Christians, with the coming out of these 6 televangelists being investigated?

Question

Does this concern you that many more Christians will now be vilified even more in our society? (USA) There are yucky televangelists out there that do horrendous things claiming to be in the name of God. But to the secular or non-Christian public sometimes they are the only Christians they see! Do you believe this will add more fuel to the fire so to speak within a society already wanting to nix born again Christianity out?

Non-Christians what do you think of this? Do you believe this will solidify even stronger a distain for Christianity?

Everyone, please play nice :)

Agreed Judah, I firmly believe this is what is happening.

LINK: http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2007Nov07/0,4670,TelevangelistProbe,00.html

Answer 1

Many Televangelists (not all) have done terrible harm to the Body of Christ for many years. Christians should stand against the frauds and charlatans. Nobody should get wealthy from peddling the Gospel. When I say wealthy I don’t mean simply making a very good salary leading a large congregations, even 100,00-200,000 per year could be justified for some of the huge congregations and ministries. But the guys listed are pulling in multimillion dollar payoffs, living lives of exquisite luxury. Just stand back a little and read the Gospels, does that even make sense? Paul worked with his own hands when he traveled to evangelize, Christ did not own a home. What these guys do is so far out of whack from scripture that it should be obvious.

Answer 2

I am surprised anyone falls for these people in the first place! it shows than many people do not think for themselves.

You are right, televangelists are most often yucky! (Great word BTW).

I don't want to Nix born agains, just that their judgements should be scrutinized, and they should learn and be better people, as well as being Christians about it.

Televangelists can speak very loudly, but are deaf to the people they are speaking to.

They show a lot how money and religion walk side by side.

You know, I see them on Sunday mornings, and there are so many errors in their sermons, not just biblical, but ethical as well!

Will born agains be villified in our society? Yes, and it will continue to be this way until 2 things are changed:

1) the "exclusionary clause, where Christians believe theirs is the only true faith), and
2) Christians allow people to come to them, instead of banging on doors, bugging people, etc, who are not ready (or needing of) their form of enlightenment.

Fix these 2 problems, and they will be listened to. Accept other beliefs, and not tell people they are going to hell, and maybe even DO things that Jesus or many others would do. Maybe then they will not be so villified.

It pains me to see people judge my beliefs soley because they are not directly from Christianity, and that my beliefs are forged from fact and reason. Some people take issue with that, and tell me my searching is in vain, which is a load of hooey! I have known some really, really good Christians too, and they have their perspective as much as I do!

Answer 3

come on !! u cant tell me u actuality believe all that these tv evangelist spew out of their mouths do you? I, realize they be hypnotic and personable in what they say AND new borns in the faith are those easily caught up by all the noise they make and pompous display . I take the life of JESUS though and study it , do these tv evangelists live up on screen or off to what he has said?
when a person of um so called faith speaks do u do what the bereans did and search for yourself ?? I look at what the book of rev reveals about demons performing miracles and i look at 2 corinth which states that satan can transform himself into an angel of light 2corin 11;14 so is it any wonder his agents can also appear as pastors of rightousness .. just before this paul is saying he is jealous in a Godly way that as the serpant decieved eve by his craftiness and that theirminds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in christ .. have u ever seen flim man workers ?/ how they work up the crowds and then tell them thatthis person was sick but now after doing such n such they now are well? key word is APPEARS;;; 2 corinth ch10,7, asks do we look only at the outward appearance? .. its an age old trick and these ministers do it soooo well.. they get up and sing so melodiously and have paula white and other s with the gift of speech work up the crowds with their words .. the bible says by their fruit you shall know them ,, not by splender or diamond rings and all the jewlery ,, IS THEIR LIFE IN THE SIMPLICITY that christs was ?/ i beesech you please dont be hypnotized by the outward display of thes folks isaiah 8 , 9 ,10 by the law and the testimony if they speak not according to this their is NO! light in them,.. you have all these ministers with diamond rings rolls royce private air crafts while u are struggling for your mortgage payment,!!, u pay tithe to your local church that good offerrings to help support to pay expencesfor the bills elecricity pastors salary etc but if he is living on a mountain top in a mansion while u in a valley is that actually the way the gospel outlines it .. SIMPLICITY?? bro murray

Answer 4

Many years ago, Kenneth Copeland produced a series of audio tapes on the Covenant with Abraham, and the Joy of the Lord - Both of these were beneficial to me beyond description. But Kenneth and Gloria Copeland are human beings. The message that they spoke that touched my heart was merely the message from God spoken by one of us to the rest of us....

