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Thought Provocative Evangelist
Posted on 02/28/2005 4:47:31 AM PST by restornu
Televangelist Gene Scott Dies at Age 75
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Gene Scott, the shaggy-haired, cigar-smoking televangelist whose eccentric religious broadcasts were beamed around the world, has died, a family spokesman said. He was 75.
Scott died Monday after suffering a stroke, said the spokesman, Robert Emmers.
The longtime pastor of Los Angeles University Cathedral began hosting a nightly television broadcast of Bible teaching in the mid-1970s. His University Network eventually aired a nightly talk show and Sunday morning church services on radio and television stations in about 180 countries.
Scott's church, a Protestant congregation of more than 15,000 members, raised millions of dollars through round-the-clock Internet and satellite TV broadcasts, where he would demand of viewers: ``Get on the telephone!'' to donate.
In some of his speeches, Scott would deliver complex lectures on Biblical languages to make points about the meaning of faith. But he also spoke on current events, sometimes lacing his sermons with profanity.
He supported the war in Iraq. ``Iraq is a threat to the world,'' he said in a 2003 speech posted on his Web site. ``So kick the hell out of 'em, George.''
Recognizable by his mane of white hair and scruffy beard, Scott never stuck to a conventional format in his talk show. He sometimes smoked on the show and once wore glasses with eyes pasted on them.
Unlike other televangelists, Scott's sermons did not condemn homosexuality, abortion or other hot-topic sexual issues. He argued such issues were a personal choice.
Scott, the son of a traveling preacher, had a lavish lifestyle that included a chauffeured limousine, contact with political bigwigs and, he claimed, 300 horses.
But he also spent lavishly on charity. After a fire badly damaged the Los Angeles Central Library, he organized a telethon that raised $2 million. In 2002, Scott gave $20,000 to save the Museum in Black from eviction. The museum has some 5,000 items from the slave and civil rights eras.
Scott came under scrutiny by authorities on several occasions, including by the state attorney general's office in 1977, which suspected him of fraud. The investigation was dropped, however, after the Legislature passed a law barring prosecution of civil fraud against tax-exempt religious organizations.
He died at 4:30 PST.
He was diagnosed with prostrate cancer about 4 years ago. Doctors told him it was the worst kind one could have and he needed an operation and chemo right away. He instead went on a herbal / vitamin diet and insisted he had been healed. He actually was doing fine up until about 6 months ago when he started having severe nausea spells.
In the last month he tried medical procedures in Mexico, but everything failed. He finally suffered a stroke last week and never regained consciousness. I believe the doctors only gave him 5 years even if he went ahead with the operation and chemo. He didn't and lived almost 4, so he beat the odds.
His wife, Melissa, is to take over the church as pastor, but the consensus seems to be she's not strong enough to hold it together. If anyone is really interested in what's happening, go to the newsgroup alt.fan.gene-scott. Lots of activity there right now.
My prayers go out to Dr Scott's family and followers and may they find peace.
"He was diagnosed with prostrate cancer about 4 years ago. Doctors told him it was the worst kind one could have"
Since he was a praying man, maybe it was "prostrate" cancer.
Old news, posted last week.
Ah, well. Rest in peace.
I have to say I've never heard of Gene Scott.
Jimmy Swaggart?
Jim Bakker?
Ernest Angley?
Creflo Dollar?
Benny Hinn?
Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes.
But not Dr. Scott. RIP, anyway.
He made for great late-night TV watching with a serious buzz.
It was also about the only time he made any sense.
Heh.
Been there and done that with some of the above list I posted. ;^)
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