Informationsmarktverzerrung durch Fundamentalismus am Beispiel der USA

Kapitel 1: Einführung

4. Handelnde Personen III: Televangelisten und Evangelisten

von Margarete Payer

mailto: payer@payer.de

Zitierweise / cite as:

Payer, Margarete <1942 - >: Informationsmarktverzerrung durch Fundamentalismus am Beispiel der USA. -- Kapitel 1: Einführung. -- 4. Handelnde Personen III: Televangelisten und Evangelisten. -- Fassung vom 2005-06-16. -- URL: http://www.payer.de/fundamentalismus/fundamentalismus014.htm

Erstmals publiziert: 2005-03-23

Überarbeitungen: 2005-06-16 [Ergänzungen]; 2005-06-14 [Ergänzungen]; 2005-04-25 [Ergänzungen]; 2005-04-16 [Ergänzungen]; 2005-04-15 [Ergänzungen]; 2005-04-12 [Ergänzungen]; 2005-04-10 [Ergänzungen]; 2005-04-06 [Ergänzungen]; 2005-04-03 [Ergänzungen]; 2005-04-01 [Ergänzungen]; 2005-03-26 [Ergänzungen]

Anlass: Lehrveranstaltung an der Hochschule der Medien Stuttgart, Sommersemester 2005

Copyright: Dieser Text steht der Allgemeinheit zur Verfügung. Eine Verwertung in Publikationen, die über übliche Zitate hinausgeht, bedarf der ausdrücklichen Genehmigung des Verfassers.

Diese Inhalt ist unter einer Creative Commons-Lizenz lizenziert.

Dieser Text ist Teil der Abteilung  Länder und Kulturen von Tüpfli's Global Village Library

0. Übersicht

• 1. Televangelisten
• 2. Billy Graham, Evangelist
• 3. Franklin Graham, Evangelist / Anne Graham Lotz, Evangelistin
• 4. Pat Robertson, Evangelist
• 5. Jerry Falwell, Evangelist
• 6. Hal Lindsey, Evangelist
• 7. T. D. Jakes, Evangelist
• 8. Jimmy Swaggart, Evangelist

Abb.: Have Faith!

Selbstverständlich erhebt die Auswahl der Personen keinen Anspruch auf Vollständigkeit. Die behandelten Personen sind wegen ihrer überragenden Bedeutung oder als typische Beispiele gewählt.

"I remain convinced, moreover, that the attention paid to the televangelists is disproportionate to their influence within the evangelical subculture. There are good reasons for this, of course. For nonevangelicals, the televangelists are the most conspicuous element of evangelicalism, and their bizarre antics in recent years make for good copy and tantalizing footage on the six o'clock news. But for many evangelicals themselves, the televangelists are more of a nuisance and an embarrassment than a substantive influence (even though many local churches have imitated their style). I confess to no little amusement at the media's coverage of recent scandals, because the formula was always the same. After a lead-in about the scandal itself, a reporter would ambush an unsuspecting churchgoer at some Baptist church in Tennessee to ask whether Jimmy Swag-gart's latest indiscretion would affect his or her faith. For anyone familiar with evangelicalism, that question misses the point. The faith of American evangelicals is shaped by many forces—their own reading of the Scriptures (which in turn is affected by what translation or study Bible they choose), their local church and pastor, the kinds of devotional materials they use, and, perhaps least of all, by Jimmy Swaggart or Jim Bakker or Oral Roberts." [Quelle: : Balmer, Randall Herbert <1954 - >: Mine eyes have seen the glory : a journey into the evangelical subculture in America. -- 3rd ed.  -- New York : Oxford University Press, ©2000.  -- xviii, 327 S. ; 21 cm.  -- ISBN: 0195131800. -- S. 8f. -- {Wenn Sie HIER klicken, können Sie dieses Buch bei amazon.de bestellen}]

1. Televangelisten

Abb.: Wanted: Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell
[Bildquelle: http://www.godlessgeeks.com/LINKS/Humor.html. -- Zugriff am 2005-03-15]

"In the USA, a televangelist (television evangelist) is a religious minister (often a Christian priest or minister) who devotes a large portion of his (or her) ministry to TV broadcasts to a regular viewing and listening audience. A number of televangelists are also regular pastors or ministers in their own halls of worship, but the majority of their followers come from their TV and radio audiences. Evangelists have been using telecommunications to convert people to Christianity since the earliest days of radio. One of the more famous American radio evangelists of the early 20th century was Father Charles Coughlin, whose strongly anti-Communist radio ministry reached millions of listeners during the Great Depression of the 1930s. While largely Catholic in the north, this phenomenon has been almost entirely of the evangelical Protestant variety in the USA Midwest and South, where it formed as an outgrowth of revival-tent preaching, which experienced a resurgence during the Great Depression as itinerant traveling preachers drove from town to town, living off of donations. Some televangelists have been at the center of considerable controversy, as their ministries believe in the charismatic docrine of divine healing. This method, seen as pseudoscience by skeptics, has been exposed as a fraud in the cases of some televangelists, such as Peter Popoff. In the 1970s and 1980s, the rise of evangelical Protestant Christianity created well-known televangelists, with their own media networks, news exposure, and political influence. Many of these figures and their ministries retain substantial influence today. As in other areas of faith centering around a charismatic (in the more general, non-religious sense) figure, there are opportunities for unscrupulous "ministers" to try to take advantage of the faith and charity of the donor audience. Even honest evangelists, who begin their ministry with a more genuine calling to serve, may be tempted to embezzlement or self-indulgence by the celebrity of their position and the amounts of money flowing through their hands. A series of such scandals in the 1980s resulted in the fall from grace of several famous televangelists, including Jim Bakker, who served a prison sentence for financial improprieties associated with his ministry, and Jimmy Swaggart, who made a famous tearful confession to a dalliance with a prostitute. Most of these televangelists have continued preaching, nonetheless, even though their audiences may be barely a fraction of what they were at the height of their popularity. Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell achieved further notoriety in 2001 by their assertion to a grieving nation that the September 11 terrorist attacks constituted divine retribution provoked by what they saw as rampant sexual immorality. Televangelism is a peculiarly American phenomenon. Most countries do not permit this kind of open-access evangelism, and religious broadcasts, where they exist, are produced by the TV companies rather than private interest groups. Several religious networks also exist in the U.S., many carrying primarily televangelism." [Quelle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Televangelist. -- Zugriff am 2005-03-01]

2. Billy Graham, Evangelist

Abb.: Billy Graham [Bildquelle: http://www.billygraham.org/mediaRelations/photographs.asp. -- Zugriff am 2005-03-01]

Webpräsenz: http://www.billygraham.org/. -- Zugriff am 2005-03-17

"Billy Graham (*7. November 1918; gebürtig William Franklin Graham) ist ein amerikanischer Baptistenpastor , Evangelist, Erweckungsprediger und einer der Begründer der evangelikalen Bewegung, und wird in den Vereinigten Staaten nicht nur von konservativen Theologen als einer der einflussreichsten Christen des 20. Jahrhunderts bezeichnet. Leben Graham wurde in Charlotte, North Carolina geboren und führte Zeit seines Lebens evangelistische Großveranstaltungen (so genannte "crusades") durch. Er begann seinen evangelistischen Dienst in den USA und weitete sein Evangelisationswerk auf alle Erdteile aus. Ende der 1980er Jahre evangelisierte er als einer der ersten ausländischen Evangelisten in Moskau. In Deutschland führte er in Verbindung mit der Evangelischen Allianz insgesamt fünf "crusades" durch. Die bekannteste unter ihnen war die "Euro 70". Diese Veranstaltung fand in der Essener Gruga-Halle statt und wurde mit damals modernster Technik in viele Großstädte Deutschlands live übertragen. Grahams Predigten waren gekennzeichnet von inhaltlicher Schlichtheit und rhetorischer Brillianz. Sie zielten auf eine persönliche Glaubensentscheidung des Einzelnen ab. Humorvolle Anekdoten und gezielte Beispiele aus dem persönlichen Erleben machten seine Verkündigung lebendig und für breite Massen verständlich. Obwohl Graham Baptist ist, war seine Verkündigung niemals konfessionell gebunden. Er arbeitete mit vielen unterschiedlichen Denominationen zusammen. Theologisch gehört der amerikanische Erweckungsprediger zu den Begründern der evangelikalen Bewegung, die sich in den Fünfzigerjahren vom Christlichen Fundamentalismus abspaltete. Wie der Mainstream der amerikanischen Evangelikalen vertritt Graham eine konservative Moral, ist gegen Abtreibung und Homosexualität und befürwortet die Todesstrafe. Schon früh begann Graham die modernen Massenkommunikationsmittel zu nutzen. Neben umfangreicher Literaturarbeit (zum Beispiel die Zeitschrift "Decision" / "Entscheidung") nutzte er schon früh das Radio und den Film ("World Wide Pictures Inc.") als Verkündigungsmittel. Später kamen das Fernsehen und das Satellitenfernsehen hinzu (Fernsehprediger). Millionen von Menschen bringen weltweit ihre Hinwendung zum christlichen Glauben mit der Person Billy Grahams in Verbindung. Zu Grahams Arbeit gehörte die Schulung ehrenamtlicher Mitarbeiter und sog. Multiplikatoren. Bedeutsam für ihn - aber auch umstritten bei vielen seiner Zeitgenossen - war für Graham der Kontakt zu politischen Entscheidungsträgern. Graham fungierte in diesem Zusammenhang auch als seelsorgerlicher Berater mehrerer US-amerikanischer Präsidenten. Präsident George W. Bush wurde nach eigenen Aussagen bei der Überwindung seiner Alkoholabhängigkeit entscheidend durch Graham, einem Freund der Familie Bush, unterstützt. Graham leidet seit 1992 an der Parkinson-Krankheit und beendete im Jahre 2000 seine Missionsarbeit: Ich habe Parkinson, was mich aus dem Gleichgewicht wirft und die Hälfte der Zeit benutze ich einen Krückstock. Er predigt jedoch noch heute vor großem Publikum: Im Sommer und Herbst 2002 trat er jeweils mehrere Tage lang in den Football-Stadien von Cincinnati und Dallas auf." [Quelle: http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Graham_%28Evangelist%29. -- Zugriff am 20055-03-01]

