Senate Panel Probes 6 Top Televangelists
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Senate Panel Probes 6 Top Televangelists
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."
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/06/cbsnews_investigates/main3456977.shtml -
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,147714,00.html?
Why do preachers need private jets?
That's the question one US senator is asking
MARBLE toilets costing thousands of dollars. Fancy cars. Private jets. Extravagant pay cheques.
Senator Chuck Grassley launched an investigation into the finances of six US churches.
It seems like a scene from lifestyles of the rich and famous.
But these are real-life aspects of the lavish lifestyles that some church pastors in the US are leading, especially the immensely popular television evangelists.
With donations running into billions of dollars from their legions of followers, six churches are now the target of an investigation into their finances.
The ministers of the churches have a month to respond to, and participate voluntarily, in the investigation initiated by Republican US senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa, according to ABC News.
A member of the Senate Finance Commitee, he wants to know how churches are allocating their funds and whether tax breaks given to charities are being abused and exploited.
He said: 'We need to make sure that the sanctity of tax exemption for charitable giving is preserved...'
The senator said that he launched the investigation after whistle-blowers detailed the lavish spending of some ministries, one of which included US$23,000 ($33,000) marble toilets.
According to ABC News, two of the ministers have said that they would cooperate in the investigation.
According to Mr Creflo Dollar of the World Changers Church International and Creflo Dollar Ministries of College Park in Georgia, his ministry is an open book.
His Atlanta megachurch took in US$69 million last year, reported AP.
He defended his request to buy a private jet out of church funds, saying: 'Like a carpenter who has to have a hammer to do his job, I've got to have a plane to fly around this world and be back here to pastor two churches - one here and one in New York.'
Mr Dollar was also given a Rolls Royce by the church to use on special occasions.
He said that his personal income came from investments including business and real estate ventures.
Mr Dollar added: 'Without a doubt, my life is not average. But I'd like to say, just because it is excessive doesn't necessarily mean it's wrong.
'My lifestyle does not come out of the church's bank account.'
Mr Dollar is famous for preaching the 'prosperity gospel' which tells believers that if they are faithful to God, they will be rewarded with material riches.
PROMISES
Mr Kenneth Copeland of Kenneth Copeland Ministries in Newark, Texas had also requested for church donations to buy a jet.
He had promised his followers that: 'It will never, ever be used for anything other than what is becoming to you, Lord Jesus.'
But he was caught taking a two-day layover in Maui, Hawaii on his way to an evangelical seminar in Australia and other stops in the Fiji Islands and Honolulu.
This raised doubts about his use of the US$20 million plane. According to Mr Rusty Leonard of Ministrywatch.com, some of the ministers and pastors were trying to fleece their flock of believers.
He said: 'Jesus Christ would not want this to be happening. He did not take money from his followers and use it to buy better robes or a nicer mud flat.'
Four of the six churches have defended their spending, claiming that it is legal.
But others such as Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and Bishop Eddie Long Ministries of Lithonia, Georgia had harsher words for the enquiry undertaken.
In a brief address to his congregation on Sunday, he said that Senator Grassley's request for financial information was 'an attack on our religious freedom and privacy rights'.
However, in a statement issued last week, he said that he would cooperate with the authorities on the matter. -
Originally posted by january:
Attack on religious freedom and privacy rights?
http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,147714,00.html?
[b]Why do preachers need private jets?
That's the question one US senator is asking
In a brief address to his congregation on Sunday, he said that Senator Grassley's request for financial information was 'an attack on our religious freedom and privacy rights'.
[/b]
MUAHAHAHhahahhaahhHAHAAHHAHhhhahaa.... -
about time these blokes are investigated.
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