A woman on Reddit sparked a flurry of outrage and sympathy after she revealed that her mom often claimed they were broke while secretly sending thousands of dollars to a megachurch.
“My mom said we didn’t have enough money, but I found out she donates thousands of dollars a month to a megachurch,” the person wrote on r/mildlyinfuriating earlier this year. The post, which included a photo of a receipt for a $600 online donation to Bill Winston Ministries, received more than 142,000 likes and more than 7,600 comments.
Don’t miss:
The receipt showed donations such as $300 in tithes, $100 in mission expenses and a $30 donation to the “aircraft fund.” The last one became the focus of ridicule and anger in the comments section. One person wrote: “There has to be this aircraft fund so that Pastor Pants can soar with the eagles and not have to sit next to some poor sinner on a United flight.”
Others pointed out how blatant the fraud was. Another commenter said: “The airplane fund on the receipt is very bold.” Some joked that church leaders couldn’t possibly fly in a “metal tube full of demons” – referring to the televangelist Kenneth CopelandThe infamous explanation for why he needs a private jet.
The screenshot adds to growing frustration with prosperity gospel churches that promise financial blessings to donors. As one person wrote, “It’s not mildly infuriating. It’s infuriating!”
Hot Topic: Have over $100,000 to invest? Charlie Munger says this is the toughest milestone – don’t stand still now. Match with a fiduciary advisor and keep building
Commenters filled the post with personal stories of loved ones who had been caught in a similar cycle. One person said their grandmother lived in a cockroach-infested apartment but gave most of her regular income to the church. Another wrote, “We don’t have enough money for me to go to the doctor or dentist, but we do have enough money to give her church $100 a week.”
The post painted a bleak picture of religious manipulation, with many describing megachurches as cults. Some have called for regulatory action, questioning how these tax-exempt organizations earn millions of dollars. “How is this legal? I think an IRS audit is long overdue. Televangelists are vultures,” one person said.
One of the most supportive comments said bluntly: “These people are nothing but tax-exempt swindlers.”
