Our new weekly theme continues. The battle against COVID-19 is also a battle against wingnut disinformation.
I do confess that I was tempted to seriously think that the idiot-in-chief could not possibly start promoting a blatantly fake cure that is even more absurd than the last one. Alas, he has proven me to be quite wrong about that. What can I say excect to observe that Aron Ra nicely sums the situation up ..
It perhaps also means that satire is now officially dead. An Onion post from last March turns out to be prophetic and not satire …
Let’s take a look to see what the wingnuts have been claiming this past week.
Wingnut proclamations from the last 7 days
It is all very much everything you might expect and a lot more. Here are some of the highlights …
Wingnut Coronavirus Claims – What could possibly go wrong?
- Liberty Counsel Urges Churches to ‘ReOpen’ Sunday, May 3
- Although Jerry Falwell Jr. claims to be “a big supporter of states’ rights,” he thinks that President Donald Trump needs to “find a way to declare some sort of emergency” to force Democratic states to lift their coronavirus restrictions.
- Candace Owens says that efforts to expand coronavirus testing are pointless because she has “no plans to get tested for #coronavirus, and in a nation of 330 million people, it’s safe to assume I’m not the only one.”
- ‘Don’t Let the Coronavirus Turn America Into China,’ Warns American Family Association… “Don’t let the coronavirus turn America into China,” blared an AFA press release distributed Friday. AFA called it “extremely troubling” that some state and local officials have imposed restrictions on public gatherings “that trample religious liberty underfoot.”
Wingnut Coronavirus Claims – Conspiracy Claims
- Rick Joyner declares that China is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is the … “worst crime against humanity in history.”
- Rodney Howard-Browne warns that the government is recruiting and organizing anti-quarantine protesters who will … “march into a city with weapons and shoot up a place” as a false flag that can be blamed on conservatives.
- Bill Mitchell is confident that checking Dr. Anthony Fauci’s phone records would reveal daily phone calls between him and Hillary Clinton.
- Jeff Sessions says that China’s alleged dishonesty about the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic can be attributed to the fact it is run by an “atheistic communistic regime”: “If you don’t believe in God, why do you believe in truth?”
- I’m personally not a fan of China (human rights violations). I’m also not exactly convinced by a guy who seriously believes that his imaginary friend is real and that anybody who does not is lying about everything.
- Right-wing pastor Andrew Wommack declares that the response to the coronavirus outbreak has been an overreaction because the flu as already killed 20 million people in America.
- #factsDoMatter – No it hasn’t.
- Frank Gaffney Suggests China Made Coronavirus to Attack Trump, US, and Hong Kong Protesters
- Dave Daubenmire says that efforts aimed at stopping the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus mean that … “soft martial law [has been] quietly imposed on law-abiding American citizens.”
Way beyond just Bizarre
- Mike Spaulding asserts that … “progressives and their supporters are modern day worshippers of Molech the Canaanite god that received the sacrifices of human beings of all ages but especially of children. Modern day Leftists are just as evil as their progenitors.”
- Beyond #FireFauci: Conspiracy Theorists Claim Fauci ‘Directly Responsible’ For COVID-19
- Mat Staver Compares Christians Facing Social Distancing Restrictions to Jews Persecuted in Nazi Germany
The Cult of Trump
- Jerome Corsi and Rick Joyner are very impressed by Trump’s spiritual maturity and deep fear of the Lord.
- I’m personally very impressed with how Trump has successfully conned Jerome Corsi, Rick Joyner and many others into seriously believing this.
- Brenden Dilley knows who he can and cannot trust: … “I no longer trust American academia, American medical professionals, American politicians, American media or American law enforcement. I trust President Trump and I trust my fellow Patriots. Everyone else can get fucked with their communist bullshit.”
As I have pointed out for many weeks now, it might be tempting to think that the news of the Coronavirus has turned all these folks crazy.
Nope, they were always this crazy.
What else came out of the Wingnut fantasy land?
Lots of other stuff.
As always, it is an endless stream. Some of it is sad, some is rather grim, and some is quite frankly hilarious. Here are a few more samples …
- U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams Explains Pandemic: “God Always Has a Plan”
- Thanks for the pandemic, God.
- A COVID-Denying Pastor Died of COVID-19. Now His Family Has the Virus, Too.
- Bishop Gerald O. Glenn died of COVID-19 and ignorance. How many others have to suffer?
- Cindy Jacobs: My Prayers Can Bring Dead Animals Back to Life
- Somehow, there’s never a camera around when she heals them.
- Professor Arrested for Stealing Ancient Papyrus and Selling It to Bible Museum
- You do have to wonder if the Bible Museum is a scheme run by a non-believer to make believers look stupid and gullible.
- Pat Robertson Blames COVID-19 on Gays, Abortion, and Those Who Are “Anti-Israel”
- No mention of any Trump incompetence
- Pastor: In a Financial Crisis, Give to Church. That 10% “Doesn’t Belong to You.”
- Actually, yes it does belong to you and not to him. His imaginary
- Louisiana Cops Arrest COVID-19-Defying Pastor Tony Spell for Aggravated Assault
- The pastor is finally being held accountable for his actions.
