John Oliver’s
segment on televangelist prosperity preachers this week has
exposed what some say is a massive system of fraud that is being carried out on
vulnerable people with no government enforcement or oversight.
Oliver’s HBO show Last Week Tonight highlighted
some egregious examples, including Robert Tilton, Mike Murdock and Creflo
Dollar. Dollar came under scrutiny for raising money to buy himself a $65
million personal jet. Murdock boasted to his parish that he bought a jet with
cash, and because he could sense so much jealousy, he bought another one worth
three times more, again with cash.
The preachers are subscribers to something called
“prosperity gospel,” a suspiciously self-serving idea that wealth is a sign of
God’s favor. They tell followers that sending them money will result in
receiving money, for which of course, there is no guarantee in the real world.
“Really the best way to say it is, it’s fraud in the name of
God, but because it’s in the name of God our legal system turns a blind eye,”
said Andrew Seidel, staff attorney for the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
“It’s a religious pyramid scheme. And worse, it’s a religious pyramid
scheme that’s based on spiritual blackmail.”