Abb.: Einbandtitel der Autobiographie von Billy Graham
{Wenn Sie HIER klicken, können Sie dieses Buch bei amazon.de bestellen}

Der Titel "Just as I am" ist von einem Lieblingslied Billy Grahams, das bei seinen Veranstaltungen unzählige Male gesungen wurde:

[Quelle der midi-Datei: http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/j/u/justasam.htm. -- Zugriff am 2005-04-03]

"ORGANIZING THE CRUSADES Every Crusade begins at the grassroots, usually with a group of concerned Christians who are burdened for their community and come together to seek God's will about reaching those around them for Christ. If they come to believe that a Crusade may be an effective way of accomplishing this, they contact our Minneapolis office. For many years, Sterling Huston has been our director for North America. After a Crusade request comes in, Sterling visits the people who sent the request (if that seems indicated), and he meets with as broad a cross section of Christian and civic leaders as possible in the host city. Others who have broad experience with our Crusades, such as Larry Turner or Rick Marshall, also meet with local pastors and look at the practical problems, such as a suitable stadium, ease of access, and parking facilities. Those staff who work with our Crusades have sacrificed much, often being away from home for weeks at a time; and the debt I owe them is enormous. Sterling was an engineer with a major industrial corporation before coming with us, and his analytical mind and careful attention to detail have been invaluable to me. He is a good example of a person who is gifted in ways I'm not and who has willingly used his gifts for the furtherance of our ministry. However, like everyone on our Team, he is also spiritually sensitive and is always concerned that we accept an invitation to a city only when God is clearly opening the door there. One of his key criteria is the level of prayer support in a city, for without that as a foundation, little will be accomplished spiritually. Once a Crusade invitation is accepted, a Crusade director and a small support staff move to that city, often a year in advance. Their purpose is to assist the local committee in organizing every phase of the Crusade, from the recruitment of staff, ushers, and the choir to the construction of the platform and the raising of the budget. (The budget for each Crusade, by the way, is raised locally; afterward the finances are audited, and the audit is published in the local newspapers.) Every Crusade involves thousands of volunteers who have a deep burden for their community and come together using their various talents. Without them, an event of that size would be impossible. They are just as much a part of the Team as those of us who stand on the platform. And after each Crusade, it is our hope to leave behind people who have been trained or better equipped to use their gifts right there where they live." [Quelle: Graham, Billy <1918 -  >: Just as I am : the autobiography of Billy Graham. -- [San Francisco, Calif.] : HarperSanFrancisco ; [Grand Rapids, Mich.] : Zondervan, ©1997.  --  xxiii, 760 S., [32] p. of plates : Ill. (some col.), maps ; 25 cm.  -- ISBN: 0060633875. -- 0060633433 (pbk.). -- S. 670f.. -- {Wenn Sie HIER klicken, können Sie dieses Buch bei amazon.de bestellen}]

Übrigens: Weil Billy Graham bei seinem Crusade 1957 in New York die Mitarbeit liberaler Protestanten zuließ, gilt er bei manchen Fundamentalisten als theologisch Liberaler (das schlimmste, was man sein kann)!

3. Franklin Graham, Evangelist / Anne Graham Lotz, Evangelistin

Dies sind die beiden evangelistisch tätigen Kinder von Billy Graham

Abb.: Franklin Graham [Bildquelle: http://www.billygraham.org/mediaRelations/photographs.asp. -- Zugriff am 2005-03-01]

Webpräsenz von Franklin Graham: http://www.billygraham.org/. -- Zugriff am 2005-03-17

"William Franklin Graham, III (born July 14, 1952), best known as Franklin Graham, is a American evangelical Christian preacher and missionary. The son of Billy Graham and Ruth Bell Graham, he was born and raised in North Carolina. Franklin Graham did not become a Christian until age 22, while in Jerusalem. In 1974, he also married Jane Austin Cunningham. Shortly after becoming a Christian, Graham began working with Dr. Bob Pierce, founder of Samaritan's Purse, in Asia on a mission trip. Graham began his involment with Samaritan's Purse at that time. In 1979, Graham became the president of the organization after the death of Pierce. Graham did not began conducting evangelistic events until 1989. Each year, he conducts at least five Graham Festivals around the world as an evangelist associated with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Since 1989, he has preached to more than three million people. Franklin Graham serves BGEA as president and CEO. He spoke at the 1999 Columbine High School memorial. He also gave the opening prayer at the 2001 inaugration of George W. Bush. Graham came under criticism for comments he made against Islam in the wake of the September 11th attacks, when he referred to Islam as "wicked, violent, and not of the same God." Further criticism came on April 18, 2003 when he travelled to Baghdad to conduct a Good Friday service in that city, nine days after it fell to American military forces." [Quelle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Franklin_Graham. -- Zugriff am 2005-03-01]

"Besonders hervor tat sich [...] Franklin Graham, Sohn des berühmten Missionierungspredigers Billy Graham, der wiederum als ein persönlicher Freund der Bush-Dynastie gilt. Franklin Graham, Erbe des mächtigen, väterlichen Missionswerkes, ist mehrfach durch beleidigende Attacken gegen den Islam («an evil rehgion») aufgefallen. Er hat nie dementiert, dass er die Auseinandersetzung mit dieser Religion in den Kategorien des apokalyptischen Endkampfes interpretiert. Der Kampf gegen den Terrorismus sei darin ein Beginn, schließlich werde Jesus nach dem «second Coming» die Kräfte des Bösen (darunter den Islam) endgültig vernichten. Dass solche Ansichten von einem Menschen aus dem engsten Zirkel um den Präsidenten propagiert werden, mag bereits befremdlich sein, besonders negative Aufmerksamkeit erregte der Tatbestand jedoch dadurch, dass gerade im Anschluss an die erfolgreiche Irak-Invasion dieser «Kreuzzugs»-Geist besondere, öffentliche Aufwertung erfuhr. Franklin Graham wurde eingeladen, den Karfreitagsgottesdienst im Verteidigungsministerium abzuhalten, was auf den heftigen Protest einiger muslimischer Bediensteter stieß, aber von der Bush-Administration unbeirrt durchgezogen wurde. Der Vorgang ist keine abseitige Posse, sondern hat sehr ernste Hintergründe. Menschen wie F. Graham streiten für den Endsieg Jesu nicht nur mit bizarren Äußerungen vor den heimischen Medien, sondern auch mit Taten im internationalen Maßstab. Auch dies geschieht mit ausdrücklicher Billigung der zweiten Bush-Administration. Noch im ersten Krieg gegen den Irak agierte das U.S.-Verteidigungsministerium (unter dem späteren Vizepräsidenten D. Cheney) verhaltener. F. Graham versorgte im Jahre 1991 die U.S.-Soldaten mit tausenden Exemplaren des Neuen Testaments auf arabisch, die diese dann unter der Bevölkerung verteilten. Der damalige Oberbefehlshaber, General Schwarzkopf, erhob immerhin noch Einspruch gegen die Aktion, die gegen das Recht des Stationierungslandes Saudi-Arabien verstieß. Unter der zweiten Bush-Administration fanden vergleichbare Aktivitäten Grahams hingegen offizielle Billigung: Seiner Wohltätigkeitsorganisation «Samaritian's Purse» wurde nach Ende der Kampfhandlungen gestattet, Hilfsprogramme im Irak mit einem aktiven Missionieren zugunsten der eigenen religiösen Botschaft zu verbinden." [Quelle: Prätorius, Rainer: In God we trust : Religion und Politik in den USA. -- München : Beck, 2003. -- 205 S. ; 19 cm. -- (Beck'sche Reihe ; 1542). -- ISBN 3-406-49471-4. -- {Wenn Sie HIER klicken, können Sie dieses Buch bei amazon.de bestellen}]

