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Evangelist to Senate: My financial records belong to God
By David EdwardsThey preach the “Prosperity Doctrine” - that God can make you healthy and wealthy - and they live what they preach.
Every year America’s best known TV evangelists bring in hundreds of millions of dollars from donors all over the world. But as BBC’s Jonathan Beale reports, some of the evangelists’ own lifestyles have begun to ring alarm bells and have prompted a Senate investigation into their activities.
Last fall, Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA), the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, began probing the finances of six TV evangelists whose lifestyles include mansions, Rolls-Royces, and private jets, all paid for out of church funds. Grassley told BBC, “I would not contribute to an organization that is Christian and evangelical with money being wasted that way.”
Four of the ministers have since complied with the probe, but Rev. Kenneth Copeland, whose congregation recently bought him a $20 million private jet to preach the gospel, is holding out against the inquiry, which he claims is “aimed at publicly questioning the religious beliefs of the targeted churches.”
“It’s not yours, it’s God’s, and you’re not going to get it,” Copeland says of his financial records. He has launched a website to publicize his crusade and has received support from several leading conservatives, including Paul Weyrich and Kenneth Blackwell.
This video is from BBC, broadcast July 2, 2008.
30 Responses to “Evangelist to Senate: My financial records belong to God”
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July 2nd, 2008 at 10:53 am
“My financial records belong to God” In other words he’s been ripping the church off so bad he’d go to prison or be mobbed by his flock if those records ever got out.
July 2nd, 2008 at 11:13 am
Any legitimate christain knows to “rend unto Cesar that which is Cesar’s”. Throw the Law Book and The Bible at this charlatan’s face, fire his maids & call boys, lock him up and confiscate all of his wealth. Then rinse, move on & repeat with the next tax dodging religious huckster. The extra revenue could go a long ways for Veteran’s Benefits.
July 2nd, 2008 at 11:20 am
what an arrogant prick
July 2nd, 2008 at 11:35 am
Ha ha! The separation of church and state isn’t going to help him on this one.
You don’t have to be a blind conservative not to see it, just an ignorant one to deny it.
July 2nd, 2008 at 11:47 am
Two words for this smarmy egotistical “Christian” con artist:
TAX AUDIT
July 2nd, 2008 at 11:59 am
If they do not obey the laws of the Land, then they can PAY TAXES! None of these churches should be getting tax-payer dollars via the faith-base program that bushchimpy set up. Call Obama (866-675-2008) and tell him he is wrong to be GIVING/continuing any taxpayer-dollars to churches who are exempt from paying taxes. Separation Between Church and State must be followed. L. Ron Hubbard, that nutcase and founder of dianetics and the church of scientology CULT, SAID: “One sure way to become rich is to start your own religion!” These fools like Copeland are nothing but crooks who hide behind religion. They must be stopped!
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Former employee of KCM here (and former congregant). Trust me that though the dealings are so shady and twisted even the jaded shake their heads in disbelief, everything done there is loophole legal. Every. Thing. Eventually they will slip up because they are walking a tightrope, but for the moment it is all legal. It is also unethical, irreverent and (if you ask me) blasphemous.
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:31 pm
[…] —Rev. Kenneth Copeland commenting on the Senate Finance Committee’s probe of extravagant ‘… “The records belong to God? Well then so does the money, and gifts of over $11,000 in any year are subject to federal taxation.” […]
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Oh! And I have to add that the financial records the Senate wants are STRICTLY those of the people who donated toward a very specific gift in question. They are not asking for the financial records of the Pensioners who are sending in their pittance every week, just the very specific, very big gift in question records. KC would have you believe they were asking him to open up all the books. You know, god forbid a minister should be transparent.
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:54 pm
well if according to rev. copeland, his tax records be long to God? how is him flying around in A 20 million dollar plane. benefit god? does god need A plane? If copeland is allowed to get away with this bull …. then my tax records and 1998 ford belong to god. sence he help pay for them.
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Just like Cindy McCain. Anyone so adamant about not releasing their tax records has something to hide. And Bush would back them up.
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Well then…let God pay the taxes!!
Good grief…why on earth religions get a free ride is way beyond reason to me.
Perhaps if, as I’m sure some actually do, they can prove that they are performing real community services, then tax breaks could be given accordingly.
Boggles my mind that people just blindly give their hard earned dollars to fund someone’s lavish lifestyle…absurd!
