This woman is one of the bravest people I have ever seen!

I remember as a child how my mother used to watch Reverend Ike. I was surprised to find out that the former huckster of magical, "prayer cloths," which claimed to cure everything from baldness to financial troubles.... is still around.

Last night I was watching Larry King Live and one of his guest was Dr. Creflo Dollar, (partial transcript to follow). This man is surely a philosophical decedent of Reverend Ike and his like! We live in the age of Super Churches, MEGA corporations with Ministers who live in Multi Million Dollar homes

KING: And a return visit to LARRY KING LIVE for Dr. Creflo Dollar, the founder and senior pastor of World Changes Church International. He is one of six television and mega-church preachers being investigated by the Senate. His new book is "Eight Steps to Create the Life You Want, The Anatomy of a Successful Life." And we'll talk about the eight steps in a little while. But first, Senator Grassley -- last time you were with us, we discussed the fact that he wanted all the details of your finances and what goes where and I understand you have declined to give that?

DOLLAR: Yes, sir.

KING: Why?

DOLLAR: We don't believe there's any legal obligation to do so, based on the Church Audit Act of 1984, which Senator Grassley co- sponsored. He made it very clear that there were protections for church organizations. For example, there's a difference between a church and a tax exempt organization. All churches are tax exempt, but not all tax exempt organizations are churches.

KING: Right, like a charity.

DOLLAR: Like a charity, so what happens is the church is exempt from annual filings and disclosure requirements that other tax exempt organizations have to be responsible for. Churches are exempt from filing a 990 Form, which is basically information return form.

KING: But when you see people complain about billions of dollars being spent on a luxurious lifestyle, wouldn't it be smart to give the information morally?

DOLLAR: It wouldn't be smart to give the information for the entire public to examine.

KING: Why? DOLLAR: Because you don't want to get involved with excessive entanglement with the First Amendment. There are some people who don't want their information to be exposed so other people can take them through the scrutiny of why they decided to give to this ministry or why they decided to support --

KING: I'm talking about you, Doctor Dollar, what have you got to hide?

DOLLAR: I don't have anything to hide. I want to make sure that if a senator has some obligation and responsibility to keeping the law and the process -- if there are certain laws and processes that are there to protect privacy, then I want to make sure I take full example of those laws.

KING: So it has nothing to do with excessive spending.

DOLLAR: Nothing at all. We are fully compliant with the IRS. The IRS gets our taxes. The IRS, we comply with us 100 percent. And what I would prefer is if you wanted the information, then you would go ahead and tell the IRS to issue a subpoena, come in and evaluate it. And then we would have no problems doing that.

KING: Do you think they should do that?

DOLLAR: They have a right to do that. And if they chose to do that, then what we would have is protection by Code 6103, where the IRS is required to keep the Privacy Act for those who turn the information over.

KING: Do you ever, Doctor Dollar, that whether you should spend anything lavish on yourself, as long as some people are without?

DOLLAR: What's your question again?

KING: Do you ever think why should I spend lavishly on myself when there are some people who don't have anything? That's not God's message I don't think.

DOLLAR: The Bible says, Jesus said, the poor you will have with you always. But the miscalculated assumption is that if we buy anything nice, it doesn't necessarily mean that we are not helping people who are without. Our ministry helps people all over the world who are without. We give millions of dollars a year to help people who are without. We personally help people who are without. We have purchased homes for people. I have purchased over 100 cars for people. It's a part of the gospel that if you have to give to go and give.

KING: So then wonders why wouldn't you show all that?

DOLLAR: Again --

KING: That's a pretty good thing to show.

DOLLAR: If you could see it all, then what you would find out is a lot of good things. But that's not the point. The point is there are laws and processes in place --

KING: You're saying this is a principle?

DOLLAR: It's a principle.

I just loved this clip of him asking for money:

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DOLLAR: So it is Biblical to come into the church with an offering. Amen. Make sure that you can't be bought. Make sure that you have money, but make sure that money never has you.

And remember, you give because you love god, because you honor god, and because you respect god.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: Dr. Creflo Dollar has a new book out, "Eight Steps to Create the Life You Want, the Anatomy of a Successful Life." Success meaning financial success?

DOLLAR: Success meaning being able to fulfill your purpose and the reason why you're here.

KING: And you figured it out and have broken it down into eight steps?

DOLLAR: I believe I have. It starts out with words. Words are very important. We have four basic needs that every human has to get met. Number one, you have the need of acceptance, feeling that you're loved and needed. You have a need of identity, feeling that you are significant and special.

You have a need of security, feeling that you are protected and you'll be cared for. And then finally, a need for understanding your purpose and the reason why you're alive and why you live. Now if those four basic human needs are not met, you're going to have trouble. If you don't get them met by parents, if you don't get them met somehow, you're going to end up in a bad situation.

So what I had an opportunity to do in this book is to divide it up into eight steps so that you can understand life. And if you don't like where you are, then you can at least diagnose life and then fix it and do some repairs and some adjustments so that you can live a successful life.

KING: Am I better person the more money I have?

DOLLAR: No, you're not. Prosperity -- money by itself cannot define prosperity. But prosperity is defined as wholeness in every area of your life, spirit, soul, body, family, marriage. It includes money, but money is not the basis of success.

KING: Are you successful?

DOLLAR: I'm successful because I believe I found the will of god for my life.

KING: Did you find it early on?

DOLLAR: Yes, sir, I found it at the age of 22 on a college campus. And I really didn't want to be a preacher. In fact, I didn't like preachers because in those days the preachers used to come over to your house and eat up all the chicken before anybody else got a chance to sit down and eat. But I had an opportunity to understand that there was a calling on my life and anointing to fulfill the will of god in my life.

