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Televangelism At It’s Worst ~ Is that Al B. Sure?

I have a question for you.  What is worse than day time television with it’s numerous judge shows, them cackling female gossipers known as, “The View” and the assorted, “You are NOT the father” nonsense garbage programs?  Perhaps you’d say late night television with its infomercials about getting rich from sending in all your loose gold – or how that guy with the wacky jacket and glasses can get the government to fund all of your ideas.  What about the latest Chuck Norris workout – or perfect ball that will make your abs look like Michael Phelps for two installments of $19.99?   

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If you get too bored day or night you can always turn on one of the Law And Order/ SVU/ Missing Persons, CSI, DNA, CBS, NBC, ABC, ESPN and FOX detective shows.  I mean are they ever NOT on?  Don’t even get me started on Lifetime.  They won’t even use the script unless the righteous woman is trying to avoid some obsessive jerk who wants to steal her money and kill her family. “If I can’t have you Barbara, nobody can!”

All of these pale in comparison however, to my favorite ridiculous TV program of all time; The Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) fundraising programs.  Now this is entertainment at its finest.  First let me give you a little history.  TBN, what I now call the “Takin Bank Network” was founded by Paul and Jan Crouch, as well as Jim and Tammy Bakker back in 73.   

According to Wikipedia: TBN generates nearly $200 million in revenue annually.[3] The network does not make its finances available and Crouch family members control the boards of all TBN entities, which makes Trinity “ineligible to join” the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, an evangelical self-regulating group.[4] It does not air commercials (excluding TBN Italy); rather, two-thirds of its revenue comes from viewer contributions and one-third from other televangelists’ payments for running their programming. Its $120 million donation revenue is larger than any other television ministry. It has posted average annual surpluses since 1997 of about $60 million. It holds two week-long fundraising telethons (known as ‘Praise-a-Thons’) per year, as well as numerous other solicitation drives. It maintains a direct mail database of 1.2 million names.

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As of 2002, TBN boasted $583 million in assets, including $238 million in government-backed securities and $31 million in cash. Also among its assets are a $7.2 million Canadair Turbojet and thirty houses in California, Texas and Ohio with values ranging up to $8 million.[5] The elder Crouches and their son Paul Jr. earn an estimated combined annual income of $900,000.[6] In September 2004, the Los Angeles Times characterized their personal lifestyle as a “life of luxury.”[7] According to Charity Navigator, TBN earned $188,152,079 in 2007 and has a 2 out of 4 star rating (47%).[8]

In June 2007, TBN purchased the bible-themed adventure park Holy Land Experience for $37 million.[9] The Orlando, FL based theme-park was in a slump with falling ticket sales and a reported $8 million debt when TBN purchased it.  In October nearly 100 employees were cut from the payroll.[10]

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With that as a backdrop – I was flipping the channels when I saw one of the Marketing Preacher Reps (MPRs) Bishop Clarence E. McClendon (aka. Al B. Sure) making his pitch for people to call their toll free number to pledge them dollars.  He talked about how the economy was going down but that God’s economy was still strong and that The Almighty would give the TV audience money if they gave these multi-millionaires their hard earned loot.  Bishop B. Sure was “night and day” quoting scripture after scripture, using his most traditional Southern Baptist theatric tone as he jerked and soared as if the spirit was taking over his body riling up the audience.  Then came the highlight of the rant!  He said, “You just don’t know what happens in hell when you call the number and pledge your financial support.  God magnifies the ring!”  Huh?  You mean to tell me that God is broadcasting the sounds of the phones ringing at the TBN offices in hell so as to gloat to Satan and his little demons?  Yep!  That’s what he said. 

 

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Bishop B.Sure isn’t the only one – when he’s not on there shuffling and jiving, there are others like Juanita Bynum, Rod Parsley, Benny Hinn, Eddie Long, and other heavy hitter big name MPRs.  They go on the program and appear before the television audience to get all deep, mystical, and spiritual as they give you reason after reason why you need to invest your dollars into their coffers – even if you are broke!  It’s not as if they are not already a billion dollar industry.  Still in all, while hundreds of thousands of jobs are being lost every month, they want to make sure they get their grubby hands on what little you have left. 

I am a firm believer in supporting local ministries especially when they are available to giving back.  Try asking “Takin Bank Network” for help the next time your gas is about to get shut off or if there is no food on the plate.  The most you’ll get is a prayer and some more junk mail asking for donations. 

