Christian Prayer Center Website - Pay for Pray

[paganbaby]

I don't have enough posts to create a topic, but I thought this story might be of interest. Let me know if it's not suitable. Thanks.

Pay for pray service to pay $7.8 million in restitution

 

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A Seattle man accused of deceiving people with online Christian websites has agreed to pay consumers $7.8 million.

The Washington State Attorney General says the Christian Prayer Center website, where you had to pay to receive prayers, was one of three deceptive online schemes devised by Benjamin Rogovy.

"He used deceptive tactics to lure people in to pay their hard earned money for this, and that's not right," said state Attorney General Bob Ferguson.

Given how many preachers beg for donations in return for prayers, I was surprised someone managed to be so blatantly insincere as to trigger an investigation for consumer fraud.

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Just last month, we revealed how some people signing up to request prayers didn't realize they were agreeing to repeat credit card charges with no refunds.

Then he charged them again to "investigate" his own fraudulent practices.

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The state says that website tricked consumers into paying to settle their complaints -- that were never handled.

"It gives the appearance of being an official organization like a government organization or a law firm," Davies said.

And for the trifecta, he ran an on-line ordination service.

http://komonews.com/news/consumer/man-who-ran-pay-for-prayer-website-to-pay-78-million-in-restitution

 

[closetcagebaby]

Man, he should have remember that selling indulgences didn't work out too well for the RCC, either. 

[infooverload]

Seems the Pacific Northwest doesn't take to kindly to religious fraud. As a resident of the PNW I am glad. Proud to say I live in the state Glenn Beck told Christian's to avoid. Then again even though I live in a suburb of Portland, there are 5 churches within a mile of me. Remind me again how we are consider the least "churched" state in the union [emoji53]. Also could someone explain what the term "churched" means.

[guitar_villain]

[paganbaby]

"Churched" has a nasty connotation to me as a lapsed Catholic. It's sold today as a "blessing" for surviving childbirth, but it has its roots in the Jewish ritual cleansing that women were supposed to need after being sullied by the birthing process. Once my mother learned its origin, she refused to participate.

I'm sure that's not the way the term was meant in describing how "churched" an area is, but it makes me wince.

[smittykins]

In the fundie-lite church I attended as a highschooler/young adult, there was a section in the bylaws(I was given a copy as part of membership classes)which stated that they didn't believe in holding bazaars, bake sales, etc. because(paraphrased)"If God wants us to do something, He will provide the means without involving the unchurched." 

[AuLait]

It struck me as so incredibly sad that people would pay for prayers.