Televangelist Paul Crouch Attempts to Keep Accuser Quiet

LA Times ^ | 9/12/04 | William Lobdell

[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.

[RobRoy]

I just saw post 56. It was Benny Hinn

[Cronos]

Y'know televangelists give Christianity a bad name.

[Chunga]

Dude, Nehrus were serious hippie fashion in 1967 and they vanished the next day.

[Chunga]

I once saw their son talking to the audience about backwards masking, playing rock and roll records backwards to discover Satanic messages. He seemed quite deranged.

[tessalu]

Wiil Paul be a replay of Jimmy Swaggart? I doubt it.

[Godfollow]

So was it Paul and Jan who personally gave of their own substance or their "ministry"? You simply said Paul and Jan gave... If it was their "ministry" that gave the $100,000, I'd agree with your point, so fas as the Crouch's giving an account to those who support their "ministry".

However, When you compare one's giving against another's and use that as a measure of spirituality you show yourself to be no wiser than those who called out to Jesus the attention of the widow and the little that she had to give. Jesus said she was gave more than them all, which if you are use giving as the standard for measuring spirituality, she was the most spiritual. Then again, if you are saying that Paul and Jan were giving from thier own substance, where is their reward?

[lupie]

Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly. Matthew 6:1-4

You said that perhaps they gave just to give. Maybe, maybe not. We can't know their motives. What we can know, however, is what God's Word says about it. If they were giving from a true heart, giving as a result of the obedience of their will to God's will, then they certainly would not broadcast it, and Godfollow referenced God's Word when he spoke about the amount (percentage) given to God's purposes. People who live in multi-million dollar homes which are paid for by pleas to those who have little, are not exactly giving all they have. Godfollow isn't "judging" them - God's Word already has as shown by both passages (and many more) cited here and by Godfollow.

Also, a few questions for you.
1. You have "judged" Godfollow by saying Your misapplication of the scriptures in order to judge those you personally disapprove of is just astounding. What is the difference in heart attitude between how you claim Godfollow is judging and how you are judging Godfollow? Scriptural foundations for your answer here and your comment would be very helpful.
2. You say that Godfollow misapplies the scripture yet you give no explanation of that. Saying that doesn't mean it is true. Can you please show exactly how you think he is misapplying the scripture?

[lupie]

Yes the fruits are rotten at TBN. By their fruits ye shall know them.

Agreed. But considering all the heresy they broadcast, it is not surprising. Most of those who support such false prophets/false teachers claim converts to their (false) God as fruit, but that isn't what God's Word says. It isn't people who bring others to God, it is God at work in them, through us, sowing the seeds of His Word. His fruit in us is: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.

But the "fruits" (deeds) of the flesh are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like. Sad to say, many of those things are very evident on watching TBN and many of those who are on it.

[wallcrawlr]

Don't you think you are making a broad generalization...

define "these things"

[lupie]

I once saw their son talking to the audience about backwards masking, playing rock and roll records backwards to discover Satanic messages. He seemed quite deranged.

If that is true, I guess that they need a refresher course in 1 Timothy 3:1-5:
It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do. An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?),

[Zack Nguyen]

Why are there so few orthodox Christians on TV?

I think because they don't make as good a television personality as the radical name-it-claim-it prosperity preachers. They dress flashy, jump around, work up the audience emotionally. It makes for great television. Just having a guy stand there and preach the word isn't as interesting to as wide an audience.

[Hank Rearden]

define "these things"

Plastic Preachers.

Fundamentalist Freaks.

Money-grubbing hypocrites.

Godawful ugly, tacky, no-taste trailer-trash in mansions.

Want more?

[wallcrawlr]

Yes, I do.

Now put people's names next to your definitions that represent who you are describing.

[Hank Rearden]

Now put people's names next to your definitions that represent who you are describing.

Are you paying attention to this thread, even a little bit? Did you note the title of the thread, or reference my original post?

Go figure it out - it's not hard.

[JFC]

One of the best pastors I know, weighs 300 pounds, speaks from God's word and has a small congregation. He Is a true man of God, who just needs prayers like the rest of those who we have in our pulpits.

[Zack Nguyen]

God bless him - people should be more interested in that.

[roadrunner96]

Some of this is bringing back some memories of when I've watched it; The reference to Rock 'N' Roll, they had a lot of that on there, including some Rocker who became Born Again. But when one is looking at what type of religions TBN is rooted too, I believe it is more Pentecostal , rather than saying Fundamental i.e. a Baptist type of slant. Ref:

http://www.letusreason.org/Pentdir.htm

. That is why at

http://www.tbn.org

, they have the Dove up there in their coat of arms and I think, occassionally they would have "speaking in tongues" sorts of things on their set which might make one think of the ol' Tent Revival sorts of meetings except for the glossy furniture and carpeting. (note: I was trying to get the links to show up so one could click them, but do it manually, if you need further proof.)

[roadrunner96]

http://www.palau.org/

This fellow seems to be the latest rage, made the cover of some of the newspapers for filling up the Capital Grounds or a stadium.

There's a lot of these acts around, the Promise Keepers, Navigators, I am not sure of all of the names or what these individual movements are about but they seem to make the news once in awhile.

[dfwgator]

Is Deion Sanders still a regular on TBN...now there's a paragon of virtue...NOT!

[wallcrawlr]

Certainly I did. Which is why I wanted to know what you meant by "these things".

I simply think you(and others) are making a broad generalization and are taking this opportunity to dump on all religious people...