Religion can be a very lucrative racket

Shot of the Rev. Pat Robertson's Virginia estate. Mr. Robertson has raked in hundreds of millions of dollars  for himself from his religion business. Why oh why do poor and middle-class viewers of this con man's TV shows send him money?

Adapted from Robert Whitcomb's "Digital Diary,'' in GoLocal24.com:

Americans’ capacity for self-delusion may exceed that of all other Western nations’ citizens. Millions of them will eagerly buy up gallons of snake oil in the spirit of wishful thinking. Consider P.T. Barnum and greedy TV evangelists.

Many of  the latter love Trump, despite a life that’s been anything but “Christian’’ in practice. But then, they, too, love money and luxury, provided by the terrified-of -death suckers who send it to them. The amoral Trump represents the Gospel of Money that they consult daily. They don’t ask, or they ignore, some of the wayshe got it. --  very big inheritance,  conning customers, cheating employees and vendors, massive use of tax breaks and strategic cooperation with mobsters.

Trump’s remarks and warm reception at the First Baptist Church in Dallas-sponsored “Celebrate Freedom Rally” at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., on July 2 was an orgy of hypocrisy.  Of course, speakers as usual kept implying that freedom of religion was under threat in America when it is anything but.  It receives massive financial and other protection, even when it’s run as a business and as an extension of a political party.

And please let’s not ignore the fact that the U.S. Constitution also protects the rights of those who don’t want anything to do with organized religion, too much of which has become a racket for enriching  evangelical crooks.