WEBVTT 00:00:00.480 --> 00:00:02.660 I was raised as a Catholic, 00:00:02.690 --> 00:00:05.740 but I wouldn't really describe myself as religious today. 00:00:05.770 --> 00:00:07.690 I had never heard of things like 00:00:07.720 --> 00:00:12.580 megachurches or televangelism or the prosperity gospel. 00:00:12.610 --> 00:00:16.460 That was until I stumbled across an infamous interview. 00:00:16.490 --> 00:00:17.340 How are you, sir? 00:00:17.370 --> 00:00:21.140 We'd just like to ask you about why you don't want to fly commercial. 00:00:21.160 --> 00:00:22.780 You've got this journalist that is 00:00:22.810 --> 00:00:25.140 confronting this guy called Kenneth Copeland. 00:00:25.160 --> 00:00:26.620 You said that you don't like to fly 00:00:26.640 --> 00:00:30.340 commercial because you don't want to get into a tube with a bunch of demons. 00:00:30.370 --> 00:00:33.140 Do you really believe that human beings are demons? 00:00:33.170 --> 00:00:34.100 No, I do not. 00:00:34.130 --> 00:00:38.780 And don't you ever say I did get in a long tube with a bunch of demons. 00:00:38.810 --> 00:00:44.740 We wrestle not with flesh and blood, but principalities and powers. 00:00:44.770 --> 00:00:49.060 Copeland is being confronted about his purchase of a Gulf Stream jet. 00:00:49.090 --> 00:00:53.820 And it turns out that that jet is just one of a fleet of jets that he owns, 00:00:53.850 --> 00:00:58.060 along with a boat house, a mansion and his very own airport. 00:00:58.090 --> 00:01:00.740 This is a preacher that is supposedly 00:01:00.770 --> 00:01:04.410 worth hundreds of millions of dollars with an enormous following. 00:01:04.440 --> 00:01:08.770 And you're telling me that he is just one of many? 00:01:08.800 --> 00:01:11.410 This entire thing is a rabbit hole. 00:01:11.440 --> 00:01:13.640 Pastor, what is now the largest church in America. 00:01:13.640 --> 00:01:16.980 A weekly sermon watched by more than 10 million viewers on television. 00:01:17.000 --> 00:01:18.490 The apostles were businessmen. 00:01:18.520 --> 00:01:20.180 They were reaching in and had plenty of money. 00:01:20.200 --> 00:01:21.900 I'm going to show you that Jesus was a welcome man. 00:01:21.920 --> 00:01:24.540 Had put any money one of my chandeliers costs more than most people's house. 00:01:24.560 --> 00:01:26.210 I got 22 chandeliers in the house. 00:01:26.240 --> 00:01:27.340 They're extremely green. 00:01:27.360 --> 00:01:28.540 They don't need mansions. 00:01:28.570 --> 00:01:29.660 They don't need jets. 00:01:29.690 --> 00:01:34.020 God told me to have that thing. 00:01:34.050 --> 00:01:36.680 Any religious leader who speaks the word 00:01:36.710 --> 00:01:42.570 of God, who has more than one suit while someone has no clothes, is a cop out. 00:01:42.600 --> 00:01:44.900 Yeah, you know, Larry, I just don't. See it that way. 00:01:44.930 --> 00:01:46.900 For $54 million, I want you to. 00:01:46.930 --> 00:01:50.740 Imagine how many people could be fed. 00:01:50.770 --> 00:01:55.840 How many homeless could have places to sleep. 00:01:56.120 --> 00:01:58.700 Fresh, fresh, fresh. 00:01:58.730 --> 00:02:02.640 Fresh, fresh, fresh. 00:02:02.720 --> 00:02:05.490 Televangelism is still thriving in this place. 00:02:05.520 --> 00:02:11.200 If you were willing to pay the price, you could talk directly to God. 00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:15.780 When I remember my own personal 00:02:15.810 --> 00:02:22.760 experiences inside of a church, what comes to mind was definitely not this. 00:02:26.120 --> 00:02:27.780 Times is like a concert. 00:02:27.800 --> 00:02:29.380 And when the preachers come to preach, 00:02:29.410 --> 00:02:32.260 it's like a celebrity has just taken to the stage. 00:02:32.290 --> 00:02:35.100 Everyone is worshiping together. They're smiling. 00:02:35.130 --> 00:02:37.580 They're joined in their faith and devotion. 00:02:37.610 --> 00:02:40.940 What we're witnessing is something called a megachurch. 00:02:40.970 --> 00:02:45.420 By definition, a megachurch is just a church that has a larger than average 00:02:45.450 --> 00:02:48.340 congregation, normally of 2000 members or above. 00:02:48.370 --> 00:02:52.580 But when we think of spirituality or forms of it, there's normally a distinction 00:02:52.610 --> 00:02:56.100 between spiritual duty and materialistic desires. 00:02:56.130 --> 00:02:57.740 Now, I'm not a theologian, 00:02:57.760 --> 00:03:01.740 and I'm not going to pretend to be one, but even I remember verses from the Bible 00:03:01.770 --> 00:03:04.380 when it came to wealth and building riches. 00:03:04.410 --> 00:03:06.980 That it wasn't viewed favorably upon. 00:03:07.010 --> 00:03:11.540 But if my memory is correct, then what was I witnessing in this 00:03:11.570 --> 00:03:15.020 interview with Copeland and moreover, some of these preachers? 00:03:15.050 --> 00:03:17.300 So you've got this preacher, Kenneth Copeland, 00:03:17.320 --> 00:03:20.740 who founded the Kenneth Copeland Ministries, along with his wife Gloria. 00:03:20.770 --> 00:03:23.610 They own a $7 million home, a fleet of jets, 00:03:23.640 --> 00:03:27.610 and their Eagle Mountain International Church has a membership in the thousands, 00:03:27.640 --> 00:03:30.420 not to mention their television and online broadcasting. 00:03:30.450 --> 00:03:32.020 Then there's Jesse De Plantis, 00:03:32.050 --> 00:03:36.380 who sat with Copeland as they both justified their purchases of private jets. 00:03:36.410 --> 00:03:40.900 Then the second one I purchased was in January 2004. 00:03:40.930 --> 00:03:42.720 Benny Him, who claims to be able 00:03:42.750 --> 00:03:47.220 to perform miracles, who fills up stadiums and broadcasts it on networks worldwide. 00:03:47.250 --> 00:03:48.610 I'll release it. 00:03:48.640 --> 00:03:52.260 Joel Osteen, a very popular figure, especially in Houston, Texas, 00:03:52.280 --> 00:03:54.900 where his church resides, who's authored books that have been 00:03:54.930 --> 00:03:58.260 on New York Times bestsellers, as well as hosting church services 00:03:58.290 --> 00:04:01.220 with celebrities like Kanye West Creflo's Dollar, 00:04:01.250 --> 00:04:05.240 who has created fundraisers for his private jets, whose ministry owns two 00:04:05.270 --> 00:04:08.180 rolled Royces and expensive real estate taboos. 