Oh dear. This is pretty commonplace in the evangelist megachurch world. But, man, it’s a sad indictment of the American Dream as pertaining to belief in that socialist revolutionary, Jesus. The Prosperity Gospel really is a complete bastardisation of who Jesus supposedly was.
As the Washington Post reports:
A prosperity gospel televangelist is asking disciples to “pray about becoming a partner” to his mission of obtaining a $54 million private jet.
The Louisiana-based ministry of Jesse Duplantis has already paid cash for three other private planes, but he says God told him “I want you to believe in me for a Falcon 7X.”
NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune reports that Duplantis made the pitch to his followers in the May 21 edition of his weekly video address.
Duplantis says the three-engine plane would allow the ministry to fly “anywhere in the world in one stop,” reducing fuel costs while maintaining a global reach.
Duplantis says Jesus Christ “wouldn’t be riding a donkey” today — “he’d be in an airplane flying all over the world.”
He has used three jets in his life: “…burning them up for the Lord Jesus Christ”. Gah.
Kenneth Copeland earlier this year also defended and blessed his new jet. Here are the pair defending their jet antics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdH2DGSXjss
Of course, John Oliver has had a good go at Copeland and the Prosperity Gospel in one of his most famous episodes where he starts his own church:
