Televangelists are the scum of the earth . . .

[peewee's lovechild]

It looks like the government is going to come down on them pretty hard.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/06/cbsnews_investigates/main3456977.shtml

************************************************** **********************************

(CBS) This story was written and reported by Laura Strickler of the CBS News Investigative Unit.

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CBS News has learned Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, is investigating six prominent televangelist ministries for possible financial misconduct.

Letters were sent Monday to the ministries demanding that financial statements and records be turned over to the committee by December 6th.

According to Grassley's office, the Iowa Republican is trying to determine whether or not these ministries are improperly using their tax-exempt status as churches to shield lavish lifestyles.

The six ministries identified as being under investigation by the committee are led by: Paula White, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long, Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn. Three of the six - Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland and Creflo Dollar - also sit on the Board of Regents for the Oral Roberts University.

A spokesperson for Joyce Meyer Ministries provided CBS News with an IRS letter to the ministry dated October 10, 2007, that stated: "We determined that you continue to qualify as an organization exempt from Federal income tax." The letter could not be independently verified in time for this story. The ministry also pointed to audited financial statements for the last three years that are posted on the organization's Web site.

In a statement, Benny Hinn's spokesperson, Ronn Torossian, said the ministry was in the process of determining the best course of action in response to the Senate investigation. "World Healing Center Church complies with the laws that govern church and non-profit organizations and will continue to do so," Torossian wrote.

In a statement to CBS News, Creflo Dollar called his ministry an "open book" and said he would comply with any "valid request" from Grassley. But he noted that the inquiry raised questions that could "affect the privacy of every community church in America."

The other three ministries did not respond to requests for comment from CBS News on Monday.

Because they have tax status as churches, the ministries do not have to file IRS 990 forms like other non-profit organizations - leaving much financial information largely behind closed doors.

The letters sent Monday were the culmination of a long investigation fueled in part by complaints from Ole Anthony, a crusader against religious fraud who operates the Dallas-based Trinity Foundation, which describes itself as a watchdog monitoring religious media, fraud and abuse. "We've been working with them for two years," Anthony told CBS News. "We have furnished them with enough information to fill a small Volkswagen."

Anthony said after twenty years of working with media organizations to expose televangelists, he saw little reform. He says that's why he turned to another tactic, going straight to Grassley. He is confident that Grassley's inquiry will be different, "What we hope is that this will lead to reform in religious nonprofits."

The structure of many televangelist organizations - in which the leadership is often concentrated in one person or one family - has itself been the target of criticism. "Churches like these are ruled as a dictatorship," says Rod Pitzer, who directs research at Ministry Watch in North Carolina, which provides advice for donors to Christian organizations.

Pitzer welcomes the Senate committee investigation. Ministries lacking accountability, he says, "give a black eye to churches and Christians who are trying to do things in the right manner."


By Laura Strickler © MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.

[Mister Sinister]

Good. Televangelists are #2 on my list of "Things I hate about my religion"

[CuckingFunt]

I'm torn, here.

Scum of the earth or not, some of that shit is hilarious to watch.

[Viva Las Espuelas]

copeland and hinn are snakes. i'm surprised they've taken this long to get them.

[exstatic]

Cornerstone Chubster ain't missing any meals, either.

[peewee's lovechild]

The need to go after the Oral Roberts University.

Fuck, they need to bring down the entire Pat Robertson empire.

[CuckingFunt]

The need to go after the Oral Roberts University.

Fuck, they need to bring down the entire Pat Robertson empire.Have you ever been to the ORU campus? It's both fascinating and creepy.

GIANT bronze statue of praying hands, wonderfully tacky 1970's architechture, and the infamous prayer tower. Weird place.

[Mister Sinister]

The need to go after the Oral Roberts University.

Fuck, they need to bring down the entire Pat Robertson empire.
I agree. Fuck, I hate televangelists. It's why I find myself apologizing (albeit jokingly) for being Christian.

[1369]

Didn't Hinn already get tagged once before?

[peewee's lovechild]

Have you ever been to the ORU campus? It's both fascinating and creepy.

GIANT bronze statue of praying hands, wonderfully tacky 1970's architechture, and the infamous prayer tower. Weird place.

I'd like to go . . . dressed as Satan.

[peewee's lovechild]

Didn't Hinn already get tagged once before?

I'm not sure, but I hope they nail him this time around.

[atxrocker]

i consider joel osteen the single person that i hate most in this world.

[exstatic]

i consider joel osteen the single person that i hate most in this world.
I had to laugh when his wife threw some kind of snit and got the whole family tossed of of their flight to their ski vacation in Colorado one year.

[thispego]

you mean you can buy your way in to heaven???

[thispego]

super-church here i come!

