I was flipping through the channels last week. It was that magical hour between “woke up to a strange noise” and “too damn early to get up”. Because of my flip/flopping work schedule, I wasn’t going back to sleep. I was about to give up and stare at the ceiling when I saw a name in the program guide that I couldn’t believe had their own show (anymore). I’ve read a lot about Peter Popoff but I wasn’t interested in him back when he was on the air. Now I would finally get the chance to check out everything I’d read about. But this wasn’t a re-run of his old show, people were talking about 2011. Two minutes in and I couldn’t turn it off!
The well-dressed Rev. Popoff is promising “supernatural” debt relief! He’s got miracle spring water and he’s got faith-debt-tools. He’ll send them to you and then you can experience the amazing results that people were standing in line to tell him about.
I just started typing out some of those testimonials phonetically but then I erased them. I’m trying real hard to be nice. There was a distinct pattern to the congregation. Mostly women, mostly black and most of them appear to be poor. If they happened to be well-dressed, they spoke in such a harsh accent that it was obvious that English was not their first language. So it looks like he preys on those who need help the most.
Years ago I read a book called “The Faith Healers” by James Randi. A large portion of that book is focused specifically on Popoff and how he manipulated and lied to people to get their cash. I’ve read all about shady preachers and straight-up con men, the exposure of “how” and “why” was nothing new to me. Although it was an interesting read to hear how Randi and his crew nabbed this fake preacher. Electronic ear pieces, social engineering, flat out lies, mob mentality and the human being’s naturally pliable brain were all employed to make Peter Popoff a superstar for Jesus. And don’t forget the millions of dollars rolling in…
The sickest parts of the book were the transcriptions of the radio communications from Popoff’s wife. She and a friend were backstage directing Peter to the right people but she used crude, callous names for these people, making fun of them as they approached for healing. Going through the trash and finding the offering envelopes ripped open and discarded with the prayer requests unopened but the cash gone of course. The pile of canes and walkers that he collected on stage while cripples used every ounce of belief (and adrenaline) to make a few feeble steps. After the show, these people can’t make it back to the car without these canes so they come back in the tent for them but Peter’s already got them loaded in a truck, bound for secondhand shops…
This was not a case of some old guy “having it in for religion” and trying to cast dispersion on the preachers. This was not belief vs. non-belief or even some personal vendetta, Randi vs. Popoff. This was documented proof that Popoff was a liar, a cheat, a swindler, a con-man. All of this exposed in the press and on television. Finally after years of exposure, truth shines through and Popoff falls from grace… How is it that now he is back on the air, making the same claims? Why are people listening to this crook?
People WANT to believe. Even when you tell them it’s full of shit, they’ll take it. The problem with a leap of faith is that you have to continually make the jump over and over again.
The most important lesson I took from that book was that we can’t blame the victims. Any one of us could be, has been or will be tricked by someone.
The hardest thing to “get” is that a lot of people get suckered and then they refuse to admit they were tricked so they sink further and deeper into their belief and become combative when you show them how they were fooled. It’s like losing ten bucks on the blackjack table. You know the odds, you know the house is favored to win. But few people will take that loss as a lesson learned. Many people will make a twenty dollar bet to make up for their mistake and soon, the house payment is gone…
The difference is that Vegas may manipulate you in subtle ways (and some NOT so subtle) but they never lie to you. They’ll take every cent you’re willing to throw down on the table but they never ask you for your soul. If you’re convinced that a preacher is in direct communication with the Almighty, money is of no consequence. If you can’t pay the hospital bills, Doctor Jesus will heal you! I’m not being an asshole here, “Doctor Jesus” is straight out of Peter Popoff’s mouth.
Some people just want to believe…
So, the next night I see the same broadcast just before I go to bed. I watch it again because I want to look into it, I want to judge it. This time, Teresa is awake. After about three minutes, she asks why the hell I’m watching this. I tell her the story of Randi taking this guy down and that I am amazed he’s back on the air. We watch in disbelief, laughing at the obvious bullshit, wanting to cry for the people in line… We listen as he promises “supernatural” debt relief (even Teresa balked at this one) and how people kept getting large checks in their mailbox. Most of them were getting $27,000, a few were getting $300,000. I felt bad for the one person who only got $4000, I guess she didn’t need as much. One lady was cured of cancer (after years of chemo and doctors treatments but she credited the miracle spring water). Another woman was released from the devil’s grip that drugs and alcohol had on her. She’s got a job and a house now, all thanks to Popoff’s evangelism.
We laughed and poked a little fun at the language, all night long we kept telling each other to “pray for supernatural debt relief”. I prayed for “supernatural sexual relief…”
BUT!
We’ve just gone through hell with Bank of America. They tried to fuck us out of our house, we were bordering on foreclosure and in one of the dumbest things we’ve ever done, we fought to keep the house, knowing the smartest financial move would have been to walk away. We won, we’re back to normal but we owe so much on that house and it’ll never be worth that much again. Something in my stubborn brain told me that we took out that loan and we had to honor our debt, no matter how stupid we are. So we’ll pay on it for years, eventually losing our ass if we try to leave it.
But what if…
If the next day Teresa had gone to the mailbox and received a letter from BOA explaining that there was an error in the paperwork and because the title/deed went missing, we are awarded the house free and clear. Like a $250,000 check in the mail… If that happened the day after we made fun of Peter Popoff and his “supernatural debt relief”… How hard would it be to NOT believe? I’d see an amazing coincidence and have a good laugh. I’m pretty sure Teresa would fall to her knees and thank her mom and Jesus for the help.
And for a cool quarter million, I promise I won’t blame the victim…
Leave a Reply