July 2nd, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Thank you, BBC. I’m so glad this story hasn’t fallen off the radar. As another former-KCM employee (I see I’m not the only one with a shameful past?), I have to say that this man needs to be stopped. It is true that he does everything legally. He flirts with the line of unlawful, but doesn’t cross it (that’s the line of unethical you’re always seeing him dancing across). He has one full-time groundskeeper, 2 full-time housekeepers, one personal assistant, and one administrative assistant that answer to no one but him & his wife. That’s not to mention the slew of slaves (or, as you are known on the compound, “team members”) to do his erratic bidding. This is why the US congress needs to be involved–to draft new laws, to better define “non-profit”, because if there was ever been a man who made a profit, it was Copeland.
July 2nd, 2008 at 1:44 pm
What a silly little man. His money might belong to god but his ass belongs to the IRS.
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:14 pm
God does not like to be pimped!
July 2nd, 2008 at 3:12 pm
When you use a 501(c)3 corporation you become a franchisee of the U.S. corporation who holds your corporate stock and you no longer have rights. You relinquish your Sovereignty Jesus bought and paid for the 30 pieces of silver you accepted when you incorporated. Now you have to live by the rules and regulations Mr. Copeland that you sold your soul for. Now you will realize, you Pharisee, that you are part of the group of “White Wash Sepulchers” Jesus admonished.
July 2nd, 2008 at 4:54 pm
So whatever happened to giving unto Caesar what is Caesar’s, not to mention the part about it being easier for a rich man to pass through the eye of a needle than enter into heaven? The fact that they prey on the very poor to support these extravagant lifestyles also contradicts the actions of Jesus who went to live with the paupers, the lepers and the criminals. So who’s warping the Bible?
July 2nd, 2008 at 6:40 pm
Jeez, I didn’tknow God was so hard-up for a little cash… you’d think he would just print it up…
July 2nd, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Does anybody have contact information for God’s accountant? Mine was hit by a bolt of lightning last week and I need a new one.
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:34 am
This guy is spitting into the wind.
July 3rd, 2008 at 12:04 pm
[…] short: “It’s not yours, it’s God’s, and you’re not going to get it,” Copeland said of […]
July 3rd, 2008 at 1:57 pm
[…] this effort because it is proceeding, one would assume, at the usual glacial governmental pace; but this piece of news did come out recently: Four of the ministers have since complied with the probe, but Rev. Kenneth […]
July 3rd, 2008 at 8:10 pm
[…] before their politics. But, there are always the Kenneth Copelands of the world who say their financial records are, “God’s, and you’re not going to get (them).” I’d expect gays - especially those heathens […]
July 3rd, 2008 at 10:12 pm
[…] Evangelist Tells Senate: My Financial Records Belong to God - Every year America’s best known TV evangelists bring in hundreds of millions of dollars from donors all over the world. But some of the evangelists’ own lifestyles have begun to ring alarm bells and have prompted a Senate investigation into their activities. […]
July 4th, 2008 at 2:40 am
If he pulls stunts like that he’ll find out that his records belong to the FTC, the SEC and the IRS.
July 6th, 2008 at 3:11 am
[…] TV-Prediger wehren sich. “Es ist nicht für Euch, sondern nur für Gott zu sehen”, sagt etwa Kenneth Copeland, der sich weigert, seine Einkünfte offenzulegen - und begründet dies […]
July 7th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
[…] What would Jesus fly? Senator Charles Grassley investigates TV evangelists. One of whom claims his financial records belong to God. Further Investigation of TV evangelists some of whom are leaving on a jet plane. All thanks to the […]
July 7th, 2008 at 1:55 pm
[…] What would Jesus fly? Senator Charles Grassley investigates TV evangelists. One of whom claims his financial records belong to God. Further Investigation of TV evangelists some of whom are leaving on a jet plane. All thanks to the […]
July 7th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
[…] would Jesus fly? Senator Charles Grassley investigates TV evangelists. One of whom claims his financial records belong to God. Further Investigation of TV evangelists some of whom are leaving on a jet plane. All thanks to the […]
July 8th, 2008 at 9:59 am
[…] I was flipping through the intertubes this morning, wondering, frankly, how I was going to keep paying for all of this vacationing I do. The fact is, being “as rich as Gawd” is not such an impressive feat as it once was. Being as rich as an oil executive; now that would be something. Anyway, I ran across a story about you telling Congress that they couldn’t see your financial records, as they belong to Me. […]