The Evangelical movement in this country is greedy and self absorbed, this has been a long time coming.

You can't have it both ways, either you believe in the seperation of church & state or you don't. If you believe in the seperation of church & state then leave church alone. You can't have it both ways. And since the IRS feels an investagation is not needed, the senate has no authority to do this.

Philomath777: You come out against making judgements, however you end off condradicting yourself by making a judgement against the Baptist church and their projectors, carpets, etc. Can't have it both ways my brother.

To those who are judging these ministries without knowing the facts - Maybe the government should be checking all the Baptist churches also to see how much of their budget goes to helping the poor vs the new carpets, video projectors, air conditioners, etc. He who is without sin may cast the first stone.

Just wait until "big brother" starts assessing multi-million dollar taxs on churchs to run Your church out of town, you greedy christians don't need buildings, the catacombs will suffice.

AMEN to that, dgnymn!!!

Sadly, we think the government intrusion into these churches is "their" problem. But it is not. It is our problem. If we stand idly by, while the government investigates those religious organizations, what are we going to do when it is our turn? What will we do when the gov't demands we be more "tolerant" when it comes to teaching about sexual orientation to youth? What will we do when the gov't wants to know the names and SSN of individual members who supported certain church projects? THe government is not an entity to be trusted. It is an entity to be controlled by the people, and limited. The senate has committed FAR more financial atrocities than all of these prosperity preachers combined, and those atrocities are committed by pulling money out of your paychecks every pay period. It is hypocritical for Washington to investigate financial practices of ministries when its own house wastes billions of dollars annually on its own needless concessions.

Since when did Christ say if you want to follow me carry your mansion or Bentley. I thought the line was a Cross?

These Pastors should be investigated. Their lifestyles reek of Greed. Hey, I'm all for driving your Bentley or living in a mansion if you are a salesman, but shouldn't our Pastors be Christ-like examples for us? Since when was it ok for our Pastors to be worth millions and yet still asking money from people who bareley have any money. Where is the integrity and ethics.

Can't all mega-Church Pastors be more like Billy Graham? These MegaChurch Pastors may be pro-life and conservative morally which is good, but they truly set a bad example through their lifestyle. They truly look like a follower of Capitalism and Marketing, not of Christ.

wrhalver, I agree with you.

MAYBE the ANSWER, here is this: As taxpayers, we should be probing Senator Grassley and other politicians about their spending on private planes and other junkets, as well as parties at mansions and other politically-rewarding expenditures at our expense!!! I don't approve of my tax dollars going to help the rich and powerful waste tax dollars!!! Such hypocrisy!!!!

I would think that, at any time, the church is ready to demonstrate to these government agencies that they are on "the up and up" since the church is always accountable to God first.

Or maybe God doesn't like the accounting either?