quote:CBS News has learned Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, is investigating six prominent televangelist ministries for possible financial misconduct.
Letters were sent Monday to the ministries demanding that financial statements and records be turned over to the committee by December 6th.
According to Grassley's office, the Iowa Republican is trying to determine whether or not these ministries are improperly using their tax-exempt status as churches to shield lavish lifestyles.
The six ministries identified as being under investigation by the committee are led by: Paula White, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long, Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn. Three of the six - Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland and Creflo Dollar - also sit on the Board of Regents for the Oral Roberts University.
Our Lord and his apostles frequently addressed financial matters and behaved in such a manner as to avoid conflicts of interest. They had nothing to hide and did not live lavishly. "We did not seek yours - but YOU." 2 Corinthians 12:14.
I just recieved a mail-out from columnist and talk-show host Hugh Hewitt suggesting that I voice my opinion and warn the senators to lay off of the church and stay out of religion... I say nay - Christians should have nothing to hide.
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I notice in the names mentioned that most of those (if not all) are in the "Word of Faith" charismatic movement. Coincidence? Maybe that's where the old name it claim it (and then go in debt for it!) idea leads? We are not above the law. We are to obey magistrates, not hide from them or fix to the books to fool them, I say go for it, investigate them.
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I've been thinking recently about how much "persecution" nowadays is really just consequences of not doing things God's way. "Church" as the house church now practices it is, as Paul said, something no one can really object to. Healing the sick, feeding the poor, and loving one another doesn't make many waves. But building a "tax exempt building" with a steeple on it is very provocative - here, in the middle east, almost anywhere.
The persecutions the early church faced were mostly from fellow Jews who were outraged when the apostles said "The gentiles too." THAT's what made the religious people flip out. In the case of the non-Jews, it was money (silversmiths losing business) that made them turn against the church.
If we mind our own business and do the "good works" Jesus required, we won't tangle with the law, most of the time. But if we build an earthly kingdom with God's money, I think he won't interfere. "What do you have to do with me? I never knew you."
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I have no wish to steer away from the topic of the post, but I will say this, persecution does exist and it exists in the US. Until recently when my body said no more, I was a construction worker. Because I'm a Christian and act like one I've endured a lot. Some times it was all in fun, sometimes it was flat out persecution. For instance, being a Christian I disagree with any type of pornography, it's demeaning to women and perverts the minds of men, but two and three times a day on one of my last projects I would come off of the SCR unit and into our break trailer, and there in front of me on my lunch box laid a porno magazine open to the centerfold. It might not seem like much (course I had a guy I wondered if he wasn't going to punch my lights out over the abortion issue), but it gets old quick. But long story short, persecution is here, we might not strive unto blood yet, but it's coming. Jesus said we would be hated of all nations for His name's sake so we have no reason to believe it will be otherwise. IMHO
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You are right, David. Christian should have nothing to hide. They should lay their books wide open for all to see how they use the monies they receive and their own personal lives should be examined closely to reveal whether or not they are simply funding their own extravagance. In fact, with the apparent widespread corruption I am in favor of examining all of the non-profit orgs to insure they truly do qualify for not-for-profit status. And, am even leaning toward favoring a repeal of the non-taxable status of their properties which they have amassed.
(Jason, our righteous soles will certainly be vexed by the wickedness that happens around us just as scripture says that Lot was vexed by the wickedness of Sodom. In my personal experience it has been the religious people who have "persecuted" me the most. In fact, some of the worst treatment I have received has been at the hands of professing Christians right on this very forum. This is consistent with what Jesus endured from the religious leaders and what he taught would happen to us. "They will put you out of the Synagogues: yes, the time is coming when whoever puts you to death will have the belief that he is doing God’s pleasure.(BBE)"
Don't you think it a curious thing that the Romans found nothing in Jesus worthy of death but his own people, those professing faith in God, were the very ones to condemn him to die? In Revelation 13 we see that a religious organization is coming to power and it will make laws prohibiting a faithful man to buy or sell in order to provide for his family. This is directly opposed to the US Constitution which guarantees life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to all men. In fact, this law has already been partially enacted in the "Blue Laws" of early America. Many of these are still on the books and some still affect us today by limiting what types of businesses can be open on Sunday. These laws actually forbid people to buy and sell on Sunday--something which strikes directly at the freedoms allowed by the Constitution and the rights denied to the government by the Articles of the Bill of Rights. In a more serious note, Revelation 13 goes on to tell us that this religious organization will be able to make laws, and cause them to be enforced, such that those who do not follow the proscribe (a curious malapropism) worship should be killed.)
Anyway, getting back to the topic at hand. Power corrupts. It is a great temptation to individuals who bring in large amounts of monies to think that they are somehow entitled to reap the benefits above and beyond reasonable needs. For this reason it's good to have, not one man at the head of an organization, but a governing body. Then there is more accoutability and less opportunity to follow in temptation. And, this is the model of the early church.
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