| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"" |
| Date: |
21 Sep 2004 09:24:08 PM |
| Object: |
Major TV Preacher caught in a gay adulterous affair . . . |
Looks like another major TV Preacher has been caught trying to hide his
HOMOSEXUAL and ADULTEROUS affair . . .
For all those champions of the Ten Commandments,
http://www.victorystore.com/ten_commandments.htm
particularly those of you who hold them in such high esteem that you think
they should be posted in public schools, you will recall the Seventh: "Thou
shalt not committ adultery," and its follow-up in Leviticus 20:10
"10": And the man that committeth adultery with another man's wife, even he
that committeth adultery with his neighbour's wife, the adulterer and the
adulteress shall surely be put to death.
This is just a little reminder to those who regard Leviticus 20:13
"13": If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them
have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their
blood shall be upon them.
Just a little something to do with "what's good for the goose being good for
the gander" to keep in mind . . .
Something else that gets me is this happened back during the Clinton
adultery thing, and this guy was as bad as the rest in lambasting Clinton
for his affair, and here he was busy with his own.
Liar liar pants on fire, let's see your empire come down . . .
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/latimests/20040912/ts_latimes/telev
angelistpaulcrouchattemptstokeepaccuserquiet
Televangelist Paul Crouch Attempts to Keep Accuser Quiet
Sun Sep 12, 7:55 AM ET
By William Lobdell Times Staff Writer
Televangelist Paul Crouch, founder of the world's largest Christian
broadcasting network, has waged a fierce legal battle to prevent a former
employee from publicizing allegations that he and Crouch had a sexual
encounter eight years ago.
Crouch, 70, is the president of Trinity Broadcasting Network, based in
Orange County, whose Christian programming reaches millions of viewers
around the world via satellite, cable and broadcast stations.
The source of the allegations against him is Enoch Lonnie Ford, who met
Crouch at a TBN-affiliated drug treatment center in 1991 and later went to
work for the ministry.
After Ford threatened to sue TBN in 1998, claiming that he had been unjustly
fired, Crouch reached a $425,000 settlement with him. In return, Ford
agreed, among other things, not to discuss his claim about a sexual
encounter with the TV preacher.
But in the last year, Ford has threatened to go public with his story,
prompting a flurry of legal maneuvers - conducted in closed court hearings,
sealed pleadings and private arbitration.
In court papers, Crouch has denied the allegations, and ministry officials
have described Ford - who has a history of drug problems and has served time
for a sex offense - as a liar and an extortionist.
At stake are the public image of one of the world's most successful
televangelists and, potentially, the fortunes of the broadcasting empire
that Crouch and his wife, Jan, built over the last 31 years.
TBN and Crouch went on the legal offensive after they learned that Ford had
written a book manuscript that included an account of the alleged sexual
encounter.
In a dramatic flourish, Ford had appeared at a TBN broadcast studio in Costa
Mesa, minutes before the start of a "Praise-a-thon" fundraiser, and, without
comment, handed Crouch a copy of the manuscript
Ford's lawyer later told ministry officials that they could keep the work
out of public view by buying the rights. After some discussion, he suggested
that $10 million might be a reasonable price.
While negotiations continued, Crouch sued to enforce the 1998 secrecy
agreement and obtained a restraining order barring Ford from seeking a
publisher for his book.
Orange County Superior Court Judge John M. Watson also granted Crouch's
request to conduct the case in secret, sealing all documents and expunging
any mention of the suit from public court records.
Both sides eventually agreed to let a private arbitrator decide the matter.
In June, the arbitrator ruled that Ford could not publish the manuscript
without violating the 1998 settlement - an act that could subject him to
monetary damages.
This account of the controversy is drawn from interviews with friends of
Ford's, unsealed court records, correspondence among TBN lawyers and a copy
of the arbitrator's confidential ruling. The arbitrator's decision contains
details about the 1998 settlement and Ford's manuscript - both of which are
under seal.
Records and interviews show that even as they battled to keep Ford's story
from leaking, TBN lawyers worried that details would eventually come out.
"I am absolutely amazed that Lonnie hasn't gone to Penthouse or Dianne [sic]
Sawyer with his manuscript, notwithstanding the [judge's] injunction," TBN
attorney Dennis G. Brewer Sr. wrote in a March letter to the network's other
lawyers.
