Leading [A$tray] By Example.

Heretic · 07-27-2008, 02:07 AM

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Televangelist's family prospers from ministry
Texas religious empire under scrutiny over its tangle of kinship

updated 9:42 p.m. MT, Sat., July. 26, 2008
NEWARK, Texas - Here in the gentle hills of north Texas, televangelist Kenneth Copeland has built a religious empire teaching that God wants his followers to prosper.

Over the years, a circle of Copeland's relatives and friends have done just that, The Associated Press has found. They include the brother-in-law with a lucrative deal to broker Copeland's television time, the son who acquired church-owned land for his ranching business and saw it more than quadruple in value, and board members who together have been paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for speaking at church events.

Church officials say no one improperly benefits through ties to Copeland's vast evangelical ministry, which claims more than 600,000 subscribers in 134 countries to its flagship "Believer's Voice of Victory" magazine. The board of directors signs off on important matters, they say. Yet church bylaws give Copeland veto power over board decisions.

While Copeland insists that his ministry complies with the law, independent tax experts who reviewed information obtained by the AP through interviews, church documents and public records have their doubts. The web of companies and non-profits tied to the televangelist calls the ministry's integrity into question, they say.

"There are far too many relatives here," said Frances Hill, a University of Miami law professor who specializes in nonprofit tax law. "There's too much money sloshing around and too much of it sloshing around with people with overlapping affiliations and allegiances by either blood or friendship or just ties over the years. There are red flags all over these relationships."

Neither Kenneth Copeland nor John Copeland, Kenneth's son and the ministry's executive director, responded to interview requests.

Televangelist's prosperity under scrutiny - Faith - MSNBC.com

The photo makes me think of the whole rubbing Bhudda's belly for prosperity thing.

Gaia · 07-27-2008, 05:47 AM

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Originally Posted by The_Heretic

Televangelist's prosperity under scrutiny - Faith - MSNBC.com

The photo makes me think of the whole rubbing Bhudda's belly for prosperity thing.

When I see pics like that, I always hope there is a Hell, a special Hell, just for Godless/Soulless Freaks like this.

Ahh but alas...there isn't any Heaven or Hell. And these Pigs know it, and are laughing all the way to the Bank, at the stupid Sheep that are making them rich, by believing in, and falling for, their Bullshit.

Heretic · 07-28-2008, 12:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaia

When I see pics like that, I always hope there is a Hell, a special Hell, just for Godless/Soulless Freaks like this.

Ahh but alas...there isn't any Heaven or Hell. And these Pigs know it, and are laughing all the way to the Bank, at the stupid Sheep that are making them rich, by believing in, and falling for, their Bullshit.

Shouldn't a self respecting pagan in good standing use a word like godessless?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

But in fact these sorts are in fact living direct contradictions to what Jesus taught. He loath hypocrits, "money changers" and charlitans alike. And when people use religion as a money making scheme and for fame they're a perfect storm of Jesus' definition of sin.

MarkMiller · 07-28-2008, 01:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaia

When I see pics like that, I always hope there is a Hell, a special Hell, just for Godless/Soulless Freaks like this.

Ahh but alas...there isn't any Heaven or Hell. And these Pigs know it, and are laughing all the way to the Bank, at the stupid Sheep that are making them rich, by believing in, and falling for, their Bullshit.

But there is jail. Remember what happened to Jim Baker...? It can happen here as well.

Gaia · 07-28-2008, 04:57 AM

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Originally Posted by The_Heretic

Shouldn't a self respecting pagan in good standing use a word like godessless?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Quote:

But in fact these sorts are in fact living direct contradictions to what Jesus taught. He loath hypocrits, "money changers" and charlitans alike. And when people use religion as a money making scheme and for fame they're a perfect storm of Jesus' definition of sin.

True. And I just bet they are not awaiting his Return as eagerly as they pretend to. If they ever even studied the Bible, that is.

Gaia · 07-28-2008, 05:11 AM

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Originally Posted by Mark M.

But there is jail. Remember what happened to Jim Baker...? It can happen here as well.

Ya. I do remember him being led down the Steps by the Cops, his Face all squinched up and crying & wailing, like he was being done wrong. And don't even get me started on his Ol' Lady! But she's dead now, so I won't speak ill of her.

But these Days, People like that have way too much Influence. They are deeply connected. Kinda like The Mob. (Soprano Fan here

)

Heretic · 07-28-2008, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gaia

True. And I just bet they are not awaiting his Return as eagerly as they pretend to. If they ever even studied the Bible, that is.

There might be a few amone thenm who're marking time 'til JC shows up, though that's because they've convinced themselves what they do is right. Otherwise they'd never get any sleep.

However, even from a Christian perspective there's no reason to expect Jesus to drop out of the sky. The "second coming" mythology could very well refer to the idea of him standing before you when you die, not that he'll show up on the Earth again.

"We think we have a special relationship with god. 'I'm gonna wait on the lord.' But you gotta stop lookin' for the big shit like the rumbling clouds and the burning bush. Sometimes god just sends a weatherman, 'See all this shit that's about to happen right here? It's about to roll down the street.'" -D.L. Hugley