Devilish Money

At times in my life, I have thought that maybe, just maybe, all of the ideas about “how to make money utilizing the latest gimmick” had been mined and thoroughly beaten to a pulp. I’m not talking about new inventions or ideas, I’m talking about the “how to” books you see that continually appear on the new release shelf at your local bookstore. Yesterday, I was treated to a brand new idea which if you would have asked me for a thousand ideas on how to make money, I could have honestly told you that I would never have guessed the method of this newly released book. The title of the book I ran across is, “How To Profit From The Coming Rapture: Getting Ahead When You’re Left Behind.”

Following the title, the book proudly states “The investment guide the Anti-Christ doesn’t want you to read.” Here’s a short excerpt from the book: “…how to exploit the inevitable demise of the world in order to make a tidy profit. Sure, the rivers and seas will run with blood, locusts will swarm, mountains will move all over the place, and famine will strike. But for the five billion of us left behind, the post-Rapture world will be a time of even more unique investment opportunities.”

The writers achieved two things in my case. Number one, they created a book which interested me enough to pick up and revel in complete wonderment about how this pair of authors actually received payment to write such a book. Number two, they made me feel complete disgust towards them and their willingness to prey upon such a topic.

Oh, but it’s a book meant to be sarcastic, or funny even you may say… that’s fine and that’s your point of view. My point of view is much different. Maybe we should write a sarcastic and funny book about paraplegics or other disabled people. Maybe we should write a book about how to make money off the autistic children of our society. Maybe we should write a funny book about how terrorists continually murder innocent people. Different subject matter, but still not a funny topic… am I right? What exactly is funny about the Rapture in the eyes of the faithful Christian? Nothing.

People have made fun of religion since the dawn of time, but there are times when I think sarcasm and wit go a bit too far. This is one of those instances. Each and every situation in our world can be exploited to make money off of, but is it the right thing to do? Is it even right to write about it? Is it right to entertain such ideas even in a joking manner?

I have a problem with the publishers pursuing such a book let alone the writers conceiving and following through on their idea. Has our country become so desensitized that nothing is out of bounds when facing the all mighty profit motive? Has our daily life become so commoditized that nothing is sacred? As I have stated before, America still considers itself a Christian nation. When did we find it ok to make fun of it?

Everything is fun and games as long as it makes money right? I personally love comedy and sarcasm, but this particular book has put me in awe. Next thing we know, I’ll see a book about how to make millions by selling bread and rice to the starving in Africa. But hey, it’s a sarcastic and funny book… you must have missed the point. No, the point is that the subject matter isn’t funny and never will be no matter what looking glass you are peering through. Some things are best left to your inner voice and never allowed to see the public view.