Scam Religion: Difference between revisions
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'''NOTE:''' Only add examples that can be objectively verified to be scams according to the narrative. Thus, '''[[No Real Life Examples Please|NO Real Life examples]]''', since we can't see our world from the outside. That includes any religion that ''you'' personally consider to be a scam, no matter what evidence you have or how large majority of mankind agrees with you. If you think this trope is being ''[[Invoked Trope|invoked]]'' in real life, it's probably a [[Parody Religion]]. |
'''NOTE:''' Only add examples that can be objectively verified to be scams according to the narrative. Thus, '''[[No Real Life Examples Please|NO Real Life examples]]''', since we can't see our world from the outside. That includes any religion that ''you'' personally consider to be a scam, no matter what evidence you have or how large majority of mankind agrees with you. If you think this trope is being ''[[Invoked Trope|invoked]]'' in real life, it's probably a [[Parody Religion]]. |
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{{examples |
{{examples}} |
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== Anime and Manga == |
== Anime and Manga == |
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* ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist]]'': The Church of Leto, led by [[Sinister Minister|Father Cornello]], who gathers followers in Lior by convincing them he can do amazing miracles with power given to him by the sun god, Leto. In reality he's just a regular alchemist (and not even a particularly talented one), albeit one with a Philosopher's Stone that enhances his alchemy. Edward uncovers the scam very early on in the manga. Much, ''much'' later, we find out he was going to [[Life Energy|use his follower's souls]] as part of the [[Gambit Pileup]] orchestrated by the [[Big Bad]]. |
* ''[[Fullmetal Alchemist]]'': The Church of Leto, led by [[Sinister Minister|Father Cornello]], who gathers followers in Lior by convincing them he can do amazing miracles with power given to him by the sun god, Leto. In reality he's just a regular alchemist (and not even a particularly talented one), albeit one with a Philosopher's Stone that enhances his alchemy. Edward uncovers the scam very early on in the manga. Much, ''much'' later, we find out he was going to [[Life Energy|use his follower's souls]] as part of the [[Gambit Pileup]] orchestrated by the [[Big Bad]]. |
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** It's implied that the Ishvalan religion was invented by {{spoiler|Father}} in order to have an easy genocide target when the time came. Of course, its also implied that this god intervened in the fight between {{spoiler|Wrath}} and Scar, blinding the former with a ray of light at a key moment, so [[Maybe Magic Maybe Mundane|who knows]]. |
** It's implied that the Ishvalan religion was invented by {{spoiler|Father}} in order to have an easy genocide target when the time came. Of course, its also implied that this god intervened in the fight between {{spoiler|Wrath}} and Scar, blinding the former with a ray of light at a key moment, so [[Maybe Magic, Maybe Mundane|who knows]]. |
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* ''[[The Tatami Galaxy]]'' has a combination religion/pyramid scheme. |
* ''[[The Tatami Galaxy]]'' has a combination religion/pyramid scheme. |
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** Ironically, though Fosterism was founded by scam artists looking to get paid (and laid) by gullible people, their Supreme Bishops {{spoiler|become archangels when they die. Or perhaps resume archangelic identities they had prior to being born on Earth. It's not that clear.}} |
** Ironically, though Fosterism was founded by scam artists looking to get paid (and laid) by gullible people, their Supreme Bishops {{spoiler|become archangels when they die. Or perhaps resume archangelic identities they had prior to being born on Earth. It's not that clear.}} |
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* Bokononism in ''[[Cats Cradle|Cat's Cradle]]''. Quite openly. |
* Bokononism in ''[[Cats Cradle|Cat's Cradle]]''. Quite openly. |
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* Hillman Hunter of ''[[The |
* Hillman Hunter of ''[[The Hitchhiker's Guide to The Galaxy (Franchise)/And Another Thing|And Another Thing]]'' has one of these and is shocked when the apocalypse he's been preaching not only happens, but his cult is let off the planet in time, which (at least superficially) is just as he predicted. |
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* In the ''[[Doctor Who (TV)|Doctor Who]]'' [[Virgin Missing Adventures|Missing Adventures]] novel ''The Crystal Bucephalus'', the Lazarus Intent was deliberately founded by a [[Con Man]] as a source of suckers who would bail him out when he finally got himself into real trouble. |
* In the ''[[Doctor Who (TV)|Doctor Who]]'' [[Virgin Missing Adventures|Missing Adventures]] novel ''The Crystal Bucephalus'', the Lazarus Intent was deliberately founded by a [[Con Man]] as a source of suckers who would bail him out when he finally got himself into real trouble. |
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* The book ''Leaving Fishers'' by Margaret Peterson Haddix is about a girl who joins a cult called Fishers of Men. Among the many other things wrong with it, one thing she finds out at the end {{spoiler|when she de-converts}} is that the head of the cult is using their donations to support a lavish lifestyle, while making it out as though he can barely afford things. {{spoiler|The main character admits to having given the cult her college savings...}} |
* The book ''Leaving Fishers'' by Margaret Peterson Haddix is about a girl who joins a cult called Fishers of Men. Among the many other things wrong with it, one thing she finds out at the end {{spoiler|when she de-converts}} is that the head of the cult is using their donations to support a lavish lifestyle, while making it out as though he can barely afford things. {{spoiler|The main character admits to having given the cult her college savings...}} |
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