Friday, October 03, 2008
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Grassley’s “Left Wing Pit Bull” Investigating Evangelicals
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Posted by:
Matt Lewis at
4:09 PM
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Last November, Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) announced an investigation of six major evangelical ministries. Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, wanted to probe the finances of several churches to see if they were misusing donations to pay for their leaders’ opulent lifestyles. Even back then, the whole operation seemed a little sketchy, but now it’s really starting to stink.
Apparently, one of the lead investigators on Grassley’s staff (hired last May) is a man by the name of Paul Thacker. Why is the relevant? Well, Mr. Thacker seems to have both a liberal record and a grudge against Evangelicalism. A source familiar with the investigation tells me that Thacker is a “left wing pit bull” and was overheard at a cocktail party "bragging about how much he hates evangelicals and what a great job he has now.”
Mr. Thacker, an investigative reporter, does have a record of publicly criticizing the Bush Administration on environmental issues. He has also written for liberal publications such as The New Republic and contributed left-leaning articles to Environmental Science and Technology. So, while I don’t want to leap to too many conclusions, I do think it is a little weird that this guy is being paid tens of thousands of dollars by a Republican Senator. Perhaps it has something to do with a shared distaste for certain denominations of Christianity?
This type of zealous investigation being pushed by Sen. Grassley against … his own team so to speak … is just one reason why conservative leaders are now discussing his removal as ranking GOP member of the Senate Finance committee.
Update: As I noted above, a reliable source confirms that Paul Thacker was overheard recently at a cocktail party bragging about his job and his dislike of Evangelicals. It should also be noted that Sen. Grassley's office contacted me today to dispute the notion that Thacker was involved in this particular investigation.
Here is their statement -- you decide who's right:
"... the tax-exempt oversight and investigations are handled at the staff level by Senator Grassley’s tax counsel Theresa Pattara. Before her it was Dean Zerbe, another tax counsel. Paul Thacker has never been involved in the investigations of the ministries or other tax-exempt organizations.
In addition, there is no basis for labeling Paul Thacker as “a left-winger.” In fact, his current work for Senator Grassley is focused on the National Institutes of Health failing to safeguard $24 billion in federal research dollars it grants each year, which is pretty important work, as you can tell by the news over the weekend."
- Jill Kozeny, spokeswoman for Senator Grassley
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Just another case of Republicans handing their adversaries the keys to the city. And I´m not even religious. |
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"Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, wanted to probe the finances of several churches to see if they were misusing donations to pay for their leaders’ opulent lifestyles."
I'm all for it... right after he gets done investigating every member of congress for the same thing. |
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exxVZTKq1vA |
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This devout Christian is THRILLED with the investigation!
Finally, maybe some of these so- called "Christians" will be exposed, tried, convicted and ... well, er, uh... executed might be too un-Christian... but, I would love to see a few more Jim Bakkers in handcuffs. |
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There's no reason why these "ministries" should be exempt from taxes if they are supporting ridiculously opulent lifestyles of the ministers. Maybe the charitable work could be separated out somehow, but mansions, yachts, and private planes would seem to be an indication of a for profit business, rather than a humble ministry devoted to our Lord. |
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I don't know Mr. Thacker, or the churches they are investigating. Maybe he is a partisan hack, maybe not. Maybe the ministers are a bunch of thieving jackals, maybe not.
But what has appalled me as a conservative Republican over the past few years is articles like this one. There seems to be this terrible mindset of coloring everything...everything- through the filter of extreme partisanship and "either with us or agin' us" mentality.
(he is rumored to be a liberal??? We must attack!! Sen. Grassley consorts with witches, er, liberals??? We must attack!!!)
Everyone is either a comrade, to be defended to the death, or a enemy of the state, to be driven out and burned.
Yes, I get how partisan Washington is, and always has been, and how the Washington Establishment finds ways to endlessly campaign, even when doing the most innocuous of tasks.
But...
Do we the People (especially on the Right) have to be sucked into this psychodrama?
This mentality of this article is part and parcel of this mindset; principles are for chumps, but ideological dogma must be pursued with the fanatical vengeance of Torquemada.
What drew me to conservatives like Wm Buckley in the '70's was their fearlessness- they could boldly and proudly defend principles without resorting to cutthroat politicking, without the paranoid victimhood which the Left used during that era.
This is exactly why the Founding Fathers were so supicious of political parties- they had witnessed the devastating ideological battles that raged between Royalists and republicans, and knew full well how corrupting groupthink can become.
How about we wait and see what transpires, and cooly judge Sen Grassley's investigation on the facts, using reason?
