"Frank Dresser" wrote in message ...

Most broadcasters have to deal with a economic
feedback loop. Alex Jones, Brother Stair, James Lloyd and all the rest have
to get the listener's attention, and strike a chord with potential donors.
It's a bit like street hustlers, I suppose. Any guy who asks for money owes
us a good story. Maybe not a convincing story, but certainly a good one.
"Awwwwww, just give me a dollar" certainly doesn't cut it.

Harold Camping is spending mostly his own money on SW broadcasting. I think
he's entirely sincere in what he drones. And he drones on and on and on and
on.


These evil (in my opinion) people do not have to directly ask for
money. They ask in the most insidious way possible. "If you do not
contribute to me to help spread the 'good news of salvation' [they
imply in one way or another] you will not be doing 'good deeds' and
will never go to 'heaven' but will be consigned to eternal damnation."

Such an implication is unarguable and the guilt feeling it applies to
people is exactly the same as that of the witch doctors in Africa and
elsewhere who cause people to believe from childhood that if they wave
a "magic stick" in their direction (or the "bottle" or whatever points
in their direction) they will die. And do you know what? They do die!
That kind of deep-seated ingrained belief (their religion), based on
extreme fear (forced upon people from childhood), is impossible to
overcome.

All religions, in one way or another, rely on this fear. Even rational
thinking often won't overcome it. It is a perverse example of the
placebo effect, one of the most powerful effects known to humankind.

Does any rational person really believe that some character (after
all, just another human being) can really tell you what God has in
store for you (if anything)? Do you really believe that because some
clown is on the radio or television (or wears his collar backward,
wears outlandish clothes, or whatever, and claims he "knows the word")
that this makes him "holier" than you?

These "religious broadcasters" are masters (just like the witch
doctors or voodoo priests) of manipulating people to their will.
Sometimes even otherwise intelligent people (as I, and I'm sure you,
know from personal experience)!

Why do they do this? In my opinion, it is to extract MONEY (and what
it will buy) from the gullible. Unfortunately, they are often very
successful.

Harold Camping states that all his "facts" come from the "bible." His
interpretation, naturally. He states he has studied the "bible" for
years and he knows more than you do, and maybe he does know more. That
doesn't mean his interpretation is correct. Do you think he really
knows more about God (as opposed to the "bible") than you do? I don't
care how many human beings study the "bible" for how many years -
humans will never ever be able to fathom even the tiniest fraction of
the mind of God. All we can do is to try to act decently here on Earth
towards our fellow creatures, all of whom were created by God. I don't
care how you (or anyone else) prays (or doesn't pray). It is also no
concern of anyone else how I pray. As long as we don't harm anyone
else (and that means, among other things, killing other people, or
even just impugning or disrespecting someone else's beliefs [as long
as they are not harmful to others] by stating or implying that "I have
studied the word and I know more than you, therefore I am better than
you, so you better listen to what I have to say or you will go to
HELL") all of us would theoretically be able to get along much better,
at least in that regard, and the world would be a much better place.
That is my belief.

If Harold Camping (and others of his ilk) were truly sincere, they'd
just leave everyone else alone! But no - they can't. Otherwise how
would they extract MONEY?

"What is hateful to you, do not do unto your fellow man."

Most people unfortunately do not live by that precept and "religious"
fanatics cause most of the ills of the world, in my opinion.

I feel these broadcasters, far from being sincere or even really
religious, are just "using" people to further their own aims, which,
as I stated in a previous posting, appears to me to be MONEY. I don't
know or care where Harold Camping originally got his money; I believe
he gets a lot more money from
"suckers" than you or I even realize (I have my doubts as to whether
he is "sincere").

And I feel their stupid shows are ruining my hobby! (That, of course,
is the least of the problems they cause.)


I'm afraid that you and I are going to have to "agree to disagree" on
that point.

Lawrence

Give it a few years. SW radio may yet again have another "format change".
The big international broadcasters are moving out, and hobbyist broadcasters
may fill the void. Or upstart networks may use SW radio to fill in smaller
markets. Air America hasn't done it, but a better managed network might
show up.

I enjoy a lot of programs over the shortwaves, especially Radio
Bulgaria's and VOR's music programs and other broadcasters who play
indigenous music, but do you know what is one of my absolute
favorites? "Marion's Attic" over WBCQ on Saturday night (7415 @ 9 ET
[Sun. 0100]). Ever listen to it? It's certainly a niche program and
very entertaining. Great music! I'd like to hear more of that on SW. I
hope you are correct that another "format change" may come.

Lawrence