00:04:08.210 --> 00:04:11.940 God is the gateway to the world of wealth. 00:04:11.960 --> 00:04:15.120 There's this Instagram page which is called Preachers and Sneakers and it's 00:04:15.150 --> 00:04:19.100 literally just preachers next to the cost of the clothing that they are wearing. 00:04:19.130 --> 00:04:21.700 Something, something just isn't right. 00:04:21.720 --> 00:04:25.580 I keep asking myself how, how is it possible to be this 00:04:25.600 --> 00:04:29.740 braggadocious about your wealth as a preacher and have your followers who not 00:04:29.770 --> 00:04:33.340 only are okay with it, but help to fund it? 00:04:33.360 --> 00:04:38.060 And that was when I found out about the Prosperity Gospel. 00:04:38.090 --> 00:04:42.380 What we're looking at is a movement that has seemingly found its way inside 00:04:42.410 --> 00:04:47.060 of America's biggest megachurches and being taught by its biggest preachers. 00:04:47.090 --> 00:04:49.500 The Word of Faith movement is its name 00:04:49.530 --> 00:04:53.500 and its teachings are often referred to as the Prosperity Gospel. 00:04:53.530 --> 00:04:54.860 It's a simple idea. 00:04:54.890 --> 00:04:57.220 God wants you to be prosperous through 00:04:57.250 --> 00:05:01.060 your finances, your health, your marriage and relationships. 00:05:01.090 --> 00:05:03.240 In fact, those are things that belong 00:05:03.270 --> 00:05:06.660 to you through your faith, if you are willing to receive it. 00:05:06.690 --> 00:05:10.860 The Prosperity Gospel often refers to its believers as little gods. 00:05:10.890 --> 00:05:12.580 The idea being that we were made 00:05:12.600 --> 00:05:16.880 in the image of God and therefore possess a level of divinity within us that allows 00:05:16.910 --> 00:05:20.260 us to bring into existence the prosperity that we've been promised. 00:05:20.280 --> 00:05:22.900 You are Gods, little g. 00:05:22.920 --> 00:05:25.900 You are gods because you came from God. 00:05:25.920 --> 00:05:29.540 And your DNA and Jesus DNA are exact. 00:05:29.570 --> 00:05:31.660 You're exactly like it. 00:05:31.690 --> 00:05:34.060 Sounds amazing. 00:05:34.090 --> 00:05:36.860 So how do I earn this prosperity? 00:05:36.890 --> 00:05:40.900 How do I access this divine power that I supposedly have? 00:05:40.920 --> 00:05:43.580 Well, it starts with your faith. 00:05:43.600 --> 00:05:45.580 But if you'll stay in faith, 00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:50.100 there will come a point where God will say, enough is enough. 00:05:50.130 --> 00:05:51.340 It's payback time. 00:05:51.360 --> 00:05:57.500 Bible says, I know you love the Lord, so you qualify for prosperity. 00:05:57.530 --> 00:05:59.860 Next, you have the act of tithing. 00:05:59.890 --> 00:06:04.260 The initial concept of tithing was this idea that you give one 10th of your wealth 00:06:04.290 --> 00:06:07.900 in some way, shape or form to a religious organization. 00:06:07.920 --> 00:06:11.940 Most houses of worship are going to rely on the donation of their congregation 00:06:11.970 --> 00:06:15.260 in order to continue their operations, especially megachurches. 00:06:15.280 --> 00:06:17.140 It's kind of like giving to a charity. 00:06:17.170 --> 00:06:18.940 But Tithing, through the teachings 00:06:18.970 --> 00:06:24.580 of the Prosperity Gospel, introduces a should we call it a plot twist. 00:06:24.600 --> 00:06:29.780 Tithing lays the foundation for financial success and abundance. 00:06:29.800 --> 00:06:35.300 Tithing is the way for recession or depression to bypass you. 00:06:35.330 --> 00:06:37.460 Here Stephanie from Maryland Rights. 00:06:37.480 --> 00:06:39.620 I sent in my first Roots offering. 00:06:39.650 --> 00:06:44.780 Two weeks later I received, watch this $2,400. 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:48.820 So now it isn't just about donating your money to a church. 00:06:48.840 --> 00:06:50.620 It becomes a case where you're exchanging 00:06:50.650 --> 00:06:53.420 your money in return for actual prosperity. 00:06:53.450 --> 00:06:58.260 You'll often hear some of these prosperity preachers refer to it as sowing your seed. 00:06:58.290 --> 00:07:00.300 The implication is pretty obvious 00:07:00.330 --> 00:07:04.700 to anyone who is watching you give us some of your money and in return that value 00:07:04.730 --> 00:07:07.700 will be given back to you in some way, shape or form. 00:07:07.730 --> 00:07:08.980 It's the harvest. 00:07:09.010 --> 00:07:14.220 I want you to go to the phone or online and sow a seed. 00:07:14.250 --> 00:07:16.820 Now remember, somebody's son is going 00:07:16.850 --> 00:07:20.300 to be set free from alcohol because of your thousand dollars seed. 00:07:20.330 --> 00:07:25.300 And I'm going to ask you to sow an exceptional and uncommon seed of $1,000. 00:07:25.330 --> 00:07:29.740 Click on that donation button to sow $1,144. 00:07:29.770 --> 00:07:33.380 So God has given you the harvest and the harvest of the seeds you sow. 00:07:33.400 --> 00:07:34.940 You can't expect to harvest if you don't 00:07:34.970 --> 00:07:38.860 sow seeds spiritual, physical or financial. 00:07:38.890 --> 00:07:44.420 It's surreal and it generates a lot of money. 00:07:44.450 --> 00:07:46.860 On January 12 of 2008, 00:07:46.890 --> 00:07:51.020 Kenneth Copeland Ministries took possession of a Gulf Stream jet which was 00:07:51.040 --> 00:07:53.660 funded all thanks to the donors of his church. 00:07:53.690 --> 00:07:58.980 In fact, KCM wrote a blog post thanking their followers for helping them, quote, 00:07:59.010 --> 00:08:02.820 harvest the Gulf Stream, but our work is not done. 00:08:02.850 --> 00:08:07.020 To which the blog then proceeds to remind their followers that they still need 17 00:08:07.040 --> 00:08:09.660 million more dollars, which will be used for the, quote, 00:08:09.690 --> 00:08:14.060 sewing towards the construction of a new hanger, upgrading the existing runway, 00:08:14.090 --> 00:08:17.380 and purchasing special Gulf Stream maintenance equipment. 