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God forbid that anyone should investigate evangelicals. They're on our side so therefore we shouldn't investigate them. Basically, anyone on our side can do any bloody thing they want, and we'll look the other way. It's only the other side that we want to encourage to keep their act straight. |
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I am a christian who is amazed at the luxurious lifestyle now afforded to 'men and women of the cloth'. No, I don't believe in the vow of poverty. However, private jets and 4 million dollar homes is 'over the top' for a non-profit tax exempt religious institution. Of course,there are those 'mission trips' fully loaded with exotic safari's and european trips. First class travel and nothing but the highest level of luxury for - men and women who have been called. I hope Grassley takes his 'calling' very seriously. We left our previous church after realizing our tith was going to funding 'luxury vacations' in the name of 'missions'. And these men and women sit on each other's boards of directors to keep each other 'accountable'. Now that is what I call a very high glass ceiling. Why? Try getting a preaching engagement in one of their churches and you'll find out that - you are not 'in'. And the sheep are required to tith otherwise God won't bless them. Never mind the lack of scripture to support tith in the new testament. Enough, get them now before we have to 'bail them out' too. |
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With your statements it seems to me that you do not understand the nature of the tithes. To put it simply: Christians are directed to tithe. Paul instructed to give to the one who teaches you. Once a person has tithed the money is no longer his/hers and can be used for any purpose that the person tithed to desires. What happens with the money is between the pastor (or whatever) and God. If someone doesn't like what his pastor is doing with the money then that person may go elsewhere for their spiritual food.
There is a California supreme court case between a state prosecutor and a pastor. The prosecutor wanted to know what the pastor had done with the money tithed to him and he wanted a list of the tithers and how much they had given. The prosecutor wanted to make sure that the money had not been 'misused'. The pastor told the prosecutor to take a flying leap and the supreme court backed the pastor. It is none of the states business what happens to the money.
Now, there are exceptions. Poor Baker took money which was donated for bibles to line his own pockets. That is wrong and he went to jail for it. |
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Part of being a good steward of your money is knowing who to give it to. If you want to know what they are doing with the money, ASK! If you don't like what is happening, don't give your money. It is absolutely none of Hagel's business what my church does or does not do. |
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... Grassley's concerned with Rev. Wright's chruch. There's plenty of videos on YouTube for an investigation. He can try the First AME chruch in Los Angeles too. The pull Democratic candidates/politicians across their alter weekly.
And as others have said, how 'bout a few investigations on his buddies: Dodd, Obama, and Frank.
I'm not against investigating tax-payer fraud. Just seems there's a few bigger fish to fry at the moment. Another dopey Senator. What a tool... |
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is that somehow fundamentalist Christian Zealotry has been been mistaken as "conservatism." What exactly is conservative about being a religious Zealot?
I think we can all see the affects of voting for the religious BS instead of ACTUAL conservative principles.
They turn the other cheek as long as the person can feed them a nice scripture.
I am always wary of people that have to announce to me that they are a Christian. You are witness by your actions. You should never have to sell me that you are a Christian. When you do, I wonder what else you intend to sell me.
Now, you can all attack me and say I am a Christian hater. Whatever. True to my word, I don't need to announce or convince you of my faith. God knows full well our relationship and that is all that matters. |
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most Conservatives are Christians (in fact, I bet it is safe to say most liberals are Christians... this is the USA, afterall), the opposite is not necessarily true. Yet some people believe it is the very definition of conservatism.
These people will swear up and down that they are a conservative BECAUSE they are a zealot. Yet, their agenda is extremely narrow and actually quite literally meets the definition of what a TRUE liberal is.
The country can slide into socialism, as long as it is Christian socialism.
Self-righteousness IS a sin, and a lot of "Christians" are going to fall quite short of the Kingdom, I am certain. |
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Is anyone in Congress not on the take for something. We have got to institute term limits. It is amazing how "good ol boy and girl" system stinks to high heaven. (no pun intended) |
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Judgement starts in the Church. Remember the scriptures. Ha maybe he is looking into the life styles of such crackpots as Hagee, Copeland, C.Dollar, etc. the crazy word of Faith movement. |
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WATCH HANNITY SUNDAY, GET TO KNOW THE REAL NOBO, NOT THE ONE HE PRETENDS TO BE, IF YOU AREN'T AFRAID TO SEE THE TRUTH GO WATCH HANNITY SUNDAY! lOOK UP AND SEE WHEN ITS ON SO YOU DON'T MISS IT!
CONSERVATIVES AND GOOD REPUBLICANS ALIKE SPREAD THIS MESSAGE! |
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The issue here is 'misuse' of tithes. This isn't a left vs right issue, this is a basic constitutional issue. Gathering the tithes is ecliastical and is a preferred position for the church. Government had better step little there. |
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and that, my friends, is illegal for non-profits and religious organizations who get tax breaks isn't it? The bushies went after one minister who spoke of the election cycle and denounced the bush administration in his sermon, so why not do the same for the fundies who are pulling out the stops by promoting OPENLY their brainwashing tactics to get parishioners to vote Republican?