In a subsequent letter, in May, Brewer mentioned the anguish that Ford's
accusations had caused Crouch's youngest son, Matt, when he learned of them
in 1998.
Brewer wrote that the younger Crouch had told his then-law partner, David
Middlebrook: "I am devastated; I am confronted with having to face the fact
that my father is a homosexual."
Middlebrook and Matt Crouch have denied that there was such a conversation.
Millions of Viewers
Paul and Jan Crouch started TBN in 1973, using a rented studio in Santa Ana.
Over the next three decades, they built a worldwide broadcasting network by
buying TV stations and negotiating deals with cable systems and satellite
companies.
Today, TBN's 24-hour-a-day menu of sermons, faith healing, inspirational
movies and other Christian fare reaches millions of viewers from Spain to
the Solomon Islands.
Paul Crouch is the driving entrepreneurial force behind the network and one
of its most popular on-air personalities. He and Jan, his wife of 46 years,
have cultivated a folksy on-screen image as a devoted couple.
TBN officials have long been concerned about how Ford's allegations could
affect the network, which relies heavily on donations from viewers.
Officials said they were particularly worried about possible comparisons to
the scandal that brought down televangelist Jim Bakker in 1987.
Bakker resigned from his PTL Ministries in 1987 after admitting to paying a
secretary $265,000 in ministry funds to be silent about an earlier affair.
Bakker later went to prison for bilking donors.
TBN officials said they were careful not to pay Ford with ministry funds in
1998. They declined to say whether the money came from an insurer, Crouch
personally or some other source.
Ford, 41, said he could not discuss his manuscript or his allegations
against Crouch but he did provide basic facts about his background and his
time at TBN.
Ford, whose father and grandfather were ministers, grew up in Fairfax
County, Va., moved to California in 1989 and worked in a string of jobs that
included jewelry salesman, produce clerk and gas station attendant. For
years, he struggled to kick a cocaine habit.
In 1991, he checked into a Christian drug treatment program in Colleyville,
Texas, on a TBN-owned ranch. It was there that Ford met Crouch. In 1992 the
network hired him to work on a phone bank in Orange County. Ford said he
also ran errands for the Crouches and drove Paul Crouch to appointments.
Ford repeatedly ran into trouble with the law, but TBN stood behind him. In
1994, he pleaded no contest in San Bernardino County to having sex with a
17-year-old boy and served six months in jail, according to court records.
TBN took him back after his release.
In 1995, he pleaded guilty in Orange County to possession of cocaine and
served about 30 days in County Jail. Again, TBN took him back.
Lake Arrowhead Cabin
The alleged sexual encounter between Ford and Crouch occurred in the fall of
1996, according to Sandi Mahlow, a Tustin housewife who met Ford in a
Fullerton church 10 years ago and became a close friend.
Mahlow, 50, who helped Ford write his manuscript, said he broke down in
tears after returning from a weekend spent alone with Crouch at a TBN-owned
cabin near Lake Arrowhead. Mahlow said Ford told her that he and Crouch had
engaged in sexual acts.
"Lonnie had a lot of bad traits; one thing he isn't, and that's a liar,"
Mahlow said. She said she helped Ford with his manuscript for no pay, as a
favor to a friend, and has no financial interest in the book.
After the alleged encounter, Ford continued to work at TBN. For a time, he
lived rent-free in an apartment at the network's Tustin headquarters,
according to Mahlow and another friend of Ford's, Diane Benson, who met him
at an Anaheim church 14 years ago.
A third friend of Ford's said that in October 1996, about the time of the
alleged Arrowhead encounter, ministry officials gave her a $12,000 check to
pay back money Ford owed her. The woman spoke on condition that she not be
named, saying she feared retaliation.
TBN officials acknowledged that the ministry paid some of Ford's debts. They
said the network commonly extends such generosity to employees in financial
trouble.
Within weeks of the Arrowhead trip, Ford tested positive for drug use and
was arrested for violating terms of his probation. While Ford awaited
sentencing, the ministry again came to his support, urging the judge not to
impose more prison time.
Ford "has continuously shown a very positive attitude regarding whatever we
have asked him to do," wrote Ruth M. Brown, Paul Crouch's sister and TBN's
director of personnel. "He carried out his duties cheerfully and always
tries to do more than asked."
The judge sent Ford to the California Rehabilitation Center in Norco, a drug
treatment facility in the state prison system.