I couldn’t stomach Bishop B. Sure any longer.  I had to finish with some serious informative and educational programming. I watched the last few minutes of the Arizona Cardinals beating the San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football.  I hear the Devil was watching the football game too.  Though there was no word on whether he could hear the sound with all that ringing noise going on.

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I Am Sam

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I am sure for many of you I am way behind in the game.  But I just saw the movie, “I Am Sam over the weekend and it was one of the best films I have ever seen in my life. 

Sean Penn, Michelle Pfeiffer were absolutely wonderful.  And Dakota Fanning showed a depth to her character thats rarely seen in young actors/actresses.

The script was brilliantly true to life, though the writers seemed to have some obsession with The Beatles.  This is not meant to be an official movie review.  I just wanted to suggest that if you’ve never seen this incredible movie you should.  And if you have, now may be the time to see it again.

The performances really reminds me of how terriffic the artist are who make such characters believable.  And the themes give us reason to be thankful and shows us the magic of unconditional love and acceptance of others who are not like us.

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Celebrating The Life Of Miriam Makeba

Over her career, Miriam Makeba sang with performers including Nina Simone, Harry Belafonte and Paul Simon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A special BB&G celebration for the life of Miriam Makeba who passed away doing what she loved best, performing on stage.

Miriam was not just a performer, but a reformer who was banned from her country of South Africa during the apartheid struggle for over 30 years.

Miriam performed with some of the best in the world including Dizzy Gillespie and Harry Belafonte.  She performed for President Mandela as well as John F. Kennedy.  She truly was a world treasure.

You can sing with the angels now!  We will miss you.

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My Oh My, America’s Pastor Retires (Just in the Nick of Time)

  The Rev. Billy Graham speaks at a crusade in Kansas City, Missouri, in October 2004.

After decades of dedicated service to not only the world, but to sitting presidents since Truman and Eisenhower, The Rev. Billy Graham decided that he does not want to serve in this role any longer.  How ironic is this?

Generally speaking I would give Graham the benefit of the doubt.  After all he has done great work around the world and has preached to more people than anyone in the history of the world from what I know.  His crusades have circled the globe many times over and his gentleman’s approach to evangelizing the gospel is digestible to even babies.  He just turned 90 and his health can’t be as good as it once was.

What I question however in terms of his work with presidents, is that while he has been there to pray and counsel these world leaders he has not always stood on the side of righteousness.  With President Nixon he, not only supported a man who promoted the Southern Stategy of disenfranchising African-American voters, he himself spewed his own anti-semitic views while speaking with Nixon.  These comments were a part of the Nixon Tapes released some years later. 

In addition, if one is to follow the bible in terms of being a prophet who has access to kings and world changers, the calling is not merely to pray but to speak righteously as the mouth of God in terms of a moral compass.  With Nixon we know for sure that he spoke the opposite by disparaging a people.  In addition when we think of the W terms, with the lies of the War in Iraq with it’s killings of innocent Iraqi citizens, the failure to equip soldiers and care for them at places like Walter Reed,  the debacle of Hurricane Katrina which killed many and displaced thousands of families, to the white collar criminals like Scooter Libby and Bush’s pardons of such criminals, Graham did not find it in his heart to take these things to task.  In biblical history, when God used a man to speak to leaders, he was sent to proclaim the truth not to merely be the president’s friend.  Take Moses for instance.  He wasn’t cozening up to Pharaoh.  Instead he told the wicked leader time and time again that God said to, “Let my people go,” less God’s judgment fall upon Pharaoh’s land.  (Book of Exodus)  Nathan the prophet didn’t pat King David on the back when he has Uriah killed because he was trying to cover up the fact that he impregnated Uriah’s wife. (2 Samuel 12)  Nathan told David straight up he was tripping!  Graham’s silence or acquiesce over the years from Vietnam to Iraq has no such implications.  He like many preachers are more flattered to be in the presense of presidents than they are about the calling and purpose for which God wanted them access in the first place.

And yet as Graham’s son Franklin (the most vocal right winged conservative of the family) noted he is perfectly fine with publically taking Obama to task for his views on abortion and gay marriage. So of all the injustices done by men in the White House over the years, Graham decides within two days of President Obama being elected – the first black president – that his work with presidents is over.

