Comments on: Baptist Senator’s War On Prosperity Preachers

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 18:11:00 +0000

Prosperous Thoughts – Here is a fine experiment. Write to a prosperity preacher and ask him or her to tithe his or her personal income to you. The multi-millionaire will probably think, who are you to get such an income? You will have made the preacher think, however briefly. — Robert Winker Burke

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 22:09:00 +0000

I am Shocked, Shocked! – Of the six prosperity preacher families sent US Senate Finance Committee letters on 11/5/07 requesting information, perhaps some might use the Claude Rains Gambit. This is the famous scene in the movie Casablanca where Rick Blaine (played by Humphrey Bogart) asks why his restaurant is being closed. Captain Louis Renault (played by Claude Rains) replies, “I am shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on here!” Whereupon the croupier hands him a roll of bills and says, “Your winnings, sir.” He pockets the cash and says, “Oh. Thank you very much.”
Robert Winkler Burke http://www.inthatdayteachings.com

By: Greg Tomlin

Greg Tomlin — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 23:17:00 +0000

$23,000 toilets? We all know that such lavish seating is normally reserved only for Congress. Perhaps that is why the government is investigating.

By: Big Daddy Weave

Big Daddy Weave — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 23:30:00 +0000

As a side note: The CBS Article points out that Ole Anthony (owner of The Wittenburg Door who operates the Dallas-based Trinity Foundation) has played a role in lobbying Grassley to investigate. Anthony is quoted as saying - “We’ve been working with them for two years…We have furnished them with enough information to fill a small Volkswagen.”

If anyone remembers, Ole Anthony helped bring down televangelist Robert Tilton. Ole exposed Tilton for his lavish lifestyle which included throwing away prayer requests without reading them and racking in an estimated 80 million a year through gifts and love offerings.

By: D.R.

D.R. — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 21:07:00 +0000

I am torn on this one. I very much see your complaint about the lavishness of these ministers’ lifestyles and I absolutely hate the prosperity gospel (notice the intentional lower case “g”). And I would be glad to see any one of these serpents exposed for the frauds they are. But, on the other hand, I too am worried about the prescedent set by any such investigation and the comment made by Grassley regarding IRS reform. As much as moderates and liberals bemoan the alarmism by some conservatives over a future IRS (or worse) fight over homosexuality and hate crimes legislation, this has to worry those who see a possible slippery slope in the making, as Charles Haynes points out.

By: Lee

Lee — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 16:38:00 +0000

The problem with these kinds of investigations is that the end result is a three inch binder full of onerous regulations that local churches must follow. The abusers have the money to hire the lawyers they need to avoid the consequences of an investigation.

I just finished the process of designating my ministerial expense reimbursement account, housing allowance designation, and a whole book of other paperwork for next year’s budget, just to make sure that every penny I spend is legitimate to either deduct from my taxes or be reimbursed to me as non-taxable income. I’ve been burned twice as a result of not being in exact compliance with regulations that a seasoned tax accountant with thirty years of ministerial tax experience couldn’t figure out.

I’d like to see Senator Grassley start at the top, with the major corporations that do the biggest rip-offs, the prescription drug companies, insurance companies and oil companies, and work his way down to the televangelists. We don’t have a choice with big business, we do with televangelists.

By: Chuck

Chuck — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 15:32:00 +0000

I agree with you. Congress has become way too “investigative.” A non-profit should have the IRS to answer to for keeping or losing its status.

By: bowtiebaptist

bowtiebaptist — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 09:45:00 +0000

As a strict separationist I think that Grassley has gone much too far in his zeal to clean up abuse. Although we might be rightly upset with the abuse that is occuring with these prosperity gospel types, we cannot invite the government to police or reform them. Those who give their money to these questionable ministries should hold them accountable.

One major problem with inviting governmental oversight is the fact that once you have invited them in there is no way to get them out.

Michael Dain

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 09:01:00 +0000

The senator posted the letters to the 6.

Seems to me these are questions any denominational accounting department would have no trouble answering.

It doesn't matter what I say,
Investigative programs from other countries have looked at some of these ministries - the IRS has investigated. And as soon as they are out of sight, it's business as usual.

Bene D