Abb.: Anne Graham Lotz
[Bildquelle: http://www.annegrahamlotz.com/. -- Zugriff am 2005-04-06]

Webpräsenz von Anne Graham Lotz: http://www.annegrahamlotz.com/. -- Zugriff am 2005-04-06

"Lotz, Anne Graham (1948-) An evangelist and Bible teacher, Anne Graham is the second daughter of Billy and Ruth Graham. Reared in the Montreal Presbyterian Church, Anne Graham was converted at an early age. In 1966 she married Daniel Lotz, a dentist, reared a family, and became interested in teaching the Bible. She founded AnGeL Ministries (a wordplay on her initials) in 1988, which has catapulted her into speaking situations, often as the first woman to address an evangelical audience. "A lot of places I go I'm the first woman," she told the New York Times in 2000. "And I would pray that they're not inviting me because I'm a woman, but because of the message I bring." Lotz defends this role against conservatives by insisting that she speaks from "the authority of Scripture, not from a position of authority over men." Although Lotz is widely heralded as a superb preacher, she sees her role more as that of teacher to people who are already believers. "Daddy and Franklin are obstetricians, bringing the babies into the family of God," Lotz told a reporter in 2000. "I take them, once they're in the family, and help them to grow." [Quelle: Balmer, Randall Herbert <1954 - >: Encyclopedia of evangelicalism. -- Rev. and expanded ed.  -- Waco, TX : Baylor University Press, ©2004.  -- viii, 781 S. ; 23 cm.  -- ISBN: 193279204X. -- s.v. -- {Wenn Sie HIER klicken, können Sie dieses Buch bei amazon.de bestellen}]

"Anne Graham Lotz, founder of AnGeL Ministries, has passionately proclaimed God’s Word to people around the world for over twenty-nine years. Her gripping narratives and heart-touching teaching have inspired listeners in arenas and prison cells, stadiums and Bible studies, sanctuaries and seminaries, the United Nations and Amsterdam 2000. The daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Billy Graham, Anne launched Just Give Me Jesus in the year 2000. Anne is an award-winning and best-selling author of seven books, including Just Give Me Jesus; Why? Trusting God When You Don’t Understand; and her most recent release, the devotional, The Joy of My Heart. Anne and her husband, Dr. Dan Lotz, reside in North Carolina. " [Quelle: http://www.annegrahamlotz.com/. -- Zugriff am 2005-04-06]

"Just Give Me Jesus  Just Give Me Jesus events were born out of Anne Graham Lotz’s own heart’s cry for personal revival. Just Give Me Jesus is a time of refreshing for women, sponsored by a group of leaders in each local city and AnGeL Ministries. Anne’s prayer is that each woman who attends would receive a fresh touch from Jesus through the proclamation of God’s Word, prayer and worship. Like the woman of old in Samaria, as women come to the Well in each arena, Anne’s prayer is they would be filled to overflow with Jesus Himself. She has made clear the weekends are not designed to entertain, or even to inspire or encourage women – but, to revive them. To that end, Anne has gone to great lengths to have the focus of the weekend be solely on Jesus Christ. There is no elaborate staging, only a simple, wooden cross; no master of ceremonies, just the Word of God taught in a straight-forward style and framed with thoughtful worship and prayer. This fresh approach has been well received by tens of thousands of women who have flooded the arenas over the years. The result has been changed lives, changed families, changed churches, and changed communities. Click here for information on upcoming cities hosting Just Give Me Jesus." [Quelle: http://www.annegrahamlotz.com/. -- Zugriff am 2005-04-06]

4. Pat Robertson, Evangelist

Abb.: Pat Robertson (Umschlagtitel)

Webpräsenz: http://www.patrobertson.com/. -- Zugrif am 2005-03-17

Zitate von Pat Robertson: "We at the Christian Coalition are raising an army who cares. We are training people to be effective—to be elected to school boards, to city councils, to state legislatures and to key positions in political parties. ... By the end of this decade, if we work and give and organize and train, THE CHRISTIAN COALITION WILL BE THE MOST POWERFUL POLITICAL ORGANIZATION IN AMERICA." Fundraising letter. -- 1991-07-04 "I know that this all sounds too much like a science fiction horror story, but the loss of United States sovereignty opens up the very real possibility that some day in the future a demonized madman like Hitler could seize control of a worldwide, homogenized government and then employ currently existing technology to turn the entire world into a giant prison." The new world order. -- 1991 "If the Christian people work together, they can succedd during this decade in winning back control of the institutions that have been taken from then over the past 70 years. Expect confrontations that will be not only unpleasant but at times physically bloody." Pat Robertsons Perspective. -- 1992-10/11 "There was no concept of separation between God and government in the New Testament or the Old Testament ... The concept that was before us in the Bible is that rulers are ministers of God, that the sword that they wield is not in vain, but they've been placed in authority by God to make sure that law and order prevails in our land and there is no anarchy. Now when atheism came in under what used to be called the Soviet Union a new constitution was written, which said the state shall be separate from the church and the church from the school ... In the United States of America people have tried to apply that phrase from the Soviet Constitution to the schooling of children in America. Both of these constitutions are wrong. There is nothing that should indicate that God Almighty should be separated from the government nor that godly people should not hold office in government ... So there is nothing to indicate that there should be a separation." The 700 Club. -- 1995-08-01 [Zitiert in: : Boston, Rob <1962 - >: The most dangerous man in America? : Pat Robertson and the rise of the Christian Coalition. --  Amherst, N.Y. : Prometheus Books, 1996.  -- 248 S. ; 23 cm.  -- ISBN 1573920533. -- S. 85, 121, 63, 72f. -- {Wenn Sie HIER klicken, können Sie dieses Buch bei amazon.de bestellen}]