Now they are under investigation for financial choices they've made. Does this diminish their message that I'd gotten so much benefit from? No. But what about the Copelands? And others in the news article you are citing?

Think of this - Who sends them money? We do. Apparently we are not so financially bad-off as the news is saying recently - at least not yet.

What would anyone ever do if they came across a huge amount of money? Have you ever sat down and tried to budget (spend) $500,000 (half a million dollars) each year? What if you received that much, free and clear every year? What would you do with it? Sit down and think about that seriously and then you begin to understand the situtation of the televangelists. It's mind-boggeling. Trust me.

It is for this reason that I prefer to make my charitable contributions to specific things - a project with a defined beginning middle and end, such as production of an audio cassette series, or a fund to rebuild houses damaged by Hurricane Katrina, instead of to a group or ministry general fund. Giving to a group is like saying "here's some money I can't figure out what to do with it so you figure out what would be good to do"

I think these kinds of scandals would be greatly reduced if people who make contributions would contribute to specific projects and causes rather than to some organization who they think they can trust to allocate the money. Then there would be less temptation...

And I think this kind of approach to charitable contributions would bring us closer to solving the problems in our own back yards.

-M

Answer 5

Hinn, Dollar, and Copeland are way overdue for investigation.

Not so sure about Meyer. The lavishness of her lifestyle and the over-the-top accessorizing at her ministry's headquarters was already investigated about four years ago. Their books were impeccable. Unless they've really messed up in the meantime, all that's going to be found is the titillating stuff -- like the $23K marble commode -- and while her style may not be everyone's cup of tea, she (apparently) is not the self-deluded charlatan the others may well be proven by this process.

Answer 6

Not one name on that list surprises me.
Each one of these preach a prosperity gospel which is NOT in line with the Word.

What I don't understand is why T. D. Jakes was left out.


2 Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;

Answer 7

We must all remember that those that do not believe may very well be judging Christianity by our actions.
I'm not aware of exactly what you are talking about but a failing away from the faith is going to happen.
There will be false prophets and those claiming to come in the name of the Lord.
These things we can do nothing about, only our own personal relationship with God and Jesus Christ.

Answer 8

I think it's a great testing inferno. As Christians, we should always seek
Christ in all we say and do-for our self dignity and because others watch us...What happens to the greedy scoundrals that prowl around in His name, waiting to devour the innocent and simple,is what will happen eventually to all of us who ask our God , who we know is out there, to turn His back for awhile while we cheat(on) our neighbors. Use this as a reminder to get close to the Messiah...if your feel pained by what's happening, your heart is in the right place.

Answer 9

Some Christians deserve to be villified, I think.

If they are being dishonest, stealing money from innocent folks, etc., they need to be punished. They need to pay the consequences for their actions.

However, how is it right for others to judge ALL Christians because of these jerks?

Answer 10

well...it WOULD be nice if the church didnt work so hard to conceal and harbor these "men"; the church, in its unlawfulness in this area, puts the mafia to shame. the church has been involved in what might be called "conspiracy to molest children" for ages

I say we make arrests, seize assets, and issue indictments, the same way we would to any other corporation of this size.

these people need to be behind bars, instead of telling us how to live our lives. the parents who disbelieve that this serial abuse of children occurs need to have their custody looked at, as they place their children at risk and may easily be considered complicit in the rape of their children


I see no reason to continue tax free status to a criminal organization