Comment and Opinion

Kenneth Copeland Ministries

But I'll be OK (14/3/2020)
I haven't looked for a while because I no longer live there but there used to be an office for Kenneth Copeland Ministries in Parramatta, just up the street a little from my office. As Mr Copeland, or should that be The Reverend Copeland, can cure COVID-19 and Parramatta is just a train ride away, all I have to do if the cough gets worse is to go to his place, pay some money and get cured.

The picture shows His Excellency Archbishop Copeland announcing a cure for coronavirus infection on a recent episode of his television show. All viewers had to do was touch the screen and thank Jesus for curing them. Breaking with tradition it was not necessary to actually ask Jesus first but to just assume He would do what the screen toucher wanted. I would imagine that a donation to His Holiness, Pope Kenneth, would have been requested at some time during the show, but what's a little money if you can't spend it because you die?

This follows on from Imam Jim Bakker (PBUH) (he of the air-conditioned dog kennel and the wife with foot long eyelashes) who offered to sell a cure containing magic silver particles. As Monsignor Jim has been in the evangelist business as long as His Eminence Kenneth Cardinal Copeland I would have thought that he would be aware that you don't actually have to sell a curing potion, just ask for the money.

To be serious for a moment, how do these crooks keep getting away with it? I use them as evidence that God doesn't exist because the sort of god I'd want to believe in would send strong bolts of lightning down to turn these blasphemous charlatans into piles of smoking embers.

I probably should say again that I have no problem with the vast majority of religious believers, because that majority just go about their business without hurting anybody. One of my favourite authors on religious matters is John Shelby Spong and I have a fond memory of a priest introducing me to his congregation as his "favourite atheist", but tolerance has limits and it is impossible to have respect for those who abuse religion in order to steal money from desperate and vulnerable people.