Videoclip: Wahlwerbung "Pat Robertson as President", 1987 [Quelle der mov-Datei: http://cti.itc.virginia.edu/~hius316/religious/religB1.html. -- Zugriff am 2005-04-10]   "Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson (born March 22, 1930) is a Christian televangelist in the United States, and founder of the Christian Coalition. He is the host of the popular TV show The 700 Club, which airs on many religious cable channels. His strongly conservative views have made him the subject of much controversy, especially his statements in favor of the dissolution of the barrier between church and state. He is an ordained Southern Baptist minister, but holds to a Pentecostal theology, a position which puts him at odds with many of his fellow Southern Baptists. Life and Career Pat Robertson was born into a wealthy Virginia family. His father, Absalom Willis Robertson, was a conservative Democratic United States Senator with close ties to banking interests. Pat Robertson enrolled at Washington and Lee University in 1946, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. In 1948 he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. After graduating magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1950, Robertson served in the Korean War. Robertson was promoted to first lieutenant in 1952 upon his return to the United States. Robertson then went on to receive a Juris Doctor degree from Yale University Law School in 1955 and a master of divinity degree from New York Theological Seminary in 1959. In 1960, Robertson established the Christian Broadcasting Network. It is now seen in 180 countries and broadcast in 71 languages. Robertson also founded International Family Entertainment, Inc. in 1990, with its main business as the Family Channel, which was sold to the Fox network in 1997 and is now owned by Disney. A condition of the sale was that the station would continue airing Robertson's television program The 700 Club twice a day. Robertson founded Regent University in Virginia Beach, Virginia in 1977 and serves as its chancellor. Robertson is also founder and president of the American Center for Law and Justice, a public interest law firm and education group that defends the First Amendment rights of people of faith, holding the view that separation of church and state is superseded by an individual's right to worship as he or she chooses. The law firm, headquartered in the same building that houses Regent's law school, focuses on what it calls "pro-family, pro-liberty and pro-life" cases nationwide. Robertson was a candidate for the Republican nomination for President of the United States in 1988. His campaign did not last beyond the primary elections, as George H. W. Bush was nominated instead. Robertson's best showing in the primaries was winning the Washington state Republican primary. While he is primarily popular among American evangelical Christians, support for Robertson extends beyond the Christian community. In 2002, he received the State of Israel Friendship Award from the Zionist Organization of America for his consistent support for Greater Israel. In that year the Coalition for Jewish Concerns also expressed its gratitude to Robertson for "unwavering support for Israel" and "standing up to evil." A Controversial Public Figure Outspoken in both his faith and his politics, Robertson has made plenty of headlines and enemies. The major controversies surrounding him include: Robertson's claims of the power of his prayers. For example, Robertson claims to have used the power of prayer to steer hurricanes away from his companies' Virginia Beach, Virginia headquarters. He took credit for steering the course in 1985 of Hurricane Gloria, which caused millions of dollars of destruction in many states along the east coast. He made a similar claim about another destructive storm, Hurricane Felix, in 1995. Robertson's attacks on feminists, homosexuals, and liberals. Among his more controversial statements, Robertson has described feminism as a "socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians." Robertson's views mirror those of the controversial evangelical activist Jerry Falwell, who has made frequent appearances on The 700 Club. He agreed with Falwell that the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks were caused by "pagans, abortionists, feminists, gays, lesbians, the ACLU and the People for the American Way." After public outcry regarding the dialogue, which took place only days after the attacks, Robertson stated that he had not understood what Falwell was saying during the interview, which was conducted via television monitor. Robertson's great personal wealth and his uses of it. His net worth is between $200 million and $1 billion USD according to the 2002 book The Best Democracy Money Can Buy by Greg Palast. Through his ostensibly charitable organization, Operation Blessing International, Robertson claims to have spent $1.2 million bringing aid to refugees in Rwanda. His critics, such as Palast, claim the money was actually spent to bring heavy equipment for Robertson's African Development Corporation, a diamond mining operation. Has purchased thoroughbred race horses, although has stated on many occasions he is opposed to gambling. Robertson claims he bought the horses because he is "amazed by their athleticism". Robertson's support of former Liberian president Charles Taylor. In various episodes of his 700 Club program during the United States' involvement in the Liberian Civil War in June and July of 2003, Robertson repeatedly supported Liberian President Charles Taylor. Robertson accuses the U.S. State Department of giving President Bush bad advice in supporting Taylor's ouster as president, and of trying "as hard as they can to destabilize Liberia." Robertson has been criticized for failing to mention in his broadcasts his $8 million investment in a Liberian gold mine. Taylor had been at the time of Robertson's support indicted by the United Nations for war crimes. According to Robertson, Freedom Gold, the Liberian gold mine, was intended to help pay for humanitarian and evangelical efforts in Liberia, when in fact the company was allowed to fail leaving many debts both in Liberia and in the international mining service sector. Regarding this controversy, Richard Land, head of the Southern Baptist Convention's public policy said, "I would say that Pat Robertson is way out on his own, in a leaking life raft, on this one." Robertson's political statements. On his The 700 Club television program, Pat Robertson has sharply criticized elements of the United States government. In interviews with the author of a book critical of the United States Department of State, Robertson made suggestions that the explosion of a nuclear weapon at State Department Headquarters would be good for the country, and repeated those comments on the air. "What we need is for somebody to place a small nuke at Foggy Bottom," Robertson said during his television program, referring to the location of the State Department headquarters. State Department officials said they believed the comments to be in extremely bad taste, and have lodged official complaints against Robertson for his remarks. Robertson's Korean War record. In the late 1980s, Pat Robertson sued Congressman Pete McCloskey and Representative Andy Jacobs for libel. McCloskey, who served with Robertson in Korea, made claims that Robertson was spared combat duty when his powerful father intervened on his behalf. Jacobs repeated these statements publicly. During pre-trial depositions, another veteran who had served with Robertson, Paul Brosman, Jr., spoke of rumors during the war that Robertson had been carousing with prostitutes and hassling Korean women. Brosman stated that Robertson himself talked about his exploits with prostitutes. In the end, Robertson dropped his lawsuit because of scheduling conflicts between court dates and his 1988 presidential campaign, and he was ordered to pay part of McCloskey's court costs. Despite claiming to be pro-life, Robertson spoke out in favor of China's forced abortion policy. In a 2001 interview with Wolf Blitzer, he said of that the Chinese were "doing what they have to do," though he said that he did not personally agree with the practice. His comments drew criticism from both sides of the political spectrum.(http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=22475) Pat Robertson Quotations "It is clear that God is saying, 'I gave man dominion over the earth, but he lost it. Now I desire mature sons and daughters who will in My name exercise dominion over the earth and subdue Satan, the unruly, the rebellious. Take back My world from those who would loot it and abuse it. Rule as I would rule.'" The Secret Kingdom "There is no such thing as separation of church and state in the Constitution. It is a lie of the Left and we are not going to take it anymore."(http://www.gymell.com/doc/pat.html) "If I could just get a nuclear device inside Foggy Bottom, I think that's the answer." (talking about the United States State Department) (http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/10/09/robertson.state/) "I think 'one man, one vote,' just unrestricted democracy, would not be wise. There needs to be some kind of protection for the minority which the white people represent now, a minority, and they need and have a right to demand a protection of their rights." (talking about apartheid in South Africa)  (http://www.gymell.com/doc/pat.html) "If anybody understood what Hindus really believe, there would be no doubt that they have no business administering government policies in a country that favors freedom and equality." (http://www.gymell.com/doc/pat.html) "We're importing Hinduism into America. The whole thought of your karma, of meditation, of the fact that there's no end of life and there's this endless wheel of life, this is all Hinduism. Chanting too. Many of those chants are to Hindu Gods -- Vishnu, Hare Krishna. The origin of it is all demonic. We can't let that stuff come into America. We've got the best defense, if you will -- a good offense." (http://www.sullivan-county.com/news/pat_quotes/hindus.htm) "The media challenged me. `You're not going to bring atheists into the government? How dare you maintain that those who believe the Judeo-Christian values are better qualified to govern America than Hindus and Muslims?' My simple answer is, `Yes, they are.'" (http://www.sullivan-county.com/news/pat_quotes/hindus.htm) "The Antichrist is probably a Jew alive in Israel today." "Presbyterians are the spirit of the Antichrist." (The Best Democracy Money Can Buy, p. 85) "We're undermining a Christian, Baptist president to bring in Muslim rebels to take over the country. And how dare the president of the United States say to the duly elected president of another country, 'You've got to step down,'." (talking about Liberia) "I have never met Taylor in my life. I don't know what he has done or hasn't done. I do know he was elected by the people, and he has maintained a relatively stable government in Liberia; and they observe the rule of law; they have a working legislature; they have courts. And though he may have certain dictatorial powers, so do most leaders in Africa." (talking about Liberia) "We have allowed rampant secularism and occult, et cetera, to be broadcast on television. We have permitted somewhere in the neighborhood of 35 to 40 million unborn babies to be slaughtered in our society. We have a Court that has essentially stuck its finger in God's eye and said, 'We're going to legislate you out of the schools, we're going to take your Commandments from off the courthouse steps in various states, we're not going to let little children read the Commandments of God, we're not going to let the Bible be read -- no prayer in our schools.' We have insulted God at the highest levels of our government. And, then we say 'why does this happen?' Well, why its happening is that God Almighty is lifting His protection from us." (in response to the 9/11 attacks)" [Quelle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Robertson. -- Zugriff am 2005-03-01]

