place. The video mentions that people would come from all over to seek their gospel for prosperity in their own lives, only to find a dead end.
LDS hat back on. God wants us to prosper, but to prosper in our spiritual well-being, our faith, our charity, etc. God places little value on material things. On an eternal perspective, material things really don't matter. It is a little concerning to see so many people motivated by purely the idea of having financial prosperity, rather than to be motivated by things that will last.
I’ve always been cautious of televangelism, and honestly anything that deals with leading people exclusively through media. I appreciate people trying to give others a sense of hope, or trying to spread the gospel through media, but it’s different when that’s the only medium through which you’re reaching people. It distances the congregation from the preacher, so to speak. What I appreciate is a church that exists primarily on a community level, but uses the internet or television to expand its message to places or people who may not have the advantage of a community.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, when you’re a minister and you’re distanced from the bulk of your congregation, it’s easy to make yourself look however you want to look. The video about televangelist scandals was surprising to me, actually, because of how lightly some of the scandals were being taken. I don’t remember who it was, but one minister, after being accused of a crime, simply stated to the press that he’s “looking forward to getting back to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.” That’s great and all, but when you know what he’s done it doesn’t seem very genuine. I’ve never followed televangelism, but I have no doubt that after seeing their minister accused of a crime, some of the congregation began doubting his legitimacy or trustworthiness as a religious leader.
I think the appeal of televangelism, however, trumps a lot of the potential for scandal and disconnect that exist between minister and congregation. I definitely see the appeal of it in my own life – who doesn’t love watching church in their pajamas during general conference? It’s unfortunate that so many seemingly good men of God have taken advantage of television to create a persona for themselves – and no one questions it, simply because of the disconnect. I like what our church is doing in this realm because, as I mentioned earlier, the community and physically attending church is a bigger part of members’ lives than the televangelism aspect.
One of the advantages of revealed religion is that it tells us what we need to hear, as opposed to what we want to hear. The Lord's revealed word through scripture differs from faith inspiring fiction because while it inspires us to be better, it also remains grounded in doctrine.
ReplyDeletePart of the problem with modern televangelism is that in order for multimedia to be captivating, it needs to be exciting and promote good feelings. Often self-help books and media lead us to believe that we can accomplish anything, noble or not. They can lead us to believe that everything we accomplish is due to our ambition and not due to God's help.
This leads to prideful mentalities, including the televangelist mentality of wealth and power. I am not surprised that these televangelists get caught up in gross sin, because their preaching is founded on and promotes pride. We know that pride is the root of all sin, and President Benson himself has said, "Our will in competition to God’s will allows desires, appetites, and passions to go unbridled."