[atxrocker]

I had to laugh when his wife threw some kind of snit and got the whole family tossed of of their flight to their ski vacation in Colorado one year.


i laughed too. if they get a private plane, i hope it crashes.

[Avitus1]

Pat Robertson definitely needs to be brought down.

[Shelly]

It amazes me how much money people give to these evangelists.

[Trainwreck2100]

It amazes me how much money people give to these evangelists.

Same here, hey people GOD DON'T WANT YOUR MONEY

[exstatic]

...I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.

[Mister Sinister]

...I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.
:toast :tu

[peewee's lovechild]

if people want to waste their money on this kind of stuff

so be it

It's not that they want to, they're being conned into doing it.

These sorry sack of shit mother fuckers prey on people that only have faith left in their lives. People who are stuck in a shit position in life. People who have tried every thing else and they left with just their faith.

It's these people that the cocksuckers prey upon, because they know that the victims would give anything up to be closer to their god/faith.

Fuck televangelists. All those motherfuckers should be in jail for ripping off the poor and the desperate.

[CuckingFunt]

Fuck televangelists. All those motherfuckers should be in jail for ripping off the poor and the desperate.

And the elderly.

[inconvertible]

they talk about "harvest" all the time. I called them and said I wanted a HUGE harvest and then proceeded to ask them for agricultural advise. they hung up on me???

[inconvertible]

God Does Not Need Money, He Only Wants Your Soul........don't You Losers(dumb Asses Send Them Money) Understand That?????

[Duff McCartney]

I personally don't think any church or organization should be tax exempt. But that's just me.

On the topic at hand...televangelists are scum...it is only the meek that shall in inherit the earth...and they aren't meek

On the subject of Joel Osteen....I only like him because I agree when he said that Jesus is not necesseraily the way into heaven and that only god can look into a persons heart. A little more open minded than most evangelists.

[Buddy Holly]

Doesn't Paula White live in San Antonio now?

[AlamoSpursFan]

As long as they leave Robert Tilton alone.

Dude is a National Treasure.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=SmwfkINclkw

Amen.

[AlamoSpursFan]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=DIhv26Lh460

PRAISE the Lord!

[CuckingFunt]

I'd support this guy (http://youtube.com/watch?v=16YGYVEuWRs)'s ministry.

[Buddy Holly]

Doesn't Paula White live in San Antonio now?

It seems she does. Bought a 3,300 sq ft home in Boerne or Fair Oaks Ranch. I'm sure she paid with her 9-5 office job money. :lol

[BeerIsGood!]

Just like L. Ron Hubbard figured out years ago and many others figured out years before him... you can make people buy anything if you convince them it will save their souls. Abusing the name of God is a huge profit making venture for those cold enough to prey on the means of the willing and the gullible.

[BeerIsGood!]

Choosing a religion is a lot like choosing which e-commerce site to buy software from. You never know for sure who's legit and who's a snake.

[Twisted_Dawg]

Doesn't Paula White live in San Antonio now?

She bought a big fancy mansion in Boerne which is near the big fancy house of that minister who has that Family Worship church on Loop 410. Paula "ministers" to him and his flacid flock. He got divorced last year and she is getting divorced. Hmmmm.........

Paul also owns a mansion in Tampa and a luxury penthouse on Park Avenue.

[Twisted_Dawg]

How about that little sick fuck who is on in the mornings who gives away that "miracle water" from the Holy Lands that will cure all ailments? Peter Popoff I think is the name......pure fucking snake.

[Twisted_Dawg]

I had to laugh when his wife threw some kind of snit and got the whole family tossed of of their flight to their ski vacation in Colorado one year.

Joels cunt wife went off on a flight attendant as the flight attendant was "too slow" in wiping down a leather seat in first class for her.

[peewee's lovechild]

I only like him because I agree when he said that Jesus is not necesseraily the way into heaven and that only god can look into a persons heart. A little more open minded than most evangelists.

That goes against the entire concept of being a Christian.

[Twisted_Dawg]

I personally don't think any church or organization should be tax exempt. But that's just me.

On the topic at hand...televangelists are scum...it is only the meek that shall in inherit the earth...and they aren't meek

On the subject of Joel Osteen....I only like him because I agree when he said that Jesus is not necesseraily the way into heaven and that only god can look into a persons heart. A little more open minded than most evangelists.

When did Osteen say that? Can you post a link?

[clambake]

isn't there one, specific poster that hasn't weighed in on this thread?....

[peewee's lovechild]

isn't there one, specific poster that hasn't weighed in on this thread?....

Who would that be?

[peewee's lovechild]

Ashbeeigh?

[peewee's lovechild]

G.o.d.?

