More than a Silly Billboard

I thought this post would be just a picture of a funny billboard I saw in Minneapolis:


But it turns out there's more to it than the odd juxtaposition of models and Christ. AMTC, it sounds like, fits into the my sucker born every minute category best.

Here's how it works. Prospective models come for a two- to four-hour audition/religious lecture, held as an advertised special event at your local convention center or similar location. Then the "best" applicants are asked to attend a conference that costs up to $5,000 (not including travel, hotel, or food).

Let's guess what "best" means and how hard it is to get invited to that conference. Probably not too hard, I would predict. The complaints about AMTC verify my suspicion.

And get this. They even a registered a domain name called AMTCscam.com to head off griping. (The is not active, but the domain is owned by Carey Lewis of AMTC, according to a whois search.)

I was intrigued by the .org address shown on the billboard, and it turns out that AMTC does indeed have 501(c)3 status with the IRS.

So it's a scam for Jesus, set up to line the pockets of crooks. And it's tax-exempt to boot.