Ptl club (sales, buyer, living)

[vmaxnc]

Originally Posted by anifani821

I found it an interesting post - have often wished I had kept a scrap book of sorts on all that material - it is a helluva story, and one which won the Charlotte Observer reporter a Pulitzer.

I was appalled that the whole complex was razed. It seemed like a terrible waste and rather than bulldoze the parks and buildings, it seemed to me some corporation such as Marriott should have taken it over and made it a wonderful resort. Just a terrible terrible waste of resources.

It was terrible and pointless.

[Charlotteborn]

I too was a teenager during the days of PTL and I always felt the whole thing was a scam. I feel for those that lost their savings to the likes of Jim and Tammy.

Sadly, there will always be people willing to part with their money and people more than willing to take it!

[frewroad]

That trial was a huge media event in Charlotte and had global interest. It was almost impossible to travel down W. Trade streets due to the satellite equipment installed there for the networks. There were some Soviet officials here in Charlotte for some reason and I remember an account of one of them asking how the trial was going.

There were almost daily twists and turns and new revelations about the scandal(s), other TV preachers getting mixed up in it etc. etc. While not so good for the Bakkers, this event made Jessica Hann's career.

I agree with the poster above that the waterpark was really nice. It was better than the one at Carowinds. They also put on a Christmas light show not to be believed.

[mewith3]

Originally Posted by frewroad

That trial was a huge media event in Charlotte and had global interest. It was almost impossible to travel down W. Trade streets due to the satellite equipment installed there for the networks. There were some Soviet officials here in Charlotte for some reason and I remember an account of one of them asking how the trial was going.

There were almost daily twists and turns and new revelations about the scandal(s), other TV preachers getting mixed up in it etc. etc. While not so good for the Bakkers, this event made Jessica Hann's career.

I agree with the poster above that the waterpark was really nice. It was better than the one at Carowinds. They also put on a Christmas light show not to be believed.

I never heard or seen the waterpark..you are not kidding surely they could have saved some of it, it was a waste to tear it all down

http://ostrichfeathers.files.wordpre...16_photo_0.jpg

[tread102]

Originally Posted by mewith3

I never heard or seen the waterpark..you are not kidding surely they could have saved some of it, it was a waste to tear it all down

http://ostrichfeathers.files.wordpre...16_photo_0.jpg

We camped there in the early 80's for three years 81 82 and 83. I was between 3 and 5 those years. It was alot of fun and everything was first rate. He might have been a crook, but he built a great park, and it is a shame that it couldn't have been saved. Would have been a lot better than a housing development.

[tylerSC]

Jim and Tammy helped create the 3 largest Christian television networks still in existence today, CBN Christian Broadcasting Network, TBN Trinity Broadcasting Network, and PTL Praise the Lord - now INSP Inspirational Network. Their contribution to the legacy of Christian television cannot be disputed. PTL was not a cult or a scam, but a great motivational and inspirational ministry that was a blessing to many. Jim Bakker was truly the Walt Disney and Johnny Carson of Christian television, and was the first host of The 700 Club before Pat Robertson took over. And the PTL show was both inspirational and entertaining, with excellent muscians and entertainers that later worked with Bill Gaither. I enjoyed Howard and Vestal Goodman, Doug Oldham, Bob and Jeannie Johnson, and of course, Tammy Faye. It is sad the way Jerry Falwell mishandled that ministry; it would have been better if Paul and Jan from TBN had taken it over. Yes, there was some financial mismanagement and mistakes made, but it was not the major deliberate fraud that it was portrayed to be. Yes, the hotel was at times overbooked, but Jim had plans to continue building accomodations for the partners as demand warranted. Christmas City was fabulous and the waterpark very nice. It is sad that local business, civic, and religious leaders did not make an effort to save Heritage USA, as it was a top tourist destination for the region. Most of the charges against Jim were overturned, and he was released afte 5 years. He now has a new ministry with wife Lori in Branson, MO. And we very much miss Tammy Faye since she has passed away, but know she is now in a better place.

[TeenyTiny]

The Bakkers did accomplish much good, but fell to temptation, as is common with humans. So sad.... BTW, Heritage USA is now owned by Morningstar Ministries. I have been to a couple of services there and the remaining buildings are little by little being beautifully restored.

