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Amerigo Vespucci

(30,885 posts)
Sat May 5, 2012, 07:55 PM May 2012

Family feud reveals luxuries at largest Christian TV network (TBN - Trinity Broadcast Network)

Family feud reveals luxuries at largest Christian TV 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 Lord’s bounty in return.

The prosperity gospel preached by Paul and Janice Crouch, who built a single station into the world’s 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. Crouch’s 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.
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Family feud reveals luxuries at largest Christian TV network (TBN - Trinity Broadcast Network) (Original Post) Amerigo Vespucci May 2012 OP
Fleece the sheep Whisp May 2012 #1
I just read the whole article. Skinner May 2012 #2
Yep...Jim and Tammy Faye definitely passed the torch to these two Amerigo Vespucci May 2012 #4
what the hell???? Where's the IRS on this? cali May 2012 #3
*SNORT* pinboy3niner May 2012 #5
Funny! I'm watching Lion King at the moment. Auntie Bush May 2012 #7
Senator Grassley (IA) started an investigation on them Ruby the Liberal May 2012 #8
Wasn't there something in the Bible about "Thou shalt not steal"? Initech May 2012 #12
Plenty in there about theft, usury and graft. Ruby the Liberal May 2012 #19
I have that as a bumper sticker HarveyDarkey May 2012 #11
And all of it completely tax free. Ruby the Liberal May 2012 #6
I wish we could change that law. We could almost balance the budget. Auntie Bush May 2012 #9
Yeah seriously - there was a church here that bought an old Boeing building for $45 million. Initech May 2012 #17
There is a law about how much they can take for personal use Ruby the Liberal May 2012 #20
Did you see Religulous? Initech May 2012 #22
Thieves!!! nothing less. nt and-justice-for-all May 2012 #10
TAX THEM! Dawson Leery May 2012 #13
My elderly neighbour gave every week without fail to one of these polly7 May 2012 #14
Paul and Jan Crouch - PHOTO Tx4obama May 2012 #15
these charlatans piss on the word of God. they should be jailed for extortion spanone May 2012 #16
I'm sure Jesus would be impressed with these con artisits. n/t tabasco May 2012 #18
ohh, the crazy hair lady riverwalker May 2012 #21
Well, gee, why would such a godly, devoted married couple need his-and-her mansions? tanyev May 2012 #23

Amerigo Vespucci

(30,885 posts)
4. Yep...Jim and Tammy Faye definitely passed the torch to these two
Sat May 5, 2012, 08:28 PM
May 2012

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)
3. what the hell???? Where's the IRS on this?
Sat May 5, 2012, 08:18 PM
May 2012

Some of the comments following the story are a riot.

"So many Christians, so few lions"

Auntie Bush

(17,528 posts)
7. Funny! I'm watching Lion King at the moment.
Sat May 5, 2012, 08:45 PM
May 2012

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)
8. Senator Grassley (IA) started an investigation on them
Sat May 5, 2012, 08:45 PM
May 2012

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.

Ruby the Liberal

(26,216 posts)
19. Plenty in there about theft, usury and graft.
Sat May 5, 2012, 09:27 PM
May 2012

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.

Initech

(99,909 posts)
17. Yeah seriously - there was a church here that bought an old Boeing building for $45 million.
Sat May 5, 2012, 09:23 PM
May 2012

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)
20. There is a law about how much they can take for personal use
Sat May 5, 2012, 09:30 PM
May 2012

(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)
22. Did you see Religulous?
Sun May 6, 2012, 01:12 PM
May 2012

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.

polly7

(20,582 posts)
14. My elderly neighbour gave every week without fail to one of these
Sat May 5, 2012, 09:13 PM
May 2012

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)
15. Paul and Jan Crouch - PHOTO
Sat May 5, 2012, 09:17 PM
May 2012



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)
16. these charlatans piss on the word of God. they should be jailed for extortion
Sat May 5, 2012, 09:18 PM
May 2012

fake religion for profit

p.s. why not give tax breaks to carnivals?

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