its 2014. nearly everyone has the internet nearly every evangelist preacher and catholic priest has been embroiled in some kind of scandal.?

It is a matter of throwing good money after bad. Once the followers have invested enough in their faith, they will defend it if only to rationalize their pas support.

It is some kind of religious Stockholm syndrome.

The vast majority of evangelist preachers and Catholic priests have not been embroiled in some kind of scandal. Most go about their business in an honest and Christian way. They have, however, been tainted by the few preachers and priests who are involved in scandals of various sorts. Mud sticks if you throw enough of it around and it hits the innocent as well as the guilty.

How refreshing! This is a good observation and a great question. Jesus Christ actually prophesied that this would happen. One sign of the "last days" mentioned at 2Timothy 3:1-7 is that people would 'have an appearance of godliness but prove false to its power.' In addition, the Bible states there will be a period of time when people will not put up with the healthful teaching of the Bible but, in accord with their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves to have their ears tickled; and they will turn their ears away from the truth . (2 Tim. 4:2-4) In short, some people want their ears "tickled." And instead of standing up for what is right or true, they accumulate teachers for themselves that will tell them what they want to hear. But is this acceptable to Jehovah God? Is it acceptable to God for us to turn a blind eye to the bad practices of religious leaders? No. As stated at John 4:24, we must worship God in spirit and TRUTH. And if those in spiritual leadership are not being truthful or are involved in scandalous activities, we should not follow or support them. At 2 Timothy 5:22, the Bible tells us not to become a sharer in the sins of others; keep ourselves chaste. So in order for us not to be a sharer in the sins of others, we have to not associate with them. Even 2 John 9-11 tells us that everyone who does not remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God and even greeting to him is a sharer in his wicked works. The Bible is very clear on how we should view ANYONE, including those in religious authorities, who do not practice Bible principles.

Why was Marion Barry re-elected after he went to jail for doing crack with a prostitute? Why was Mayor Daley continually elected to his office despite the obvious corruption? They were elected by the same people who keep sending their checks into Jim Bakker.

The uneducated and the lower class have low or no expectations for their leadership and that is exactly what they get.

Because no one is immune to sin. All Christians know that already.

You couldn't tell the difference between an actual scam artist and a Christian leader who has sinned.

We are raised as sheep conditioned to follow those we perceive are in authority seeking purpose and validation. Only those who fine self worth and self esteem within are able to break out of this conditioning. Religions mask their money making with the façade that they are saving soles.

It's 2014?? Wow - dynamite weed.

Just because the televised evangelists are a bunch of degenerate scumbags doesn't mean the one's in church's are.

There's only one protector, and that's Mr. Hat.

H-A-T.

Mr. Hat

Most people DO NOT have the Internet.