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Paul Crouch, Architect of Prosperity Gospel Televangelism, Dead at 79

By Sarah Posner

…exposé. He and his wife built their network, worth hundreds of millions of dollars, using tax-exempt donor funds, frequently, former insiders have charged, for their own enrichment. In 2004, the conservative Christian financial watchdog Ministry Watch issued a scathing report on the network, charging that its “huge cash stockpile” should be spent on charitable works, rather than on the Crouches’ personal luxuries. That same year, the Los Angeles T…

Why are Romney SuperPac Donors Shy?

By Joanna Brooks

…. NPR remarked on the “Go down the list of people who have given a million dollars to a superPAC, and you realize many of them are not shy about their wealth.” But not so for this particular Romney donor. Why? Wealth means status in the world of Mormonism, as it does just about everywhere else. But Mormon culture and church tradition emphasize privacy and even anonymity in giving. There are no “named giving opportunities,” no plaques bearing donor…

Jerusalem Honors Right-Wing Mogul Sheldon Adelson

By Diane Winston

…usinessman and a philanthropist who has given away hundreds of millions of dollars to causes in Israel, the United States and Asia, Adelson—who has been there and done that—was nonetheless sufficiently emotional, when presented with a sculpture of Jerusalem, to wipe a tear from his eye. And speaking of tears, the best case scenario for Israeli news consumers: Adelson only spoke to American reporters so they had an alternative to the Jerusalem Post…

Bishops Release Religious Liberty Manifesto Vowing Disobedience to “Unjust Laws”

By Sarah Posner

…iming mistreatment. (In fact, many Americans probably wonder why their tax dollars are supporting groups who actively oppose equal rights for all citizens.) The Bishops close with a call to action, a “fortnight for freedom” between “June 21—the vigil of the Feasts of St. John Fisher and St. Thomas More—to July 4, Independence Day.” Fusing the martyrdom of Catholic saints with Independence Day, the Bishops write, “Our liturgical calendar celebrate…

Blankets, Booties, and Jesus: Spiritual War on the Uterus in Rick Perry’s Texas

By Sarah Posner

…osed to a political argument that it’s an undesirable mingling of taxpayer dollars with religious messaging) would be difficult, in part because of the intimate nature of the services the centers provide. “Just gathering the evidence to know what case to bring would be difficult,” said Lynn. “This is a long haul to get from knowing that this is going on instinctively or in conversations and being able to prove that a specific entity used its feder…

Caste First, Christ Second, for Some Indian Christians

By Megan Sweas

…ent for American Christians, especially evangelicals, who pour millions of dollars into missionary work in India. Is religion, and Christianity in particular, as Das and Bhushan view it, linked to social structures? Or is it simply a matter of personal belief. “The operating definition of religion that Americans often have, which is in terms of individual belief, is a pretty inadequate definition,” says Leora Batnitzky, a Princeton University reli…

Open Letter to Creflo Dollar

By Lerone A. Martin

…or privately settled his sexual abuse “wreck” out of court for millions of dollars? Or would you cover your babies and run for safety? Would YOU continue to unquestionably financially and otherwise support a non-profit organization where the power structure was clouded in a questionable history of inappropriate sexual contact with children? Or would you seek to place your family’s treasures, time, and talents elsewhere? Would YOU tell your catho…

Devil’s Bookmark: How Not to Defend God

By Bernard Schweizer

…iesel called Bernie Madoff, who caused him to invest (and lose) 15 Million dollars, “a God.” [See my previous post, “Loving an Abusive God.”] Basically, Copan pulls a Madoff defense for God: since God had promised great things, one should not hesitate to give everything to the promisor. But promises don’t count for much when push comes to shove, and this line of argument might have worked better before people became wary of quasi-divine financial…

New York Legalizes Gay Marriage

By Candace Chellew-Hodge

…, I don’t know, help the poor or something, might be a better use of those dollars, it’s not surprising to see them commit that much of their resources to fighting something they see as evil. Sadly, these hardcore religious people, who just know that they have God and God’s ways figured out, have no intention of changing their views – even if that change comes with a party and a cake. This is exactly the moral of Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son…

Believing in Johnny Cash: An Open Letter to Atheists

By Paul Wallace

…Not in a simple way, granted, but in the same way that economics is about dollars and cents. The best science is securely grounded in empirical facts. So far as I can tell, (and again, addressing my atheist friends) the scientifically-motivated among you believe that, in the end, empirical facts are all the truth we can ever have. And this is so not because science is limited but because, in the end, facts are all there are. Put another way, if o…