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Our Government's Faith Based-Scam
I. Prologue
In case of a disaster, we rely on the generosity of many, who give
charitably to organizations which are promoted by FEMA. FEMA itself
provides a booklet on which charities are legitimate, and many give to
the charities listed in the FEMA publication. Not surprisingly, under
George Bush, many of the traditional charities listed in the FEMA
publication have been replaced by so-called "faith based" charities.
How ethical are these charities? In this article, I will disect one of
them, Pat Robertson's Operation Blessing, and let you judge for
yourself. Let me start by quoting a passage from the anti Pat Robertson
Web Site.
II. Beginnings
Pat Robertson started his career as a scam artist by using money
donated to CBN to start the Family Channel, which he later made a
fortune from when he sold it to Rupert Murdoch. He then made a lot
more money by duping people into buying coupon books in a multilevel
marketing pyramid scheme. One eldery woman was forced to refinance her
home after being ripped off in the scam. Roberson then used his
ill-gotten proceeds to hawk vitamins. **3**
Diamond Mining in Zaire
In the 1990's, Robertson used his own show, the 700 Club, to collect
millions of dollars which were supposed to feed the hungry in Africa.
Robertson's pitch included pictures of children who were starving to
death. Robertson used the money he collected to purchase several
aircraft, along with diamond mining equipment. Of 36 flights to
Africa, one contained some medicines, one trip was to rescue
missionaries, 17 were in connection with the diamond mining business,
and the rest of the trips were secret and never logged.
When exposed by a newspaper in Atlanta, GA, Robertson's agent then made
the claim that the aircraft were no good for delivering food, and also
claimed, without any proof to offer, that Robertson had paid back the
money to the 700 club. Robertson himself never returned any phone
calls by the reporter. **4**
In 1997, Robertson claimed to have been ripped off in his diamond
mining venture by a contractor who he claims did not deliver in a
timely manner, and sued that contractor for 1.25 million dollars. He
settled out of court for only a fraction of what he had been bilked out
of, rather than the case going to court, in which case his crooked
dealings in diamond mining would have been made public. **5**
Gold Mining and Liberian Dictator Charles Taylor
In 2001, Robertson, along with newfound friend Charles Taylor, started
a revival in Liberia. At the time, Liberia was on the US list of
terrorist nations not to do business with. Taylor was harboring members
of al Qaeda, and civil war there was to ultimately result in the deaths
of half the population of that nation. But that didnt stop Robertson.
While claiming he was there to make Liberia a Christian nation, he gave
Taylor a 10% stake in a gold mining operation in return for his being
allowed to mine the gold. Under cover of the revival for the purposes
of bringing Liberians to Christ, Robertson clandestinely mined the gold
there in violation of US law. When, with the support of President
Bush, Taylor was forced out of office, Robertson told the world that
the United States was undermining Christianity in western Africa, and
strongly supported Taylor, despite the fact that Taylor was now
indicted by the UN for atrocities and crimes against humanity. His
gold mine gone, Robertson began looking elsewhere for his fortune.
Eventually FEMA would come to his rescue, after he and Bush had made
up. **6**
Other Business Interests by Robertson
Pat Robertson paid more than half a million dollars for a race horse he
named "Mr. Pat" which he planned to race in the Kentucky Derby, and has
owned other race horses as well. **7** While calling
others immoral, and praying for heathens to be assassinated, Robertson
is still hawking vitamins for a buck these days, this time on the
website of the Christian Broadcasting Network. **8**
Epilogue:
I end this piece as I began, with a quote from the anti Pat Robertson
Web Site, then a final quote from the Bible.
This is the man who has obtained a favorable rating with the new Bush
FEMA. How in the world he was able to obtain that favorable status is
beyond me, but the Bible has some harsh words for those who would so
cynically use Christianity, as well as the suffering of others, as the
means to such a monetary end.
Bibliography:
**1** The Holy Bible, KJV, I Timothy 6:5
**2** The Anti Pat Robertson Website.
**3** From same article as **2**
**4** Tabernacle Baptist Church, Lubbock Texas
**5** The Virginian-Pilot 9/9/1997
**6** Christianity Today, 7/10/2003
**7** Ethics Daily 5/29/2002
**8** Christian Broadcasting Network
**9** From the same article as **2**
**10** The Holy Bible, KJV, Mark 7:6
I. Prologue
In case of a disaster, we rely on the generosity of many, who give
charitably to organizations which are promoted by FEMA. FEMA itself
provides a booklet on which charities are legitimate, and many give to
the charities listed in the FEMA publication. Not surprisingly, under
George Bush, many of the traditional charities listed in the FEMA
publication have been replaced by so-called "faith based" charities.
