How much did YOUR toilet cost?
We recently learned that Republican Senator Charles Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Finance Committee, is investigating six prominent charismatic televangelists to determine if their lifestyles are consistent with the non-profit status of their ministries. Naturally the charismatic fundamentalists are all atwitter over this investigation.
J. Lee Grady, editor of Charisma Magazine, which heavily promotes these ministries and also profits from their regular full-page ads in his magazine, commented about the scandal in an article titled, Integrity, Accountability and the Grassley Investigation. An excerpt which interested me:
Each of the ministries received a letter asking about specific expenditures or questionable practices. Among Grassley’s requests:
** A receipt for the Bentley convertible that Florida-based television preacher Paula White reportedly gave to Texas pastor T.D. Jakes
** Information from Bible teacher Joyce Meyer about expensive furnishings in her Missouri headquarters—including a $30,000 malachite table, a $23,000 toilet with a marble lid and a $19,000 pair of Dresden vases
** Paperwork explaining how Benny Hinn’s ministry purchased his $3 million home in Dana Point, Calif.
** Receipts and other records explaining how Eddie Long paid for his $1.4 million estate on 20 acres in suburban Atlanta
** Records about vacation trips to Hawaii and Fiji that Kenneth and Gloria Copeland took using their ministry plane
** Clarification from Atlanta faith preacher Creflo Dollar about his role in raising a hefty portion of a $2 million gift donated to Kenneth Copeland.
Let me speculate about that $23,000 toilet for a moment. Granted, toilets are an essential part of our lives. Even pooties are interested in toilets:
Toilets (when flushed) are good sources for fresh drinking water:
Toilets can be perfect places for catnaps:
Toilets can be a place of bonding for pootie and her human servant:
Toilets can replace litterboxes for well-trained pooties:
Toilets can also provide socialization opportunities:
Toilets, however, can also be dangerous places for the unsuspecting pootie:
But even if you or your pootie are blue-blooded royalty:
...........Why the *&%#@&@ does any human being need a $23,000 toilet? Especially a minister who leads her followers to believe their offerings will be used for "ministry." Anyone who ever sent money to Joyce Meyer, and now learns about her $23,000 toilet should be madder than a wet pootie:
No, I'm not a bit jealous. I've never even sat on a $23,000 toilet, but if I did, I doubt if my ass would know the difference between that and my nice white plastic toilet seat.
My question: Did Jesus intend for His followers to buy $23,000 toilets with "ministry" money?
