We got a mention in Roll to Disbelieve

[Dark Matters]

Hey guys, we got a mention in one of the Patheos blogs I follow, Roll to Disbelieve.  The author has done an article on MLMs and fundies in case you'd like to check it out:

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/rolltodisbelieve/2018/01/09/lord-snow-presides-over-mlms-more-deceptive-advertising-in-christianity-25/

 

'But it seems like MLMs simply attract a certain kind of person who is vulnerable to the promises that these scams hold out. It can be really confusing to see someone with an advanced degree getting sucked into an MLM, as one person frustratedly mentioned over at FreeJinjer.org, but these scams don’t appeal to the mind. They appeal to the heart of hearts. And if someone’s got a very certain sort of heart, then the promises fly right past the mind and lodge there, while if someone doesn’t care about MLM scammers’ claimed rewards then they are simply immune to the scammers’ predatory tactics and lies.

First and foremost, an MLM mark has to be comfortable with both lying and being lied to.'

[unsafetydancer]

This is why I hate these pyramid schemes. When I was a student there was a brief trend for setting up an Avon franchise to earn extra money for stuff like heating bills. At least one friend tried to get me into it but I managed to dodge that particular bullet. I don't know anyone who made money doing it but I know a few people who quit, having spent money on membership and loads of random make up they were never going to use. 

Currently, I know of one friend who is involved in some sort of health food/ protein shake MLM. Dunno if I have the energy to try talking them out of it.

[Howl]

20 minutes ago, Dark Matters said:

And if someone’s got a very certain sort of heart, then the promises fly right past the mind and lodge there, while if someone doesn’t care about MLM scammers’ claimed rewards then they are simply immune to the scammers’ predatory tactics and lies.

First and foremost, an MLM mark has to be comfortable with both lying and being lied to.'

Bazinga!  I'd say that within the group above, a particularly vulnerable subgroup would be fundy women (isolated, poorly educated, naive, not allowed to work outside the home) in small rural communities with an already limited economic base with few opportunities... 

[Palimpsest]

28 minutes ago, unsafetydancer said:

Dunno if I have the energy to try talking them out of it.

Try showing them this excellent article.

And the writer is absolutely correct in saying that these scams directly target the “Proverbs 31 woman” and the whole disgusting Prosperity Gospel crowd.  They make easy marks.

MLMs have rewritten Matthew 25.

"And the MLM shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.

And it shall set the sheep on its right hand, the better to fleece them, but the canny goats will run far away on the left.

Then shall the MLM say unto them on its right hand, Come, ye deluded greedy little woolly marks.  Thou shalt fall victim to a scam prepared for you by evil conscienceless entrepreneurs.  Thou must spend many dollars on your starter pack.

Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as I have screwed money out of you, thou must do it also unto every one of the least of your friends and relations.

Thou shalt make victims of all your downline marks as thou attemptest to kick out the rungs behind you on the ladder up the pyramid of doom.

And thou shalt go away chastened and ashamed into bankruptcy and grief, whilst the canny goats will shake their heads in sorrow at the pitiful ignorance and greed that led you into corruption."

[EmainMacha]

@Palimpsest truly that is a thing of beauty. King James himself could not have done better (since we know that he wrote the Bible all by himself).