Sorry, But Exposing “Predatory Televangelists” Is Largely a Waste of Time
Here’s a video that explains why fraudulent faith-healers need to be exposed as liars and cheats.
While this isn’t a terrible idea, I’m afraid I have bad news. Con men aren’t the problem; they’re the consequence of the problem, which is a society of people stupid enough to believe them. You want to show people who are duped by con men evidence? What makes you think their belief-systems have anything whatsoever to do with evidence, when it’s already so clear that they don’t?
The reason this is worth bringing up is that it’s a microcosm of what we see playing out in U.S. politics. Since Trump took office last January, he’s told several hundred bald-faced lies on easily verifiable points, starting with the size of the inauguration. Yet, as we’ve all learned in the interim, pointing this out to Trump supporters is 100% ineffectual. Using facts to argue against people credulous enough to believe what Trump says is like trying to teach your dog to play the violin; it’s only an indication that you are far more intellectually incapable than he is.
I catch myself in this all the time. OMG! Trump’s appointing manifestly unqualified people to his cabinet! Rick Perry is in charge of the Department of Energy, meaning that he’s the one who makes sure our nuclear weaponry detonates when we fire it at something, and doesn’t when we don’t. But my dentist has a far greater set of qualifications to perform this job…..and….(gulp)….it’s one of the top five most chillingly life-and-death positions on the planet. This is insane! We have to do something!
Relax, Craig. Batman (pictured) will never play the violin, and certain people will never understand that the managing the U.S. nuclear arsenal should be performed by someone qualified for the task. Go take your morning run on the beach, do your job, round up some more investment capital for cleantech enterprises, be a good person, have some fun in life, and, above all, chill. Our civilization may be on its way out, but don’t be dumb enough to think that logic and rationality is the solution.
Craig,
I think most people sensible people have grown used to the President’s habit of expressing his opinions in a very emphatic manner.
They just ignore the pedantic screeching of the leftist media, and the hypocritical outrage of anti-Trump critics.
Most folk are very astute at separating enthusiastic sales hyperbole from statements of fact. In fact, the more hysterical the opposition, the less effective critics become as the people get used to the eccentricities of the Presidents style.
Most people accept the President’s comment regarding the size of the inauguration crowd as the President’s over enthusiasm and don’t really care. (It’s also true new security arrangements created greater gaps in the crowd).
Nobody expected the crowd to exceed the inauguration of President Obama, a truly once in a lifetime event. The Joe in the street doesn’t really give a damn about whether the President was mistaken or not, it doesn’t affect his life.
Endless repetition of tired cliches isn’t helpful. In fact, it’s counter-productive. It devalues real, and important mistakes made by the administration. Just as the completely out of control “Russian investigation”, is an enormous distraction.
Just as the odious Ken Starr persecuted President Clinton for years, vindictively weakening his term in office, Robert Mueller seems to be embarking on a long trail of innuendo and absurdity.
Russians, even some Russians with Russian government connections, appear to have meddled to some degree in the US election.
Obviously they made overtures to both campaigns. The Democrats with their funding of a “dirt file” incorporating “Russian” information, approved at the highest campaign level including the Candidate herself, seems in stark contrast to the low level and mostly failed attempts to penetrate the Trump campaign.
What’s more alarming it appears both the FBI and CIA knew and were complicit in concealing the Democrats covert activities.
For the US to outraged that some foreign power would be attempting to manipulate the US election (the PRC has been doing this for decades) is just a tad hypocritical ! The US has spent the last 80 years covertly interfering in the elections of foreign nations, friend and foe alike.
All these distractions serve to deflect real criticism of the administration.