City of Light Article in Charlotte Observer (Lancaster, York: hotel, buy)

[Jake Ryan]

Inspiration Networks hikes evangelist's pay to $2.5 million | CharlotteObserver.com & The Charlotte Observer Newspaper

I'm not sure how many of you get the Observer so I wanted to post this article which affects Lancaster County / Indian Land. I've driven by the City of Light many times and have often wondered what goes on over there. Apparently they have not lived up to their promises to build and generate revenue that would benefit the county which, in turn, they have received sizable tax breaks.

I think it's wrong that the county has to live up to their end of the bargain while the City of Light claims economic hardship and doesn't have to live up to their end of the deal.

What say you?

[topchief1]

I'd say that it's another scam job by organized religion to bilk people out of millions of dollars under false promises and pretenses. Or, in other words, it looks like it's business as usual.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go give $1,000 to Inspiration Networks this afternoon for my weekly lotto numbers. They've assured me God is going to let me win the jackpot this week, and the past 5 years of failure were just a "test."

[diertac]

I always shake my head and wonder what it is about this area that attracts high profile religious scam artists? Heritage USA, and now City of Light... is there some extra special aura of gullibility that surrounds this region?

[NDL]

Originally Posted by topchief1

I'd say that it's another scam job by organized religion to bilk people out of millions of dollars under false promises and pretenses. Or, in other words, it looks like it's business as usual.

I respect your right to hold your own opinion , but may I ask why the broad brush?

I am a Christian, and I'd bet that I dislike hucksters peddling religion for profit, more than you ever could.

Does such scum exist? Absolutely. Do I take such people lightly? Absolutely not.

But why is it that the work of a few hypocrites tar the entire imagery of Christianity?

Are there no Christians involved in helping their neighbors, or volunteering at soup kitchens?

In any organization, there will always be good and bad. This isn't to say that I excuse the bad, although I find it a shame that in all of 'organized religion,' you've seen no good.

[zetaetadg]

Originally Posted by diertac

I always shake my head and wonder what it is about this area that attracts high profile religious scam artists? Heritage USA, and now City of Light... is there some extra special aura of gullibility that surrounds this region?

City of Light is the old PTL. The Cerullos bought PTL out of bankruptcy and transformed it into Inspiration Networks. So it only makes sense that they would keep it here. Now what on Earth brought the Bakkers from California to Charlotte, I can't say.

[CVP]

I think the complex is all a big front. Do you ever see people attending the "church" in the front of the campus, next to 521? A local woman passed away and the family asked if they could hold a small memorial service in the church. They were turned down due to it being the holidays (December). That's B.S. because the parking lot sits empty except for when they hold an occassional concert. Is their little coffee shop/book store still open? The only cars you see, in the back of the complex, belong to the employees who work for the network which brings in their millions. What a scam and waste of valuable property. Someone needs to bring that guy down.

[CarolinaWoman]

Originally Posted by zetaetadg

City of Light is the old PTL. The Cerullos bought PTL out of bankruptcy and transformed it into Inspiration Networks. So it only makes sense that they would keep it here. Now what on Earth brought the Bakkers from California to Charlotte, I can't say.

The Cerullo's did not bring PTL out of bankruptcy ... all the Cerullo's did was buy the PTL cable television network. Now its aka PTL The Inspirational Network. Actually that was what Jerry Falwell wanted too. All the televangelist wanted the Bakker's cable television network as it was, at that time, a state of the art operation. They had a satellite system you wouldn't believe over there. I was in and out of the place many times and nothing was spared moneywise with the cable TV network. That is where the money flowed from.

MorningStar Ministries purchased the hotel and other parts of PTL but the gold mine was the cable TV network. I watched the whole place crumble after the fall of the Bakkers and PTL.

Jim & Tammy Bakker started out with Pat Robertson's Christian Broadcasting in Virginia ... they boosted the viewing audience of The 700 Club. Then Jan & Paul Crouch was starting up Trinity Broadcasting Network in California and Jim & Tammy headed to California and started their show "Praise The Lord" (PTL) on the Trinity network ...they only stayed a year in California and had retained the rights to the initials PTL ... so they headed South!

Right now we have so many of the prosperity gospel teaching churches located right here among us or coming to us live on TV. Send us your money and God will reward you with vast material riches. The government allows them tax exemptions and the cash rolls in. It is sad to see people getting scammed by these outfits.

Jim Bakker is now living in Missouri and trying again with The Jim Bakker Show ... Robert Tilton was literally ran out of Texas and he is now in Florida with wife number 3 and still trying to revive his Success-N-Life send me money and God will reward you ... Jimmy Swaggart is hanging on but his son Donnie and grandson Gabriel now handles the ministry.

The salaries paid to this group in Indian Land is a shame. But with that cable TV network the money arrives from all over the country.

[zetaetadg]

Originally Posted by CarolinaWoman

The Cerullo's did not bring PTL out of bankruptcy ... all the Cerullo's did was buy the PTL cable television network. Now its aka PTL The Inspirational Network.

I didn't say that the Cerullos BROUGHT PTL out of bankruptcy. I stated that they BOUGHT it out of bankruptcy and I should have been more clear and stated that they bought PTL's assets. And I think I did state that those assets are now known as Inspirational Networks.

[CarolinaWoman]

Originally Posted by zetaetadg

I didn't say that the Cerullos BROUGHT PTL out of bankruptcy. I stated that they BOUGHT it out of bankruptcy and I should have been more clear and stated that they bought PTL's assets. And I think I did state that those assets are now known as Inspirational Networks.

The only asset Inspirational bought was the cable TV network ... and yes it's known at the Inspirational Network ... the rest fell in disarray and was a sad sight to see. I never supported PTL but my kids loved to go over there. The swimming pool was wonderful with the slides. We attended the Passion Play each year at the amphitheater and it was a first class presentation even with the live animals. We attended concerts. The Bakkers never spared any expense with anything at PTL/Heritage USA.

Christmas was absolutely amazing. It was a pure joy to see all the decorations. In the 80's PTL was the third most visited "theme park" in the US surpassing Carowinds.

But the PTL cable network television was the prize. That was the money machine. MorningStar may never restore the remaining portion of PTL to what it once was and York County Council is fighting them now over The Tower. Take it down or renovate it.

It's just sad when people are scammed with the prosperity preaching ... send me money and God's gonna make you rich!!! I was sort of hoping Inspirational would really have a first class Christian operation in Indian Land but it appears they are just padding their own bank accounts.

When Jerry Falwell sat down with Jim Bakker to 'help' him out all Falwell wanted was the PTL cable network and even Swaggart talked to Bakker too ... after the same thing. Bakker is still paying off a debt to the IRS in the amount of $6 million which is back taxes and mega penalties. So what goes round comes round. LOL

[nc2sc778]

As I recall, alot of the promises could not be met because either during construction or shortly after, SPEED Network built their own production studios elsewhere. Originally they had some sort of agreement they would use the facility as well. Apparently not too solid of an agreement.