00:08:17.410 --> 00:08:19.460 Or how about Chriflo Dollar's infamous 00:08:19.480 --> 00:08:23.900 sermon to which he tells his congregation to help him fundraise towards a private 00:08:23.920 --> 00:08:27.340 jet, all to the response of cheers and applause from the audience. 00:08:27.360 --> 00:08:33.140 If I want to believe God for a $65 million plane, you cannot stop me. 00:08:33.170 --> 00:08:35.500 You cannot stop me from dreaming. 00:08:35.530 --> 00:08:37.980 See Copeland and Dollars, please. For money. 00:08:38.010 --> 00:08:41.580 They're not met with criticism and backlash from their congregation. 00:08:41.610 --> 00:08:43.580 It's celebrated and prosperity. 00:08:43.600 --> 00:08:45.420 Preachers will obviously say that this 00:08:45.440 --> 00:08:49.220 AIDS in their quest to spread their message across to different countries. 00:08:49.250 --> 00:08:53.820 If I flew commercial, I'd have to stop 65% of what I'm doing. 00:08:53.840 --> 00:08:55.500 Conveniently, that message obviously 00:08:55.520 --> 00:08:57.540 allows them to make even more in donations. 00:08:57.560 --> 00:09:01.140 But these preachers, they don't just live lavish, right? 00:09:01.170 --> 00:09:02.580 They put it on full display. 00:09:02.600 --> 00:09:05.420 Do you think Jesus Christ would have rolled around in a Rolls Royce? 00:09:05.440 --> 00:09:08.580 I think he would. Let's get a close up of Gloria's ring. 00:09:08.600 --> 00:09:09.900 Where am I looking? Right here. 00:09:09.930 --> 00:09:11.840 You fly in a private plane? Yes, I do. 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:14.580 You're staying right now in one of the fanciest hotels you ever find. 00:09:14.610 --> 00:09:17.060 You wear nice, very nice clothing. 00:09:17.080 --> 00:09:18.740 So money. 00:09:18.770 --> 00:09:20.520 Money. 00:09:24.800 --> 00:09:29.380 The wealth of these preachers, they're not seen as gross or hypocritical. 00:09:29.410 --> 00:09:32.740 In fact, they're seen as proof that the teachings work. 00:09:32.770 --> 00:09:35.980 It's seen as them actually practicing what they preach. 00:09:36.010 --> 00:09:37.580 The extravagant lifestyle. 00:09:37.610 --> 00:09:39.780 That's not a mistake or a flaw. 00:09:39.810 --> 00:09:42.220 It's a feature of the prosperity Gospel. 00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:43.660 Many of these preachers will say 00:09:43.690 --> 00:09:47.260 that the funds that they received are used only for ministry purposes. 00:09:47.290 --> 00:09:50.460 Osteen, for example, says that he doesn't receive any salary 00:09:50.490 --> 00:09:54.020 from his ministry and all the money he makes comes from his book sales. 00:09:54.050 --> 00:09:59.540 Look, in some ways, I don't really care if a ministry wants to buy a private jet. 00:09:59.560 --> 00:10:04.180 It looks optically hypocritical, but I'd rather let theologians argue over 00:10:04.200 --> 00:10:07.380 the contradictions that those actions have with actual religious texts. 00:10:07.410 --> 00:10:11.540 I'm more interested in how the money is generated, and it doesn't get more 00:10:11.560 --> 00:10:15.140 unethical of a promise than it does with the prosperity Gospel. 00:10:15.170 --> 00:10:17.380 If you're accustomed of giving $10, 00:10:17.410 --> 00:10:24.380 go to 20, go up to 70, 8100, raise that amount and watch what God. 00:10:24.400 --> 00:10:25.980 Will do, because don't you stop. 00:10:26.010 --> 00:10:27.140 Sowing offerings. 00:10:27.170 --> 00:10:29.060 Well, they won't let us go to church. 00:10:29.080 --> 00:10:31.820 Well, email it in their text and give or something. 00:10:31.850 --> 00:10:33.620 You get that tithe in that church, 00:10:33.640 --> 00:10:36.900 you get that offering in that church, and then you go home and you. 00:10:36.930 --> 00:10:40.060 Do what we're supposed to do. 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:45.080 This idea is no different than the Law of Attraction and Manifestation circles 00:10:45.110 --> 00:10:48.980 that claim that you can use your mind to manifest any desire that you want. 00:10:49.000 --> 00:10:50.100 In fact, it's been argued 00:10:50.130 --> 00:10:53.780 that the prosperity theology does have similar roots to the new thought 00:10:53.810 --> 00:10:57.300 philosophy that became popular in America in the 19th century. 00:10:57.330 --> 00:11:01.660 When I look at Osteen, for example, I don't necessarily see a preacher. 00:11:01.690 --> 00:11:03.740 I see someone who's more akin to a self 00:11:03.770 --> 00:11:08.020 help motivational speaker that uses God as a proxy. 00:11:08.050 --> 00:11:10.220 I am confident. 00:11:10.250 --> 00:11:12.380 I am secure. 00:11:12.410 --> 00:11:14.620 I am talented. I am talented. 00:11:14.650 --> 00:11:17.820 Take a look, for example, at Osteen's New York Times bestseller 00:11:17.840 --> 00:11:21.500 book, Your Best Life Now, which is filled with all of these kinds of ideas. 00:11:21.530 --> 00:11:25.020 So here's a quote from the very first chapter enlarging your vision. 00:11:25.050 --> 00:11:27.500 It's not God's lack of resources or your 00:11:27.530 --> 00:11:31.060 lack of talent that prevents you from prospering your own wrong. 00:11:31.080 --> 00:11:33.700 Thinking can keep you from God's best. 00:11:33.730 --> 00:11:36.140 And the book is riddled with these similar 00:11:36.170 --> 00:11:39.980 messages of becoming what you believe and the power of your words. 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:42.740 It's a book. Like many others in the self help genre, 00:11:42.770 --> 00:11:47.460 the connection isn't really that hard to see, but it's this sowing your seed 00:11:47.490 --> 00:11:51.260 message in the prosperity theology, the idea that you can donate to a church 00:11:51.290 --> 00:11:55.100 and in return you can, you know, pay off your rent, pay off your credit card. 00:11:55.130 --> 00:11:57.540 That seems particularly stomach churning. 