As the title implies, I am doing a paper and video for my sociology class on a local Evangelical Church. I will post both the paper and the video when I finish them. I am posting this here because I want your input on what kind of questions I should ask. REMEMBER, I need to do this with a sense of cultural relativism. This means I need to come at it neutrally, without the flaming atheist (although I might save that part for later).
Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 7:55 am
.:Approved Questions:.
What is your opinion of using religion as a business? What makes your religion right and others wrong? Why did you join this church? Were you born into it? Would you consider yourself highly religious? Why? What is your opinion on violent sects of your own religion?
Maybe Sangu's talking about how people like Benny Hinn make about 100 million US dollars a year on their ministries, claim all their money goes to God, but stay in presidential suites, give out $500US tips to bellhops, $1,000US tips to hotel concierges, employ an entourage of 20 bodyguards and can drop $30,000US on one night of entertainment in a city that wasn't even near their ministry tour route. n_n
Televanglism is a form of Evanglism but it treats religion like a business and is freqently abused. People use the faith of others to get money, and turn around and use it for purposes not originally stated.
Think Pat Robertson and his stint with using money from Operation Blessing to send equipment to a diamond mine that he owns. The mine is located in a third world country.
Basically I want to know how they justify the existance of those corrupt and frequently abused forms of religious advertising.