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Televangelist Claims That God Can’t Hear Prayers Through A Mask, The Internet Reacts With 31 Hilarious Tweets
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With the rise of the dangerous new Delta variant of COVID-19 this year, there’s never been a better time to mask up to protect yourself and others. However, wearing a face mask has somehow become a politicized issue in the US. There’s still a minority that refuses to do so and calls those who follow the rules ‘sheep’.
Jim Bakker, a disgraced US televangelist, is the latest figure to spread this message. And as God’s shepherd of a different kind of flock, he has shared his religious views on the sins of wearing a mask in church.
“How can you go to church and pray when you’re wearing a mask? Do you think God can hear your prayers through a mask?” Bakker said.
Naturally, his questions have blown the internet’s mind, so Bored Panda has collected the best responses to them. Vote for your favorites and let’s pray to God that anti-maskers will finally see the light.
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Jim Bakker has a long history of controversy, and COVID-19 misinformation is just the tip of the iceberg. After becoming one of the most infamous televangelists of the ‘80s, his life came crashing down after multiple scandals.
He was accused of raping and drugging a woman and then using his money from his followers to bribe her into silence. There were further accusations of using the same church funds for his own gain, as if that wasn’t apparent already from the lavish lifestyle he was living.
I have always liked this quote; “Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?” ― Epicurus
In 1989, Bakker was convicted of 24 counts of fraud and was sentenced to 45 years in prison. However, he was later paroled and served 5 years instead.
You would think that a wake-up call like this would help him to see the error of his ways. Perhaps it was a message from God and he would atone for his sins? But alas, nothing has changed. Bakker has continued to tout his brand of televangelism to scam people and build his own fortunes and platform.
And the COVID-19 pandemic was just another way for him to cash in on people’s beliefs. In the initial media frenzy and panic of the coronavirus, there were many unfounded claims and lies being told about it. Suddenly, everyone knew better than the professionals and gave their two cents on how to beat the virus. Bakker was no different.
He and his company, Morningside Church Productions, started selling their own snake oil to unsuspecting and panicked customers. The ‘Silver Solution’ (ironically named after the harmful colloidal silver used in it) would supposedly prevent and cure COVID-19, whilst simultaneously boosting the immune system.
Of course, none of it was true and it should go without saying that trusting a convicted fraudster selling an unapproved medicine is a bad decision. Thankfully, Bakker was successfully sued by the state of Missouri to stop him and his company from selling the bogus cure, and he was ordered to pay back all the costs to the people he had defrauded.
Although televangelism was in its heyday during the ‘80s, its format and concept still persist today in the US. And it seems to be as lucrative as ever.
Another popular televangelist, Kenneth Copeland, managed to build his wealth on the same business idea. With a net worth estimated somewhere between $300 million to $760 million and being the owner of three private jets, he seems to be doing well for himself.
When asked by investigative reporter Lisa Guerrero if all this was necessary for spreading the good word he said, “It takes a lot of money to do what we do.”
Televangescammer Kenneth Copeland did better when he said that even when people lose their jobs because of the coronavirus outbreak, they must continue giving to the church: "Whatever you do right now, don't you stop tithing!"
I'm against Bakker and his evil grifting, but this comment is just completely false. Scientific study after scientific study have shown that petitionary prayer has the same outcome as random chance. Prayer is less than useless, it's detrimental. Jesus says that you can actually move mountains with prayer alone and faith the size of a mustard seed. Go do it! Go move a mountain with prayer. I won't hold my breathe while waiting. If COVID has shown us anything, it's that prayer is less than useless. Every person of every prayer denomination all over the world has prayed for over a year for COVID to end, and it hasn't. Science and human actions will be the only thing to stop COVID, not invisible sky daddies and magical thoughts.
This is why Christians are commanded to "test the spirits", to see if what we are being told is actually true. Bakker is a nutbar, it confounds me that anyone gave him a platform after his embezzlement.
Ah, true things like: Genesis 16:8 And he said “Hagar, Sarai’s slave girl, where have you come from and where are you going?” She answered, “I’m running away from Sarai, my mistress.” The angel of the Lord said to her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to ill treatment at her hands. Leviticus 24:16 Whoever utters the name of the Lord must be put to death. The whole community must stone him, whether alien or native. If he utters the name, he must be put to death. Deut. 25:11 When two men are fighting and the wife of one of them intervenes to drag her husband clear of his opponent, if she puts out her hand and catches hold of the man by his privates, you must cut off her hand and show her no mercy.
I'm up the road a bit from Falwell. Speak of nutters and corruption.
The Pope : "Get that f*****g vaccine, you are killing people with your dumb selfishness! Trust the scientists, dammit!" Televangelists : "God says you must give me money, also masks are evil!"
Let's not act like Popes don't have some serious skeletons in their closet either.
