3 posts tagged “christians”
I wonder why Senator Charles Grassley (R-Iowa) is asking for financial records from a targeted group of Ministries beyond the scope of what is requested by the IRS. In Washington DC Grassley, a member of the Senate Finance Committee is investigating what has become known as the Grassley Six:
Kenneth and Gloria Copeland, Benny Hinn, Creflo and Taffi Dollar, Bishop Eddie Long, Joyce and David Meyer, and Randy and Paula White.
I would get the picture if the Democratic Party controlled Committee was pushing for the investigation because the (nearly) Godless Left does not appreciate strong Biblical value minded Christians to be an influence in politics.
Do notice I said Christians, apparently it is politically correct for Mohammedan’s to spout politics and retain their 501(c)3 non-profit donation status.
Anyway Senator Grassley definitely is a Slanted Right Conservative; therefore I have to believe he has acquired some information on the Grassley Six. The information must not be the smoking gun that has convinced Grassley to investigate financial abuse of these Ministries. I did see an MSM piece on Benny Hinn photo-documenting a lavish lifestyle which the MSM piece was financed by Hinn’s 501(c)3 Ministry. I do recall the network that did the piece rudely harassed Hinn in public because Hinn would never agree to an interview. The program would show public questioning Hinn and trap him into answers that there was no way Hinn was prepared to answer. Hinn would give off the top his mind answers and if it did not jive with documented information the program already had, a clip would follow with facts and figures staining Hinn’s reputation.
I do understand the motivation behind the Slanted Left MSM. These six Ministers that have gained the appellation of the Grassley Six are all Ministers that do way more than preach prosperity. These are Faith people who believe in Divine Healing and Divine Intervention via the Biblical Gifts of the Spirit. This is a practice that many Christians antagonistic to this literal form of Faith have labeled heresy. What better way to put a dent into faith then to show these Ministers as liars or living the high life on non-profit tax deductable donations.
I must give Grassley credit though. If the Grassley six are living lavishly on Ministry funds rather than the salary from the Ministry coupled with investments, then there is a taint on the image of Christ. That would invalidate that whole teaching of faith, healing, miracles and prosperity to many who have followed this movement for years.
Can you tell I am one of those followers? The Bible is the Bible and it is true rather or not a few Ministers treated their charitable donations as their personal funds. I still believe in the power of God for all the Faith movement teachings because it is taken directly from the Bible; however I do believe some have become too engulfed in materialism and comfort rather than setting an example of Kingdom of God living that Jesus preached.
I pray Grassley’s investigation exonerates the Grassley Six of any wrong doing. Would that not slap the accusers on the Left? If or there is any wrong doing revealed I pray it is in ethics not in the rule of law. That way many good men and women of God can reassess what is personal money or what is Ministry money and still be a benefit for the Kingdom of God.
Now one thing that is a pet peeve of mine is this ludicrous infringement the government has made for Christian Ministries to be a Godly influence in elections. If a Ministry is discerned to be making public endorsements of candidates the IRS will swoop down and remove their 501(c)3 status. Thus it is a hinky way allowing free speech yet punishing the life blood of a Ministries existence.
I don’t know how Kenneth Copeland swung it be he had Mike Huckabee on his weekly show. I did not have the chance to watch the TV programming; however I intend to catch it on the Internet. Copeland’s Believer’s Voice of Victory broadcasts can be seen at the Kenneth Copeland Website. The cool thing I liked about Baptist Minister and Presidential Candidate Huckabee is that he is taking a public stand with the Copelands as Grassley’s investigation proceeds. This is interesting for Baptists and Pentecostal/Charismatic Christian do not see eye to eye on many theological issues. That means Huckabee is willing to take a political hit while his poll numbers are actually rising. I have heard some bad things about Huckabee ethics wise when he was Governor of Arkansas; however it takes a man to stand tall when a friend is under a Senate investigation.
I will close with this thought. It is wrong to impose Freedom of Speech restriction on Christian Ministries under the delusion that the Constitution’s First Amendment proclaims there is a separation of Church and State. There is NO SUCH LANGUAGE in the First Amendment.
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
Notice the First Amendment says that Congress will make no law respecting an establishment of a religion (i.e. No State Church) or the prohibiting the free exercise thereof (i.e. the Federal Government cannot prohibit the free exercise of religion). The Federal Government is prohibiting the free exercise of religion when the IRS is used as a tool to keep various Christian denominations from taking political stands.
The whole so-called “Separation of Church and State” concept comes from a letter delivered by President Jefferson to the Danbury Baptist Church using that phrase.
HELLO the letter is not part of the Constitution of the United States of America.
Left Coast State Oregon is getting set to enact laws that will force Christians to choose between faith and obeying the law relating to homosexuals. If Oregon passes “Senate Bill 2,” Christian morality will become a hate crime thus opening Christians to civil suits and criminal prosecution. This would be in direct violation of the First Amendment to the American Constitution which is about free speech and the U.S government not allowing legislation that would prohibit the free practice of religion.
In the old Soviet Union Christian activists were sent to jail or the nut house. Oregon Left Coasters appear to be following in the old Stalinist foot steps.
Oregon is actually one of many States that passed a citizen Initiative to define marriage as between a male and female. Oregon is also one the most Leftist States in the American Union, however even a majority of its citizens recognized the immorality of State sanctioned homosexual marital unions.
I am a member of what Jews and mainline Christian denominations would call the Evangelical Christian Right. From the Jewish point of view, there is a huge distrust of Christians in general because of a long history of anti-Semitism in Europe. I have just read from
