Today I want to talk about a man named Peter Popoff.
In the early 1980s Popoff had a booming career as a TV preacher and traveling healer. By 1986 he was making an estimated four million dollars a year.
Had you attended one of his performances at that time you would have certainly been amazed. He would call someone out of the audience by their full name! He would dramatically name the healings they were hoping to get, as well as incredibly specific information such as their physical address and the names of their children. It was impressive. Popoff claimed God was whispering the information into his ear.
But then famed skeptic and debunker James Randi began to investigate.
Randi discovered that as the faithful were filing in for the revival meetings, they were filling out prayer request cards which were then submitted to Popoff’s staff. These cards included their full names, the healings they were hoping to get, and incredibly specific information such as their physical address and the names of their children.
Randi brought in a scanner and soon discovered and amazing transmission.
Popoff’s wife was backstage with the prayer cards and a microphone, and Popoff was wearing a small received in one ear. It wasn’t God whispering in Popoff’s ear, it was his wife. Now initially Popoff denied this, claiming it was harassment and that Randi had hired an actress that sounded like Mrs. Popoff. But soon he admitted that the transmissions were real, but that it didn’t really matter because everyone knew that Mrs. Popoff was occasionally helping him with information.
Randy had pulled back the curtain and exposed the wizard. Popoff’s business quickly dwindled, and soon he filed for bankruptcy and retired. For a while…
See, he’s back. Evidently it’s been long enough. He’s back with incredible claims, over the top emotional productions, and throngs of adoring fans eager to hand over their money. His web site says that the “… means are different…” the goal remains the same. And so do the results. His “Debt Cancellation Kits” (which include a small vial of “Miracle Spring Water”) are selling like hotcakes.
If I had less self respect, lower morals, and a sociopathic ability to screw people over with a smile, I’d consider getting in this prophet business. It looks like a lot of fun (for everyone but the people giving up the little cash they have to a manipulative showman in hopes of a miracle that isn’t coming). It’s certainly a lucrative, and very forgiving business though.
Burning Apathy 