00:11:57.570 --> 00:11:59.580 And now this is a message that is being 00:11:59.610 --> 00:12:03.020 exported from America to Europe and Africa. 00:12:03.050 --> 00:12:05.200 So one of Nigeria's wealthiest pastors is 00:12:05.230 --> 00:12:10.020 this guy called David Oyadepo, who is said to be worth $150,000,000. 00:12:10.050 --> 00:12:13.260 We are not asking you to give so the church can be blessed. 00:12:13.280 --> 00:12:15.540 We're asking you to give so you can be blessed. 00:12:15.570 --> 00:12:18.780 Some fellow said, okay, I was worth $150,000,000. 00:12:18.810 --> 00:12:20.180 That's an insult. 00:12:20.210 --> 00:12:22.340 $150,000,000, that's an insult. 00:12:22.370 --> 00:12:24.260 150 million too small. 00:12:24.290 --> 00:12:27.140 Do they know what they're doing? 00:12:27.160 --> 00:12:31.160 A big part of me believes that Copeland and Dollar, they they truly believe their 00:12:31.190 --> 00:12:34.340 intentions are good, even for hundreds of millions of dollars. 00:12:34.370 --> 00:12:36.180 I can't imagine someone knowingly, 00:12:36.210 --> 00:12:40.300 deceive and hurt other people without just driving themself insane. 00:12:40.320 --> 00:12:44.060 In the long run, that type of cognitive dissonance just seems too much to bear. 00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:48.340 But at the end of the day, I'm never going to know what their intentions are. 00:12:48.370 --> 00:12:52.300 You know, I can only ever see what the consequences of their actions are. 00:12:52.330 --> 00:12:57.600 And trust me, you haven't seen the worst of it yet. 00:12:57.680 --> 00:12:59.580 Benny Hin. 00:12:59.610 --> 00:13:04.740 Hin is probably most well known for what he calls his miracle crusades. 00:13:04.770 --> 00:13:07.780 HYNN claims to be able to perform miracles. 00:13:07.810 --> 00:13:11.180 He'll bring people to the stage with all sorts of illnesses, 00:13:11.210 --> 00:13:15.220 and then with the touch of his hand, they will feel God's power running through 00:13:15.250 --> 00:13:19.060 them as they fall back, and these catchers will catch them as they fall. 00:13:19.080 --> 00:13:26.660 You had Parkinson's for 15 years since. Who are you? 00:13:26.680 --> 00:13:28.140 People in the audience will cheer. 00:13:28.160 --> 00:13:31.980 There are others who have stood there in awe with their hands raised in worship. 00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:34.700 And Benny Hinn isn't the only one that does this right. 00:13:34.730 --> 00:13:38.700 This is a really common practice amongst the prosperity gospel circles. 00:13:38.730 --> 00:13:40.860 Glory to God. You're not bound to this chair. 00:13:40.890 --> 00:13:43.140 The day will come, you'll walk out of it. 00:13:43.170 --> 00:13:45.820 In the name of Jesus. 00:13:45.850 --> 00:13:48.660 What is it that we're really seeing here? 00:13:48.690 --> 00:13:52.400 Is this an actual miracle? 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:58.940 I would know that there were certain things that were completely deceptive. 00:13:58.970 --> 00:14:01.640 Costehen is the nephew of Benny Hin, 00:14:01.670 --> 00:14:04.900 and he's worked with his family, sometimes as a catcher himself. 00:14:04.930 --> 00:14:07.340 In 2017, Kostihan came forward 00:14:07.370 --> 00:14:10.780 with a testimony of his time spent in Benihan's ministry. 00:14:10.810 --> 00:14:16.860 The responsibility is to look really good, look really blessed, sell the narrative, 00:14:16.890 --> 00:14:20.100 make all the money, and say, look at my life. 00:14:20.130 --> 00:14:22.180 If you give to this, if you follow it, 00:14:22.210 --> 00:14:25.940 if you obey it, and if you do what I say, god will do it for you too. 00:14:25.970 --> 00:14:29.580 He described the lifestyle that he had whilst working with his family. 00:14:29.610 --> 00:14:32.180 We lived in a 10,000 square foot mansion 00:14:32.210 --> 00:14:35.780 guarded by a private gate, drove two Mercedes Benz vehicles, 00:14:35.810 --> 00:14:40.780 vacationed in exotic destinations, and shopped at the most expensive stores. 00:14:40.810 --> 00:14:43.700 Costa Hin really believed in what he was 00:14:43.730 --> 00:14:48.420 doing, but he only had doubts when he started finding contradictions in what he 00:14:48.450 --> 00:14:51.940 was teaching and what he was finding in the Bible. 00:14:51.970 --> 00:14:54.360 Grace Bruler was eight years old when she 00:14:54.390 --> 00:14:58.700 was featured on an episode of CBC's The Fifth Estate in 2005, 00:14:58.730 --> 00:15:02.380 an episode that was specifically investigating Hens ministry. 00:15:02.410 --> 00:15:07.200 If you could have a miracle, what would you want it to be? 00:15:07.320 --> 00:15:09.640 They can look. 00:15:10.920 --> 00:15:13.080 Just walk. 00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:15.260 Is that what you want, Grace? 00:15:15.290 --> 00:15:17.280 Just to walk? 00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:19.740 Just to walk. 00:15:19.770 --> 00:15:23.900 Grace's mother brings her daughter to one of Hinn's miracle crusades. 00:15:23.930 --> 00:15:27.680 And just as she's about to go to the stage, she's intercepted by what 00:15:27.710 --> 00:15:30.620 are called screeners who tell her to step aside. 00:15:30.650 --> 00:15:35.020 According to that documentary and an insider, the job of the screeners 00:15:35.050 --> 00:15:38.460 is to screen out the people that are severely sick and ill. 00:15:38.490 --> 00:15:40.260 There's the story of Justin Peters, 00:15:40.290 --> 00:15:43.940 who is an evangelist himself and was born with cerebral palsy. 00:15:43.960 --> 00:15:45.660 During the Fifth Estates investigation 00:15:45.690 --> 00:15:49.340 into him's ministry, they attempt to get Peters to go on stage as well. 00:15:49.370 --> 00:15:53.020 And just like Grace, he is also intercepted by the screeners. 00:15:53.050 --> 00:15:55.220 Our hidden camera shows Justin being 00:15:55.250 --> 00:15:59.860 stopped by a screener watch as Henryhin whispers something to her. 00:15:59.890 --> 00:16:02.900 Then Justin is told to step aside. 00:16:02.930 --> 00:16:08.000 In another documentary from 2001, HBO were given full access to Hinsaville. 00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:09.860 Events and were even allowed to follow 00:16:09.890 --> 00:16:12.620 several cases of supposed miracle healings. 00:16:12.640 --> 00:16:14.160 These are people that actually managed 00:16:14.160 --> 00:16:16.340 to get onto the stage and claim they'd been healed. 00:16:16.370 --> 00:16:20.320 In one instance, the crew follows a boy called Ash Neil and his parents as they 00:16:20.350 --> 00:16:23.340 are desperate to have their child healed by one of him's. 00:16:23.370 --> 00:16:27.480 Miracles. We expecting america. 00:16:27.800 --> 00:16:31.460 The Prakash family are recent immigrants to America. 00:16:31.490 --> 00:16:34.700 Ten year old Ash Neil is their younger son. 00:16:34.730 --> 00:16:39.580 Two massive brain tumors have reduced him to a vegetative state. 00:16:39.610 --> 00:16:45.740 We believe in God, we have faith, and there's nothing impossible for God. 00:16:45.770 --> 00:16:48.900 Later in the documentary, Ashton's parents actually attend 00:16:48.930 --> 00:16:53.940 the crusade and they're brought on stage to have their child healed by him himself. 00:16:53.970 --> 00:16:56.180 Hin gets the crowd to raise their hands 00:16:56.210 --> 00:16:59.740 and then he places his hands on Ashley's face and says, expect the. 00:16:59.770 --> 00:17:07.010 Miracle, dear Jesus, the Lord's going to touch you, young boy. 00:17:07.040 --> 00:17:10.380 Days after the event and Ashnil still wasn't healed. 00:17:10.410 --> 00:17:11.530 It didn't happen. 00:17:11.560 --> 00:17:14.220 I was not even discouraged. I know. 00:17:14.250 --> 00:17:15.740 It's God's plan. 00:17:15.770 --> 00:17:17.900 I can stake my life on pasta. 00:17:17.930 --> 00:17:19.500 Many words. 00:17:19.530 --> 00:17:22.620 And God spoke to me last night 00:17:22.650 --> 00:17:26.860 at the Coliseum center where the crusade was going on, and he said, 00:17:26.890 --> 00:17:31.420 donate him another $2,000 and which I'm going to do it. 00:17:31.450 --> 00:17:32.860 I'm going to do that. 00:17:32.890 --> 00:17:35.700 Recently I watched an event from Kenneth Copeland's. 00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:37.140 Eagle Mountain church, right. 00:17:37.170 --> 00:17:39.140 It's called miracles on a mountain. 00:17:39.170 --> 00:17:41.180 It's another miracle healing service. 00:17:41.210 --> 00:17:45.140 And in this instance it was hosted by this evangelist called Billy Burke. 00:17:45.170 --> 00:17:47.240 And at one point someone is brought out 00:17:47.270 --> 00:17:52.250 from the crowd and I thought, hang on, I recognize this guy. 00:17:52.280 --> 00:17:53.530 It was Big Nick, 00:17:53.560 --> 00:17:57.290 who for those of you that don't know, was an ex member of the popular social 00:17:57.320 --> 00:18:00.810 media group the Vlog Squad, which is headed by David Dobrik. 00:18:00.840 --> 00:18:04.180 At the event, Nick tells Billy Burke about his blind eye. 00:18:04.210 --> 00:18:06.420 I'm blind in my left eye as well. 00:18:06.450 --> 00:18:08.010 I know that you told me that. 00:18:08.040 --> 00:18:14.570 Billy then attempts to cure his eye, loosen that after all these theatrics 00:18:14.600 --> 00:18:19.500 billy then starts to wiggle his finger around and then nothing yet. 00:18:19.530 --> 00:18:20.500 Nothing yet. 00:18:20.530 --> 00:18:23.660 And Billy hears that and he continues, like trying to help him. 00:18:23.680 --> 00:18:27.600 And then when he realizes it doesn't work, he then just tells Nick recite chapters 00:18:27.600 --> 00:18:29.860 of the Bible every night for your eye to be cured. 00:18:29.880 --> 00:18:33.460 So John, chapter nine, your confession, starting tonight and every night. 00:18:33.480 --> 00:18:34.050 You hear me? 00:18:34.080 --> 00:18:37.050 Tonight and every night before you go to bed. 00:18:37.080 --> 00:18:38.180 Are you ready? 00:18:38.210 --> 00:18:40.290 I was blind and now I see. 00:18:40.320 --> 00:18:42.180 I was blind and now I see. 00:18:42.210 --> 00:18:43.620 And the crowd Cheerss. 00:18:43.640 --> 00:18:45.290 It's like the miracle actually happened. 00:18:45.320 --> 00:18:47.290 Now it's been about seven months since 00:18:47.320 --> 00:18:50.570 that event took place and I've looked through Big Nick's social media account 00:18:50.600 --> 00:18:53.810 and there's no indication that his eye has healed since the event. 00:18:53.840 --> 00:19:00.000 So again, what are we witnessing when we see things like this? 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:03.770 If we are to believe that these people aren't just actors, 00:19:03.800 --> 00:19:09.180 which I really don't think that they are what is actually happening. 00:19:09.210 --> 00:19:11.810 Consider this if what we're seeing is 00:19:11.840 --> 00:19:16.980 really a miracle, why don't these people go to hospitals and heal people there? 00:19:17.010 --> 00:19:18.560 Why do they need the lights 00:19:18.560 --> 00:19:22.250 and the cameras and the atmosphere and the theatrics to be able to do what they do? 00:19:22.280 --> 00:19:27.420 In 2011, Darren Brown ran this TV special program called Miracles for sale. 00:19:27.440 --> 00:19:29.140 In this special program, Darren Brown, 00:19:29.170 --> 00:19:32.220 who is this self described mentalist and illusionist, 00:19:32.250 --> 00:19:35.770 takes this ordinary individual called Nathan and attempts to turn him 00:19:35.800 --> 00:19:39.330 into a faith healer, performing miracles in front of an audience. 00:19:39.360 --> 00:19:41.700 The idea behind the program was to expose 00:19:41.720 --> 00:19:44.980 the fact that what is happening here are not miracles, that it's just a product 00:19:45.010 --> 00:19:48.330 of psychology, the power of suggestion and misdirection. 