5. Jerry Falwell, Evangelist

Abb.: Jerry Falwell

Webpräsenz: http://www.falwell.com/. -- Zugriff am 2005-03-17

"Jerry Falwell (born August 11, 1933 in Lynchburg, Virginia) is an American fundamentalist Baptist pastor, televangelist and founder of the Moral Majority. His parents were Carey and Helen Falwell. He has a fraternal twin brother, Gene.   The neutrality of this article is disputed. Please see the relevant discussion on the talk page. Life and career Falwell studied journalism for a time after high school (1950) at Lynchburg College and then became a Christian in his second year. He then transferred to Baptist Bible College in Missouri. Soon afterwards, he met his future wife, Macel Pate. They were married on April 12, 1958. Jerry Falwell was a vocal supporter of racial segregation during the 1950s and 1960s. He was ordained in 1956, and in 1968 Falwell began televising his services. The program was eventually titled The Old-Time Gospel Hour. By the mid-70s, he was reaching millions. In 1979, he created the Moral Majority, a group dedicated to promoting its conservative and religious Christian-centric beliefs via support of political candidates. In the 1980s, fundamentalism began to get a negative image. Another televangelist, Jim Bakker was convicted of fraud and received jail time. Falwell, rumored to have been involved in the conviction, then took over management of Bakker's ministry, Praise The Lord (PTL), in 1987. PTL was soon bankrupt. Some argue that Falwell deliberately scuttled the competition. (source A&E's Biography; also the 1999 documentary The Eyes of Tammy Faye) In November 2004 Falwell announced the creation of what he called a "21st century resurrection of the Moral Majority," which disbanded in 1989. The new group is called the Faith and Values Coalition, which will serve as a focal point for his group's attempts to assert its agenda in the United States government. Among its intentions are adding anti-abortion conservatives to the Supreme Court and helping to elect another "George Bush-type" conservative in the next election. Falwell announced that he would serve as the coalition's chairman for four years, along with his son, Jonathan Falwell, and Left Behind co-author Tim Lahaye. Social and political views The Anti-Defamation League and its leader Abraham Foxman have expressed strong support for Jerry Falwell and his staunch pro-Israel stand, referred to sometimes as "Christian Zionism." Falwell has repeatedly denounced public schools and secular education in general, calling them breeding grounds for atheism, secularism, and humanism, which he claims are in contradiction with Christian morality. He advocates that the United States abolish its public education system, replacing it with church-run schools, similar to the school voucher proposals by the Bush administration. His advocacy is widely considered to be theocratic in nature, and Falwell's views are noted by his critics as similar or equivalent to those of conservative Mullahs in Islamic countries. Hustler vs. Falwell In November 1983, Larry Flynt's sex magazine Hustler carried a parody of a Campari ad, featuring a fake interview with Falwell in which he admits that his "first time" was incest with his mother in an outhouse while drunk. Falwell sued for compensation, alleging invasion of privacy, libel, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. A jury rejected the invasion of privacy and libel claims, holding that the parody could not have reasonably been taken to describe true events, but ruled in favor of Falwell on the emotional distress claim. This was upheld on appeal. Flynt then appealed to the Supreme Court and won on February 24, 1988 (Hustler Magazine, Inc. et al. v. Jerry Falwell, 485 U.S. 46); the ruling confirmed that public figures cannot recover damages based on emotional distress suffered from parodies. Falwell now is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. He leads services at Thomas Road Baptist Church. Controversial remarks In February of 1999, an article in Falwell's National Liberty Journal suggested that a Teletubbies character, Tinky Winky, could be a hidden homosexual symbol, because the character was purple (which he claimed was a color symbolic of homosexuality), had a triangle on his head and carried a handbag. After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack, he (along with fellow televangelist Pat Robertson) made comments interpreted as blaming various groups for the attack. The two were widely condemned for having made these comments. Falwell said: And, I know that I'll hear from them for this. But, throwing God out successfully with the help of the federal court system, throwing God out of the public square, out of the schools. The abortionists have got to bear some burden for this because God will not be mocked. And when we destroy 40 million little innocent babies, we make God mad. I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way—all of them who have tried to secularize America—I point the finger in their face and say "you helped this happen." Robertson then responded: Well, I totally concur, and the problem is we have adopted that agenda at the highest levels of our government. And so we're responsible as a free society for what the top people do. And, the top people, of course, is the court system. Falwell later told CNN: I would never blame any human being except the terrorists, and if I left that impression with gays or lesbians or anyone else, I apologize. In an interview given on September 30, 2002 for the October 6 edition of 60 Minutes, Falwell said: "I think Muhammad was a terrorist. I read enough by both Muslims and non-Muslims, [to decide] that he was a violent man, a man of war." The following Friday, Mohsen Mojtahed Shabestari, the spokesman of Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khameini, issued a fatwa for Falwell's death, saying that Falwell was "mercenary and must be killed," and, "The death of that man is a religious duty, but his case should not be tied to the Christian community." Other quotes "I hope I live to see the day, when, as in the early days of our country, we won't have any public schools. The churches will have taken them over again and Christians will be running them. What a happy day that will be!" America Can Be Saved (http://atheism.about.com/library/glossary/western/bldef_falwelljerry.htm) "...You've got to kill the terrorists before the killing stops and I am for the President—chase them all over the world, if it takes ten years, blow them all away in the name of the Lord." CNN Late Edition With Wolf Blitzer, October 24, 2004 (http://cnnstudentnews.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0410/24/le.01.html) "And the fact that [John Kerry] would not support a federal marriage amendment [prohibiting gay marriage], it equates in our minds as someone 150 years ago saying I'm personally opposed to slavery, but if my neighbor wants to own one or two that's OK. We don't buy that." Anderson Cooper 360, November 3, 2004 (http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0411/03/acd.01.html) "The fact that Marc Cherry's a gay Republican means he should join the Democratic Party." Meet the Press 2004 Nov 28(http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/28/politics/28cnd-talk.html?oref=login) [Quelle: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Falwell. -- Zugriff am 2005-03-01]

6. Hal Lindsey, Evangelist

Abb.: Hal Lindsey
[Bildquelle: http://www.biblesearchengine.com/. -- Zugriff am 2005-03-17]

Webpräsenz: http://www.hallindseyoracle.com/. -- Zugriff am 2005-03-17

"Lindsey, Hal (1930-) Born in Houston in 1930, Hal Lindsey's early Christian life faltered between total apathy, which verged on the point of suicide, and fanatical commitment. He studied briefly at the University of Houston, served in the United States Coast Guard, and then experienced a religious conversion after going through a divorce. Influenced by his contacts with fundamentalism in the 1950s, Lindsey began to develop a fascination with biblical prophecy. He enrolled in Dallas Theological Seminary, the intellectual center of dispensational premillennialism, and served as a domestic missionary for Campus Crusade. Lindsey left Campus Crusade in 1970 to begin the Jesus Christ Light and Power Company, a youth-oriented ministry on the Los Angeles campus of the University of California (UCLA). Having compiled a number of eschatologically based sermons over the years, he published them under the title The Late Great Planet Earth. The book became an overnight bestseller, hitting on a raw nerve of excitement concerning the close proximity of the Second coming of Christ. With one eye on the Bible and one toward the daily news, Lindsey's book unleashed a wave of end-times frenzy. His interpretation built upon the rebirth of the nation of Israel in 1948 and the Israeli victory during the Six-day War in 1967, both of which he saw as fulfillment of biblical prophecy and as a foreshadowing of the second coming of Christ. Lindsey sometimes taunted his critics, declaring that a person who did not agree with his interpretation scheme did not really believe what was written in the Bible. Any bestselling book begets sequels. In 1972 he published Satan Is Alive and Well on Planet Earth, a book based on the theme of worldwide satanic conspiracies, which fit nicely with the congenital pessimism of American fundamentalists. Next was There's a New World Coming, a juxtaposition of the book of Revelation with the menace of twentieth-century technology and nuclear capabilities. Lindsey's critics were quick to note the apparent contradiction of a man investing heavily in real estate, all the while proclaiming the end of the world. Theologians and historians called his books "biased, manipulative, lacking in integrity, and dangerous," while questioning "the expertise of Lindsey's witnesses and his citation of seemingly minor historical events as having deep significance in prophetic history." Undaunted, Lindsey has continued to be one of the leading experts on biblical prophecy, traveling throughout the world as a popular conference speaker. He continues his prophecies with a weekly radio program, Saturdays with Hal Lindsey." [Quelle: Balmer, Randall Herbert <1954 - >: Encyclopedia of evangelicalism. -- Rev. and expanded ed.  -- Waco, TX : Baylor University Press, ©2004.  -- viii, 781 S. ; 23 cm.  -- ISBN: 193279204X. -- s.v. -- {Wenn Sie HIER klicken, können Sie dieses Buch bei amazon.de bestellen}]

Quotation: Recently, as I was studying about nuclear weapons, I discovered that science has perfected a cobalt bomb --- one of the most lethal weapons known to man. A cobalt bomb is made by placing a shield of cobalt 59 metal around a hydrogen bomb. By this comparatively simple operation the destructive capacity of the hydrogen bomb is doubled. More significantly, however, the radioactive contamination is tremendous. Scientists have dubbed it the "dirty bomb" because of its fallout. This is what I believe may be pictured in Revelation 6:12.   There's a New World Coming (Vision House, 1973 ed.), p. 110

Ausführlich zu Hal Lindseys Büchern:

Payer, Margarete <1942 - >: Informationsmarktverzerrung durch Fundamentalismus am Beispiel der USA. -- Kapitel 6: Apokalyptische Außenpolitik. -- 3. Hal Lindsey — Bestsellerautor der Apokalyptik. -- URL: http://www.payer.de/fundamentalismus/fundamentalismus063.htm

7. T. D. Jakes, Evangelist

Abb.: Bischof T. D. Jakes (1957 - )

Webpräsenz: http://www.tdjakes.org/. -- Zugriff am 2005-04-15

"Jakes, T(homas) D(exter) (1957-) A native of West Virginia, T. D. Jakes began his preaching career in the coalfields and environs and began to attract a following. In 1991 he moved his congregation, Greater Emanuel Temple of Faith, from Montgomery to Charleston, West Virginia, where he also served as diocesan bishop in the Higher Ground Always Abounding Assemblies. Jakes began directing his message to women during his pastorate there, developing his "Woman, Thou Art Loosed" conferences, which led to a bestselling book by the same title. He relocated to Dallas, Texas, in 1996 and founded a church he called The Potter's House, which quickly grew into a megachurch; by 2000 the church boasted more than twenty-three hundred worshipers a week, including such local stars as Emmitt Smith and Deion Sanders of the Dallas Cowboys. T. D. Jakes, an African-American, preaches a message of healing and reconciliation and the importance of self-esteem. He also advocates some variant of Prosperity Theology. "When I moved to Dallas, I bought the biggest house I could afford," he declared. "I don't live in a mobile home. There's nothing wrong with being blessed and successful." He is host of a weekly television program, Get Ready with T. D. Jakes, which airs over the Trinity Broadcasting Network. In July 1999 he conducted a conference for women in Atlanta, which attracted more than eighty-four thousand people." [Quelle: Balmer, Randall Herbert <1954 - >: Encyclopedia of evangelicalism. -- Rev. and expanded ed.  -- Waco, TX : Baylor University Press, ©2004.  -- viii, 781 S. ; 23 cm.  -- ISBN: 193279204X. -- s.v. -- {Wenn Sie HIER klicken, können Sie dieses Buch bei amazon.de bestellen}]

