Christian Marketing

[Doc Bunkum]

I know it's a rhetorical question, but what gives with all these people involved in network marketing, internet marketing, and the like, all surrounding themselves in the robes of Christianity to give themselves an air of legitimacy?

Like this dude for instance ...



I'm sure they're out there, but I don't see people advertising Christian donut shops, pizza parlors or steak houses.

So when it comes to MLM, why do people feel they have to set themselves apart by using the "Christian" prefix?

[webhick]

I know it's a rhetorical question, but what gives with all these people involved in network marketing, internet marketing, and the like, all surrounding themselves in the robes of Christianity to give themselves an air of legitimacy?

Like this dude for instance ...



I'm sure they're out there, but I don't see people advertising Christian donut shops, pizza parlors or steak houses.

So when it comes to MLM, why do people feel they have to set themselves apart by using the "Christian" prefix?

Because you can trust a Christian's advice. Hell, if you're "Christian," you've practically got God's stamp of approval on every word you utter. Total malarkey, of course since there's good and bad nuts in every religion.

[wserra]

And the majority of what other group of folks seem to take every opportunity to proclaim their Christianity? Politicians, right?

The frequency of one's profession of piety seems to be in direct proportion to the percentage of snake oil in one's product.

[fortinbras]

Not to add to the ridicule and sarcasm, but there is so much sleaze on the internet, what with porn, gambling and swindles, entrepreneurs with pure motives want some way to signal potential customers that they're not like the rest of the herd. Unfortunately, the sleazers will use the same signal.

[texino]

The fact that the macrocephalic minister of marketing is kicked back in a tropical paradise sipping a Mai-Tai doesn't exactly suggest piety to me ,but I might be missing something.

[Doc Bunkum]

The fact that the macrocephalic minister of marketing is kicked back in a tropical paradise sipping a Mai-Tai doesn't exactly suggest piety to me ,but I might be missing something.

I think the only thing missing in the picture is a big fat stogy in his free hand and a couple of naked women in the background.

BTW, thanks for that word "macrocephalic".

Nice one to remember.

[fortinbras]

I gotta concede that the image is plenty disconcerting -- this financial advisor is already in his tropical hammock (socks with shorts, oy), not hard at work watching the stock ticker, which sort of suggests that his priority is his own financial comfort, not yours.

[webhick]

I gotta concede that the image is plenty disconcerting -- this financial advisor is already in his tropical hammock (socks with shorts, oy), not hard at work watching the stock ticker, which sort of suggests that his priority is his own financial comfort, not yours.

Such an image summons the annoying saying "Working hard or hardly working?"

[absdes96]

Although I am not a minister or clergyperson of a Christian Church, I have several close friends who are. One of the most hilarious (and eye-opening) things is to listen to them discuss what some their parishioners get involved in. I do not know how many times I have listened to stories where a minister needed to intervene (quickly) because the church's laity became a recruiting ground for some venture or scheme.

Whether it is putting the name "Christian" in front of the scheme's name or citing a biblical text in the marketing materials, I have seen some interesting things myself. The most memorable one would have to be, "Death & Taxes - Neither has to be certain".

[Doc Bunkum]

Well, here's a new one...

Hand of Heaven is a concept that's time has come. Hand of Heaven is non-denominational. It is meant to have a greater purpose. You can be the "Hand Of Heaven"! That's right... YOU! You can assist and help your fellow mankind, however small and thus make it a better place for all.

Oh, and by the way...

Hand of Heaven has multiple entry levels of $125, $250, $500, $1000, $2000, $4000 and only $24.95 yearly admin fee per level joined. This makes it affordable for anyone.

If you can figure out what it is they're peddling.

Good to know too that...

Hand of Heaven uses the "Reverse 2 Up" system. This will allow the system to help you first and will start to multiply the effect of your giving efforts.

HOH

[texino]

This here HOH is a gifting club. "It can't be illegal because the IRS sez you can give someone a gift of such and so each year." I'm not sure about the reverse 2 up thing (It sounds like a basket ball move) Also the thing is based on the hit movie "Pay it forward!" I've not seen the hit movie, but I've heard that term. Guess I'll need to research but it sure sounds like you wont make money unless more people are recruited and the reverse issue is something like, you recruit 3 people at X level you get one payment while two people behind you get the rest. and say you are a $125 level and you sign up 3 @ $400 you don't get the $400 or $125 either, just some token admin payment. They do come right out and say it is not a Ponsy (sic) scam. Lord save us!

[wserra]

Hey Doc (Bunkum, not Texino): your "Christian Internet Marketing Mentor" is now pushing "Dr" Suzanne Gudakunst's car-buying scam.

Does that make "Dr" Suzanne Christian? Or does it make your "Christian mentor" parasite-ridden? Personally, I'll go with the latter.

Oh, and texino is surely right - "Hand of Heaven" is just a gifting scam. From their FAQ:

1. What is Hand of Heaven (HOH)?

Hand of Heaven HOH is a systematic approach that will accelerate the person-to-person act of giving. We are a private community of friends who serve each other by way of “unselfish giving”…. without regard to receiving in return. We are not associated with any services. Our activity does not involve a company, nor is it a membership. It is simply an activity of friends helping friends and friends of friends.

Like I said, it's a gifting scam. It is also an MLM (the "reverse 2-up" crapola). I mean, why put all your eggs in one scam? But "Hand of Heaven" really should change its image. I happen to have a modest suggestion:

[Doc Bunkum]

I dunno. Seems like an easy way to make some quick cash.

After all, the government supports the concept. The U.S. gifting rules are found in the IRS Tax Code, Title 26, Sections 2501-2504 and 2511, and Canadian Tax Code, Sections 143.3 and 62.0.

