Peale’s proto-prosperity preaching actually complimented the scarcity mentality Fred continued to cling to. For him, it was not, “the more you have, the more you can give,” which sounds like an actual tenet of Christianity. No, in my family, the belief was, “the more you have, the more you have.” Financial worth was the same as self-worth. Monetary value was human value. The more Fred Trump had, the better he was than everybody else.
If he gave something to somebody else, that person would be worth more and he would be worth less. This is an attitude he would pass on to Donald. What does that say about religion in my family? Starting with my grandfather, the only thing that mattered, the only thing they believed in was money. God did not enter into the equation and never once did I see any sincere professions of faith in God.
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