Praise the Lord and Pass the Prosperity [1]
Submitted by Sheldon Rampton [2] on
Iowa Senator Charles Grassley [3] (Republican-Iowa) is investigating reports [4] of lavish spending by Christian televangelists, including Joyce Meyer [5], Kenneth Copeland [6], Eddie Long [7], Paula White [8], and Creflo Dollar [9]. Many of the TV preachers are proponents of prosperity theology [10], which teaches that financial wealth is evidence of divine favor -- thus explaining why they dip into the donation box to buy themselves multi-million-dollar homes, luxury cars, private jets and other "blessings from God." Faith healer Benny Hinn [11], another televangelist targeted in Grassley's investigation, is using Ronn Torossian [12] of 5W Public Relations [13] as his spokesman. Torossian, who also represented Hinn earlier this year when he came under investigation by the IRS [14], stated that his client is obeying all relevant laws.