The Washington Free Beacon is reporting that Hillary Clinton, in a search for what to do with the rest of her life, has hit about talking more openly about spirituality and religion, subjects which she has eschewed for her public life. Indeed, she is said to be discussing going into the ministry. The possibility is fraught with the sort of scamming that was once the province of televangelists in the 1980s. On the other hand, if Clinton is serious, such a career change could be her redemption worthy of a Saint Paul or at least Charles Colson.
What if the idea is a scam?
Of course, those of a certain age remember when televangelists entertained us with their over the top expressions of religious faith and their flagrant hypocrisy. Jim Bakker, whose wife Tammy Faye wore makeup in great abundance, during once ruled the faith based airwaves as host of the PTL Club. His career was rocked by a sex scandal that involved a young woman named Jessica Hahn. However, a fraud conviction and subsequent stretch in prison ended for all intents and purposes
Jimmy Swaggart was another televangelist who was brought down by his tendency to preach in public and sin in private. He rocked his audience when he confessed that he used prostitutes in the now infamous “I have sinned” sermon.
Swaggart is still broadcasting and preaching, but his influence is much diminished.
One can see Hillary Clinton starting a prosperity Christianity ministry with her own show and a product line. Her history of playing fast and loose with financial laws when she helped to operate her foundation will serve as a good experience to becoming a televangelist during her declining years.
Unfortunately, she lacks the oration skills for a good preacher.
What if the spiritual awakening in genuine?
On the other hand, Hillary Clinton could experience a true spiritual awakening. She would not be the first sinner of her scope and heinousness to turn to God for solace. Clinton will have to do something that she has never done before.
She has to publicly confess her sins and beg the people she has wronged for forgiveness.
Charles Colson is a modern example of a political sinner who became a man of God. Colson was involved in Watergate to such an extent that he was obliged to serve a term in prison. He experienced a genuine religious awakening while in jail and started a prison ministry. Colson spent the rest of his life doing good works, especially for seeing to the spiritual needs of convicted felons, and witnessing to his new found faith with the same zeal that he held as Richard Nixon’s special counsel.
If Clinton follows the Colson route, she can turn her life and legacy around and go out as a figure that Americans especially love, a repentant sinner who saw the error of her ways and tried, in her own way, to make it right.