"Ministerial and business visionary, entrepreneurial trailblazer, altruistic philanthropist, and spiritual shepherd to millions around the globe, Bishop Thomas D. Jakes, Sr., began fulfilling his call to the ministry in 1979 when he founded Greater Emmanuel Temple of Faith. It was a small beginning, in a small West Virginia church, pastoring a small congregation 10-members strong. More than 25 years later, he pastors what Christianity Today calls "one of America's fastest growing mega-churches." The Potter's House, a multiracial nondenominational church with 50-plus active outreach ministries, has dominated church growth records since its inception in 1996. Within eight years, The Potter's House grew from the 50 families that relocated with the Jakes' family from West Virginia to Dallas to more than 30,000 members to-date. Rivaling many corporations, The Potter's House employs more than 300 staff members, including full-time finance, human resources, information technology, materials distribution, public relations, publications and television production departments. The Potter's House is fiscally sound, having recently retired the financial debt incurred by the construction of its 191,000 square foot, $45 million sanctuary - an accomplishment phenomenally achieved within four years. Bishop Jakes was born in South Charleston, WV, on June 9, 1957. His parents, businessman and entrepreneur Ernest Sr. and educator Odith, were charitable benefactors in their community. It is to them that their son credits as the source of his own integrity, discipline, and self-reliance. Bishop Jakes is the CEO of The Potter's House of Dallas, Inc., a nonprofit organization that has in recent years produced three major national conferences - "The Pastor's and Leadership Conference," "ManPower" and "Woman, Thou Art Loosed." A powerful and popular symposium, WTAL addresses the specific spiritual needs of women, speaks to their strengths, rather than their weaknesses, and empowers many to go from welfare to work, and from prison inmate to productive citizen. The WTAL conference set national indoor attendance records at the Georgia Dome in 1999 with an average 84,500 attendees per day. "ManPower," equips and encourages men to build strong marriages, increase their confidence, and take on more responsibility in their community. "MegaFest," inaugurated in 2004, is a family affair that combines "Woman, Thou Art Loosed," "ManPower" and a new component for children, teenagers, and young adults. "Mega Youth Experience" (MYE), created for young people ages 13 to 21, is designed to inspire, inform, prepare, and empower our youth for today's world. "MegaKidz" offers fun-filled and interactive sessions throughout the day, presenting the Christian gospel to children ages 5 to 12 in an easily understandable format. In June 2004, Bishop Jakes broke his own Georgia Dome attendance record when "MegaFest" attracted more than 140,000 people from 55 countries, setting a cumulative record attendance of 560,000 over the four-day period. Through broadcasting efforts, "MegaFest" also impacted more than 314 million homes in 235 countries and territories outside of the U.S. "MegaFest 2005" is scheduled to take place August 3 - 6 in Atlanta, Georgia. In addition to the major conferences, Bishop Jakes also hosts both the "God's Leading Ladies" and "Into The Hearts of Men" speaking tours, each conceived by his desire to assist men and women in their efforts to become and achieve their personal best. Endeavoring to remedy social and economic disparities, Bishop Jakes founded the Metroplex Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) in 1998 to bridge socio-economic voids existing in urban America. A nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation, MEDC works to impact the lives of individuals and families residing in historically underserved communities through the implementation of programs established under the umbrella of its core initiatives. The MEDC has sponsored home ownership conferences and youth mentorship programs, and has recently launched an entrepreneurial training institute in March 2005. Clay Academy, also founded in 1998 by Bishop Jakes and dedicated to his mother's service as an educator, is a private, world class Christian college preparatory school where children are molded spiritually, academically, athletically, artistically, and technologically to achieve greatness through a focus on the "whole child." The school, which currently serves pre-K3 through 8th grade students, plans to extend its program through the 12th grade within the next few years. Clay Academy will centerpiece Capella Park, a residential subdivision currently under development featuring more than 1,000 single-family homes ranging in value from $100,000 to $500,000. The MEDC is the driving developmental force behind Capella Park. More information about the MEDC and Clay Academy can be found by visiting www.thepottershouse.org. Additional attempts to contribute positively to society include financing and initiating the construction of two Habitat for Humanity homes in conjunction with the 2003 "ManPower" conference, and making a $107,000 donation to relocate Dallas citizens from an economically and environmentally disadvantaged area in 2004. The Potter's House is also responsible for building a hospital in Belize, Central America, and regularly sends missionaries to northern Mexico, the Republic of Guyana, and to other areas of the world where people are in perilous physical and spiritual need. Most recently, The Potter's House commissioned the construction of three water wells in Africa supplying desperately needed purified drinking water to people and livestock as well as valuable irrigation for crops. Wells were drilled in each of three Kenyan districts: West Pokot, Sigor, and Baringo, and dedicated by Bishop Jakes during a personal visit in January 2005. In February 2005, Bishop Jakes presented checks from The Potter's House and Clay Academy totaling $100,606.11 to the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. The bestowal represented the largest tsunami relief donation received by UNICEF from a faith-based organization. Bishop Jakes and The Potter's House have invested more than $500,000 in outreach to prison inmates. The church's Prison Ministry develops programs and services that equip, empower, support, and restore offenders and former offenders. To help them with their journey, this support is also offered to families of offenders and correctional staff. Local churches are provided training to better embrace and support former and current prisoners and their family members. Their "Adopt A Prison" program has meaningfully impacted the day-to-day lives of inmates, and contributes significantly in reducing the recidivism rate of program participants through spiritual support and a network of churches sympathetic to the plight of inmates reentering the system. Every ministry conference, including "MegaFest," is broadcasted live into prisons around the country. Recently the church initiated The Texas Offenders Reentry Initiative (T.O.R.I.) program, scheduled to operate in Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and Austin, with plans to expand into Houston. These cities were chosen because they are Texas' five primary "reentry points," cities where former offenders reenter society after serving their sentences in Texas prisons. The TORI program will offer former offenders such services as substance abuse education, family and marriage counseling, pre-employment counseling, and help enrolling low-income families in state and federal support programs. Bishop Jakes is the founder of T. D. Jakes Enterprises through which he employs his other aptitudes as author, songwriter, and playwright. A renowned religious author with more than 30 books to his credit, his work has been featured on Christian, secular, and business oriented best-seller lists. His top five nonfiction bestsellers are: "Maximize the Moment;" "Woman, Thou Art Loosed;" "The Lady, Her Lover and Her Lord;" "The Great Investment: Faith, Family and Finance," and "God's Leading Lady," which peaked at #4 on the New York Times hardcover advice list. He released his first novel, "Cover Girls," in the summer of 2003, and later that year, "Follow the Star," a compilation of his favorite personal Christmas stories. Released in 2004 and peaking at #10 on the New York Times bestseller list, "He-Motions: Even Strong Men Struggle," is a tool for both men and women written with intimate personal stories and painful lessons he learned through life. Released in January 2005 is his most recent book, "The Ten Commandments of Working in a Hostile Environment." He has developed business partnerships with Sony, EMI, Time Warner, Warner, Rueben Cannon Productions, Clear Channel, Thomas Nelson Publishing, and a host of other highly respected corporations. Under the T. D. Jakes Enterprises umbrella, Bishop Jakes is the visionary behind Touchdown Concepts and Dexterity Sounds. Touchdown Concepts, his theatre production company, created and produced the Christian plays "Woman, Thou Art Loosed" and "Behind Closed Doors." Both became No. 1 gospel plays in the United States. Recently his advocacy for women's rights enabled him to develop the cinema production "Woman, Thou Art Loosed: The Movie," with Rueben Cannon Productions, which debuted in more than 400 theaters across the nation and won the 2004 Santa Barbara International Film Festival. It also won a 2005 NAACP Image Award for best independent or foreign film. Based on his book "Woman, Thou Art Loosed," the movie speaks out against domestic violence while encouraging women to rise above injustices. It was released on DVD in March 2005. His music label, Dexterity Sounds, develops music with a divine message and operates in collaboration with EMI Gospel Music. Thus far, the label has produced eight albums, six of which have received Grammy nominations. His music CD "He-Motions" received a 2005 Grammy nomination in the "Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album." A companion piece to the "He-Motions" book project, the CD features EMI Gospel/Dexterity Sounds' gospel artist Micah Stampley, who is planning his debut album, "The Songbook of Micah." In 2004, "T. D. Jakes Presents Follow the Star" was nominated in the category of "Best Contemporary Soul Gospel Album," and "A Wing and a Prayer" featuring Bishop Jakes and The Potter's House Mass Choir, received a 2004 Grammy award in the "Best Gospel Choir or Chorus Album" category. Presidents and international statesmen have frequently asked Bishop Jakes for his wisdom and counsel. He was the keynote speaker for the Congressional Black Caucus in 2000. He has received several invitations to the White House from both President George W. Bush and former President Bill Clinton to provide insight to their administrations. He has also shared spiritual guidance with President Rawlings of Ghana and President Obasanjo of Nigeria. He was a guest of the King of Jordan, King Abdullah; the President of Trinidad, George Maxwell Richards, and in January 2005, the president of the Republic of Uganda, Yoweri K. Museveni, and his wife, Janet Museveni welcomed him into their home. Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, President Bush requested Bishop Jakes join him in a meeting with 35 other religious leaders to discuss the tragedy and how to recuperate from it. He has also met with a coalition of ministers at the White House to discuss the faith-based initiative. Bishop Jakes has been a guest on several national news programs as a source of spiritual advice such as: "Oprah," CNN's "People in the News," "Larry King Live," CBN's "Turning Point International," "America's Black Forum," "Ebony" and "D" magazines, and a host of other national publications and television organizations. Dubbed, "America's Best Preacher" by Time magazine in September 2001 as, "A virtuoso and a prodigy. The only thing more exhilarating than the style of T. D. Jakes' sermons is their rigor and compassion." February of 2005, Time magazine named him among the U.S.' "25 Most Influential Evangelicals." Bishop Jakes lives in Dallas with his wife Serita and their five children. For more information about Bishop Jakes, The Potter's House, and MegaFest 2005, visit www.thepottershouse.org or www.mega-fest.com." [Quelle: http://www.thepottershouse.org/?bishop=bio. -- Zugriff am 2005-04-15]

