Sex Scandal Threatens a Georgia Pastor’s Empire

How do you figure? Ike was about money.

 

So was Eddie Long. And all these preachers with arena-sized churches who sell you the snake oil that if you're good with God (as in, the preacher) and hate who He (as in, the preacher) tells you to hate, then earthly prosperity is yours. After all, look at me, the preacher (as in, God)!

What's that they say about absolute power?

 

The Reverend Frederick J. Eikerenkoetter II better known to many as Rev. Ike was more about money Bob. He coined the phrase the lack of money is root of all evil.

 

I remember those Rev. Ike ads in the Daily News -- "Why wait for pie in the sky when you die?"

 

Rev. Ike may be the putative founder of "Prosperity Gospel," but the likes of Eddie Long, Joel Osteen and Peter Popoff (the "miracle water" guy) have taken that ball and run with it. Long is one of six evangelist operations under investigation by Chuck Grassley's office because of possible financial improprieties.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-11-07-televangelist-probe_N.htm

FTA:

Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and Bishop Eddie Long Ministries of Lithonia, Ga., was questioned about his salary, a $1.4 million real estate transaction and whether he, and not the board, holds sole authority over the organization. Long plans to fully comply with the Senate's request, and his church has "several safeguards" to ensure transactions comply with laws governing churches, according to a statement from Long's spokesman.

Apparently the investigation is still active. (And Benny Hinn is a target, too.)

The beauty of being a preacher is that unlike other nonprofits, church tax forms aren't available for public review.

 

These preachers get no taxpayer funds, so I don't give a damn. If a preacher wants to live in palaces, drive 6 figure cars, travel first class to 5 star resorts and get 7 figure incomes plus princely perks it's fine with me and fine by the chumps who pay for it. It's certainly more honest than a certain church who may be the world's largest private landowner and private collector of art who revels in the vow of poverty for the masses and live like literal Princes.

 

Check me if I'm wrong, but don't preachers get all sorts of tax exemptions? In addition, of course, to their land being exempt from property taxes.

 

The land is exempt from property taxes, which applies to all religious institutions. I object to this but it is fairly enforced. The preacher pays income taxes, he is not exempt, but the Church is exempt from income taxes, to the extent the money is recycled to do the business of the church.

 

It's not a black or white issue. It's just another hypocritical homophobic issue.
Hopefully, this will wake up blacks who oppose homosexuality just because the fellow banging the pulpit told them to.

 

No pun intended, of course.

 

This will not end well.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39415696/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/

 

Prediction: Even if disgraced and forced to resign, etc., this guy will be back in the same con within five years. Just look at Ted Haggard, who has a new church.