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Posted on 09/12/2004 3:07:13 AM PDT by The Bandit
Televangelist Paul Crouch, founder of the world's largest Christian broadcasting network, has waged a fierce legal battle to prevent a former employee from publicizing allegations that he and Crouch had a sexual encounter eight years ago.
Crouch, 70, is the president of Trinity Broadcasting Network, based in Orange County, whose Christian programming reaches millions of viewers around the world via satellite, cable and broadcast stations.
The source of the allegations against him is Enoch Lonnie Ford, who met Crouch at a TBN-affiliated drug treatment center in 1991 and later went to work for the ministry.
After Ford threatened to sue TBN in 1998, claiming that he had been unjustly fired, Crouch reached a $425,000 settlement with him. In return, Ford agreed, among other things, not to discuss his claim about a sexual encounter with the TV preacher.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Dwight Thompson?
I'm a Catholic. I don't watch the show, but I believe that it is like the 80s again. Where the secular Left will go after the Religious Right.
If TBN would sell there rights it would be worth a few billion. They have stations all over the world.
Well, I watched Dale Evans when she was on. Does that count?
Why is it that the people with money enough to put together their own networks or produce their own TV programs are almost always heretical? (Or if not heretical, then so tasteless you want to vomit.) Why are there so few orthodox Christians on TV?
I agree with the three names you mentioned, and I'd add Lee Strobel, Peter Kreeft, William Lane Craig, J.P. Moreland, Alvin Plantinga, Charles Colson, Norman Geisler, Joni Eareckson Tada, and Larry Crabb. Just for starters.
Nor a biblical Christian or Jew.
You'd think so, but earlier today it was posted here that an Australian newspaper was reporting George W. Bush had had a homosexual affair. Looks like no one's immune from wild and wacky allegations. I'm not expressing an opinion on the veracity of the Crouch allegation - it may be true, who knows - but will point out that his and the wife's extravagant, over-the-top lifestyle makes them a much bigger target than a Billy Graham or Mother Teresa, that's for sure.
Exactly! Yet many even still seek the altar where the pedophiles reside to ask for prayer for the firginess of sin.
The more mainstream Christians generally aren't on TV for a few reasons:
A)Their shows are/would be too boring to bring in an audience. Whether we like to admit it or not, there is a group of people in the US whose tastes run to "tacky" That's why the "Franklin Mint" is so successful, and why the Paul/Jan show draws an audience.
B)Most of these guys get their start by using their churches money to buy air-time on the Christian satellite channels (that's how TBN gets a lot of its revenue) Very few mainstream churches would allow their pastor to spend $500,000 or $1mm a year in church revenue to buy air time and try to establish an audience. But the more flamboyant pastor run churches do this all the time.
It's an ego thing, and the Pastor hopes his show someday takes off and then he can make a mint in TV ministry ala Rod Parsley, Hinn, Joyce Meyer, etc.
I have told my mom for years these too look like swingers. However, I never expected Paul to be on the other team... of course now I can see it.
It is well known that "Christian" leaders who advocate blatantly false doctrine are also untrustworthy in other areas of life. Crouch is only endangering himself if he is a deviant. However, he is murdering the souls of millions with his far-flung empire of paganism in the name of Christ. The people who abandon faithful ministers for these wolves will get slaughtered, sooner or later.
Money? As Luther said, the people who will not give Christ a penny will gladly give Satan a small fortune.
"In the third place, false teachers flay their disciples to the bone, and cut them out of house and home, but even this is taken and endured. Such, I opine, has been our experience under the Papacy. But true preachers are even denied their bread. Yet this all perfectly squares with justice! For, since men fail to give unto those from whom they receive the Word of God, and permit the latter to serve them at their own expense, it is but fair they should give the more unto preachers of lies, whose instruction redounds to their injury. What is withheld from Christ must be given in tenfold proportion to the devil. They who refuse to give the servant of truth a single thread, must be oppressed by liars."
Sermons of Martin Luther, 8 vols., ed., John Nicholas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VII, p. 111f. Second Sunday before Lent. 2 Corinthians 11:19-33; 12:1-9.
I am obviously naive but continue to be astounded that operations like this can generate mega millions in contributions. P.T. Barnum proven correct again.
Back when Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker were having their problems, we did not have them on our cable station in LA. We had to make do with Paul Crouch and his wife. Crouch was not as asburd as Jim Bakker apparently was, but his wife seemed like she was another Tammy Faye.
I think there is a lot of relevance to the fact the accuser is somewhat "from the wrong side of the tracks." I think people in high places prey on those types specifically, because they know no one would believe them.
Would anyone have believed that skanky prostitute Swaggart was getting it on with, if it had not been for the pictures of him going into her motel room? He would have denied everything had she come forward with no proof.
I wonder how many TBN employees have gotten a DWI or had other alleged offenses considered immoral, and then got canned from their job? Has TBN always bailed out employees as much as they have this man over the years? They shelled out some bucks on him.
Wonder which is worst, Scientology or TBN?
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