Pastor's Empire Built on Acts of Faith, and Cash: LA Times

[oldhat]

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-tbn19sep19,1,3026299,print.story?coll=la-home-headlines

Pastor's Empire Built on Acts of Faith, and Cash

The top Christian broadcaster's steady plea for money funds growth -- and a life of luxury for Paul Crouch and his wife.

By William Lobdell
Times Staff Writer

September 19, 2004

Pastor Paul Crouch looked into the camera and told his flock that Trinity Broadcasting Network needed $8 million to spread the Gospel throughout India and save 1 billion souls from damnation.

Crouch, head of the world's largest Christian broadcasting network, said even viewers who couldn't afford a $1,000 pledge should take a "step of faith" and make one anyway. The Lord would repay them many times over, he said.

"Do you think God would have any trouble getting $1,000 extra to you somehow?" he asked during a "Praise-a-thon" broadcast from Trinity's studios in Costa Mesa.

The network's "prayer partners" came through once again, phoning in enough pledges in one evening to put Christian programming on 8,700 television stations across India.

TBN was not short on cash. In fact, it could have paid for the India expansion out of the interest on its investment portfolio. But at TBN, the appeals for money never stop. Nor does the flow of contributions.

Over the last 31 years, Crouch and his wife, Jan, have parlayed their viewers' small expressions of faith into a worldwide broadcasting empire — and a life of luxury.

MORE...

[Journeyman]

1. "Prey TV looks like Pay TV to me. . .

it's just a curse on the human race." -- P. Townshend

[Old and In the Way]

2. Why this congame continues, I'll never understand.

The Swiggerts and the Bakers should have clued us in...

[luaneryder]

3. I'll never understand why

anyone thinks they need a middleman with any deity.

[classof56]

4. So I'm wondering...

Why would God have a problem getting $1,000 to Crouch directly? He is such a liar and a con artist and a thief, I can't begin to understand why ANYONE would send him a dime. Guess it's good, though, that there are so many who are so willing to be sure Paul and Jan can continue in their "life of luxury."

God really oughta put a stop to these people, ya know?

Oh, and yeah...

BUSH MUST GO!!

[kayell]

5. The fact that God has not zapped Crouch and his lizard kin back to the

dimension they came from is proof the he does not exist. Or if he does, he's not worth paying attention to anyway.

[The Zanti Regent]

6. HE fleeced my grandmother and aunt out of nearly a million dollars

Grandma and my Aunt got brainwashed by this liar and they sent thousands of dollars to TBN. When Grandma died, there was nothing left in her estate because she wrote a codicil that gave EVERYTHING she had to TBN. My dad sure could have used the money to pay medical bills, but he got cheated.

The best thing John Kerry can do is to TAX ALL CHURCHES!

[classof56]

9. This is the kind of stuff I hate hearing!

Crouch and TBN are an insult to everything they purport to stand for. So sorry your Grandma and Aunt got sucked in by his line of bull****. If Crouch had an ounce of decency and compassion, he'd have refused the money so your Dad had it for medical bills. Shows you what a bottom-feeding scum Crouch is. Hope he gets called to account some day. Actually, I hope he gets zapped by lightning in the middle of one of his fund-seeking "Praise-a-thons", but I'm realistic enough to know that is highly unlikely. All I can say is--curses on him and his poor excuse for a "ministry".

[Sugarbleus]

7. Good Catch!! lol.... 'God, just send that thou directly to Paul so

we don't have to hassel with it....you know, keep it simple'

[MagickMuffin]

8. Eager to give?

Do you think they would have been eager to give if they knew they were giving to a man who just paid out over $400,000.00 to keep his homosexual lover silent???

[leesa]

10. So did Billy Graham and all the rest of the Charlatans

Living lives of luxury at the expense of frightened-out-of-their-mind childish Christians.

[spinbaby]

11. Eeek!

Geez, that's frightening that so many people could be taken in by this scam.

[Catfight]

12. BAHAAAA, I'm sorry, but if you're stupid enough to give money to

people who ask for it and pimp out Jesus, then you deserve to be taken advantage of. I'm sure bankruptcy court will love that excuse, "I can't pay my bills, I gave my money to God." Well then, God can put a roof over your head and not Citibank! LOL These people should drink the kool-aid, it'd save the world from more stupidity.

[Scairp]

15. These are desperate, hopeless people

Many of them are ill. You cannot blame these people for this con man taking advantage of that. That's what grifters do, they make a living by separating the gullible from their dollars. Do you think they really pray for anyone? If they do, it's only for more checks and cash to pour in. This is the sickest thing I have ever heard of. If the Justice Department weren't run by a fundy Christian, these thieves would have been investigated by now. Add that to the long list of reasons to get rid of The Blues Brothers, John and George. (They're on a mission from God, dontcha know?!)

[mac56]

13. So why again do we make the pledge to the Lord...

but make the check out to Rev. Paul?

[struggle4progress]

14. TBN Denies Coverup (WP Saturday)

Saturday, September 18, 2004; Page B09

The world's largest Christian broadcasting network denied a report that its founder has sought repeatedly to prevent a former male employee from going public with allegations of a sexual encounter between them in 1996.

Paul Crouch, 70, president of the Trinity Broadcasting Network, reached a $425,000 settlement in 1998 with the former worker, Enoch Lonnie Ford, who contended that he had been unjustly fired from the network and threatened to sue, the Los Angeles Times reported Sunday. <snip>

The Times quoted Sandi Mahlow, a Tustin, Calif., housewife and close friend of Ford, who defended him. "Lonnie had a lot of bad traits; one thing he isn't, and that's a liar," she said. <snip>

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A30287-2004Sep17.html


September 20, 2004
A Godly Pyramid Scheme, Part I

<snip> TBN collects over $120 million a year from its viewers. Here's Crouch's sell: "If my heart really, honestly desires a nice Cadillac … would there be something terribly wrong with me saying, 'Lord, it is the desire of my heart to have a nice car … and I'll use it for your glory?' I think I could do that and in time, as I walked in obedience with God, I believe I'd have it." <snip>

No scheme like this would be complete without a tautological explanation of why, if you've donated, you aren't seeing a return. You must have done something to piss God off, or you haven't given enough. If you're not seeing a return from your donation to TBN you should- guess what?- give more! And if you've been watching TBN and haven't been paying, you'll go to hell. "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," Crouch said during a 1997 telecast. <snip>

http://www.storyhunters.com/godandcon/archives/001332.html