00:19:48.360 --> 00:19:51.700 Now, some aspects of faith healing are just pure trickery. 00:19:51.730 --> 00:19:55.140 A good example of this is the infamous leg growing trick. 00:19:55.170 --> 00:19:59.380 The preacher Todd White is well known for walking around the streets and finding 00:19:59.410 --> 00:20:03.010 individuals who supposedly have one leg that is shorter than the other. 00:20:03.040 --> 00:20:04.140 And then, miraculously, 00:20:04.160 --> 00:20:07.770 White will begin to grow out that person's leg right before our very eyes. 00:20:07.800 --> 00:20:08.290 Thank you. 00:20:08.320 --> 00:20:13.090 In Jesus name, left leg, I command you, grow right now. 00:20:13.120 --> 00:20:14.660 In Jesus name. 00:20:14.690 --> 00:20:19.620 Darren Brown teaches Nathan to do this exact trick because it's not a miracle. 00:20:19.650 --> 00:20:23.570 The leg growing trick is infamously used by charlatans throughout history. 00:20:23.600 --> 00:20:25.620 In fact, a quick Google or YouTube search 00:20:25.650 --> 00:20:29.420 will demonstrate how it can be done in several ways, one of which involves 00:20:29.450 --> 00:20:33.700 shifting the other person's shoes to make it seem as though a leg is being grown. 00:20:33.720 --> 00:20:37.810 If you speed up the Todd White clip of him performing this miracle and you just play 00:20:37.840 --> 00:20:42.920 it back and forth, you can literally see what Todd White is doing. 00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:46.800 But a big part of faith healing isn't just tricks like this. 00:20:46.830 --> 00:20:50.810 In fact, a lot of it is rooted in a deeper part of who we are as people. 00:20:50.840 --> 00:20:52.740 By the end of Darren Brown's special, 00:20:52.770 --> 00:20:56.560 nathan is able to perform in front of a small audience of believers. 00:20:56.560 --> 00:21:00.180 And you can see that he, too, is able to, with just the touch of his hand, 00:21:00.210 --> 00:21:03.810 bring people to fall back as though they were touched by God themselves. 00:21:03.840 --> 00:21:07.800 To understand how Nathan, who is an ordinary guy, versus Benny Hinn, 00:21:07.800 --> 00:21:10.740 who claims to be able to perform miracles, can do what they're doing, 00:21:10.770 --> 00:21:14.660 you have to understand the power behind what they're creating in their shows. 00:21:14.690 --> 00:21:16.660 From the very moment it begins, 00:21:16.690 --> 00:21:21.620 you're joined by a crowd of people united by a particular cause or belief. 00:21:21.640 --> 00:21:23.010 There are those in the crowd who are 00:21:23.040 --> 00:21:26.740 already in pain, who feel as though something is missing in their lives. 00:21:26.770 --> 00:21:31.420 When they are brought together, there is a sense of oneness of wholeness and unity. 00:21:31.450 --> 00:21:35.660 Just think about how powerful crowds can be and what it's like to be in one, 00:21:35.690 --> 00:21:38.940 especially when you're all joined by a united cause. 00:21:38.970 --> 00:21:41.420 You're then brought into this hypnotic or 00:21:41.450 --> 00:21:44.740 more specifically, a suggestible and open state. 00:21:44.770 --> 00:21:48.420 He wants to heal you because he loves you. 00:21:48.450 --> 00:21:53.140 You don't have to pay for it, just ask for it. 00:21:53.170 --> 00:21:56.500 The music rises and falls stirring a wave 00:21:56.530 --> 00:21:59.020 of experiences and emotions amongst the crowd. 00:21:59.050 --> 00:22:02.540 Then you begin to create the expectancy for what is about to come. 00:22:02.570 --> 00:22:07.740 All things are possible to him that believe it. 00:22:07.770 --> 00:22:11.090 You keep the crowd in this heightened, aroused state of mind. 00:22:11.120 --> 00:22:12.740 And as the crowd is ripened 00:22:12.770 --> 00:22:17.180 for suggestibility the faith healer acts almost like a conductor for the orchestra 00:22:17.200 --> 00:22:19.090 of experiences that people are going through. 00:22:19.120 --> 00:22:23.740 A leader amongst a crowd of people in a hypnotic trancelike state is 00:22:23.760 --> 00:22:26.780 something that you cannot underestimate the psychological effect of. 00:22:26.810 --> 00:22:29.330 Then the healer begins preaching their message. 00:22:29.360 --> 00:22:31.740 But don't look for the healing. 00:22:31.770 --> 00:22:34.330 Look for the healer whatsoever. 00:22:34.360 --> 00:22:38.660 You shall ask what will I do? 00:22:38.690 --> 00:22:40.900 The crowd is full of ecstasy. 00:22:40.930 --> 00:22:45.020 The joy in the audience the deep feeling as though you're becoming a new person. 00:22:45.050 --> 00:22:48.020 You're connecting with that of which is above you. 00:22:48.050 --> 00:22:50.090 You expect that when the preacher lays 00:22:50.120 --> 00:22:54.500 their hand on you or shouts beggar you may feel God's touch with it. 00:22:54.530 --> 00:22:58.330 You've been suggested and primed to believe that that is the case. 00:22:58.360 --> 00:23:02.090 And in being so connected to the crowd around you the effects of social 00:23:02.120 --> 00:23:05.700 conformity are bound to take place in this trance like state. 00:23:05.720 --> 00:23:08.220 You go along with what the preacher's suggestions are. 00:23:08.250 --> 00:23:10.180 You do what you are expected to do. 00:23:10.210 --> 00:23:13.260 It's no different to what a stage hypnotist does. 00:23:13.290 --> 00:23:17.140 The more suggestible you are, the more belief you have, the easier it becomes. 00:23:17.170 --> 00:23:19.220 And what's even more interesting is 00:23:19.250 --> 00:23:24.220 that in this heightened state of emotions, of euphoria, of adrenaline it's very 00:23:24.250 --> 00:23:27.050 possible to feel symptoms being alleviated. 00:23:27.080 --> 00:23:29.160 It's possible, even for someone who is 00:23:29.190 --> 00:23:33.050 in a wheelchair to momentarily be able to get up and walk around. 00:23:33.080 --> 00:23:39.290 But what we are really witnessing is just a moment of mind over body. 00:23:39.320 --> 00:23:41.860 The placebo effect is a well known phenomenon. 