8. Jimmy Swaggart, Evangelist

Abb.: Jimmy Swaggart

Webpräsenz: http://www.jsm.org/exploreJSM.cfm. -- Zugriff am 2005-06-14

Unter http://www.jsm.org/html/realvideo___archive.htm findet man eine ausgezeichnete Sammlung von Videos von Fernsehauftritten Swaggarts (sehr empfehlenswert!)

"Swaggart, Jimmy (Lee) (1935 - ) One of the more colorful figures in twentieth-century evangelicalism, Jimmy Swaggart was born in Ferriday, Louisiana, to parents who were both 'evange-lists in the 'Assemblies of God. Swaggart himself began preaching at age six; he experienced a religious 'conversion and *baptism of the Holy Spirit at eight. Although he dropped out of high school, Swaggart followed a call to be an 'evangelist. His success derived not only from his extraordinary, highly emotional preaching but from his singing ability, which he had honed with his cousin, Jerry Lee Lewis, and with another cousin, Mickey Gilley, both of whom went on to successful (if controversial) careers as musicians. Swaggart himself has released several recordings of Gospel Music. Swaggart, an itinerant preacher, was ordained by the 'Assemblies of God in 1958 (after initially being turned down), and his fame spread as he publicized his relationship to Lewis. In 1969 Swaggart launched a radio program, The Camp Meeting Hour, which he financed with royalties from his record albums. The success of his radio venture prompted Swaggart and his organization, Jimmy Swaggart Ministries, Inc., to venture into television in 1973, when relaxed FCC regulations allowed evangelical preachers to exploit the medium. By the early 1980s, the heyday of televangelism, the Jimmy Swaggart Telecast was the most popular, bringing in millions and millions of dollars annually and fueling the expansion of his empire in Baton Rouge to include Jimmy Swaggart Bible College, a printing plant, a recording studio, a television production center, a church sanctuary, the Family Worship Center—seating seven thousand—and a magazine, The Evangelist. (His success on television prompted Swaggart to drop the radio broadcasts in 1981.) Swaggart s downfall began in 1987, when he was accused of plotting to destroy the ministry of a televangelist rival and fellow Assemblies of God minister, Jim Bakker. Swaggart and his minions leaked news of Bakkers adulterous tryst, but Swaggart himself soon faced accusations of voyeuristic liaisons with a prostitute. On his television broadcast of February 21, 1988, Swaggart offered a dramatic confession of guilt and a plea for forgiveness. He submitted to discipline by the Assemblies of God, which demanded that he refrain from preaching for a year. Swaggart adhered to that proscription for a few weeks, but the survival of his empire demanded large influxes of cash from his television program. Defrocked by the Assemblies of God in April 1988, he resumed his telecasts, but this time to sharply diminished ratings. Additional accusations of scandal have whittled his audiences further." [Quelle: : Balmer, Randall Herbert <1954 - >: Mine eyes have seen the glory : a journey into the evangelical subculture in America. -- 3rd ed.  -- New York : Oxford University Press, ©2000.  -- xviii, 327 S. ; 21 cm.  -- ISBN: 0195131800. -- S. 668f. -- {Wenn Sie HIER klicken, können Sie dieses Buch bei amazon.de bestellen}]

"SWAGGART, JIMMY LEE (1935-). Evangelist, televangelist. Born in Ferriday, LA, Swaggarr began attending an Assemblv of God (AG) church and was converted and baptized in the Holy Spirit by age eight. He married Francis Anderson at age 17 and shortly thereafter began preaching on a street corner in Mangham, LA. By age 22 he had begun an itinerant preaching ministry. His early fame spread in part because of his association with his cousin, rock and roll performer Jerry Lee Lewis. Through a burgeoning crusade ministry and successful use of radio and television, Swaggart became a major pentecostal leader in the 1980s. Abb.: Jerry Lee Lewis As a young minister, Swaggart was ordained by the AG and pastored a church for a short time with his father. His passion tor evangelism led him back into itinerant ministry. He soon established himself as a successful evangelist. By 1964 he was holding regular crusades and camp meetings with a large number of AG churches. In 1969 he began broadcasting his fiery brand of preaching and singing on radio. Income produced from donations and music recordings afforded a cycle of expansion that led to national influence. In 1972 he switched from local church meetings to Billy Graham-style crusades in city auditoriums, sponsored by local church leaders. In 1973 Swaggart found a more effective medium in television. He soon dropped his 550-station radio broadcasts and focused exclusively on television evangelism. In 1981 he softened his image as a hostile and excessively emotional preacher to become more acceptable to mainstream Americans. His new approach was extremely successful. He developed a popular new television program, featuring his gospel music talent and a less offensive preaching style. Swaggart's remarkable following was rooted in fundamentalistic Christian values. While the core of his supporters were pentecostal, he also had a wide following of Protestants and Roman Catholics. As his audience grew he began a local church, Family Worship Center; a college, Jimmy Swaggart Bible College; and published a monthly magazine, The Evangelist. On the verge of starting his own pentecostal fellowship that might have threatened the ranks of the AG, rumors surfaced, with evidence, regarding Swaggart's involvement in sexual misconduct. The ensuing scandal led to a loss of credibility and severe financial problems for Swaggart's organization. Although Swaggart confessed that the charges were true and claimed repentance, he refused to accept rehabilitative discipline from his denomination. He was subsequently defrocked by the AG in Apr. 1988. After disassociating himself from the AG, Swaggart's ministry struggled to survive. Swaggart's son, Donnie, and his spouse, Frances, moved into visible leadership of the ministry to avert the crisis. Within months after the confession, Swaggart proclaimed himself restored and returned to ministry, but with greatly reduced influence. The television ministry and Bible college were particularly devastated by major losses in popularity and financial support. The Family Worship Center eventually dropped in attendance to around 500, and the Bible College nearly folded. The television ministry was eventually dropped by most stations. By 1990 it appeared Swaggart's ministry was about to terminate. During the next several vears rumors continued to plague Swaggart's reputation with allegations of sexual misconduct and questionable financial dealings. Swaggart's financial survival was allegedly being accomplished through the transfer of ministry assets into real estate holdings sheltered by his tax exempt organization and other questionable dealings. In 1998, despite the severity and duration of his problems, Swaggart appeared to be able to survive. He was even launching a modest television comeback. Though his influence had greatly diminished, he was able to hold on to substantial resources for operation and to maintain a core of loyal supporters. [Quelle: D. Hedges. -- In: The new international dictionary of Pentecostal and charismatic movements.  -- Rev. and expanded ed. [of: Dictionary of Pentecostal and charismatic movements] / Stanley M. Burgess, editor ; Eduard M. van der Maas, associate editor.  -- Grand Rapids, Mich. : Zondervan Pub. House, ©2002.  -- xxxi, 1278 S. : Ill. ; 25 cm.  -- ISBN: 0310224810. -- s.v. -- {Wenn Sie HIER klicken, können Sie dieses Buch direkt bei amazon.de bestellen}]