Jim Bakker is out of prison and pastoring a church in the Asheville (I think it's Asheville) area. I have heard that he is a very different person these days, truly humbled. I believe in forgiveness, even for the most hurtful of crimes, but it is still quite sad.

[CouponJack]

Originally Posted by tylerSC

Jim and Tammy helped create the 3 largest Christian television networks still in existence today, CBN Christian Broadcasting Network, TBN Trinity Broadcasting Network, and PTL Praise the Lord - now INSP Inspirational Network. Their contribution to the legacy of Christian television cannot be disputed. PTL was not a cult or a scam, but a great motivational and inspirational ministry that was a blessing to many. Jim Bakker was truly the Walt Disney and Johnny Carson of Christian television, and was the first host of The 700 Club before Pat Robertson took over. And the PTL show was both inspirational and entertaining, with excellent muscians and entertainers that later worked with Bill Gaither. I enjoyed Howard and Vestal Goodman, Doug Oldham, Bob and Jeannie Johnson, and of course, Tammy Faye. It is sad the way Jerry Falwell mishandled that ministry; it would have been better if Paul and Jan from TBN had taken it over. Yes, there was some financial mismanagement and mistakes made, but it was not the major deliberate fraud that it was portrayed to be. Yes, the hotel was at times overbooked, but Jim had plans to continue building accomodations for the partners as demand warranted. Christmas City was fabulous and the waterpark very nice. It is sad that local business, civic, and religious leaders did not make an effort to save Heritage USA, as it was a top tourist destination for the region. Most of the charges against Jim were overturned, and he was released afte 5 years. He now has a new ministry with wife Lori in Branson, MO. And we very much miss Tammy Faye since she has passed away, but know she is now in a better place.

Tyler, are you kidding me?

This is what you said...

"There was some financial mismanagement and mistakes made, but it was not the major deiberate fraud that it was portrayed to be".




What you said in your post above sadly sounds exactly like the defenders of Jerry Sandusky (the former Penn St. football coach who moletsed countless numbers of kids). However you STILL have people who justify defending the guy by saying all the "good" he did.

Let me tell you something, it doesn't matter how many waterfalls he created, or how many networks he started.

He embezzeled MILLIONS of dollars from people who thought the money was going to "charity", however the money went a couple different ways..

1. A couple hundred G's to hush up Jessica Hahn, his hoar who he banged back in the 80's. Not to mention the men he paid to keep quiet, (he went both ways for those who didn't know)

2. They made 126 million in 1986. 6 luxurious homes w/gold plated fixtures.

Almost $1.4 million in compensation went to the Bakkers and top executives from the account during the first four months of 1987. Aide David Taggart received 1987 cash advances of $111,000 and bonuses of $225,000. Payments totaling $128,000 were made last year to James Taggart, brother of David, who ran an interior-decorating firm.

And Tammy was no saint either. She knew all the crap that was going on. The gold digger divorced him while he was in prison and married Jim's best friend who she had an affair w/the whole time.

They stole from poor people bottom line. They preyed on sick and weak people all the time hiding behind "religion".....

What an effin joke.

Well, what do you expect, there will always be "believers" who will always drink the kool aid and be in denial (as evidenced in these posts)....

[BLUEDIAMOND64]

Yes, he embezzled millions and deserved exactly what he got. All of this with the pretense of being a Christian! What a disgrace!

[frewroad]

Originally Posted by CouponJack

T
He embezzeled MILLIONS of dollars from people who thought the money was going to "charity", however the money went a couple different ways..

Actually the vast majority of the money was from the sale of PTL Partner lifetime memberships which entitled the buyer to spend 3 nights a year at PTL in the hotels being built. Basically it was a time share operation. The money did go where you mentioned, but this is a business failure not money that was intended for charity going elsewhere.

IMO, the establishment, including the religious establishment put Jim & Tammy Bakker in the crosshairs because they would not join the political activism ranks of the religious right. The Bakkers were "live and let live" and when they grew to prominence, this couldn't stand.

This is borne out by the vultures such as Jerry Falwell who swooped down when the scandals broke in efforts to take control of PTL. I still remember seeing this windbag of hot air being sent down the waterside shown in the photo above.