A US senator has asked for the financial records of 6 televangelists.
Sen. Charles Grassley of R- Iowa, chairman ranking member of the Finance committee has sent out a letter asking for the financial records 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 ‘prosperity’ gospel TV leaders sit on on the board of Oral Roberts University which is currently being sued by three professors for wrongful dismissal. (Copeland, Dollar and Hinn) The Trinity Foundation has worked with media for years attempting to expose laxes in tax exempt status as well as fraud.
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.”
There are voluntary financial accountability groups in the US such as Ministry Watch and The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.
Dollar, Hinn, Meyer and Copeland are seen in Canada on Vision TV. Dollar, Hinn, Meyers are broadcast on The Miracle Channel, Copeland, Meyer, Hinn, and Dollar are also broadcast on CTS. The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability operates in Canada, as well as The Canadian Council of Christian Charities.
I’m not at all optimistic the US Senate committee will do anything more than generate noise. There are numerous books and websites that explain the false theology of these businesses and call for investigations into finances. TV networks all over the world have exposed unaccountable televangelists, but as long as people keep giving them money, they’ll exist.
What is Word-Faith-Prosperity Gospel?
The main publication for the Word-Faith movement is Charisma Magazine
Update: The senator has posted the six letters. Each letter has requests specifics to the recepient, along with standard record requests for a three year period.
via: Bible Belt Blogger
Published 1 year ago
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I think Religion and Faith have gotten a lot of negativity.As a Christian, this situation builds me up,and fortifies my Beliefs. We must stand firm to our Heart,no matter what people say. The Bible is Truth,and these Soldiers of “God’s army” will not back down from leading His “flock”.
Webster. religion, noun:
(1): the service and worship of God or the supernatural
(2): commitment or devotion to religious faith or observance:
a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices
(3)archaic : scrupulous conformity : conscientiousness
(4): a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith
Christianity is a religion, no argument there Rosie.
To label believers as merely soldiers or flock would be to do a great disservice.
These 6 mentioned head up media businesses, most people understand that.
The rule of law applies to everyone.
My question is this: are any of these ‘ministries’ subject to denominational oversight, or are they all independents?
The people who donate to these ministries give to more than the prosperity message, they believe these ministries have a heart to help others, and they do. They reach and feed and help thousands of people worldwide!!!I have no problem with taking care and providing well for the laborer. The laborer is worthy of his hire. I believe these ministers are God’s ministers. They may live luxuriously, but they did not start there. They toiled for many years, and in the process have helped many people. Their worldwide ministries have been built on their hard work, and I believe sincere heart. They strive to spread the gospel of Jesus’s love all over the world in many biblical ways, besides the prosperity message. Did the senators letter ask what good they have done. NO! He is just on a witch hunt. The negative publicity these ministries have received, before all the facts are known is shameful. They asked Joyce Meyers about purchases made for her office. I would like to ask all politicians if they have ever spent money that was not theirs on something that would not benefit their constituents. They spend our hard earned money that we pay in taxes everyday-they increase their incomes, use all kinds of perks provided by tax dollars, and we know because of recent events that many have been bought. We have all heard about government beaurocracy, and about outrageous government spending.
I believe these ministries are making a difference in so many lives. Shame on us for not investigating the ministries before putting out information that perhaps will damage and cause these ministries to spend time and money protecting themselves against beaurocracy.
All structures are subject to regulation and all structures are subject to abuse simply because human beings are part of them.
These businesses (ministries) have been given the right and privilege of certain exemptions.
They are not above the law.
Government, corporations help people also.
If you read the codes media ‘ministries’ are subject to and if you read the request letters (which it appears you have) what is being requested is not unreasonable.
If these groups are above the law and are able to get away with abuse then the codes they operate under need to be reviewed and revised if necessary.
It is prudent to know who you give to and where your charity is going, I agree.
Why would you give to any ministry that is none compliant and unwilling to recognize the value of full disclosure?
Prove they feed and cloth millions. You can’t.
These are media operations you see what they want you to see.
Prove they are making a difference in peoples lives. You can’t.
You hear what you are told.
I couldn’t care less if Joyce Meyers has a marble top toilet. I couldn’t care less if Kenneth Copeland was given 2.1 million dollars as a gift from his fellow televangelists and flies himself around in a 20 million dollar jet.
This lifestyle has nothing to do with the kingdom of God and when Christians who speak up against abuses aren’t heard, and if investigative reports are ineffective; in a democracy the next step is legislative investigation and the weight of law if required. Government has a partnered responsibility to see that rights and privileges granted aren’t being abused.
It isn’t an either/or Diana, it is both/and.