[clambake]

phenomenul

[ploto]

I actually like that Osteen preaches a positive message- that God wants people to have wonderful lives and see their dreams come true-- rather than the brimstone, hellfire, and damnation of many televangelists.

I don't think he even asks viewers to send in money- does he?

[Summers]

I actually like that Osteen preaches a positive message- that God wants people to have wonderful lives and see their dreams come true-- rather than the brimstone, hellfire, and damnation of many televangelists.

I don't think he even asks viewers to send in money- does he?

That dude is creepy looking.

[boutons_]

"that God wants people to have wonderful lives"

duh, if God even cares. Man's great, self-consoling conceit is that God GAF about him.

"and see their dreams come true"

What are their dreams? Probably materialistic (wealth, power, ownership) dreams rather than spiritual dreams. I don't follow Osteen but I've seen criticisms that say his message, his tone, his sub-text is too materialistic.

The almost total emphasis on the Christ-and-love-free OT of the "Christian" radicals is that scare-mongering "sells", like it does for the dubya and dickhead and Julie-Annie and other Repugs. People like to be OT/scared (negative, easy) rather then NT/love (positive, hard).

Jewish Lewis Black has a great, funny jokes on Christians misinterpreting the (Jewish) OT.

[Condemned 2 HelLA]

"Make Me Laugh"-Anthrax

Spread the word
Through me God is heard
You're making me laugh
Tell me your killin' joke
Evangelist
You're making me laugh
Jesus saves
But only after I've been paid
You're making me laugh
Tell me your killin' joke
Evangelist
End your hoax

God says have a T.V. show
God says baby do some blow
God says taxes are a sin
God says pour the money in
Rape the poor, faith no more
Faith for cash, make me laugh
Faith no more, face the whore
Rape your past, make me laugh

Never, never, ever sin
Unless God says to stick it in
You're making me laugh
Tell me your killin' joke
Evangelist
The truth can choke
Defrocked from your seat
Don't shit where you eat
You're making me laugh
Tell me your killin' joke
That God talks to you
There's no hope

God says have a T.V. show
God says baby do some blow
God says taxes are a sin
God says pour the money in
Rape the poor, faith no more
Faith for cash, make me laugh
Faith no more, face the whore
Rape your past, make me laugh

God says have a swimming pool
God say keep the doghouse cool
God says planes and boats and cars
God says have an amusement park
God says go and masturbate
God says file taxes late
God says paint your face all sick
God says be a real prick
God says have a T.V. show
God says baby do some blow
God says taxes are a sin
God says pour the money in

[DarkReign]

C2H, consider your sig stolen. That zombie beatdown kicks ass.

[Condemned 2 HelLA]

C2H, consider your sig stolen. That zombie beatdown kicks ass.

I swiped it too, so no harm no foul.

[Condemned 2 HelLA]

I'd like to go . . . dressed as Satan.


http://www.franksreelreviews.com/reviews/2006/jackass2-2.jpg

[peewee's lovechild]

^^^^^
That's exactly how I envisioned it!!!!!

[Holt's Cat]

How did Osteen and Hagee elude this investigation?

[clambake]

don't know about osteen, but hagee would lead right back to the WH. considering he spent time, every week at the WH, the question marks would be unavoidable.

i was thinking of haggard. my mistake

[Borosai]

Yes, they are.

[UV Ray]

Have you ever been to the ORU campus? It's both fascinating and creepy.

GIANT bronze statue of praying hands, wonderfully tacky 1970's architechture, and the infamous prayer tower. Weird place.

No, but I shopped at the Wal-Mart across the street. Definitely a weird feel to the area... kind of a cross between Salt Lake City after 10pm and Jonestown.

[Sapphire]

How did Osteen and Hagee elude this investigation?

Question of the year.

[UV Ray]

Question of the year.
There should be an investigation into Osteen's affairs if for no other reason than to find out what's causing that permanent grin.

[Duff McCartney]

That goes against the entire concept of being a Christian.

That's open to interpretation. But that's neither here nor there.

[Duff McCartney]

When did Osteen say that? Can you post a link?

Damn now I can't find it...I saw it on his wikipedia page with a link. But now it got deleted.

[Extra Stout]

I actually like that Osteen preaches a positive message- that God wants people to have wonderful lives and see their dreams come true-- rather than the brimstone, hellfire, and damnation of many televangelists.

I don't think he even asks viewers to send in money- does he?
While it may be a "positive" message, it is not, however, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

[Duff McCartney]

While it may be a "positive" message, it is not, however, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Is anything in the New Testament really the gospel of Jesus? It's all what someone else said he said.

[AlamoSpursFan]

There should be an investigation into Osteen's affairs if for no other reason than to find out what's causing that permanent grin.

The fact that his "church" used to be The Summit?

:lol