But according to Franklin, the elder Graham wants to “meet and pray with Obama.”  What is that some kind of token concession?  Pray about what?  That Obama changes his views on gay marriage and abortion? Graham did say by the way that he hopes God moves on Obama’s heart to change his views.  Funny he didn’t want God to change W’s heart on anything of the last 8 years.  Oh please spare me!

That’s OK Bill and Franklin.. F’ it!  I am pretty sure Rev. Jeremiah Wright’s phone number hasn’t changed.

For real though… as far as prayer goes,  I think we’ve got it covered.

(* AME pastors pray for Obama after he spoke at their National Convention in St. Louis this past summer. Pic courtesy of The St. Louis American)

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Showing Some Love for the Fallen Innocent Servants

Leonard Riggins

For those who don’t live in the St. Louis area, you may or may not have heard of the tragedy of this St. Louis Firefighter who was shot and killed by a carjacker on Wednesday the day after the election.  Leonard Riggins was in his fire department vehicle as he approached an accident.  Though off duty he stopped anyway.  Unfortunately the accident was caused by a car jacker who then shot Riggins in the chest. 

Later that suspect was shot and killed by police.  (I ain’t mad about it either… though it doesn’t bring Riggins back…. not saying thats right, just being real about it.)

Many thoughts and prayers to Rigginn’s family as well as his brothers and sisters with the Fire Department.

Also a week ago University City Police Officer Sgt. Michael King 50, was also shot and killed while sitting in his partrol car.  A suspect has been arrested and we hope they get the right person so justice can be served.  King was buried on Tuesday, November 4.

These senseless killings need to stop!

 casket of Sgt. Michael King

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Fantasy Government

fantasy_islandSince we’ve elected the first President of African descent, it got me to thinking about some things.  Obviously President Obama is a well qualified man with a plan for the country.  I am confident we are a lot better off than we were the last 8 years.  He is just the man for this time too.  I think he will be an amazing president.

However, when you consider that W was in office for 8 years, (not the sharpest knife in the drawer) and the fact that even this year Sarah (The shopaholic I don’t know the countries in NATO and I didn’t know Africa was a continent- isn’t it just a country?) Palin got several million votes partnering with McCain for the highest office, I’m thinking that the criteria has slipped some just for them to expect to win.  I hope President Obama’s tenure will again raise the bar to where it needs to be both intellectually and morally.

Meanwhile, I figure we can have a little fun.  If Palin can come out of nowhere and not know a damn thing and get all those votes with McCain – then most any of us could have been president huh? 

My question to you is if you were to be president, what would you change about the nation?  Never-mind congress and vetoes.  In this game you are the Commander in Chief with all powers!  Give me something, … anything you could change big or small significant or minuscule.  What would you do with the economy, the war, or erectile dysfunction commercials where guys throw footballs through tires. 

Sidebar –  Boy is that subtle huh?  Uhhh what does that mean?  Getting the football through the hole in the tire… I don’t get it. 

You get the point.  Its wide open so take your shot at change!  What will it be?   

They got fantasy football, baseball and basketball.  Now we have Fantasy Government!

Welcome!

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A Free Man! ~ and the “Buckwheat Speaks” award goes to…

SHELBY STEELE! The author of “A Bound Man,” Why We Are Excited About Obama and Why He Can’t Win

Why We Are Excited About Obama and Why He Can't Win                              

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This “Yassir Boss” has spent his entire career dogging other black people out for a living.  He failed to recognize the strength of the president’s (oh did I just say PRESIDENT?) I think I did!  Ahem…. he failed to recognize the strength, the fortitude, the class and dignity of our new president! 

Hey Shelby!  I got an idea for your next book!  “Buckwheat Eats Crow!”

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A Great Day In America

 Well Familia,

What is there to say?   It still hasn’t quite sunk in for me yet.  My mind knows well and good that our next president will be Barack Obama.  Logically I understand what went down last night.  At the same time it still seems surreal.  So much so that I didn’t have quite the emotional reaction I thought I would.  It was there at the tip of my spirit, but it couldn’t break through because it’s so amazing. 

I didn’t think I would have a lot to say today.  So much is being said already.  But I will document some thoughts just so I can remember how I felt today and what crossed my mind last night.  In no particular order:

What a convincing victory huh?  It started to get real when he won Pennsylvania.  PENNSYLVANIA!  And that came pretty quickly.  But then you add in Ohio, Michigan, Iowa,Wisconsin and Florida!  FLORIDA?  Missouri and Indiana are close and even if they go for McCain at the end of the day, considering the last few elections and the divide caused by ultra conservatives who touted the three G’s (God, Guns, & Gays) they were unsuccessful in high jacking this election.  Just on a side note; In spite of what the NRA said, President Obama is not going to take your guns from you.

