Senate Committee Investigating Six Major Ministires, From Christianity Today Options

[Panama_Pete]

I actually like Mother Angelica! She is (was) pretty with GREAT wit...she was very wise.

I enjoy watching Mother Angelica, too, but I sift out the kernals of wisdom from the uniquely Catholic theology.

However, like 3ABN, her network, EWTN, isn't completely appreciated in all parts of the world. For instance, the system supplying internet and cable at an air base in Japan seems to be dropping both EWTN (Mother Angelica) and 3ABN now. In fact, when they listed Eternal Word as being dropped, they didn't even get the name of the network correct, and they called it Eternal World.

http://stripes.com/article.asp?section=104...mp;archive=true

Less popular channels, including

• Eternal World Television, (Eternal Word)
• 3ABN
• the Fox Soccer Channel
• and three Fox College Sports channels,

will be removed from Allied’s lineup.

According to an Army and Air Force Exchange Service news release, Allied Telesis will add nine new channels including the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, BBC America, The Learning Channel (TLC) and the Military Channel to its existing lineup. Three of the new channels will be added to tier two and six will be added to tier three.

“We listened to our customers who complained that there were too many religious and sports channels,” said Lorenzo Li Bassi, Allied’s support director.

http://www.alliedtelesyn.com/

This post has been edited by Panama_Pete: Nov 8 2007, 08:10 AM

[Pickle]

That claims that 148 televangelists got faxes. Was Danny on the list? How do we find out?

I called the Senator's D.C. office, and there are only 6, not 148, at this point. The one who answered said to call back on Dec. 7 to find out if they are going to add more ministries and televangelists.

Any you want to suggest that they add to the list?

[Panama_Pete]

I called the Senator's D.C. office, and there are only 6, not 148, at this point. The one who answered said to call back on Dec. 7 to find out if they are going to add more ministries and televangelists.

Any you want to suggest that they add to the list?

The Tampa Tribune originally broke the story. They mention Paula White and "at least five" others:

"In the wake of disclosures that the Whites have treated their parishioners like ATMs with knee rests, Grassley sent a letter to the founders of Without Refunds International Church and at least five other telehucksters demanding to know how these folks of the cloth (Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan, Givenchy) are compensated, the "gifts" they receive, church expenses, credit card statements, cosmetic surgery costs, overseas bank accounts and the use of private aircraft.

Grassley sent similar letters to a who's who of the Praise The Lord and Pass the VISA community of so-called "Christian" television Three Card Monte hustlers: Kenneth Copeland, Eddie Long, Creflo Dollar (don't laugh!), Joyce Meyer and Benny Hinn, whose hair alone deserves congressional scrutiny as follicles of mass hysteria."


http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBZUCWPQ8F.html

[WillowRun]

But preachers, ministers, and evangelists are not called to be God.....

They may not be called to be God, however, they use God's name and God's Son to fleece God's flock. They will have to answer one day for what they've done or left undone. For too many, it seems, ministry has turned into a get rich quick scheme.

Respectfully,
Willow

This post has been edited by WillowRun: Nov 8 2007, 10:28 AM

[YogusBearus]

The Tampa Tribune originally broke the story. They mention Paula White and "at least five" others:

"In the wake of disclosures that the Whites have treated their parishioners like ATMs with knee rests, Grassley sent a letter to the founders of Without Refunds International Church and at least five other telehucksters demanding to know how these folks of the cloth (Ralph Lauren, Donna Karan, Givenchy) are compensated, the "gifts" they receive, church expenses, credit card statements, cosmetic surgery costs, overseas bank accounts and the use of private aircraft.

Grassley sent similar letters to a who's who of the Praise The Lord and Pass the VISA community of so-called "Christian" television Three Card Monte hustlers: Kenneth Copeland, Eddie Long, Creflo Dollar (don't laugh!), Joyce Meyer and Benny Hinn, whose hair alone deserves congressional scrutiny as follicles of mass hysteria."


http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBZUCWPQ8F.html

Huge LOL on the follicles of mass hysteria. Viewed up close, Benny's hair is a miracle of engineering.

-bear

[Snoopy]

Bottom line. people have the right to give to and support whom they please. That they make poor choices and support people that live lavishly off their funds is not a legal issue. It's a moral issue. Senators pimp more side money and lavish lifestyles than anyone else, all under the guise of being a public servant. So, what is the problem?

Respectfully, it most certainly IS a legal issue if the donor funds were obtained under false pretenses.

Just because we can point to other questionable business dealings does not make other behaviors acceptable. JMO.

[Johann]

Respectfully, it most certainly IS a legal issue if the donor funds were obtained under false pretenses.

Just because we can point to other questionable business dealings does not make other behaviors acceptable. JMO.

Isn't that the established pattern of televangelist, finding out it the other one gets away with it?