How ethical are these charities? In this article, I will disect one of
them, Pat Robertson's Operation Blessing, and let you judge for
yourself. Let me start by quoting a passage from the anti Pat Robertson
Web Site.
II. Beginnings
Pat Robertson started his career as a scam artist by using money
donated to CBN to start the Family Channel, which he later made a
fortune from when he sold it to Rupert Murdoch. He then made a lot
more money by duping people into buying coupon books in a multilevel
marketing pyramid scheme. One eldery woman was forced to refinance her
home after being ripped off in the scam. Roberson then used his
ill-gotten proceeds to hawk vitamins. **3**
Diamond Mining in Zaire
In the 1990's, Robertson used his own show, the 700 Club, to collect
millions of dollars which were supposed to feed the hungry in Africa.
Robertson's pitch included pictures of children who were starving to
death. Robertson used the money he collected to purchase several
aircraft, along with diamond mining equipment. Of 36 flights to
Africa, one contained some medicines, one trip was to rescue
missionaries, 17 were in connection with the diamond mining business,
and the rest of the trips were secret and never logged.
When exposed by a newspaper in Atlanta, GA, Robertson's agent then made
the claim that the aircraft were no good for delivering food, and also
claimed, without any proof to offer, that Robertson had paid back the
money to the 700 club. Robertson himself never returned any phone
calls by the reporter. **4**
In 1997, Robertson claimed to have been ripped off in his diamond
mining venture by a contractor who he claims did not deliver in a
timely manner, and sued that contractor for 1.25 million dollars. He
settled out of court for only a fraction of what he had been bilked out
of, rather than the case going to court, in which case his crooked
dealings in diamond mining would have been made public. **5**
Gold Mining and Liberian Dictator Charles Taylor
In 2001, Robertson, along with newfound friend Charles Taylor, started
a revival in Liberia. At the time, Liberia was on the US list of
terrorist nations not to do business with. Taylor was harboring members
of al Qaeda, and civil war there was to ultimately result in the deaths
of half the population of that nation. But that didnt stop Robertson.
While claiming he was there to make Liberia a Christian nation, he gave
Taylor a 10% stake in a gold mining operation in return for his being
allowed to mine the gold. Under cover of the revival for the purposes
of bringing Liberians to Christ, Robertson clandestinely mined the gold
there in violation of US law. When, with the support of President
Bush, Taylor was forced out of office, Robertson told the world that
the United States was undermining Christianity in western Africa, and
strongly supported Taylor, despite the fact that Taylor was now
indicted by the UN for atrocities and crimes against humanity. His
gold mine gone, Robertson began looking elsewhere for his fortune.
Eventually FEMA would come to his rescue, after he and Bush had made
up. **6**
Other Business Interests by Robertson
Pat Robertson paid more than half a million dollars for a race horse he
named "Mr. Pat" which he planned to race in the Kentucky Derby, and has
owned other race horses as well. **7** While calling
others immoral, and praying for heathens to be assassinated, Robertson
is still hawking vitamins for a buck these days, this time on the
website of the Christian Broadcasting Network. **8**
Epilogue:
I end this piece as I began, with a quote from the anti Pat Robertson
Web Site, then a final quote from the Bible.
This is the man who has obtained a favorable rating with the new Bush
FEMA. How in the world he was able to obtain that favorable status is
beyond me, but the Bible has some harsh words for those who would so
cynically use Christianity, as well as the suffering of others, as the
means to such a monetary end.
Bibliography:
**1** The Holy Bible, KJV, I Timothy 6:5
**2** The Anti Pat Robertson Website.
**3** From same article as **2**
**4** Tabernacle Baptist Church, Lubbock Texas
**5** The Virginian-Pilot 9/9/1997
**6** Christianity Today, 7/10/2003
**7** Ethics Daily 5/29/2002
**8** Christian Broadcasting Network
**9** From the same article as **2**
**10** The Holy Bible, KJV, Mark 7:6