Prosperity Gospel Con Artists in Hot Water

I wrote about these hustlers here and here. I was reminded of these posts because I just got a critical comment from a prosperity gospel advocate that happened to surf in. First of all, Xavier, if you check back here... I'm only a casual critic and not even Christian. But there are many, many Christians, including reverends and theologians, who know their bibles backwards and forwards and believe the prosperity gospel is a poisonous lie*. PLEASE open your mind and use logic to consider some of their criticisms, and send some of that 10%+ you are tithing somewhere it will do good, like to Mexico flood evacuees or charities here in the U.S., because right now it is going STRAIGHT to your preacher's swollen bankroll where he or she spends it on a pile of ridiculous bling. I am truly sorry you are being taken advantage of and hope you will be able to change your mind and switch your current "ATM deposit building" for a real church.

I'm also hoping the switch will be sooner rather than later, because a bunch of these people might be going down, and it could start to get embarrassing.

Senate member seeks financial records of Atlanta megachurches
New Birth, World Changers asked to provide details of spending

By CHRISTOPHER QUINN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 11/06/07

The gospel message that links God with dollars has been called to judgment before a powerful U.S. senator.

Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) sent letters requesting detailed financial documents to two metro Atlanta preachers and four other ministries nationwide whose leaders are known for opulent, or as the ministers would say, blessed, lifestyles.

Dr. Creflo Dollar, left, and Bishop Eddie Long, right, take communion together in a joint service at Phillips Arena in 2001. The men lead two of Atlanta's largest churches.

Grassley is the ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee and has developed a reputation for demanding financial transparency from non-profits.

He wants to know how much Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia and the Rev. Creflo and Taffi Dollar of World Changers Church International in College Park make, how their church-issued credit cards are managed and how many cars, planes and foreign bank accounts they own. He has asked for information on the ministries' boards, business relationships and associated organizations.

"I'm following up on complaints from the public and news coverage regarding certain practices at six ministries," Grassley said in a press release.

The other ministers are the Rev. Benny Hinn, based in Grapevine, Texas; David and Joyce Meyer, Fenton, Mo.; Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Newark, Texas, and Randy and Paula White, Tampa, Fla. All are well known in the evangelical religious broadcasting world. They are also known for preaching that financial blessings are part of Christian life.

[...]

In 2005 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ran a story that looked into Long's founding of a charity that paid the minister more than $3 million over a 3-year period, bought him a $1.4 million house and paid for the use of a $350,000 Bentley car.

Grassley's letter to the Dollars mentions information that Dollar tried to raise $1 million from other minister to give to Kenneth and Gloria Copeland for a celebration of their 40th year of ministry and that Dollar's ministries gave more than $500,000 to them.

Kozeny said, "Some of the accounts were of particular concern about lack of transparency, about how [the ministries] spend millions while you have it all exempted from federal taxes."

*From BIBLE CITATIONS OF CRITICS
Critics of prosperity gospel point to the following passages:
• 1 Timothy 6:7-10 -- "For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
• Matthew 6:19-21 -- "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break in and steal, but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven. ... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."
• Luke 18:22-25 -- "Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. … How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
• Revelation 3:14-17 -- "To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:
These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation. I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."