will manufacture some brand new founding father quotes for the occasion.

*

don't they? "Dr" this and "Dr" that...it's so obvious how insecure they are, rightfully so.

but these people are all-stars to the base, so i grok huckster wanting to share some stage time with em. notice the return to the "rediscover" meme. dogwhistling to the base that once again, xtianity is a powerless minority faith smothered by liberal and secular ideologies and forgotten by the masses. as if a person could go a single day in this country and avoid seeing/hearing something gawd-flavored.

Wonder how this little bit of Dreadful Persecution compares to the ol' lions-in-the-Colliseum martyrdoms?

Among the many conservative Christians who feel misunderstood by the general public, the six televangelists under investigation by a Senate committee are an embarrassment.

The ministers' on-air faith healings and fundraising, backed by self-serving misinterpretations of Scripture, reinforce offensive stereotypes of greedy preachers and put their followers at spiritual risk, critics say.

But traditional Christians aren't universally celebrating the inquiry. Some are wondering whether the investigation led by Republican Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa is the right way to end any wrongdoing, especially if the result is more government oversight of all ministries.

The "ministries" being investigated are all of the "prosperity preacher" huckster variety, biggest names i recognized being Benny Hinn and Creflo Dollar (yeah, that's his real name, he claims). They aren't being investigated for their shameless repudiation of the book of Matthew but for abuse of the tax code with their "non-profit" status.

Easy solution of course would be for these good upstanding gotta-be-good-cuz-they-be-called-"Christian" preachers to give up their tax-exempt status and pay taxes like any other business that has income, revenue, payroll and profit. Then they can set real examples to their flock, with easily pointed to, properly audited and transparent corporate annual reports, of how a proper appreciation of Jeebus can make you as rich as any other midrange corporate CEO.

Not holdin' my breath on this expectation mind you, but if any of them were smart they would jump on this idea rather than wait to be pushed by the IRS. Oh, wait, waiting to be pushed revvs up the whole "persecution" claim again dunnit?

Never mind...

What's wrong with these people? Besides being religious fanatics, I mean?

We. Are. Going. To. Die. We must restore hope in the world. We must bring forth a new way of living that can sustain the world. Or else it is not just us who will die but everyone. What have we got to lose? Go forth and Fight!—Xan