Posted on 03/24/2007 11:51:46 AM PDT by blackbeardsghost
The popular Kenneth Copeland of Kenneth Copeland Ministries lives in a large mansion in Texas. He recently asked his audience to help him spread the gospel by giving him $20 million to buy a new jet. Copeland promised that the plane "will never, ever be used as long as it is in our care, for anything other than what is becoming to you, Lord Jesus."
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
Too bad that Kenneth Copeland isn't alone in this. [I wish that I could think of that other Slime Bag's name! It used to be Tammy Faye and What's-His-Name.] The gullible will always exist. What are we to do--tell them that they can't do what they want with their money?
Bump
These preachers turn a lot of people away from religion because of their lust for money.I always change the channel when I come across the so called preachers who are no different than the late night infomercial pitchman.
Geeeeee .. what a great bunch of Christians you guys are.
It's pretty difficult to fly all over the world and minister to people when you have to stand in line at airports and be stranded for hours, etc.
I'd just like to see ONE OF YOU keep the schedule the Copelands keep.
Gloria said this, and it changed my life: "I'm no different than you .. I just got up one more time."
They're not rich because they TOOK MONEY FROM PEOPLE .. they're rich because GOD has blessed them for being obedient to HIM. You all need to read how GOD blessed Abraham .. who had TONS MORE STUFF THAN THE COPELANDS. Are you all jealous of Abraham too ..??
Too bad more of you whiners did not do the same, and seek GOD's blessing, instead of being jealous and envious of what the Copeland's have.
Shame on all of you!!
Remember this is the MSM whose purpose in life is to smear Christians.
It was Jim Baker wasnt it? I remember he went to jail while she met a new hisband and still painted herself with war paint.
Yeah they were winners allright.
Sadly, The defintion of what would becoming to the Lord, under Copeland, Would be very loose.
This is an issue of informed consent. No one is trying to shut these ministries down but people ought to know where their money is going, and Ministry Watch seems to be filling that role. Abuse and fraud by so-called religion leaders turn a lot of people away from all organized religion when it is exposed through a scandal. Better for true believers to help keep ministries accountable and in check than to see the entire ministry implode when it goes too far.
From Wikipedia:
Although his ministry is popular with Charismatics, many Christians are uncomfortable with certain aspects of his teaching and his lavish lifestyle. He lives in an ocean-front mansion valued at an estimated $8.5 million in an exclusive gated community in Dana Point, California, travels by private aircraft, and stays in hotel rooms costing upwards of $3,000 per night. In December 2006, he sent out a mailing asking for donations towards a new Gulfstream G4SP jet valued at an estimated $36 million.Regarding that last sentence, gee, I wonder why not :)In March 2005, Ministry Watch, an independent evangelical organization which reviews Christian ministries for financial transparency and efficiency and advises potential donors accordingly, issued a Donor Alert stating that "the reported exorbitant spending of the Hinn family reveals that BHM has far more money than it needs to carry out its ministry" and advising Christians to "prayerfully consider withholding contributions to Benny Hinn" while praying for his restoration and repentance.
Benny Hinn Ministries is not a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability.
http://www.ministrywatch.com/mw2.1/H_Home.asp
Heard about this on John Stossel's 20/20 report last night. It lists the good ones to donate too and bad religious scams.
There are over 110 ministries based here in Colorado Springs. These people travel all over the world. And you know what...you won't see many private jets parked at our airport. I have seen many of these wonderful servants of God standing in line with me as I have traveled on business.
No one is indispensible...no one "needs" a $20 million jet!
"Remember this is the MSM whose purpose in life is to smear Christians."
Not all Christians or other religious groups. I notice no mention of the Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, Louis Farrakhan or Martin Luther King "ministries" which take both private donations and tax monies, not to mention ransom monies when they can get it.
God certainly did bless Abraham, but then again, Abraham raised sheep and worked very hard for what he had. These televangelists do nothing but steal from well-intentioned people who expect that their donations are going to the needy, or to support a ministry - not to support the lavish lifestyle of a "minister", and I loathe to use that word in conjunction with these thieves because that is all they are.
Paul lived in his little rented house in Rome, paid for by the hard work he put into tentmaking JUST SO no one could say-- "hey look, that Paul is just using God to get money." Paul knew people would talk, and it would look bad for the faith. Paul put God first, and no himself, which is why we still speak of our hero Paul today as being a great man, and the Crouch's and Copeland will one day, if there is any eartly justice, be thrown in prison where they belong.
That's it--Jim Baker. I had a Tupperware lady who watched Jam and Tammy every day and donated regularly, as well. I could never understand it.
If you click the link for the MinistryWatch grade report it says:
"Last Updated 4/7/04".
I think if you're going to cast stones at various ministries (and some deserve to have stones cast at them), you would at least want to have information that isn't three years out of date.
Also, I'd like to find out if some of these ministries have independant auditors who are willing to come forward and be named. Even if I ran a ministry and felt the need to keep my books private, I would at least want some independant verification of how much of the funds were being spent directly on ministry and how much were being spent on other things.
How much [some? none?] do you donate to televangelists?
I rather like the Copelands in person. However, preachers on tv who behave like infomercial pitchmen are contributing far too much to the general public's distrust of Christianity.
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