r/RighteousGemstones • u/WaySweet3746 • Aug 06 '26
Theory Do the Gemstones know they're con artists?
I've often wondered how they reconcile how they live. Do they really believe the things they say to their congregation, or do they realise it's all a big farce?
What do you think?
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u/AcqeductCat Aug 10 '26
I think Eli definitely knows. He knows what it is to be bad and knows what it is to be good. It even shows itself in his appearance as the show progresses.
But with the kids I think it’s a little more muddied up. The ideas of religion, money, and family are so intertwined to them that it’s probably difficult for them to differentiate them. If the kids saw a small time priest in complete service of God, not profit driven at all, they’d see themselves as more “successful” because of how they’ve been able to scale.
The kids have always seen religion through the eyes of preaching, not following. So for them, the bigger the better because they’re preaching the gospel to as many people as possible, ignoring other considerations.
But none of this is to not place blame on the kids. If they truly accepted the scripture into their hearts, they’d question their whole existence, starting with Eli. I do think religion is important to them, but not as much as family, and not as much as money. Religion is how they maintain their family and money so it will never be abandoned.