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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFamily feud reveals luxuries at largest Christian TV network (TBN - Trinity Broadcast Network)
Granddaughter attacks founders, who accuse her of embezzlement
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47307792#.T6W9JjJhC-Y
The Trinity Broadcasting Network, which also runs the Holy Land Experience theme park in Orlando, Fla., is at the center of a family battle.
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. For 39 years, the Trinity Broadcasting Network has urged viewers to give generously and reap the Lords bounty in return.
The prosperity gospel preached by Paul and Janice Crouch, who built a single station into the worlds largest Christian television network, has worked out well for them.
Mr. and Mrs. Crouch have his-and-her mansions one street apart in a gated community here, provided by the network using viewer donations and tax-free earnings. But Mrs. Crouch, 74, rarely sleeps in the $5.6 million house with tennis court and pool. She mostly lives in a large company house near Orlando, Fla., where she runs a side business, the Holy Land Experience theme park. Mr. Crouch, 78, has an adjacent home there too, but rarely visits. Its occupant is often a security guard who doubles as Mrs. Crouchs chauffeur.
The twin sets of luxury homes only hint at the high living enjoyed by the Crouches, inspirational television personalities whose multitudes of stations and satellite signals reach millions of worshipers across the globe. Almost since they started in the 1970s, the couple have been criticized for secrecy about their use of donations, which totaled $93 million in 2010.
Whisp
(24,096 posts)Skinner
(63,645 posts)My god. They are despicable.
Amerigo Vespucci
(30,885 posts)The worst part is when you think of people sending in money from their Social Security checks and such. My aunt did that. She ended up in a rest home. We begged the priest in our small town to go visit her. He never did. She sent money to the church every week. Then she died. Then I didn't set foot in a church for 30 years following that.
cali
(114,904 posts)Some of the comments following the story are a riot.
"So many Christians, so few lions"
That comment is priceless!
Auntie Bush
(17,528 posts)How can the IRS check on their taxes when they are tax exempt? I don't know their congregation don't realize they are just money grabbers that really don't care about them. Some people are so easily fooled.
Ruby the Liberal
(26,216 posts)and a handful of other "ministries" back a few years ago. The topic (IIRC) was that they were taking advantage of tax exempt status to personally enrich themselves.
I don't think it ever even got out of committee.
Initech
(99,909 posts)Ruby the Liberal
(26,216 posts)These folks never read a bible though. They just hand picked a few passages and repeated them ad nauseum over the last 30 years.
Their "gospel" is better defined as reading a ransom note.
HarveyDarkey
(9,077 posts)available here: http://www.evolvefish.com/fish/stickers-ss7.html
Ruby the Liberal
(26,216 posts)Auntie Bush
(17,528 posts)Initech
(99,909 posts)Yes - million. And they're planning another $15 million renovation on top of that! I'm reading this article and I'm thinking why does this church have a couple hundred million at their disposal and why aren't they taxed on it? Truly mind boggling if you ask me!!
Ruby the Liberal
(26,216 posts)(given that the "church" owns all the homes, cars, planes, etc) but as noted in the article, few politicians are willing to kick that can of worms open because it is rather subjective as to how much is too much. They don't want to go all McCarthy on these grifters because it might play bad in an election year.
Initech
(99,909 posts)There's a scene where Bill Maher plays a whole series of clips where preachers are saying things like "SEND ME THE GREEN LORD!!!!", etc and then he interviewed one such preacher who was completely convinced that he wasn't doing anything wrong. I mean come on now.
and-justice-for-all
(14,765 posts)Dawson Leery
(19,348 posts)polly7
(20,582 posts)ministries. All she owned was the house falling down around her, a few bits of uncomfortable furniture and of course the little black and white tv.
Tx4obama
(36,974 posts)p.s. If you do an image search on Google for Jan Crouch you can see several more of her pink cotton candy hair styles.
spanone
(135,630 posts)fake religion for profit
p.s. why not give tax breaks to carnivals?