"Jimmy Swaggart  By the mid-80s, Jimmy Swaggart had become the world's richest and most famous hypocritical shitbag. His operation raked in more than $150 million annually. Every week, his television program "The Jimmy Swaggart Telecast" attracted eight million Jesus freaks. He had clawed his way to the peak of the televangelism racket, and now he had nothing to do. So Swaggart turned to schadenfreude for his primary source of pleasure. He took great joy in 1986 for defrocking fellow Assemblies of God minister Marvin Gorman. Gorman had conducted an extramarital affair with one of his parishioners. And then the next year, when the PTL Ministry collapsed in around Jim Bakker, Swaggart was ecstatic. It was almost too good to believe. He went on CNN and told Larry King that Bakker was a "cancer in the body of Christ." But if watching other people in misery was Swaggart's favorite thing, then his next favorite was probably looking at pornography and fucking $35-per-hour prostitutes in cheap motels. When the rumors started flying, Jimmy was doomed. Ironically, it was Marvin Gorman who nailed him. In 1987 Marvin paid a private detective to take photos of Swaggart with his Louisiana hooker. It didn't take long. Reportedly Marvin tried blackmailing him, but Jimmy didn't follow through on the payments. So Marvin turned to the same church elders who had disgraced him two years prior. When confronted by the Assemblies of God leadership, Jimmy had no choice but to confess. He told them that he suffered a lifelong addiction to pornography. It was probably no real surprise to them. All the signs were there. Swaggart had written an article in 1987 asserting that "pornography is now considered as addictive as drugs." And over the years he had campaigned for tougher anti-porn legislation. The AOG had no choice but to reprimand him somehow. So they defrocked him for one year. The next week, Swaggart wound up crying his ass off on TV. In front of cameras and congregation, Jimmy seemed contrite: "I have sinned against you, my Lord, and I would ask that your precious blood would wash and cleanse every stain until it is in the seas of God's forgetfulness, never to be remembered against me." But he made no specific mention of the nature of his transgressions, referring only to some vague "moral failure." Maybe he was following the advice of his attorney. His empire foundered and never recovered. Three years later, more than 80% of their faithful viewers had stopped watching the telecast. Donations were way, way down and the ministry had racked up $4.5 million in debts. But Swaggart was still hanging in there, even though things couldn't get much worse. In March 89, some woman named Catherine Campen gave an interview to Penthouse magazine, in which she claimed to have had an extramarital affair with the preacher. Between July 87 and January 88, they had met up on ten separate occasions. She mentioned beating him with a riding crop, but only after Swaggart convinced her to do it. Then in July, Penthouse ran an exclusive interview with the prostitute, Debra Murphree. She claimed that Jimmy once inquired whether he could fuck her child: He'd ask me if I'd ever let anyone screw my daughter when she was that young, and I said, "No, She's only nine years old." He asked me if she started developing or if she had any hair down there. [...] "I can picture my cock going in and out of a pussy like that," he said. These revelations were a sales and marketing bonanza for Penthouse magazine and its publisher, Bob Guccione. While many people claim to love pornography, how many actually give back to the industry? Finally, during a preaching tour of California, Swaggart drove his white Jaguar into the town of Indio. There he propositioned 31-year-old Rosemary Garcia, who promptly got in the car. Then they were pulled over by the cops for driving on the wrong side of the road. Garcia told a Palm Springs TV news crew that Swaggart had picked her up, then inquired where they could find a motel with in-room porn. When the reporter asked why Swaggart had approached her, Garcia said: "He asked me for sex. I mean, that's why he stopped me. That's what I do. I'm a prostitute." If anybody had still needed proof that Swaggart really loved hookers and porn, no further convincing was necessary. On November 10, 2002 Swaggart denounced the Prophet Muhammad as a "pervert" and a "sex deviant." Which sounds reasonable, if you subscribe to the takes-one-to-know-one school of criticism. Timeline 15 Mar 1935 Jimmy Swaggart born, Farriday LA. 1958 Preacher, Assemblies of God Church. 19 Aug 1984 Jimmy Swaggart declares that "Sex education classes in our public schools are promoting incest." 22 Sep 1985 Jimmy Swaggart declares: "I believe Armageddon is coming, Armageddon is coming. It is going to be fought in the valley of Megiddo. It is coming. They can sign all the peace treaties they want. They won’t do any good... It is going to get worse... My Lord! I am happy... I don’t care who it bothers. I don’t care who it troubles. It thrills my soul." 1987 Jimmy Swaggart decrees in an article that "Pornography is now considered as addictive as drugs." 1986 Denounces New Orleans preacher Marvin Gorman (extramarital affairs.) Gorman is defrocked. 25 Mar 1987 Jimmy Swaggart denounces PTL minister Jim Bakker for committing adultery, calling him "a cancer in the body of Christ." 1987 Jimmy Swaggart photographed with prostitute Debra Murphree outside the Travel Inn in Lake Charles, LA. 21 Feb 1988 Jimmy Swaggart tearfully begs God's forgiveness on his TV show, bawling "I have sinned against you, my Lord." The exact nature of the transgression he never explains, referring only to a vague "moral failure." 25 Feb 1988 Jimmy Swaggart disallowed from preaching for three months by local leadership of the Assemblies of God. 20 May 1988 Jimmy Swaggart, rejecting an imposed two-year television ban, declares: "If I do not return to the pulpit this weekend, millions of people will go to hell." For his refusal to abide by their decision, Swaggart is defrocked by the Assemblies of God. 30 Jan 1989 Jimmy Swaggart calls a press conference to refute Catherine Campen's allegations of extramarital sex made in the March issue of Penthouse magazine. Mar 1989 Jimmy Swaggart accused of having conducted an extramarital affair with Catherine Campen in her Penthouse magazine interview. 1991 Marvin Gorman sues Jimmy Swaggart. 11 Oct 1991 Police in Indio, CA arrest televangelist Jimmy Swaggart in a red-light district for driving on the wrong side of the road. Swaggart's passenger is avowed prostitute Rosemary Garcia. 10 Nov 2002 Whoremonger, televangelist, and confessed pornography addict Jimmy Swaggart calls the Prophet Muhammed a "pervert" and a "sex deviant." 12 Sep 2004 "I get amazed. I can't look at it but about ten seconds, at these politicians dancing around this, dancing around this -- I'm trying to find a correct name for it -- this utter, absolute, asinine, idiotic stupidity of men marrying men. I've never seen a man in my life I wanted to marry. [Laughs.] And I'm gonna be blunt and plain; if one ever looks at me like that, I'm gonna kill him and tell God he died. Case anybody doesn't know, God calls it an abomination. It's an abomination. It's an abomination! These ridiculous, utterly absurd district attorneys and judges and state congress. 'Well, we don't know.' They oughta -- they oughta -- they oughta have to marry a pig and live with them forever. I'm not knocking the poor homosexual, I'm not. They need salvation just like anybody else. I'm knocking our pitiful, pathetic lawmakers. And I thank God that President Bush has stated we need a Constitutional amendment that says that marriage is between a man and a woman. All right." [Quelle: http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/religion/televangelists/jimmy-swaggart/. -- Zugriff am 2005-06-14]

"Jimmy Swaggart Ministries is doing its part thru: Television - The Jimmy Swaggart Telecast is presently airing in over 50 countries of the world, plus we are rapidly adding stations here in the U.S. and Canada . SonLife Radio - Over 60 stations with more being added as fast as possible, airing 24 hours a day, proclaiming the Message of the Cross to a potential audience of millions. Family Worship Center - Our Church in Baton Rouge serves as the Ministry nerve center. Commentaries - These Commentaries are ordained by God for the presentation of Truth, especially the Revelation of the Cross. Music - Music is perhaps the greatest barometer of the spiritual temperature of a Church. We seek to be led by the Holy Spirit. People are saved, helped, and blessed strictly by and through the Moving and Operation of the Holy Spirit as He anoints the Word, whether it's in song or sermon. Jimmy Swaggart, in addition to being an Anointed Minister, is one of the best-selling Gospel Music Artists of all-time, with total sales in excess of 15,000,000 Recordings worldwide. World Evangelism Bible College And Seminary - This Bible College has been raised up by the Lord  to train and equip Ministers for the Harvest. The Bible is the textbook, and the Cross is the theme." [Quelle: http://www.jsm.org/html/jimmy_swaggart.htm. -- Zugriff am 2005-06-14]

Zu Kapitel 1.5.: Christlich-fundamentalistische Organisationen und Pressure Groups