11.06.07

RELIGION

Senate Panel Probes 6 Top Televangelists for possible financial misconduct (CBS). The Senate Finance Committee is investigating whether the ministries are using their tax-exempt status to live lavish lifestyles. The ministries are those of Paula White, Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, Eddie Long, Kenneth Copeland, and Benny Hinn. Apparently, much of the data that sparked the investigation was provided by Ole Anthony of the Trinity Foundation, a self-appointed religious "watchdog monitoring religious media, fraud and abuse."
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...In other somewhat related news:
President of Oral Roberts to Take Leave of Absence, (NY Times). Richard Roberts announced that he was taking an indefinite leave of absence "until such times as these matters can be resolved." In the meantime, he will continue his television ministry and continue to serve as chairman and chief executive of Oral Roberts Ministries. Mr. Roberts denied all the allegations against him and his wife.
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...John Hagee, another influential televangelist, is being accused in several quarters of heresy because of his latest book, In Defense of Israel. I have not read the book, only some reviews from several different sources. Mr. Hagee is accused of teaching that Jesus did not come to earth as Messiah the first time. He will come as Messiah at His second coming. Therefore, the Jews did not actually reject their Messiah. As I said, I have not read the book. I probably won't, unless I can find somebody else with a copy, or find it at a library sale.
...Mr. Hagee has been reported to be a believe in what is called dual-covenant theology, which says that Jewish people, because of their special relationship to God, can get to heaven without accepting Jesus Christ as Savior. Here is a link to an article in the Jerusalem Post regarding that. A quick internet search will turn up a lot more links, if you are interested. The Jerusalem Post article also points out that the late Jerry Falwell had come about to similar persuasion over the years. My Bible says that there is one mediator between God and man, and that is Jesus Christ, and that there is no other name under heaven by which anyone can be saved.

POLITICS

Ron Paul Sets One-Day GOP Fundraising Record (MSNBC). $4.2 million from 37,000 supporters smashed previous online fundraising records. Politics pretty much sickens me anymore, as I am convinced that both parties, for the most part, are bought and paid for and in the pockets of their coporate masters. However, Mr. Paul seems to be an exception. He looks to me like one of the three candidates in both parties running for president who represent something other than business as usual.
...The money his campaign is generating is all the more remarkable when you realize that his campaign gets almost no coverage from the major media. Even for this story, CNN did not cover it on their website front page. You have to click on their Politics page under More News, and even then it is only the fourth story in that section.
...Several weeks Fox News listed the Iowa Straw Poll results as a TV graphic. Even though he finished fourth, Paul was not listed on the graphic. How is that for "fair and balanced", and "we report, you decide?" Tom Tancredo, who is leading the crusade to try and force the government to protect our southern border, also was not listed, even though he finished fifth.
...All that said, it would be an upset of earthquake proportions if Mr. Paul were actually able to win the Republican nomination. As a strict constitutionalist, he is the powers-that-be's worst nightmare.
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ECONOMY

Foreclosure Wave Sweeps America, (BBC). The BBC reports that one in ten houses in Cleveland, OH, are vacant. According to the article, there have been 1.7 million foreclosure proceedings in 2007 year-to-date in the U.S.
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Markets Fear Banks Have $1 Trillion Dollars in Toxic Debt, (The Indepedent (UK)).
If you think that this doesn't matter to you, think again. When you see the powers-that-be setting up a $100 billion bailout fund for the banks, and the heads of Merrill Lynch and Citicorp resign with a week of each other, watch out.
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