Religions started by one man

[AZ Jim]

Interesting that the Mormons began on the word of Joseph Smith who alleged he found golden tablets which indicated he should start and lead a new church. No one but Smith ever saw the tablets and they've never been found by his church thrives.

L. Ron Hubbard, a science fiction writer bragged to a drinking friend that religion was a get rich scheme and he bet he could start a church and people would buy it. Scientology thrives...

I have to suggest that both of these men remind me of Donald Trump who, like them, is a con man who has sold a philosophy that if one can appeal to many of mans fears and hates he could run a country. The jury is out on whether it thrives.

If nothing else this proves the adage that "a sucker is born every day"!

[Chris]

He's a populist and so has no ideology.

His economic policies are progressive.

He just met with Al Gore on climate change, after Al met with Melenia. That's liberal.

[AZ Jim]

He's a populist and so has no ideology.

His economic policies are progressive.

He just met with Al Gore on climate change, after Al met with Melenia. That's liberal.

In the words of a typical con, "no one is perfect".

[Amadeus]

You can't worship a wrecking ball. Everyone knew going in that Trump doesn't have the qualities, temperament, credit history, etc., of a president. He was sent to disrupt and overthrow the 'establishment'. You know, the thing that has prevented WW3 and has generally improved quality of life for everyone in America.

[Peter1469]

It is Obama's fault.

[Chris]

In the words of a typical con, "no one is perfect".

Right, actually I think it was Trump's daughter, not wife, who met with Gore.

[Chris]

You can't worship a wrecking ball. Everyone knew going in that Trump doesn't have the qualities, temperament, credit history, etc., of a president. He was sent to disrupt and overthrow the 'establishment'. You know, the thing that has prevented WW3 and has generally improved quality of life for everyone in America.

Free market capitalism?

[patrickt]

Interesting that the Mormons began on the word of Joseph Smith who alleged he found golden tablets which indicated he should start and lead a new church. No one but Smith ever saw the tablets and they've never been found by his church thrives.

L. Ron Hubbard, a science fiction writer bragged to a drinking friend that religion was a get rich scheme and he bet he could start a church and people would buy it. Scientology thrives...

I have to suggest that both of these men remind me of Donald Trump who, like them, is a con man who has sold a philosophy that if one can appeal to many of mans fears and hates he could run a country. The jury is out on whether it thrives.

If nothing else this proves the adage that "a sucker is born every day"!

Your adage was proven by Democrats years ago. I see far less of the mystical bull$#@! on Donald Trump than I do in the leftist saints like Lenin, Barack Obama, Fidel Castro, and Hitler. Donald Trump has amazing flaws but he's a fantastic demagogue and populist.

Adam Smith and L. Ron Hubbard weren't nearly as good as demagogues or populists. They both attracted a tiny following.

And you forgot to mention Christianity which was brought to us by the Apostle Paul.

[crowonapost]

You are correct about Trump. He truly represents an age.
Your two other examples are a kind of con man too. though they represent a different age and mentality. With Joseph Smith, he represented an age of 'spiritualism'. Smith stole his ideas from a Swiss clairvoyant at the dawn of the spiritualist age. L.Ron Hubbard stole his ideas at the dawn of the 20th century science age and science fiction age. Trump just stole anyone's conservative idea of religion. Sadly it is a stark enlightenment of of our current religious age. An age of mass spiritual idiocy.