Louisiana pastor Tony Spell is once again finding himself atop the internet's unofficial list of people they'd like to curse with a plague of a million inconveniences.
In other words, homeboy should be boo'ed with vigor and enthusiasm every chance one gets as far as the internet is concerned after his latest stunt.
Pastor Spell is the Evangelical Christian leader who ignored his state's social distancing guidelines. He continued holding in-person church services—even sending a fleet of buses to pick people up—claiming God would protect those who attended his services and those who died would be happy to do so.
At the time, many speculated the "prosperity gospel" adherent was more concerned about a drop in profits than any pandemic.
Pastor Spell's own lawyer attended two of those services and ended up hospitalized cause... ya know... pandemic. No official word yet on if he's happy to be sick.
Social distancing guidelines are a thing for a reason, folks.
Oh, and for those living around that area of Louisiana, Pastor Spell's lawyer wants you all to know he feels kinda bad cause he was still living his best life after orders went into effect. Not bad enough to change his mind about social distancing or stop representing Pastor Spell, but bad-ish.
"God knows where I got it," he claimed.
"I went to Albertson's twice a day. I went to Sam's. I went to Walmart. I went to Lowe's. I used gas pumps. I mean, I just wasn't careful. God knows where I got it. The bad thing is I might have spread it to somebody. I feel bad about that."
Anyway, while all that was happening the rest of the country was flipping out trying to figure out how they were going to survive, not just physically but economically. Most other major nations have given their citizens some serious assistance.
The United States not so much. Our citizens are seeing less than a third the assistance other nations' citizens are. But pastor Spell isn't about to just let people keep their $1200 stimulus checks, comparatively meager as they are.
Instead, he has issued an internet "challenge."
#PastorSpellStimulusChallengewww.youtube.com
So according to Pastor Spell, people should donate their entire stimulus checks to churches, pastors, missionaries, music ministers, etc. who have not had a donation in a month. As though people who got these stimulus checks don't have bills and expenses that need to be paid?
Yes, he wants the entire check.
You could tithe 10% or donate a reasonable portion that would still allow you and your family to keep your heads above water. But that's not really fulfilling Spell's challenge is it?
No hashtag fun for you.
Pastor Spell wants us all to know he is donating his entire check. His wife is donating her entire check. Heck, even their kid is donating his stimulus check.
He doesn't specify whether it's to his own church or not.
Don't have a church or ministry nearby to donate to or one that you regularly attend? That's okay, just give it to Pastor Spell and he'll make sure it gets taken care of. There's even a helpful link for you to donate on Spell's website that he shares in the video.
The amount of hate this internet challenge is getting is wild.
Pastor Spell said "Here's an internet challenge!" and the internet said "Thanks, we hate it."
We don't even know what snicker-snack means, but that last person tweeted it so passionately we do not want Jesus to go snicker-snack with us. Also, Pastor Spell is apparently in danger if Jesus ever catches up with him.
Would you consider sending Pastor Spell your stimulus check?
The book Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel is available here.
@lpeterp/Bluesky
@FPWellman/X
@bobsbeatgmail.com5/Threads