We don't. But this particular pope happens to be in favor of masks and vaccines, in sharp contrast to many religious "leaders", and it's worth noting, IMO. Mostly b/c I live where Falwell et al. run things and it's annoying AF.
Sure and the last pope was a literal Nazi. I find hypocrisy and grifting to be equally part of Catholicism as it is Evangelical sects
@Samantha, I didn't defend the previous pope. If you hate all the popes, fine. If you hate organized religions, fine. I just commented that this particular pope actually wants people to live for a nice change. I didn't defend the papacy, or the Ctholic Church over its centuries of history, just a comment about one thing about one pope. That's it. Let's all take a deep breath and be grateful that one religious leader isn't killing people by edict, please?
The current ruling on LGBTQ people from this current Pope says differently as does the Vatican's attempt to avoid Italian anti-discrimination laws. Also FYI being critical of the Papacy isn't remotely "Hating all Popes"
@Samantha, please calm down. I'm not a fan of the Church, or the papacy, b/c I was raised in it. Given that I see people dying *right here and now* b/c their minister said not to vaccinate? Sorry not sorry I'm gonna be relieved this particular pope is pro-vax.! I do apologize for the unfortunate phrasing. Peace.
The current Pope is pretty awesome, though. I’m an atheist and I love him. All huge institutions are inherently corrupt, but that doesn’t mean that every individual who comes up through the system is bad.
Probably actual skeletons
Dont listen to either one both are the same. A self righteous human being that gets paid to pretend that he is holier than thou and who gives a f**k what these people say or stupid politicians
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/11/30/fact-check-pope-francis-criticizes-those-who-refuse-wear-masks/6465181002/ Exactly.. he said he's Christian and than the Pope is wrong?
Only Catholics hold the pope in high regard
The prophet (church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints): Please follow cdc guideline and get the vaccine! Random conservatives: CoRrUpTiOn
Odin can still hear you through a mask... just sayin
Praise be the all father!
This is why Christians are commanded to "test the spirits", to see if what we are being told is actually true. Bakker is a nutbar, it confounds me that anyone gave him a platform after his embezzlement.
Ah, true things like: Genesis 16:8 And he said “Hagar, Sarai’s slave girl, where have you come from and where are you going?” She answered, “I’m running away from Sarai, my mistress.” The angel of the Lord said to her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to ill treatment at her hands. Leviticus 24:16 Whoever utters the name of the Lord must be put to death. The whole community must stone him, whether alien or native. If he utters the name, he must be put to death. Deut. 25:11 When two men are fighting and the wife of one of them intervenes to drag her husband clear of his opponent, if she puts out her hand and catches hold of the man by his privates, you must cut off her hand and show her no mercy.
I'm up the road a bit from Falwell. Speak of nutters and corruption.
The Pope : "Get that f*****g vaccine, you are killing people with your dumb selfishness! Trust the scientists, dammit!" Televangelists : "God says you must give me money, also masks are evil!"
Let's not act like Popes don't have some serious skeletons in their closet either.
We don't. But this particular pope happens to be in favor of masks and vaccines, in sharp contrast to many religious "leaders", and it's worth noting, IMO. Mostly b/c I live where Falwell et al. run things and it's annoying AF.
Sure and the last pope was a literal Nazi. I find hypocrisy and grifting to be equally part of Catholicism as it is Evangelical sects
@Samantha, I didn't defend the previous pope. If you hate all the popes, fine. If you hate organized religions, fine. I just commented that this particular pope actually wants people to live for a nice change. I didn't defend the papacy, or the Ctholic Church over its centuries of history, just a comment about one thing about one pope. That's it. Let's all take a deep breath and be grateful that one religious leader isn't killing people by edict, please?
The current ruling on LGBTQ people from this current Pope says differently as does the Vatican's attempt to avoid Italian anti-discrimination laws. Also FYI being critical of the Papacy isn't remotely "Hating all Popes"
@Samantha, please calm down. I'm not a fan of the Church, or the papacy, b/c I was raised in it. Given that I see people dying *right here and now* b/c their minister said not to vaccinate? Sorry not sorry I'm gonna be relieved this particular pope is pro-vax.! I do apologize for the unfortunate phrasing. Peace.
The current Pope is pretty awesome, though. I’m an atheist and I love him. All huge institutions are inherently corrupt, but that doesn’t mean that every individual who comes up through the system is bad.
Probably actual skeletons
Dont listen to either one both are the same. A self righteous human being that gets paid to pretend that he is holier than thou and who gives a f**k what these people say or stupid politicians
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/11/30/fact-check-pope-francis-criticizes-those-who-refuse-wear-masks/6465181002/ Exactly.. he said he's Christian and than the Pope is wrong?
Only Catholics hold the pope in high regard
The prophet (church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints): Please follow cdc guideline and get the vaccine! Random conservatives: CoRrUpTiOn
Odin can still hear you through a mask... just sayin
Praise be the all father!