America has found a way to make a business out of anything. Behind every successful individual is an insatiable quench for power and although their drive is admirable, the climb to the top can bring out the worst in people. The American Dream seems more unattainable now than ever, the rich get richer but the poor get poorer and the middle class is now disappearing. There is always a shiny new product to hit the markets that has a broad appeal no matter how costly it may be, and behind that product is a genius marketing team. In Sinclair Lewis’s Elmer Gantry, lousy salesman Elmer finds his niche for marketing in the revivalist movement as a successful preacher. Although it is never clear whether Elmer himself believes in God, he sells the idea of repent and salvation to the masses, quickly filling seats in the house and bringing in big bucks to the church. It becomes clear that Religion is treated as a business, and in order to get the numbers all morals go out the window. Even though this film takes place in 1920, not much has changed in America. Today all of America’s great corporations are influenced by their stakeholders. Companies will do anything in order to create the greatest margins. America’s love of money and power has turned it into a corrupt, dog eat dog world, where every man must fend for himself. The saying “money is the root of all evil” is more relevant now than ever. Pharmaceutical companies are selling drugs that make lifelong clients, not treating patients. Many scientific reports have come out regarding the safety of new age drugs, however Doctors are still prescribing and endorsing those same drugs. These pharmaceutical companies buy out the doctor’s morals with money. And while these reports are available to the public, people are still willing to listen to their doctors because of the power they hold; much like sister Sharon Falconer’s followers chose to believe that she could truly heal the sick through the power of the holy spirit. Although alcohol and cigarettes are two of the top causes for death in America, they are still on the market and thriving. Once again, people are well aware of their dangers but chose to ignore them because these are some of the most influential corporate companies in America. Money equals power and there are not many people that are willing to challenge those in power. The more money someone makes, the more power they gain, the more money they want. This has become a vicious cycle that drives the forces of corporate America today. All aspects of American life have become a business, and religion is not exempt. I recently watched a PBS documentary called Secrets of the Vatican which covered some of the most infamous scandals surrounding the Catholic Church that led up to the downfall of Pope Benedict’s papacy. I have always felt as though religion has been an excuse to keep grown men in power with the pretense of bringing them closer to God. The Catholic church is especially hypocritical in my eyes and this documentary proved what I believed to be true. Much like the characters in Elmer Gantry closely involved with sister Falcone’s revivalist church, the