In August 1997, Jay Jones, TBN's director of telephone ministry, wrote
prison officials that Ford would have a job with the network after he got
out, despite his "extended leave of absence."
But Ford said that after he was released in February 1998, he was told he no
longer had a position at TBN.
"There comes a point in time when you have to say, 'Enough is enough,' "
said John Casoria, a TBN lawyer who is a nephew of the Crouches.
Ford responded with his threat to sue. The settlement followed.
Despite TBN's efforts to keep Ford's charges secret, they surfaced in an
unrelated 1998 lawsuit. A former bodyguard for TBN personality Benny Hinn
testified in a deposition that during a European bus tour that year, Hinn
had told a group of associates about "a sexual relationship that Paul Crouch
had with his chauffeur."
The witness, Mario C. Licciardello, quoted Hinn as saying: "Paul's defense
was that he was drunk."
Hinn and six others mentioned by Licciardello, who died in 2000, told The
Times that Hinn never made such remarks. However, Rick Jones, a retired
police officer and ordained minister who worked for Hinn, said he heard Hinn
talk about Crouch's alleged homosexual relationship on that bus.
Jones said he was disgusted by the talk and "got up and walked away. I
didn't want to hear gossip."
Asking $10 Million
Meanwhile, Ford began to have second thoughts about keeping silent. Last
year, with Mahlow's help, he wrote his manuscript, titled "Arrowhead."
Friends said Ford wanted to expose what he viewed as Crouch's hypocrisy.
They said he also needed money and hoped to earn some by selling the
manuscript. It's unclear how Ford spent his 1998 settlement, but today he
leads a modest existence, living in a room of a Lake Forest home and working
as a mortgage salesman.
Ministry officials learned of the book in April 2003, when Ford walked onto
the set of TBN's Costa Mesa broadcast studio and handed a copy of the
manuscript to Crouch.
Ford's attorney, Eugene Zech, said that Brewer, the TBN lawyer, called him
the next business day. In court papers, Zech said that Brewer asked "if Ford
might be willing to accept $1 million in exchange for the manuscript."
Zech said in the court filing that he suggested $10 million.
When the parties went to arbitration, Crouch's lawyers argued that
publication would violate the 1998 settlement and cause irreparable damage
to Crouch's reputation. Ford's lawyers argued that the secrecy agreement was
overly broad and violated his free-speech rights.
Arbitrator Robert J. Neill ruled that Ford's right to make his allegations
public "was sold to [Crouch] for $425,000." Ford "bargained away his right
to speak on certain matters and now suggests that his right to free speech
trumps that bargain.. [His] right to discuss these matters was bought and
paid for. He relinquished that right."
Paul Crouch Jr., a TBN executive and the televangelist's oldest son, said
that despite the favorable ruling, he wished his father had never entered
into the settlement with Ford.
Crouch said advisors persuaded his father that it would be cheaper to settle
than to litigate. He said TBN was particularly anxious to avoid negative
publicity because the ministry was celebrating its 25th anniversary that
year.
"In hindsight, we should have fought Lonnie tooth and nail," the son said in
an interview. "We should have drawn the battle lines right there."
.
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| User: "Andrealphus" |
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| Title: Re: Major TV Preacher caught in a gay adulterous affair . . . |
21 Sep 2004 09:51:33 PM |
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wrote:
Looks like another major TV Preacher has been caught trying to hide
his HOMOSEXUAL and ADULTEROUS affair . . .
Televangelist Paul Crouch Attempts to Keep Accuser Quiet
You're going to think I'm making this up, but I saw this guy a few years
back and he did set my gaydar off, and I don't even have gaydar!
--
__________________________________
"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes
up. It knows it must run faster than the
fastest lion or it will be killed...every morning
a lion wakes up it knows it must outrun the
slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It
doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a
gazelle...when the sun comes up, you'd
better be running."
.
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| User: "kaiwainz" |
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| Title: Re: Major TV Preacher caught in a gay adulterous affair . . . |
22 Sep 2004 05:41:41 AM |
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"Andrealphus" <OHNOLETSGO@NARNIA.WHOCARES> wrote in message news:<VM54d.6770$gG4.4031@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net>...
tock@sbcglobal.net wrote:
Looks like another major TV Preacher has been caught trying to hide
his HOMOSEXUAL and ADULTEROUS affair . . .