This post has been edited by Johann: Nov 8 2007, 02:26 PM

[simplysaved]

I'm sorry, but I believe that your statement is an overgeneralization to a degree. The reality is television and media based ministries take alot of money, takes away ones privacy (which is priceless), and brings you under scrutiny. God does not have a problem with wealth, otherwise he would not have blessed Abraham. It is the love of wealth and pursuit of wealth for the sake of self that God has a problem with and calls that love for it the root of all evil.

Consider this: If I write a book, I'm listing myself as the author. As I start my faith-based business/ministry, my name is on it. I do the work, I get paid. What I do after all of this and the money comes in speaks to what's in my heart---and my walk with Jesus. Who I give glory to for the fruit born of those things speaks to conversion, but is not an indication that having wealth is sin. What a few do wrong does not make wealth wrong. There is no glory or "humility rights" in being poor!

What makes me is when our churches plan something and end up BEGGING FOR MONEY to pay people or putting together something from the early 20th century and wondering why no one is joining the church.

They may not be called to be God, however, they use God's name and God's Son to fleece God's flock. They will have to answer one day for what they've done or left undone. For too many, it seems, ministry has turned into a get rich quick scheme.

Respectfully,
Willow

[lurker]

This is a link to a webpage that has links to the letters from Senator Grassley's office to the 6 ministries that he is putting the spotlight on

Grassley

[calvin]

I called the Senator's D.C. office, and there are only 6, not 148, at this point. The one who answered said to call back on Dec. 7 to find out if they are going to add more ministries and televangelists.

Any you want to suggest that they add to the list?

I read one of the letters from the Senator. Very interesting. Some of the allegations where very specific to the ministry. Like the use of Jets, gifts, book deals, sounds familiar? There has certainly been enough said here on BSDA to raise the senator's interest.

[Fran]

This is a link to a webpage that has links to the letters from Senator Grassley's office to the 6 ministries that he is putting the spotlight on

Grassley

Thanks Lurker! The contact of form works great!

[Panama_Pete]

This is a link to a webpage that has links to the letters from Senator Grassley's office to the 6 ministries that he is putting the spotlight on

Grassley

See this posting, too, regarding the Trinity Foundation

http://www.blacksda.com/forums/index.php?s...mp;#entry223669

[Pickle]

I read one of the letters from the Senator. Very interesting. Some of the allegations where very specific to the ministry. Like the use of Jets, gifts, book deals, sounds familiar? There has certainly been enough said here on BSDA to raise the senator's interest.

Someone could even write up a letter (using these others as a sort of model) that the Senator could modify and send out if he so desires.

I've got plenty of other things to write, so I can't tackle that one.

[beartrap]

Through stolen dreams, the rulers of the mind rule. Seizing the desires, needs, loves, and passions of individuals and groups, they project them back and fool the victim into hoping or believing that the thief will become the vehicle for achieving those things that they dreamed. The victim does not see a thief, but one who holds their dreams and offers the key to making them real.

In the "Prosperity Doctrine" the dreams of healing and money are the carrot that is held out as the reward for sending money to the person projecting the dream back. They empathize with the victims through personal testimony of matters that relate to the suffering or need that the victim has. Having won the victim's trust through demonstrating that they have walked in their shoes and care for them, they go on to tell the victims that if they will just show their faith in God by sending in donations, their faith will be rewarded in fulfillment of those dreams.

With others the needs and cultural views are different. Where a dream may be the coming of the Lord, or alleviation of guilt for not having done more for God, the religious leaders can hold forth the dream of stars in the crown for those who support God's work that is accomplishing the soon-coming of the Lord by taking "an end-time message" to all of those people out there who don't have the truth. It can bring in to their homes what they miss, what they want to see and make them feel that they are a part of reaching people with their own unique doctrines, thereby making them good people. It places the people in a position of resposibility for the support of the organization, or person who holds the key to the hikacked dreams in order to see the dreams come true.

In either case, there are those who take dreams and dangle carrots, and those whose dreams have been taken, and who want desperately to believe that by doing what their dream-holder says is neccessary, they will get what they need.

The same is true of politics, and so much more.

This post has been edited by beartrap: Nov 14 2007, 12:41 AM

[LaurenceD]

Just saw this update on CNN...

Believer bitter over 'prosperity' preachings
http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/wayoflife/1...s.ap/index.html

and

Televangelist refuses to turn over more financial documents
http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/07/pro...hers/index.html

Fleenor ended up borrowing money from friends and payday loan companies just to buy groceries. At first she believed the explanation given on television: Her faith wasn't strong enough.

Some ministers hold up their own wealth as evidence that the teaching works. Atlanta-area pastor Creflo Dollar, who is fighting Grassley's inquiry, owns a Rolls Royce and multimillion-dollar homes and travels in a church-owned Learjet.

Learjet....hmmmm.