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As
Recession Looms, Rev. Hagee Rakes in the Dough
August 18, 2001
by
Mel Dugosh
While spin doctors in the current Bush administration are
busy placing sinister twists on the looming recession enveloping
the Nation, frantic cries are beginning to be heard loudly
from the religious right as monetary gift offerings and tithes
have drastically reduced the flow of desperately needed cash
keeping the John Hagee Ministries in San Antonio, Texas, afloat.
John Hagee, the rotund, right-wing, Pentecostal televangelist,
founder of Cornerstone Church, and JHM Ministries saw prosperity
during the bull market of the Clinton years. Hagee handily
raised obscene amounts of tax emept money for larger church
buildings, a private television studio, hi-tech recording
studio for his children's singing group, and a lavish exclusive
500 bed resort for church members only located in the small
Texas Hill Country town of Tarpley, complete with it's own
man-made lake suitable for water skiing modestly referred
to as "Cornerstone Church Camp."
This August after USAA, San Antonio's largest employer unexpectedly
laid off 1370 employees, Lucent Technologies followed suit;
these layoffs coming on the heels of the Southwestern Bell
Communications unprecedented offer of early retirements buyouts,
the closure of Kelly Air Force Base, and an additional 22
percent of San Antonio employers interviewed saying they were
considering summer layoffs. Hagee reacted launching an extreme
campaign sermon series called "Mastering Your Money."
In this series currently televised on TBN, Hagee likened
a trade on today's stock market to a trade of deck chairs
on the Titanic. Alternatively, he promised that an investment
in his Cornerstone Church would yield a ten thousand percentage
profit to the giver awarded directly from God. Ever conscious
of San Antonio's large Catholic population, Hagee blatantly
insisted any monetary gift given to a Sister, would yield
no such increase because the giver would be receive the glorification
instead of God. In addition, Hagee; during a fit of yelling,
rapid snapping of his plump fingers, and insistent pounding
on the pulpit with tightly curled fists, promised that those
watching and choosing not to give money to his Cornerstone
Church would receive a financial curse administered directly
by God.
This is not the first time the Hagee has resorted to outrageous
methods for raising cash. Several years ago, Hagee stirred
a raging controversy in San Antonio's black communities when
he advocated a "Slave Sale" in which students of
his private Cornerstone Christian School were to be auctioned
off in exchange for cash.
More recently his sermons have become infomercials to push
his books, his adult children's - Hagee Family Singers recordings,
and advertisements for the John Hagee Prophecy Study Bible
upon which the cover states that John C. Hagee is the General
Editor. These bibles and other high priced items sell for
$45.00 apiece on Hagee's marketwise website.
Chances are that Hagee's latest pocketbook crusade will succeed
in part because of Hagee's cult-like control over his church
community. In 1996, when a parishioner sued Cornerstone Church
for alleged sexual abuse of her teenage daughter at the Cornerstone
School by a church school custodian; Hagee demanded his 17,000
member congregation pray a Psalm 35 curse over her and anyone
that might come against his ministry for any reason. This
deathly violent gothic passage was used by David in the Old
Testament to triumph over his enemies. Although, only time
will tell if Hagee's latest intimidation will be affirmed
by his followers; Hagee's excessive money crusade will most
likely prevail however because of their covetousness.
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