Senate inquiry targets six televangelists

[Kitty]

Preachers who ride in Rolls Royces and buy $30,000 conference tables (http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071106/NEWS/71106042)

[ComputerDude]

It's about time these frauds are investigated.

[Chichiguita]

What can that conference table possibly be made of????

I think if I had a bunch of money--I still wouldn't spend it just to get the most expensive thing...I don't get that...

I do kinda like Joyce though--she makes me giggle:smt023

[TheCapitalist]

What business is it of the gov how they spend their money? Must be afraid their not getting their cut! Gov doesn't like that. No law against stupidity if you want to give your money away so they can get rich.

[Hob684]

they don't pay taxes because they are considered churches.

anyone who gives money to these places deserve to lose it.





a fool and his money are soon parted.





Momma didn't raise no fool. :)

[Astra]

What business is it of the gov how they spend their money? Must be afraid their not getting their cut! Gov doesn't like that. No law against stupidity if you want to give your money away so they can get rich.
From the article, you might not be too far off. Sounds like suspicion of tax evasion and potential consumer fraud to me. I'm not horribly bothered by people spending money on stupid things, but if a church is going function as a business (especially making an insane profit while doing so) then it should be taxed as one.

I'm puzzled over this whole idea of preachers promoting religion by attaching wealth to it. It just seems like such a backwards idea, but they're obviously profiting from it. I thought churches were supposed to use the money they take in to take care of their congregations and charitable causes, not putting the preacher into the lap of luxury. I guess people buying into a "church" because of the guy talking on TV said God would make you rich if you did so probably aren't thinking a whole lot about things like that though.

[jkspatty]

These hucksters prey on the elderly, shut-ins, and those with no family. They promise miracles, but only if you pay for it. Which one of these fools told his viewers that if they did not send him x amount of dollars by x date, that the world was going to end? These are the people who give chrisianity a bad image. This is simply a way of preying on the weaker ones among us, to line their pockets, all while hiding behind the name of JEEZUS. Talk about lions in sheeps clothing....

[ComputerDude]

These hucksters prey on the elderly, shut-ins, and those with no family. They promise miracles, but only if you pay for it. Which one of these fools told his viewers that if they did not send him x amount of dollars by x date, that the world was going to end? Wasn't that Billy Graham?

[jkspatty]

Wasn't that Billy Graham?

The more I think about it, I'm coming up with Oral Roberts maybe? Not 100% sure.

[Conveyor Belt]

I've heard more than one local Christian church goer brag about how their congregation puts their pastor/preacher in X car and they have a Y house and only wears Z clothing, like it makes them better. I tried to reason with them, but you can guess how far that got.

[jkspatty]

I've heard more than one local Christian church goer brag about how their congregation puts their pastor/preacher in X car and they have a Y house and only wears Z clothing, like it makes them better. I tried to reason with them, but you can guess how far that got.


You are not serious are you?

[fuzzis]

Wasn't that Billy Graham?

Billy Graham would have never done something like that.

It was Oral Roberts. Who said that if they didn't raise x number of funds, God would kill him. Interestingly, his son is in some hot water right now because of some inappropriate (?) use of Oral Roberts University funds (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/437050/oral_roberts_richard_roberts_fights.html).

[Conveyor Belt]

You are not serious are you?

Absolutely.

[ComputerDude]

Billy Graham would have never done something like that.

It was Oral Roberts. Who said that if they didn't raise x number of funds, God would kill him. Interestingly, his son is in some hot water right now because of some inappropriate (?) use of Oral Roberts University funds (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/437050/oral_roberts_richard_roberts_fights.html).Okay, Oral Roberts. I knew it was one of the very high profile guys.

[Hermione]

Thanks for clearing up the Billy Graham thing, Fuzz. He has always been a person of great integrity and has never lived a "high" life.

[Abaddon]

So who's gonna be the new King of the Fakers?
Who's gonna take the place of Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker?
See, my mama didn't raise no fool,
'Cuz you can't put a price on a miracle.
Amen.
Great song.

[bpitt]

Wow, my wife is going to be disappointed, I think she watches ol' Joyce on tv in the mornings. Joyce is the one on tv, right?