Televangelist Paul Crouch Attempts to Keep Accuser Quiet
You're going to think I'm making this up, but I saw this guy a few years
back and he did set my gaydar off, and I don't even have gaydar!
LOL, its funny, those who make the biggest noise against homosexuals
tend to either be homosexuals or ones who have been divorced multiple
times. Take Phelps and Terry Randall as two examples of this. Both are
divorced, both preaching the "do as I say, not as I do" message.
Matty
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| User: "Andrealphus" |
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| Title: Re: Major TV Preacher caught in a gay adulterous affair . . . |
22 Sep 2004 05:46:21 AM |
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kaiwainz <kaiwainz@yahoo.com.au> wrote:
"Andrealphus" <OHNOLETSGO@NARNIA.WHOCARES> wrote in message
news:<VM54d.6770$gG4.4031@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net>...
tock@sbcglobal.net wrote:
Looks like another major TV Preacher has been caught trying to hide
his HOMOSEXUAL and ADULTEROUS affair . . .
Televangelist Paul Crouch Attempts to Keep Accuser Quiet
You're going to think I'm making this up, but I saw this guy a few
years back and he did set my gaydar off, and I don't even have
gaydar!
LOL, its funny, those who make the biggest noise against homosexuals
tend to either be homosexuals or ones who have been divorced multiple
times. Take Phelps and Terry Randall as two examples of this. Both are
divorced, both preaching the "do as I say, not as I do" message.
Matty
Phelps is divorced? I heard he beat his wife to death with an axe handle.
LOL!
--
__________________________________
"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes
up. It knows it must run faster than the
fastest lion or it will be killed...every morning
a lion wakes up it knows it must outrun the
slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It
doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a
gazelle...when the sun comes up, you'd
better be running."
.
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| User: "kaiwainz" |
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| Title: Re: Major TV Preacher caught in a gay adulterous affair . . . |
22 Sep 2004 07:19:38 PM |
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"Andrealphus" <OHNOLETSGO@NARNIA.WHOCARES> wrote in message news:<1Kc4d.7105$gG4.825@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net>...
kaiwainz <kaiwainz@yahoo.com.au> wrote:
"Andrealphus" <OHNOLETSGO@NARNIA.WHOCARES> wrote in message
news:<VM54d.6770$gG4.4031@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net>...
tock@sbcglobal.net wrote:
Looks like another major TV Preacher has been caught trying to hide
his HOMOSEXUAL and ADULTEROUS affair . . .
Televangelist Paul Crouch Attempts to Keep Accuser Quiet
You're going to think I'm making this up, but I saw this guy a few
years back and he did set my gaydar off, and I don't even have
gaydar!
LOL, its funny, those who make the biggest noise against homosexuals
tend to either be homosexuals or ones who have been divorced multiple
times. Take Phelps and Terry Randall as two examples of this. Both are
divorced, both preaching the "do as I say, not as I do" message.
Matty
Phelps is divorced? I heard he beat his wife to death with an axe handle.
LOL!
Death, divorce, in the religious right movement they'll say, "that
***** is now gone! I can now get that fine young ***** I've been
lusting after! praise the lard!"
Matty
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| User: "Dennis Kemmerer" |
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| Title: Re: Major TV Preacher caught in a gay adulterous affair . . . |
22 Sep 2004 11:07:46 PM |
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"kaiwainz" <kaiwainz@yahoo.com.au> wrote in message
news:893fd977.0409221619.526db894@posting.google.com...
"Andrealphus" <OHNOLETSGO@NARNIA.WHOCARES> wrote in message
news:<1Kc4d.7105$gG4.825@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net>...
kaiwainz <kaiwainz@yahoo.com.au> wrote:
"Andrealphus" <OHNOLETSGO@NARNIA.WHOCARES> wrote in message
news:<VM54d.6770$gG4.4031@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net>...
tock@sbcglobal.net wrote:
Looks like another major TV Preacher has been caught trying to hide
his HOMOSEXUAL and ADULTEROUS affair . . .
Televangelist Paul Crouch Attempts to Keep Accuser Quiet
You're going to think I'm making this up, but I saw this guy a few
years back and he did set my gaydar off, and I don't even have
gaydar!
LOL, its funny, those who make the biggest noise against homosexuals
tend to either be homosexuals or ones who have been divorced multiple
times. Take Phelps and Terry Randall as two examples of this. Both are
divorced, both preaching the "do as I say, not as I do" message.
