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Opinion An Independent Attitude Beware the false prophets, er, profits Around Christmas, newspaper after newspaper, magazines and TV outlets jumped on an Associated Press story reporting that Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, was going to battle against those who claim to do the Lord's work.
The focus of these stories was this senator's scrutiny of what has come to be known as the "Prosperity Gospel": If you give enough to the church, you'll become rich. Grassley has asked for financial records of six prominent "media ministries," or televangelists, and his Web site provides a Nov. 6 news release that lists the ministries receiving a letter as: Randy and Paula White of Without Walls International Church and Paula White Ministries of Tampa, Fla.; Benny Hinn of World Healing Center Church, Inc. and Benny Hinn Ministries of Grapevine, Texas; David and Joyce Meyer of Joyce Meyer Ministries of Fenton, Mo.; Kenneth and Gloria Copeland of Kenneth Copeland Ministries of Newark, Texas; Bishop Eddie Long of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and Bishop Eddie Long Ministries of Lithonia, Ga.; and Creflo and Taffi Dollar of World Changers Church International and Creflo Dollar Ministries of College Park, Ga. Grassley told the world in his blog, "This has nothing to do with church doctrine. This has everything to do with the tax exemption of an organization." At issue, at least for the senator, is that the leaders of the ministries are driving Rolls-Royces, flying in private jets and living in lavish luxury as their followers send in millions in response to televised pleas for more money. All of these ministries have "lawyered up," with some asking for more time to respond to Grassley's Dec. 6 deadline. One, the Joyce Meyer Ministries has posted its financial information online, reporting $124 million in revenue in 2006. The Almighty Dollar But Creflo Dollar has refused to play Grassley's game, with his lawyer, Marcus S. Owens, writing Grassley that the church "practices a religion theology involving the 'Prosperity Gospel,' a deeply held religious belief that God's devout followers and earthly leaders will prosper and be successful in all they do, including in financial matters, as the outward expression of His favor." Owens cites chapter and verse of Scripture and the Internal Revenue Code and basically tells Grassley to either turn the probe over to the IRS or get a subpoena. Grassley, whose blog makes a point that he is a Christian who believes in tithing, goes on to state his "long-standing priority" is to hold tax-exempt organizations accountable. "Over the years, my investigations have led to some real reform in other non-profit organizations," he blogged. To surf Grassley's Web site is to learn this knight in shining armor has brought nonprofit hospitals into line. Dan Whelan, of Forbes, gives Grassley some credit, "This Iowa senator's ongoing investigation into how nonprofit hospitals mistreat poor patients has been revelatory. He's the only one prodding these hospitals, which claim to be charities but act like the most ruthless of businesses." But, if you look deeper into Grassley's hospital probe, which began years ago, you learn the biggest change on the horizon is to the forms the nonprofit sector, including hospitals, use to report their financial information to the IRS. The proposed revisions to the 990 form, the nonprofit equivalent of the individual taxpayer's 1040, changes how hospitals report what they give back to their communities. But, the rule doesn't go into effect until 2010. And that gives the American Hospital Association and others plenty of time to lobby the really important information out of the forms. Grassley's threat to the hospital industry is possible legislation to require them to provide 5 percent of their revenue or expenses — it's not clear since the measure is only being used as a cudgel — for free care. By the way, Texas' requirement is 4 percent. I'm no theologian, so I can't judge whether the Gospel of Prosperity finds favor in God's eyes. I can say I find the luxuries the evangelists heap upon themselves deeply troubling and inappropriate, if not illegal. For all Grassley's bombast, I can say not much will change for these high-flying preachers or for hospitals. It's too little, too late. When I look at Grassley and politicians like him, I wonder just who is the false prophet. George Schwarz is the editor and publisher of the Amarillo Independent. He can be reached at george@amarilloindy.com. E-mail
comments about this story Posted: January 3, 2008
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