• staxofmax
    +11

    In my view prosperity theology is much more despicable than Ponzi schemes or blessing scams. A Ponzi scheme is purely a financial scam. A blessing scam is just boils down to simple theft. Prosperity theology is so much more than this. The victims look to these preachers as spiritual leaders, and these preachers abuse this absolute trust to suck out as much wealth as possible. At least with Ponzi schemes and blessing scams there comes a point where most victims realize that they were deceived by an asshole. But prosperity theology? If the wealth they were promised never comes the victim will see this as a personal failure, or as being unworthy of being blessed. What choice would they have but to double down their investment? Anything less would be seen as having a lack of faith, and a lack of faith will send you straight to hell. Financial scammers and thieves are shitheads, but at least they don't rape and shit all over your sense of value and self worth in the process.

    • septimine
      +5

      The problem is more in institutional control. Most mainline churches have an organization that vets people. If you get wildly out of line, you're gonna be dealt with, defrocked, and not be allowed to preach in that church anymore. Evangelical churches tend to the mcdojo theory. You can call yourself a preacher and say literally anything you want and no one can stop you. Because of that, people can't really know that or be sure that they're really hearing the real gospel. The idea that you can deny hell is actually heresy, but you won't hear that. Actually buying heaven (which is what the seed money things sounds like was anathema in Luthers day, let alone 2015. But no hierarchy, no quality control.