00:23:41.880 --> 00:23:43.740 It's when a patient's condition changes 00:23:43.770 --> 00:23:48.050 after receiving a treatment that by no means should have changed their condition. 00:23:48.080 --> 00:23:52.290 For example, if a patient expects a pill to do something and is told by their 00:23:52.320 --> 00:23:55.660 doctor that it'll help them even if that pill is just a sugar pill 00:23:55.690 --> 00:24:00.090 that doesn't do anything it is possible for your own brain chemistry to cause 00:24:00.120 --> 00:24:03.290 effects similar to what medication might have caused. 00:24:03.320 --> 00:24:05.810 The key word here is expect because 00:24:05.840 --> 00:24:11.180 a placebo effect is mostly theorized to be caused by our expectations around a given 00:24:11.210 --> 00:24:14.900 treatment expectations that we derive from culture and society. 00:24:14.930 --> 00:24:16.980 That's why a placebo that is given as 00:24:17.010 --> 00:24:19.810 an injection rather than a pill can be more effective. 00:24:19.840 --> 00:24:21.800 Or when you're given two placebo pills 00:24:21.830 --> 00:24:26.090 to take every day rather than one it can also be more effective because culturally 00:24:26.120 --> 00:24:30.050 we perceive the latter of these treatments to have a bigger effect on us. 00:24:30.080 --> 00:24:32.740 That belief and expectancy can be so 00:24:32.770 --> 00:24:35.780 powerful as to have physiological effects on our body. 00:24:35.810 --> 00:24:38.700 And what more powerful expectation can 00:24:38.730 --> 00:24:43.290 somebody have than one that invokes their very own belief in a higher spiritual 00:24:43.320 --> 00:24:47.220 being like God, surrounded by others who share that very belief? 00:24:47.250 --> 00:24:49.330 What we are seeing is a placebo. 00:24:49.360 --> 00:24:53.440 This is why you'll never see any miracle healer or somebody that believes 00:24:53.440 --> 00:24:56.900 in the law of attraction, be able to do anything that is beyond a placebo. 00:24:56.920 --> 00:25:00.330 It's why you'll never see them be able to restore the limb of an amputee. 00:25:00.360 --> 00:25:03.260 And as I've watched your healing crusades, 00:25:03.290 --> 00:25:07.020 am I seeing anything that goes beyond placebo? 00:25:07.050 --> 00:25:10.020 I've wondered why sometimes someone comes 00:25:10.050 --> 00:25:16.980 in and comes out of a wheelchair, walks around, runs around, 00:25:17.010 --> 00:25:20.620 and hours later, they're back in that wheelchair again. 00:25:20.650 --> 00:25:24.380 The problem is, however, that those who attend the event 00:25:24.400 --> 00:25:28.020 and whose problems and illnesses are not healed at the event or return after 00:25:28.050 --> 00:25:32.700 the event start to blame themselves that for some reason God didn't want 00:25:32.720 --> 00:25:34.570 to heal them, that they didn't have enough faith. 00:25:34.600 --> 00:25:37.290 Remember Ash Neal from the HBO documentary 00:25:37.320 --> 00:25:40.290 seven weeks after attending Hynn's Miracle Crusade? 00:25:40.320 --> 00:25:41.740 Expect the miracle. 00:25:41.770 --> 00:25:42.860 He passed away. 00:25:42.890 --> 00:25:47.330 Do you feel in any way that any hin has let you down? 00:25:47.360 --> 00:25:49.120 No. 00:25:49.840 --> 00:25:54.460 Did you ever, in some of your worst moments, think that you must have done 00:25:54.490 --> 00:25:57.140 something wrong in the eyes of God to deserve this? 00:25:57.170 --> 00:25:58.330 Yes. 00:25:58.360 --> 00:26:01.880 I know there's a generational curse. 00:26:02.120 --> 00:26:04.330 Maybe it originated from me or 00:26:04.360 --> 00:26:09.260 from my parents, because that curse lasts for three or four generations. 00:26:09.290 --> 00:26:10.900 Who taught you that? 00:26:10.930 --> 00:26:12.380 I hate it. 00:26:12.410 --> 00:26:14.050 From Pasadena. 00:26:14.080 --> 00:26:15.700 It doesn't square with the Bible at all. 00:26:15.730 --> 00:26:17.050 It's a complete scam. 00:26:17.080 --> 00:26:18.900 It's utter deception. 00:26:18.930 --> 00:26:21.420 Increase your faith, 00:26:21.450 --> 00:26:29.120 increase your seed, and store up for the future 00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:36.220 so that when these tragedies hit on earth, you would be spared. 00:26:36.250 --> 00:26:40.500 It is a deception to a degree that I don't think I've seen before. 00:26:40.520 --> 00:26:42.570 And you have to sit there and look at this 00:26:42.600 --> 00:26:45.980 all and wonder, surely there's justice to this story. 00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:47.940 Right? Surely somebody takes the fool. 00:26:47.970 --> 00:26:50.140 Surely there's a happy ending to it. 00:26:50.170 --> 00:26:52.040 Surely. 00:26:53.880 --> 00:26:59.980 In September of 2019, benny Hin comes out with quite the astonishing announcement. 00:27:00.010 --> 00:27:04.740 And I'm sorry to say that prosperity has gone a little crazy. 00:27:04.770 --> 00:27:07.180 I think it's an offense to the Lord. 00:27:07.210 --> 00:27:10.320 It's an offense to say, give a think. 00:27:10.350 --> 00:27:15.760 It's offense to the Holy Spirit to place a price on the gospel. 00:27:16.400 --> 00:27:18.460 I'm done with it. 00:27:18.490 --> 00:27:23.700 Many whom had decided to leave the prosperity gospel hallelujah. 00:27:23.730 --> 00:27:26.620 Right? One of the best lessons that I could give 00:27:26.650 --> 00:27:29.500 to people is say, watch what they go back to. 00:27:29.530 --> 00:27:33.090 Watch what they give up and watch what they go back to. 00:27:33.120 --> 00:27:36.540 Okay? So it's time to give to the Lord's work. 00:27:36.570 --> 00:27:43.740 It's time to succeed in the Lord's work so God can bless you and reward you. 00:27:43.770 --> 00:27:46.900 Trust me. It's time to give to the Lord's work. 00:27:46.930 --> 00:27:51.660 Because giving guarantees our financial protection. 00:27:51.690 --> 00:27:55.660 The problem is, once you've generated the type of following and business 00:27:55.690 --> 00:28:00.620 and reputation that hin has, changing your ways becomes almost 00:28:00.650 --> 00:28:04.620 impossible, and more so because I genuinely believe that most of these 00:28:04.650 --> 00:28:07.900 prosperity preachers, they're not intentionally malicious, 00:28:07.930 --> 00:28:10.980 they've deceived themselves, even till today. 