KING: The book is "Eight Steps to Create the Life You Want." Dr. Creflo Dollar is the author. We have an email from Jaime in Bend, Oregon; are the monetary amounts you spend yearly for your multiple homes and cars and luxuries equal to or less than what the church provides to those in need within the congregation.
DOLLAR: Much less, much, much less.

THE MONEY SHOT

KING: But when they something -- Do you need plural -- do you need more than one home?

DOLLAR: No, you don't need more than one home. But, you know, people in our society today have always had a problem with excess. And we don't have any problems with movie stars having more than one home. We don't have any problems with sports people having more than one home. But, boy, if you get a man of god that has more than one home, then he's got to be doing something wrong.

KING: That's because the man of god claims to be preaching the word of god. And the sports star doesn't. The movie star doesn't.

DOLLAR: But the word of god says, and he makes it very clear in proverbs, the blessings of the lord maketh rich and addeth no sorrow. See, Larry, we also believe in the gospel of prosperity that god wants you to be successful in every endeavor of your life.

KING: Including rich?

DOLLAR: Including financially.

Okay, so let me see if I got this right. With all the hungry people in the world, the homeless, etc.... Do you think Jesus would be driving a Bentley, or would he figure out how many meals that Bentley could buy? I rest my case...

Jay Tea of Wizbang is in an uproar over a post by Oliver on Mormonism. The post is under Jay's "Asshat," category. Well add me to the Hat Brigade. Unlike Jay though, I have lived in Salt Lake City, and have many Mormon friends. What this gentleman says about the CULT of Joseph Smith,

Is absolutely true. Most of the Mormons I have known are far more likely to ask you about Joseph Smith than Jesus Christ. The Guy in the above video destroys the two "missionaries." I respect Mormons as good, decent people, who really believe the nonsense they have been taught. I dont care what religion Mitt Romney adheres to, but I do wonder about a guy who believes that a huge civilization of Israelites existed in North and South America thousands of years ago, and that Upstate New York was the site of battles involving millions of warriors...Or that there are Magic undies that protect Mormons...

Although on that point it could be a good thing, think of how much money we would save from the secret service budget. Hell, I think Mormons should share their magic drawers with all of us... Just think we would never have to worry about terrorism again!

The fact is that Joseph Smith stole a bunch of the Masonic rituals and converted them for use by his church.
Any Master Mason will recognize quite a bit from the following video.

Not to mention the fact that Joseph Smith died hoping that a Mason would save his ass...

Smith was a disgrace to the Masonic Brotherhood of which I belong, and his church is nothing more than a cheap copy of freemasonry, and of my religion...

And I did not know that that blustering idiot Glenn Beck was a Mormon too... How can so called intelligent people believe this garbage? A good friend of mine once asked me what I thought of Joseph Smith and the Mormon Church. I wish I had seen the above when asked... Watch the whole thing.

And then read The 19th Wife, an Expose on Brigham Young, by one of his wives

You can find the whole book online here, and here

For anyone who doubts that the Mormon church was founded and led by some of the most opportunistic men to ever walk the earth, and some of the worst charlatans and liars, should take the time to read Ann Eliza Young's book.

Aint going to like this at all...

This is one of the most interesting Anti-Islam posts I have ever seen. I happen to disagree with about 80% of it, as I know Muslims who would be and ARE outraged at some of the fringe elements in their religion. Nevertheless, agree or disagree, this video is certainly thought provoking...

To my many friends in Salt Lake City, who were some of the kindest people I have ever met...

There is something REALLY wrong with the Mormon Church.

After reading this book, by one of the former wives of Brigham Young, and then going online and doing a lot of research... I am convinced that at BEST, these poor people are in REAL trouble.

Their church was founded by a scoundrel and womanizer, who apparently created the whole polygamy thing, just so he could build himself a Harem, and his work was carried on with Gusto by Brigham Young himself who had 50 wives and 57 children...

Young was perhaps the most famous polygamist of the early church. Young married some 50 women and had 57 known children. In 1856 he built the Lion House to accommodate his sizable family. This remains a Salt Lake City landmark, together with the Beehive House, another Brigham Young Family home. A contemporary of Young wrote: "It was amusing to walk by Brigham Young's big house, a long rambling building with innumerable doors. Each wife has an establishment of her own, consisting of parlor, bedroom, and a front door, the key of which she keeps in her pocket".

and apparently, according to Ann Eliza Young, did not do too much to take care of any of them, except his favorites.

And now, the Mormons are posthumously baptizing Holocaust victims AND Nazis? Man I can't WAIT till the next time a couple of the little cherub faces missionaries come to my door. I am going to ROCK their world...

When I lived in Salt Lake City briefly in 1993, I made friends with several Mormons, some of them notable, and even attended church with them. One of my best friends, a successful businessman in Northern California, was a Mormon Missionary. For several years I have had a high opinion of Mormonism, but lately that impression has been turned.

Knowledge brings to light a lot of things... I think anyone considering a conversion to Mormonism needs to arm themselves with it...

Wherever you fall in the religious debate, these guys are making an impact. (See what I mean - Hehe)

On a serious tip, I think what Kirk is doing is admirable. He is a believer, a strong one, and he apparently has put his believe before his own personal gain... Personally, I take issue with a lot of The Way of the Master Ministry, but I am not going to get into a religious debate here. I think the banana thing is pretty ridiculous, but the idea that someone is taking their Ministry to the streets as they are, is one I respect.

Instead of advising you to watch the banana segment, I invite you to watch all of the video. Inteligent design advocate I am not. But I do believe in God, and I do believe he created this world we live in. And I am also pretty damned sure that he is not happy with what we have chosen to do with that creation.