Pat Robertson Pushed Denominations Out the Door


Pat Robinson knew his business. It was the personal God and the money to be made from that God. He said once he was made up of several Christian traditions and named them all. 

What he wanted, however, was not people joining churches and putting money in the collection plate but sending him money at the 700 Club. Viewers sent money to support the 700 Club television program. Pat collected this money and bought other stations and satellite capacity. This was all rolled into a corporation owned by Pat and his family. It is said to be one of the biggest transfers of religious donations into personal wealth ever. His net worth was listed at $100 at when he died. There remains speculation a sale of all his companies might net $1 billion. His son, Gordon, is listed at $50 million as well as the other son who is in the business. There was never room for denominations in the Robertson plan.

Robertson often referred to information he had received directly from God. This included who was going to win the next Presidential election. Incidentally, God told him Trump would defeat Biden. God seemed to know Republicans would win and then they would not win. Robertson said afterwards he had misinterpreted his message from God. God, of course, knew who would win but did not share it with Pat. 

Isn't that a little selfish of God? I mean Pat raised all this money to help spread God's word. Why wouldn't God give back a little gift of appreciation? Perhaps it was because Pat kept a lot of "God's money" for himself. (A little sarcasm on my part.)

Some denominations have tries mass marketing themselves to the public. I think still on the radio is one called "The Lutheran Hour." Just the title, devoted to a corporation instead of the a personality, seems flat today. No wonder denominations are shrinking.

TV schemers like Robertson are one of many forces hurting denominations. Discussed before here is the explosion of TV channels from three to hundreds. Even genders used to be limited to two but now there are more. The expansion of individual choice is a fright train headed out to the beyond and the last car is not in sight. Certainly, one of the victims will be Christian denominations.    

So, it's goodbye Pat. You always said you were going to heaven. We're waiting for word you made it there.

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