The law states that one or more individuals can give a gift to another individual of up to $10,000 each per calendar year without any tax liability to either the giver or receiver of the gift, because the tax on the gift has already been paid.

So all I have to do is pony up $4000, and find 6 other people to do like wise, and I make $16,000. Simple!



(Think Bernie Madoff)

[fortinbras]

The line about "without regard to receiving in turn" caught my eye. It means, You can't complain of being swindled because you entered this without any expectation of getting your money back. If you thought you'd see your money again, you were harboring sinful thoughts.

There was another, very typical, pyramid scam about 20 years ago, the only difference was that it was "New Age". People were told that they had to view this with third eye or something, and without crass materialistic mentality .... also meaning There's something wrong with you if you aren't happy with losing money.

[Nikki]

Do the slime-ball organizers behind these pyramids actually believe that they can change a few words in the description, change the dollar amounts, change the number of people at each level and thereby create something totally different that every previous one which enjoined, declared illegal, or otherwise shut down?

In any case, it's just a matter of time before the appropriate agencies shut this one down, too.

[Doc Bunkum]

This is too funny not to share.

On another thread I gave a heads up on Phil Piccolo's (aka Johnny d'Angelo, Johnny Dangelo, Phillip Angelo P., Joseph Stevens, Don Johnson, Felix Angelo, for starts) latest scam, valuevaluevalue.com .

Seems this Internet icon for pyramid schemes and promoting fraudulent products considers himself to be amongst the Christian marketers we're talking about.

Not everyone agrees with him though. Rod Cook ("MLM Watchdog"), for one, is quoted as saying: " Piccolo needs to go... he is Evil with his Christian Bullshit."

(BTW, for those of you not familiar with Phil Piccolo, a simple Google search for
"Phil Piccolo" brings up a whopping 487,000 results jam packed full of different schemes he has been a part of over several years. In fact, he is known to many as "The one-man Internet Crime Wave").

Over on another forum we were "discussing" this shyster and apparently Piccolo didn't agree with our assessment of valuevalue. He asks rather indignantly...

Why do you call this a scam... you are ignorant and you keep judging things which you know nothing of... this is Phil Piccolo and this is a great program... and if we ever see your name in the team... you will be terminated for life... from the best program to ever be introduced...

Oooh!! Terminated for life!

In another Christian rejoinder he adds...

Most of you here are just WANNA BE People... Your minds are in the gutter and all your information comes from the WWSN which was sued for 8.3 million and we won... now he is being evicted from his home and the guy went bankrupt 3 times in 14 years... Your all jerks and I bet not one of you can produce a $30,000 a year MLM Income... I make that in a WEEK...

And if that was not enough I get to go to Heaven for Eternity... I bet you think I should not be able to go there either... You are all just so jealous of my success for 33 years in this industry...

Anyone can try to knock down something but it takes real talent to build something that last forever...

Phil Piccolo
A Successful Builder because I serve THE MASTER BUILDER

You rock, Phil!

[Arthur Rubin]

Most of you here are just WANNA BE People...

I WANNA BE People
I WANNA BE People.

(Sorry, Turing Test failed.)

[Nikki]

Why do you call this a scam... you are ignorant and you keep judging things which you know nothing of... this is Phil Piccolo and this is a great program... and if we ever see your name in the team... you will be terminated for life... from the best program to ever be introduced...

A Christian marketing site that doesn't allow the opportunity for someone to be Born Again

[Pottapaug1938]

Wha really frosts me on these "affinity fraud" scams is that they take advantage of people's instinct to trust "one of our own". More than one "Christian" scam has succeeded that way; and don't forget how Bernie Madoff shamelessly stole from fellow Jews. I've heard of this happening in some of the ethnic communities in Massachusetts, as well.

[wserra]

These things are all over the place. If you just casually search for a few minutes, you'll find many like this. "Be blessed in 2009 by working with a Christian group ... This company does the recruiting for you." Followed, of course, by the obligatory biblical quote. Not even a mention of what they sell - in all likelihood, because they don't sell anything.

A whois on these guys:

your1200dollarmiracle.com

Registrant Contact:
CuttingEdgeMedia
Host master ()

Fax:
1595 S Mount Joy St
Elizabethtown, PA 17022
USA

Administrative Contact:
CuttingEdgeMedia
Host master ***********@cemedia.com)
+1.7175551212
Fax:
1595 S Mount Joy St
Elizabethtown, PA 17022
USA

Technical Contact:
CuttingEdgeMedia
Host master ***********@cemedia.com)
+1.7175551212
Fax:
1595 S Mount Joy St
Elizabethtown, PA 17022
USA

Status: Locked

Name Servers:
dns1.registrar-servers.com
dns2.registrar-servers.com
dns3.registrar-servers.com

Creation date: 09 Apr 2009 15:24:25
Expiration date: 09 Apr 2010 15:24:25

Web site created two months ago. (Think their phone is really 717-555-1212?) Not a church in sight. Instead, an MLM spamhaus called "Cutting Edge Media". What do they do? Well, according to them,

So, if you're ready to create a nationwide warm market and talk to more people—people who've expressed interest in a home business—you've come to the right place.

Our leads are generated through our online home business portal (homebusinessconnection.com), which attracts tens of thousands of people every day who are searching for a home-based business. The MLM leads you receive are people who’ve "raised their hands," people who've said "hey, I'm interested in a good home business opportunity" and responded to one of our professional ads.

So, they take all the good Christian folk who were gullible enough to "raise their hands" and pass them on to whatever scammers are currently paying them to collect names. Lovely.