Peter Popov at it again

[Aristotle]

Flipping through the channels I came across Popov (sp?) on TV telling everyone to send him money in exxhange for a small packet of water that is blessed. He then continiued to show testimonies of him/God at work and people being healed. At then end of the show, he then did some words of Knowledge in 700 Club fashion. This guy is like a potato, cut him off from one vine of work and he sprouts his own vine :eek:

[Denise]

Originally posted by Aristotle
Flipping through the channels I came across Popov (sp?) on TV telling everyone to send him money in exxhange for a small packet of water that is blessed. He then continiued to show testimonies of him/God at work and people being healed. At then end of the show, he then did some words of Knowledge in 700 Club fashion. This guy is like a potato, cut him off from one vine of work and he sprouts his own vine :eek:

Well, think of his audience. People who have been indroctinated into a fundamental religion from an early age. They must forgive ! Here is a primer...

One must forgive
1. A pastor cheating on his wife with a prostitute. (Swaggart)
2. A pastor cheating on his wife with a secretary and embezzling money. (Baker)
3. A pastor who uses secret communication and cheating to pretend that he has a direct line with god (title of the thread)
4. A pastor who says god will take him to heaven if he doesn't get enough money. (Oral Roberts)

One must not forgive
1. People who have found happiness in a homosexual relationship.
2. Pro choice people.
3. Anyone other than a pastor who has done the above listed things.

Pretty simple!:D

[Brown]

Damn, Denise, what an indictment.

I'm reminded of the "Bill Clinton Affair" (play on words intended), in which Clinton apologized publicly and asked for forgiveness. I was appalled that some self-righteous individuals declared that his apology was not good enough, and that no forgiveness would be forthcoming from them.

Politics aside, I can't stand a hypocrite.

[Brown]

I can identify, with particularity, the event that made me a "Randi fan." It was the appearance on the "Tonight" show, where Mr. Randi exposed Popov for the fraud that he was.

It was one of television's finest moments.

[Iamme]

Denise---Very good, succinct post!

[Bentspoon]

Here here,

I saw it too - live - it was precious, amusing and well orchestrated and of course Johnny Carson liked debunking, being a magician himself.

Did I say it was amusing - it was sad too. Like when Popov's wife made disparaging remarks about the rack on a breast cancer sufferer. It was utterly disgusting and sad. You would think that at least they would have compassion. Lack of compassion, of course, is prerequisite to being a successful con.

Alas, I thought it was a coup. Little did I know that some 30 years later this as...ole is still at it and making big bucks.

Bentspoon

[Bikewer]

the last time I saw Popov, his show was on the Black Entertainment Television Network (????) and he was peddling those little metal containers that heart patients carry nitro tablets in. These were filled with a combination of "holy oil" and his own tears..... 20 bucks a pop.

[Ladewig]

One must forgive
1. A pastor cheating on his wife with a prostitute. (Swaggart)

Not to put too fine a point on it, but...

1. A pastor bounching a check written to a prostitute he was cheating on his wife with.

I don't think I can forgive anyone stupid enough to pay prostitutes with checks. I know I can't forgive anyone stupid enough to bounce a check on a prostitute. And I am damned sure that I can't forgive someone who does all that and follows it up with "When I sinned, I said that I would stay away from the pulpit for a year. Well, it has been seven months and I am going back to preaching because God forgave me faster than I thought He would."

[Aristotle]

LOL! Popov on BET! I remember staying up late one night and watching TV I flipped over BET in passing. There was a religious infomercial that advertised a phone-in 900 number. Only it wasn't Psychich readings, it was Prophetic readings. Yes, for $1.99 a minute, you too ccan talk with a real live prophet and gain insight into your life directly from God through a prophet! Another infomercial I saw was a guy going around saying that he had a friend who had been sent to demolish some manger and the friend wanted to know if this guy wanted the rocks from the manger where Jesus Christ was born. They then continued to show people saying how much closer they felt to Jesus with a rock hanging around their neck. Since Popov has been shown a fake, how long until James Randi goes after Benny Hinn or Kenneth Copeland or Creflo Dollar?

Anyone know if that Carson episode with Popov is available for download somewhere?

[c4ts]

Wasn't hanging a stone around someone's neck a form of torture in the middle ages?

[Crossbow]

If you think Pete's info-mercial is bad, then check out his web site:

www.peterpopoff.org

Odd thing, he talks extensively about his wife, his travels, his many years in the ministry, and of course, all of the good things that have happened to people that have prayed with him or bought his trinkets, but nowhere does it discuss what happened when Randi busted him.

Imagine that, huh?

:p

[jimmygun]

Seems to me that regardless of how many of the religious are crooks, unless you prove that everyone of them is a crook then there is no responsibility upon religion.

There are only two kinds of religious people...crooks and the deluded. Same thing with people claiming to have esp. The crooks continually get away with their crap because the deluded continually support them.

[Upchurch]

Originally posted by Crossbow
but nowhere does it discuss what happened when Randi busted him. I missed that. How'd Randi bust him?

[Crossbow]

Originally posted by Upchurch
I missed that. How'd Randi bust him?

Upchurch,

Here is a brief excerpt from Randi's biography that will answer your question. He also discussed it in several of his weekly commentaries and on the radio show.

http://www.randi.org/jr/bio.html

...

In his never-ending search for truth he has exposed a parade of would-be psychics, mediums, faith healers and the like. In 1986 he exposed Peter Popoff, a TV evangelist with self-proclaimed divine powers. With help from volunteers, a video camera, and a radio scanner, he showed the world that Popoff's "power" was actually nothing more than a miniature receiver hidden in his ear, through which he received instructions from his wife Elizabeth backstage, who had previously pumped chosen members of the audience for information.

...

[Aristotle]

"God is touching hurting people around the world,
and now He wants to touch you with His miracle working power! "

Ewwwww.........sounds like a Catholic church priest :eek:

*I just wanted to add this link http://www.peterpopoff.org/Testimonials.htm Read those tesitmonies lol. It is funny how they all seem to have the same ailments and the one "worthwhile" healing of epilepsy was someone from the East Indies. Good luck trying to find the person there to verify it :rolleyes:

[Charlie in Dayton]

Originally posted by Ladewig

...I don't think I can forgive anyone stupid enough to pay prostitutes with checks. I know I can't forgive anyone stupid enough to bounce a check on a prostitute...

I gather you wouldn't cast your ballot for Jerry Springer either, then? :D

[Brown]

Originally posted by Crossbow
Here is a brief excerpt from Randi's biography that will answer your question. He also discussed it in several of his weekly commentaries and on the radio show.Didn't Mr. Randi also write an article that was published in, er, ah, ahem, *cough*Penthouse*cough* magazine?

[Aristotle]

Nothing wrong with Penthouse :D Anyone got a spare copy with the article in it? ;)

[Crossbow]

Originally posted by Brown
Didn't Mr. Randi also write an article that was published in, er, ah, ahem, *cough*Penthouse*cough* magazine?

Sorry, I could not speak to that for I seldom 'read' Penthouse, I usually skip straight to the pictures. ;)

Seriously though, that may be true since I understand that Penthouse, at least they used to, make frequent use of free-lance journalists (that is how Jerry Fallwell got into one of the few issues I bought), but I do not know of any details of such an interview with James Randi.