You can't have it both ways, people - even though, we all know that you try, shamelessly so. |
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Hypocrite much? Wight stumps for Obama. He needs to be shut down also. Oh, wait. He is a black pastor of a black church stumping for a black candidate, never mind. |
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Please link me to any sermons that show Wright endorsing Obama to his church. Go ahead, I will wait......
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Perhaps Wright will be one of the pastors investigated....naaaaaaw!
And I will take up your challenge on the link. I have the video in mind but I'm not the most efficient researcher and it is late. |
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a constitutionally protected right along with freedom of speech and association .no where in the constitution is freedom from religon or separation of church and state evan implied or mentioned. it does state that there will be no state religon . with the make up of the supreme court we could see a change in the current interepation one that mirrors the constitution a bit more closely than the socialist liberal judges of the past have interepted it .pastors should be allowed to voice their opinions from the pulpit. members are free to leave and associate with other like minded believers if they so choose or disregard their pastors exhortations ,as we all know church members ignore their pastors advice every day . |
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Please give the exact scriptural citation from Paul on the tithe.
There is no small disagreement on the tithe versus free-will giving under the New Covenant. |
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I was referring to Galatians 6,6, I was using the word tithes generically, perhaps I should have chosen another word. All laws died on the cross with Christ, including any tithing laws. However, I believe tithing is one of the most important things a Christian can do. |
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Since when does the government have anything to do with private business'including church's, (well provided they receive no government funding of any kind.) This is still America, and as far as I know there is nothing they can do, other than what I've already said. Anybody know more than I -- please chime in
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In the first place Dave if a church of ANY abomination (im sorry-- denomination) has anything to do with outside stocks, or finanical deals outside the church in order to profit for the church, then they are not building God's kingdom but their own and therefore cannot be considered a first century church of Jesus, period!
And the second place, well I forgot what I was going to say in the second place.
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If tything was nailed to the cross, then why would you still believe it is a valid ordinace for todays church? After all the tythe was just that an "ordinance" for the Hebrew people. In order that the Levi priests would have enough to live on. But Im sure you already know that.
While the tythe was important for the Old Testament people's , only the idea of giving is important to us today as Christians. Let me explain: Paul says, in 2 Cor. 9:7, "God loveth a cheerful giver, not out of compulsion..... as every man has purposed in his heart to give not grungingly. This means that it is a heart matter; it is no longer written on tablets of stone but on tablet of our hearts. Therefore, give out of a cheerful an obedient heart as the need is and as God so blesses you, you bless others. It is truly a blessed thing to give rather than to receive. Why is this? To keep us from a stubborn and selfish heart, which becomes evil if let alone. God has a reason for all things.
Good night |
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The church today depends on the congregation tything as much as an infant depends on his/her mother feeding. To keep the church in order, they keep preaching the Malachi 3: 10 passage, but have no idea how to preach it in context. If they preach it in context, they loose their cash flow thats so desparatley needed for their progarams and building funds. Not to mention their pastors health benefits ect.
Paul, was a good example of using his authority properly as NOT to be a BURDEN to the PEOPLE. But in a properous nation as America this teaching never ceases to end, and it never will, till Jesus returns. They who have spent their life building the church's kingdom and their own selfish desires will be properly rewarded on JUDGEMENT DAY--! |
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I am well versed in the concept of tithing as my gift to God's work (all that we have is his, he just asks that we give 1/10 back for the building up of His Kingdom). I tithe and trust that those funds will be used wisely. If not, those people will answer to the Lord for their poor stewardship.
Maybe I'm not clear on the purpose of this investigation. The tithe payers should not be the ones under investigation. It is the ministries that are possibly abusing their tax-free status to live the high life. If they are operating for profit enterprises, the profit should be taxed. The source of sincerely donated tithes should not be questioned, nor should the tax deductible status of those donations unless something really fishy were to become apparent. |
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The Chronicle of Philanthropy has published several articles about Dean Zerby and also reported on his replacement Theresa Pattara.
Here's some historical background: In 2005 the Trinity Foundation produced the "Benny Hinn brief" a report challenging Benny Hinn's tax exempt status and sent it to the IRS. The report eventually reached Dean Zerby and that led to the Senate Finance Committee investigation. |
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You have to learn how to handle Evansgenitals in order to win any errection that they are involved in - that's for sure. Palin learned that lesson but McCain didn't. Dick Nixon and the two Bushes knew - Pat Robertson and Pat Nixon did not. Jerry Falwell and Mary Carey knew - John Kerry did not. Monica Lewinsky and Jessica Hahn knew - Scooter Libby and Lauara Bush did not. Elizabeth Ray knew - Mary Jo Kopechne did not. Marylyn Chambers knew - Larry Craig did not. |
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