Praise his mighty lord!

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Master Baiter Joined: 11 Apr 2007 Posts: 101

This may be an obvious question, but I wanted to know the truth anyway.
Do these nigerians really care so much in faith or is it an act? Because it seems to me they are very religious, and even herded into it by their strong beliefs. But, how does that make them feel about their conning? They don't see themselves as hypocrits or sinners? Maybe that has to do with the way their culture honors frauding?
I guess it doesn't make much difference to the fact they can be played with so easily by email "reverands" and such. Still its interesting to know what the he11 these guys are thinking

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 29 Apr 2007 Posts: 10

I don't know much about modern theological trends outside the USA, but I think it's an act. They probably figure that by putting up a "good Christian" facade, they become more trustworthy in the eyes of Westerners, whom they bet on being either Christian or at least sympathetic towards Christians. It's cynical and utterly shameless, but it probably works, at least to a degree.

Even by USA standards, it would take a pretty hardcore fire-and-brimstone holy roller to pour as much religiosity onto a business transaction as these scammers often seem to.

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 3:36 am

As with everything Laddish, there's a spectrum.

Some adopt a Christian personality because they think it makes them more believable. If necessary, they would become Zoroastrians or Cao Dai in an instant.

Others do believe in a god, but not as a moral force as in traditional Christianity, but more as a benevolent being who hands out sweeties to all and sundry, whatever their moral outlook. More like Santa Claus than a religious figure.

So they have no trouble in genuinely believing amongst themselves that god will help them successfully scam innocent victims.

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 29 Apr 2007 Posts: 10

Additionally, even if their professed religion would ordinarily condemn their behavior, it wouldn't matter.

Ever since people began to devise legal and ethical codes of conduct for each other, they have also been finding ways around, under or through those codes to rationalize or even justify nasty behavior.

Good people will do good things and evil people will do evil things, regardless of religion; religion just affects the way that person frames their actions in their own mind. (Of course, real-world morality is more complicated than simple good and evil, but you get the idea.)

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 3:52 am

Christianity, and religion in general for that matter, has a long history of performing acts that are directly against things that they represent. (think: Spanish inquisition, or the Crusades) The lads are no different. They believe in Christianity and black magic even tho these two things are diametric opposites.

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 4:29 am

I've gotten a number of lads mad as hell by using blasphemy, often whether they start off with the "in Jesus name" stuff or not. Many of them seem to have a set of morals (albeit different from ours) that they're pretty serious about.

Like the above posts, there is definitely much we don't know for sure about these people. It's also a known fact that for centuries people have rationalized their actions, even justified them, with their "faith".

I think some of them are downright for real with it, since I've had a couple of lads actually refuse to accept any payments from a member of the church of satan! One of them even insisted I stop e-mailing him and said I could come back if I ever found Jesus, and said he prayed for my salvation! Go figure...

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 5:35 am

Put the high and mighty to the test. Take a few roller scammers and ask them if they will accept ill gotten goods. A Sony Vaio sent from a computer store to you by mistake. A case of cell phones taken from the business that you clean at night. What about some money stolen from your church. We pretty much know what the answer is, but it would be nice to put them through the test.

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 6:06 am

When it comes to a scam, the mugus put religion aside as long as they think they are getting money.

If they they think they are getting good money they will pretent to convert to any religion Laughing

money talks.

I have encountered a few lads who are religious and wont participate in any type of ceremony, but they can be counted in one hand.

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 8:31 am

Like B.A. Ware said being religious has never stopped people from committing crimes, even in the name of said religion. So lads might or might not be deeply religious, but I doubt this would affect their day job.

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 9:29 am

Of course they are religious. Why do you think you never hear from them on a Sunday? Laughing

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 9:32 am

Even though I am not religious at all and usually have a strong dislike towards religion (which should not be discussed here), I have to say that I don�t think that religion has anything to do with their action. They don�t use it to justify what they do, nor do they let it get into their way.
But they will use religion for their needs when they feel like it. Let me quote a lad (it�s from the lad that came with the burned victim format). Even though I am anything but religious even I got pissed off big time by this abuse of religion:

lad wrote:

I know that you are trying to be careful, but i don't believe that someone created by God Almighty can dream to scam you with such a story. Because,if any human being dose that, it is a very big wickedness and God is watching everyone of us. We can not hide anything from God.

Master Baiter Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 149

Depends - some freak out when I ask them to renounce christ. Others just belly up to the bar and do it. But my gut feeling is that they are very religious. Maybe my next church should be Church of Lads. . . for orphen lads in camps with metal boxes of cash. Yeah, I'm doing it.

BTW, Chipmunk is now a NINJA Chipmunk.

Behold!

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 9:12 pm

I have a feeling that some lads use their percieved greed of the victim as an excuse. Greed is one of the seven deadly sins in Christian tradition. To punish this sin (ironically by satisfying your own greed and commit loads of other sins) could be considered 'pious' by some lads.
Another often misused quote is that 'A poor man is allowed to take bread', basically using the lads percieved poverty as an excuse to steal from the rich.

At the end, of course it is all bullshit. BA ware�s one is good as well.

(Note: I'm not religious)

Posted: Mon Apr 30, 2007 10:02 pm

I had a lad go completely apes*** on me when my character told him she was an Atheist Shocked

I got a wonderful rant from the lad about evolution.
Short bait though....

*** BANNED *** Joined: 19 Jul 2004 Posts: 140

Most people who profess belief in a religion, don't really believe in it, and are mostly saying it because they seek to conform.

I see no reason why Nigerians should be different.

*** BANNED *** Joined: 12 Dec 2005 Posts: 32

The lads intentionally "misunderstand"

Matthew 4.19 wrote:

He said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men."

as an instruction to betray people and in revenge God created the baiters

Proverbs 4.19 wrote:

The way of the wicked is like darkness; they know not on what they stumble.

to punish the lads.