American televangelist Creflo A Dollar has been plumbing new depths lately. The popular preacher has been soliciting his ‘parishioners’ to raise money for a $65million private jet, presumably in order that he might experience less discomfiture spreading the Word to the four corners of the globe.
It would seem a luxuriously appointed if relatively tiny latest Gulfstream jet makes an ideal conveyance to spread the Gospel – far preferable at least to slumming it in First Class with sundry diplomats and Heads of State on commercial flights. And Reverend Dollar should know; his gullible gaggle already stumped up in 1999 for an infinitely inferior Gulfstream G3. Regrettably, God must have not wanted His disciple to get too close to Him one fateful day in November last year, when He decreed that particular aircraft should fail to take off from Biggin Hill airport, where it ended up in the grass suffering from collapsed nose gear.
Unsurprisingly . . . or perhaps surprisingly given his evidently successful track record, a recent appeal in which Dr Dollar suggested his followers donate “$300 or more” each for an upgraded replacement private jet engendered something of a backlash, which ultimately resulted in the relevant page being removed from his ministry’s website, the URL for which I have studiously withheld for fear of being responsible for more innocents being led down Dr Dollar’s no doubt immaculately manicured garden’s path – since tellingly there remains a link for those determined to squander their cash on a ‘preacher’ that possesses at least two Rolls Royces and several million-dollar-plus homes.
In a new online video sermon, delivered after a period of quiet that now takes on the characteristics of a cyber-sulk, Dollar makes the claim that the ‘Forces of Evil’ have set out to discredit him and stop him from teaching people about the love of the Saviour.
So, Reverend Dollar, where were these Forces of Evil when you were amassing enough millions to establish megachurches all over the world; buy personal mansions in Atlanta, New Jersey and Manhattan; fund your original private jet and achieve not one but two examples of the world’s most prestigious terrestrial automotive transport? Why is Beelzebub only now crying “enough?”
I doubt there’ll be a rational answer emanating from the man himself, but lest you think Dollar, faced with the realisation his flock may have seen the glory of the coming of a fraud, has admitted defeat – think again! The guilt card, you see, was still in the deck.
“I can dream as long as I want to,” says a defiant Dollar, who amid great scepticism insists he has not changed his name.
“I can believe God as long as I want to. If I want to believe God for a $65 million plane, you cannot stop me. You cannot stop me from dreaming. You can’t stop me from dreaming. I’m gon’ dream until Jesus comes.”
Following a rant in which he threatens to up the ante to a space shuttle to “preach the Gospel on Mars” should life ever be discovered there, the reverend continues: “I dare you to tell me I can’t dream. I dare you to tell me that I can’t believe God. If I find Jesus, I’m gonna look at Jesus until it comes to pass, because with God all things are possible to him that believe. And so, I say to you, dream on. Dream on baby, don’t dream on what you can have, dream about what the devil says you can’t have. Dream for the best. Dream for the best healing. Dream for the best deliverance; dream for the best house. Dream for the best car. Just ’cause the world don’t have it, doesn’t mean you can’t have it. You are the children of the Almighty God. Dream, dream.”
There, don’t you feel bad about yourself? Think of it this way; dreaming of an end to world hunger is admirable, but it ain’t gonna happen any time soon. How about peace on earth to all men? Easy if, as John Lennon said so succinctly, everyone wants it. Fact is, increasing numbers seem not to want it. A $65m Gulfstream G650 on the other hand is but a purchase order and a “$300 or more” donation from a paltry 200,000 zealots worlwide away. Indeed, Dr Dollar’s ministry’s website has a novel ‘auto-tithe’ feature that will no doubt hasten the acquisition. Surely it makes sense to get the easily attainable dreams out of the way first.
Okay, maybe reading this you’re not feeling the same pangs of guilt that are making it hard for me to continue slamming a man I’m starting to realise may indeed be a Shepherd of God – but just know that when you laugh, you laugh at dreams, and you cannot stop the power of dreams. Rev Dollar knows if his heart is in his dream, no dream is too extreme. Sadly, however, his adherence to Jiminy Cricket’s philosophies seems to have stopped short of letting his conscience be his guide.
So expect to find a spanking new, mahogany and nappa leather-lined silver angel hovering over a marquee near you in the not too distant future. Unlike food, peace, justice and, apparently, common sense; fools are still in plentiful supply.
