Crystal Cathedral Shattered: The Schullers Throw Too Many Stones At Each Other!

Will The Plug Be Pulled On The Hour Of Power?

(By GILLIAN FLACCUS
The Associated Press
GARDEN GROVE)

Once one of the nation's most popular televangelists, the Rev. Robert H. Schuller is watching his life's work crumble.

His son and recent successor, the Rev. Robert A. Schuller, has abruptly resigned as senior pastor of the Crystal Cathedral. The shimmering, glass-walled megachurch is home to the "Hour of Power" broadcast, an evangelism staple that's been on the air for more than three decades.

The church is in financial turmoil: It plans to sell more than $65 million worth of its Orange County property to pay off debt. Revenue dropped by nearly $5 million last year, according to a recent letter from the elder Schuller to elite donors. In the letter, Schuller Sr. implored the Eagle's Club members who supply 30 percent of the church's revenue for donations and hinted that the show might go off the air without their support.

Maybe Schuller Jr. should:

1. Wear a Hawaiian shirt ala Rick Warren.

2. Hold "empowerment" seances.

3. Get a bid on the Crystal Cathedral by Swarovski.

4. Stop squabbling with his dad. He probably has more money.

And Schuller's stance on gay marriage? Rather different than the usual Christofascist homophobia:

And I feel that heterosexual marriage is the more excellent way, and it surely is approved holy by the Holy Bible, and it holds so many more possibilities, the possibilities of having children of both the mother and father, the male and the female. I think it's all very important...

Schuller was considered rather heretical in his theology because he was more like Peale and "positive thinking." And he wasn't as much fire and brimstone as many would have wanted. Rick Warren might have agreed on some things, but definitely not on others.

Quote from Schuller, Sr.:

If you listen to your fears, you will die never knowing what a great person you might have been.

Trouble in Mormonland: "Whatever It Takes" Finally Backfires!

The Mormons Are Following the Teachings of Rick Warren:

"Whatever It Takes"

(From San Francisco Chronicle, Jan. 31, 2009)

Mormon Church officials, facing an ongoing investigation by the state Fair Political Practices Commission, Friday reported nearly $190,000 in previously unlisted assistance to the successful campaign for Prop. 8, which banned same-sex marriage in California.

The report, filed with the secretary of state's office, listed a variety of California travel expenses for high-ranking members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and included $20,575 for use of facilities and equipment at the church's Salt Lake City headquarters and a $96,849 charge for "compensated staff time" for church employees who worked on matters pertaining to Prop. 8.

"This is exactly what we were talking about when we filed the suit," said Fred Karger of Californians Against Hate, which opposed the same-sex marriage ban. "They spent money on the campaign and were supposed to report it."

Pay Back Time!:

If you recall, the Yes On Prop 8 (Protect Marriage) people sent letters to the top donors of No On 8 Marriage Equality) and threatened to publish their names if "in kind" donations were not made to them. Now the threat of their extortion - expose to harassment - is the reason they do not want their own list of donors made public. AAAWW! TOO BAD! Now they're afraid to list their donors for the same reason:

(Sacramento, California) A federal judge - U.S. District Judge Morrison England Jr. - denied a request Thursday to keep secret the names of donors to California’s anti-gay marriage initiative, saying the public had a right to know who gave money to state ballot measures.

“If there ever needs to be sunshine on a political issue, it is with a ballot measure,” England said. He said many campaign committees have vague names that obscure their intent, and the public would have no way of knowing who was behind the campaigns unless they could see who was giving money.

Could the Mormon Church lose its tax-exempt status? It could, it should, but it won't. We all know that. What it loses this time is its credibility.

...and a smidgen of righteousness.

Thank you, God!