Keys to Victory~

First and foremost to Barack Obama and his campaign staff who fought two vigorous campaigns with a first class dignity not seen before.  When Hillary Clinton was predicting assassination attempts and her supporters vowed to not support him, he remained steady, respectful and smooth.  They never wavered but held steady throughout the fire and brimstone.  There were times many of us including myself wanted to see him be more aggressive.  But that’s why he is president now and not me.  Obama surrounded himself with great people, and was able to keep those people unified and focused on the goal.  That says a lot about what his presidency should be like.  This allowed the fund-raising to be that much easier – and he was able to bankroll the message that he wanted to get to the American public with ease.

DNC Chairman Howard Dean for his belief that the Democrats should attempt to campaign significantly in every state instead of focusing on those where liberal interest were favorable. 

The forerunners – Shirley Chisholm, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.  Regardless of what you think about them – (I happen to have great respect) none of this would be possible without their blood sweat and tears.  If Barack were the first face of color America would have seen for the highest office – this doesn’t happen.  I am convinced of that.

Black radio – especially the likes of Tom Joyner, Steve Harvey and Michael Baisden.  Baisden was the most vocal day in and day out in bring the issues to bear and keeping young and old potential voters up to speed.  Joyner was responsible for singer Joe getting registered.  They continuously informed of the facts and we responded. 

YOU the voters who got politically involved and searched the issues as opposed to falling for the okee-doke of scare tactics and Joe The Plumber nonsense.  Many of my white brothers and sisters saw past their trepidations and fears of being led by a black man.  You saw his ideas as favorable to our nation while not ignoring his color.  I imagine for some of you a reverse of the Bradley affect took place.  While you felt you had to tell some friends or family you were voting for McCain, you got in the booth and did what you thought was right at the end of the day.   Much love to whites in the heartland who normally think color first (after all what else were you taught but to trust what looks like you?) and for Hillary’s supporters specifically who buried the hatchet to think “country first.”

Speaking of country first, let me give a shout out to Senator McCain who gave a very gracious speech recognizing the times and taming the boos that marred his campaign previously.  He really did go “country first” and though he didn’t campaign at all to people of color – from his speech last night it makes me think he is more afraid of us than he was merely ignoring us.  I am sure he got some very bad advice too.  He really took this thing for granted similar to Senator Clinton and felt that because he was white he was going to win regardless.  Unfortunate.  Still if he goes back to Maverick-ism, I think he can help work with our new president on some great ideas going forward.

This is not merely a victory for Black America.  It’s a victory for all of America.  This man will be a strong president.  He has a strong woman by his side who will lovingly support her husband while still offering a wisdom that dates back ages from the foundations of strong families.  Michelle Obama will do this nation well and represent us in a way that has never been done before.  Barack and Michelle Obama together are like having two great entities for the price of one to both represent and lead our nation.

Later as it gets closer to the inauguration I will share what I feel we should expect from President Obama.  In what ways we should hold him accountable and how he should hold us accountable.  Its a two way street.  More than ever we have to learn to pull together as a nation and be a part of the solution for all that makes us the nation we think we are.  Again that’s for later. 

For President Obama, there is a lot to do in terms of getting up to speed and transitioning to the White House.  But for today, heck for the rest of the week, and maybe the rest of the month – I just want to celebrate, reflect, and be thankful that I as well as my children are alive to see this day.  Thankful that many of the civil rights leaders of all races got to see this day.  Glad to share this moment with you… fellow Americans.

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Making It Happen & Being Counted!

I did it!  I cannot say how happy I am that the moment I have waited for has finally come.  I made it to the polls at 5:45am this morning – stood in an old school civil rights line more than a block long and finally casted my vote for Senator Barack Obama!  The crowe was thick, enthusiastic, patient and most of all ready for the change we need!

I feel as if a heavy weight is off my shoulders as I did my due dilligence. 

Whatever it takes familia, make it happen!

Pics L-R  1. The crowd outside the polling place  2. The crowd inside the polling place 3. Rocking the paper ballots. (There were electronic ones too – I just didn’t trust them.  4. A happy me after taking part in history!