00:28:11.010 --> 00:28:14.860 I question, is this God or is this just me? 00:28:14.890 --> 00:28:17.200 The reality is that most of the preachers 00:28:17.200 --> 00:28:20.620 that we've mentioned in this video are continuing their operations today. 00:28:20.640 --> 00:28:22.940 And when they pass, there's going to be a wave of new 00:28:22.970 --> 00:28:25.420 prosperity preachers ready to take their place. 00:28:25.450 --> 00:28:28.090 The message is an easy one to spread. 00:28:28.120 --> 00:28:31.020 It promises you health, wealth, and happiness. 00:28:31.050 --> 00:28:32.460 It makes you feel good. 00:28:32.480 --> 00:28:34.290 And what's not to love about that, right? 00:28:34.320 --> 00:28:35.700 Look at the comment section below. 00:28:35.720 --> 00:28:39.320 And you're probably not going to be hard pressed to find someone defending him or 00:28:39.350 --> 00:28:41.940 Copeland or the Prosperity Theology overall. 00:28:41.960 --> 00:28:45.500 You'll probably find people claiming that they have seen miracles happen or 00:28:45.530 --> 00:28:48.900 that by sowing their seed prosperity really was given to them. 00:28:48.930 --> 00:28:51.330 And I'm not delivering any new message here. 00:28:51.360 --> 00:28:53.520 Prosperity Theology receives a lot 00:28:53.550 --> 00:28:56.920 of criticism inside of Christianity and outside, and you. 00:28:56.950 --> 00:28:59.260 Know you're a piece of shit, right? You know? 00:28:59.290 --> 00:29:00.540 Right. 00:29:00.570 --> 00:29:02.480 They'll still get away with their 00:29:02.510 --> 00:29:06.020 teachings because their message isn't for people who are cynical. 00:29:06.050 --> 00:29:09.420 It's really difficult to stop their more deceptive actions. 00:29:09.450 --> 00:29:13.420 The only thing you can do is go to those that believe in it and steer them away. 00:29:13.450 --> 00:29:15.740 And until that happens, the booming business 00:29:15.770 --> 00:29:22.000 of Prosperity Theology and faith healing will continue to flourish. 00:29:24.280 --> 00:29:26.620 I don't know what you feel about 00:29:26.650 --> 00:29:32.050 the Prosperity Gospel, the Health, wealth and Prosperity Gospel, 00:29:32.080 --> 00:29:37.220 but I'll tell you what I feel about it hatred. 00:29:37.250 --> 00:29:42.180 It is not the gospel, and it's being exported from this country 00:29:42.210 --> 00:29:48.540 to Africa and Asia, selling a bill of goods to the poorest, of the poor. 00:29:48.570 --> 00:29:55.330 Believe this message your pigs won't die, your wife won't have miscarriages. 00:29:55.360 --> 00:30:01.780 You have rings on your fingers and coats on your back that's coming out of America. 00:30:01.800 --> 00:30:04.500 The people don't ought to be giving our money and our time. 00:30:04.530 --> 00:30:07.140 John Piper is just one of the many 00:30:07.170 --> 00:30:11.330 preachers and ministries that actively try and combat the Prosperity Gospel. 00:30:11.360 --> 00:30:13.480 And although Texas is home to some 00:30:13.510 --> 00:30:17.460 of the biggest megachurches, it's also home to the Trinity Foundation, 00:30:17.490 --> 00:30:21.330 a leading watchdog ministry founded by Oli Anthony that carries out 00:30:21.360 --> 00:30:25.090 investigations into some of the conducts of the biggest televangelists. 00:30:25.120 --> 00:30:28.500 It was Oli Anthony, founder of the East Dallas homeless 00:30:28.530 --> 00:30:32.860 Ministry, Trinity Foundation, who masterminded the investigation 00:30:32.890 --> 00:30:37.330 and helped expose some of the top televangelists in the country. 00:30:37.360 --> 00:30:41.420 You know, faith and religion are powerful things. 00:30:41.450 --> 00:30:45.810 Seeing the sense of hope that it can fill a person with or the community 00:30:45.840 --> 00:30:48.980 and the purpose that it can inspire towards good causes, 00:30:49.010 --> 00:30:52.980 I don't think anyone can look at those things on their own and say they're bad. 00:30:53.010 --> 00:30:54.020 A few months ago, 00:30:54.050 --> 00:30:57.090 I had burnt out from working, and when that happened, 00:30:57.120 --> 00:31:00.460 I felt very cynical about everything that I was doing. 00:31:00.490 --> 00:31:01.620 What was the point? 00:31:01.650 --> 00:31:04.180 And what helped was having a sense of hope 00:31:04.210 --> 00:31:08.380 that those feelings would come to pass and finding purpose in what I was doing 00:31:08.410 --> 00:31:14.020 and spending time with my friends and family, hope, purpose and community. 00:31:14.050 --> 00:31:18.140 But hope, purpose and community can be exploited. 00:31:18.160 --> 00:31:19.980 It can cloud your better judgment just 00:31:20.010 --> 00:31:22.660 because somebody dresses the part or sounds the part. 00:31:22.690 --> 00:31:24.380 And invokes the word God. 00:31:24.410 --> 00:31:28.500 If you're somebody watching this that is a believer in the prosperity gospel, 00:31:28.530 --> 00:31:32.980 I invite you to think over and really question, could I be wrong? 00:31:33.010 --> 00:31:35.180 A healthy skepticism, I think, 00:31:35.210 --> 00:31:39.660 only motivates someone to find the truth, not drift further away from it. 00:31:39.690 --> 00:31:44.290 Seek, and perhaps you will find it. 00:31:44.320 --> 00:31:48.500 If you think the world of prosperity preachers and megachurches is crazy, then, 00:31:48.530 --> 00:31:52.090 my friends, you have to check out my documentary on New Age gurus. 00:31:52.120 --> 00:31:54.020 It should be shown somewhere on the screen. 00:31:54.050 --> 00:31:57.660 That is arguably where all of this kind of began to form and originate. 00:31:57.680 --> 00:32:00.180 And it is just a whole other rabbit hole in and of itself. 00:32:00.210 --> 00:32:02.810 But either way, my friends, it is great to be back. 00:32:02.840 --> 00:32:04.940 As always. Hand to herd. 00:32:04.960 --> 00:32:05.360 Salute.