Matty
Phelps is divorced? I heard he beat his wife to death with an axe
handle.
LOL!
Death, divorce, in the religious right movement they'll say, "that
***** is now gone! I can now get that fine young ***** I've been
lusting after! praise the lard!"
The correct phrase is 'braise the lard.'
.
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| User: "towelie" |
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| Title: Re: Major TV Preacher caught in a gay adulterous affair . . . |
22 Sep 2004 05:24:18 AM |
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TV's Andrealphus wrote:
tock@sbcglobal.net wrote:
Looks like another major TV Preacher has been caught trying to hide
his HOMOSEXUAL and ADULTEROUS affair . . .
Televangelist Paul Crouch Attempts to Keep Accuser Quiet
You're going to think I'm making this up, but I saw this guy a few
years back and he did set my gaydar off, and I don't even have gaydar!
Is it possible for a straight person to have gaydar? I'm pretty good at
picking them out for some reason, sometimes even better than my gay sister.
--
If you don't like my lyrics you can press fast forward. - Jay-Z
aa #2133
ap #19
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| User: "Moira de Swardt" |
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| Title: Re: Major TV Preacher caught in a gay adulterous affair . . . |
22 Sep 2004 08:48:27 PM |
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"towelie" <bugoNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote in message
Is it possible for a straight person to have gaydar? I'm pretty
good at
picking them out for some reason, sometimes even better than my
gay sister.
I have excellent gaydar for determining gay men, but useless or
semi-useless gaydar for determining gay women.
Moira, the Faerie Godmother
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| User: "Ninure Saunders" |
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| Title: Re: Major TV Preacher caught in a gay adulterous affair . . . |
22 Sep 2004 07:28:48 AM |
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In article <2rd26bF18upkiU1@uni-berlin.de>, "towelie"
<bugoNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote:
-TV's Andrealphus wrote:
-> wrote:
->> Looks like another major TV Preacher has been caught trying to hide
->> his HOMOSEXUAL and ADULTEROUS affair . . .
->>
->> Televangelist Paul Crouch Attempts to Keep Accuser Quiet
->>
->
-> You're going to think I'm making this up, but I saw this guy a few
-> years back and he did set my gaydar off, and I don't even have gaydar!
-
-Is it possible for a straight person to have gaydar? I'm pretty good at
-picking them out for some reason, sometimes even better than my gay sister.
Yes it is indeed possin;e for a "straight but not narrow" person to have a
"gaydar".
Ninure Saunders aka Rainbow Christian
http://Rainbow-Christian.tk
The Lord is my Shepherd and He knows I'm Gay
http://Ninure-Saunders.tk
Take my polls
http://ninure.100megsfree5.com
My Yahoo Group
http://Ninure.tk
My Online Diary
http://www.ninure.deardiary.net
-
Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches
http://www.MCCchurch.org
The Bible Site - help provide free scripture
http://www.thebiblesite.org
To send e-mail, remove nohate from address
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: Major TV Preacher caught in a gay adulterous affair . . . |
22 Sep 2004 02:31:28 PM |
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"Ninure Saunders" <RainbowChristiannohate@Rainbow-Christian.tk> wrote
Yes it is indeed possin;e for a "straight but not narrow" person to have a
"gaydar".
.. . . and for a gay person's (like me) gaydar to not work most of the time.
-Tock
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| User: "Andrealphus" |
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| Title: Re: Major TV Preacher caught in a gay adulterous affair . . . |
22 Sep 2004 05:32:30 AM |
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towelie <bugoNOSPAM@hotmail.com> wrote:
TV's Andrealphus wrote:
tock@sbcglobal.net wrote:
Looks like another major TV Preacher has been caught trying to hide
his HOMOSEXUAL and ADULTEROUS affair . . .
Televangelist Paul Crouch Attempts to Keep Accuser Quiet
You're going to think I'm making this up, but I saw this guy a few
years back and he did set my gaydar off, and I don't even have
gaydar!
Is it possible for a straight person to have gaydar? I'm pretty good
at picking them out for some reason, sometimes even better than my
gay sister.
I miss many "identifications", but when I do get a positive ID, it's rarely
wrong.
--
__________________________________
"Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes
up. It knows it must run faster than the
fastest lion or it will be killed...every morning
a lion wakes up it knows it must outrun the
slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It
doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a
gazelle...when the sun comes up, you'd
better be running."
.
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