- Donations to Churches Nosedive; Levels Now Lower Than During the 2008 Recession
- Christian “Prophet”: COVID-19 Came from Hell and I Scared It With My Prayers
- This guy thinks the virus is afraid of Jesus.
- Scamvangelist Praises Donors for Buying Him the World’s “Finest” Private Jet
- “I think this is probably the finest [Gulfstream V] in the world,” said the Christian huckster.
- As Iran’s Theocrats Bungled the COVID Crisis, Secularism Got a Shot in the Arm
- When you realize religion isn’t that crucial to your life, it’s easier to abandon it.
- Christian Apologist: Progressives, a.k.a. “Satan’s Pawns,” Hate the Constitution
- He’s angry because progressives have actually read the Constitution.
- Christian Speaker: Satan is Using COVID-19 to “Discourage God’s People”
- Encouraging people to fight back against an imaginary enemy will put everyone in harm’s way.
Least you get the wrong idea, there are thankfully good people out there …
- You Know Who I Like? This Woman, Who Just Changed Her Church Frock For Scrubs.
- Much respect for this Church of England deacon.
Wingnut of the week – Jim Bakker … again!
He has earned the top spot for a couple of weeks now due to his very blatant fraud in previous weeks. The big ticket item was the promotion of silver solution as a supposed COVID-19 cure. That attracted the attention of authorities.
He was warned by the New York Attorney General’s office to stop “making misleading claims” about the product and also was ordered by the Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission to “immediately cease making all such claims” about the effectiveness of the silver solution. On top of that, Bakker was also sued by the office of Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt “for misrepresentations about the effectiveness of ‘Silver Solution’ as a treatment for 2019 novel coronavirus.”.
Last week’s update is that his credit card processing company cut him off and so he has been asking viewers to send in cheques instead.
The latest update is that he is now pleading for money like this …
“I’m just sad to see what’s happening to America,” [He is actually sad that his revenue stream has dried up. This guy does not give a toss about anybody except himself] “We are living in the final days,[of him conning people] and if we go the wrong direction, America [my con] is through. You have to use a check [to keep me wealthy]. Your products are going to come to you. [and your money will come to me] Every one of them will come right to your house, and if we can’t, we are going to refund. I will sell parts of the buildings at Morningside in the long run if you give me a chance. Don’t let me have to file for bankruptcy.”[oh please do let him file for bankruptcy, and don’t fall for his con]
“They’re already bleeding us to death, and now we’re going to have to pay lawyers that will bleed you to death,” Bakker continued. “I know [my critics] are watching me right now, and they’re having a ball. They’re having a ball, and they’re saying, ‘Wow, we’ve whipped Jim Bakker finally’ … I’ll tell you what, you all may want my head on a platter, [yep] and you may get it, [perfect] but I’ll be gone to Heaven, [nope] and you’re not going to win. [oh yes we are] You’re not going to win because I’m 80 years old, and I don’t need to win. [says the guy begging for your money] I need to please God, and that’s what I’m going to do the rest of my life.” [He needs to worry. If indeed God has a plan for his life then God is very pissed with the fraudster Mr Bakker]
Here is that clip and notice his banner flogging overpriced stuff on the bottom of the screen. He does not want to “save your soul” or “preach a gospel” he simply wants to use fear to con you into buying this overpriced crap …
Don’t feel any sympathy for this grifter. He is simply deploying religious fear to motivate people into paying for his overpriced junk.
He is being burned because of his promotion of a fake COVID-19 cure. Even with the cloak of religion that usually protects you from the authorities, this was a step too far.
He now insists that his network never suggested that the silver solution it sold could cure the coronavirus … except of course that is exactly what happened on camera …
If Bakker thinks things are bad now, then he will need to come to terms with it all going even further south rather rapidly …
AT&T: DirecTV Channels May Want to Drop Jim Bakker’s Show After COVID-Cure Scam …
According to a letter from a top AT&T official obtained by the News-Leader, the company recently asked seven channels airing on AT&T’s DirecTV platform to look at whether they should continue to carry the Jim Bakker Show.
“We have reached out to each of these channels,” wrote vice president of global public policy Brent Olson, “and asked that they carefully review this programming to ensure it complies with their contractual and legal obligations to us.”
The channels include Christian Television Network, Daystar, GEB America, ImpactNetwork, Upliftv, The Word Network and World Harvest Television, according to the letter.
For AT&T it is not personal, just business. AT&T doesn’t want to get sued for airing Bakker’s false claims of COVID-19 cures
This outcome is not just wishful thinking, it already appears to be happening …
According to News-Leader review of multiple online TV schedules, including a DirecTV schedule for World Harvest Television, it appeared that reruns of Bakker’s weekday show previously scheduled for 7 to 9 p.m. Friday had been replaced by episodes of “Lone Ranger,” a Western drama that originally aired from 1949 to 1957.
Will other channels follow?
We can but hope.
Finally …
Seth Andrews has a really good Open Letter to Pastor Greg Locke and all people defying shelter-in-place instructions in the name of “freedom” and “liberty.”.
It is well worth watching …