Lone sentry on the wall [How do wealthy ministries spend millions Americans give them?]

WORLD ^ | July 28, 2007 | Jamie Dean

[dfwgator]

I’m sorry, but when I read articles like this, I am convinced there is a special place in Hell reserved for these charlatans.

[JRochelle]

I almost feel sorry for the poor dupes who give to any of those tv evangelists.

Almost.

[RolandTignor]

I think they are a bunch of hirelings.
They beg for money and say, “Give to God (my ministry) and God will give you ten fold.
You’d figure that they would give us $100 and they would get ten fold back. But they don’t do that because they know it doesn’t work and there’s a sucker (us) born every minute.
They should take the example of George Mueller. He didn’t ask for one penny for his orphanage in England. He would by faith, go to his closet and ask God for what he needed. God supplied everything right on time. By the time he died, he had a multi-million dollar operation going out of his closet. Now that’s faith.
Thanks

[Resolute Conservative]

Elmer Gantry is their playbook.

[econjack]

He realized he knew much more about the stocks that he invested in than the ministries to which he donated.

I used to give without question...until I decided to start checking. I started asking for audited financial statements. One national charity--all of you would recognize it--collected over $32 million one year. After "administrative and selling expenses", just over $18,000 was given to the actual recipients of the charity. That's a 99%+ expense to benefit ratio!

I urge everyone to insist on an audited financial report of the charity's operations before you give. If they won't give it to you, ask yourself "Why not?" If they won't tell you how they spend your money, perhaps they shouldn't get it in the first place.

[rhema]

Ministry Watch.com list of 30 Shining Light ministries

The list includes ministries like Prison Fellowship Ministries, Gideons International, and Compassion International.

[netmilsmom]

The pity of it is that these ministries do tons of good. If nothing else, the Saturday morning shows on TBN are wonderful.

Kudos to Joyce Meyer. Nice to see a wonderful lady being transparent.

[PeterPrinciple]

This is a good example of a conservative value. Doing something without the government. Most of us would say that the govt ought to require reporting of all organizations. I may have been guilty of this in the past.

When you bring things to light, the cock roaches scamper. Note what happened with the joyce Meyers ministries. They understood and changed.

I applaud this individual, willing to make a personal and financial sacrifice to seek the truth. May we all be inspired by his example.

[VOA]

bump for publicity

[martin_fierro]

TBN rated at Charity Navigator (1-2 out of 5 stars)

[whipitgood]

Now we know why Jesus threw the money changers out of the temple. I wonder if He still does it today?

[reagan_fanatic]

I almost feel sorry for the poor dupes who give to any of those tv evangelists.

Most of them are good people with honest intentions who take others at their word. They just can't comprehend how someone with such a nice voice and personality could take advantage of them.

Hinn and the Crouches are nothing but high-class crooks - charlatans who take special pleasure in fleecing good people out of their hard earned money.

I have no doubt that their smugness will disappear rather quickly when they stand before the Almighty to answer for their crimes.

[AppyPappy]

“The pity of it is that these ministries do tons of good.”

Boohaha. Mussolini made the trains run on time too.

[Kimmers]

I think these people start out with good intentions and they, like our elected in Washington, become corrupted by power and money....God will sort all of us out in the end.

[ObadiahLynch]

“If you have been healed or saved or blessed through TBN, and have not contributed . . . you are robbing God and will lose your reward in heaven.”

What a dirtbag. Sheesh. Someone tell me again why these guys don’t file financial reports?

[Kimmers]

I saw a website once that showing the compounds that the health and wealth TV preacher live in.....I know one could slap any picture up there and claim it belongs to someone but I do not think the lavish lifestyle is too far from the truth.

I do not mind people living well, but with statements like the one you quoted...it disgusts me.

[MEGoody]

I have no idea why people send money to these ‘televangelists’. If they want to give to God’s work, they should give to their local church or to a charity like the Salvation Army.

[MEGoody]

One national charity--all of you would recognize it--collected over $32 million one year. After "administrative and selling expenses", just over $18,000 was given to the actual recipients of the charity.

Then why not tell us what charity it is?

[gcruse]

” you are robbing God “

You say god-robber,
I say dog-robber,
What would Hindu?