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Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Found video / CL-TV Originals What would Jesus' salary be?

Posted By Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman on Tue, May 26, 2009 at 9:19 AM

Are you paying attention to The Charlotte Observer's two-part series on the Inspiration Network? If not, let me help you get up to speed:

Remember the Bakker's of PTL fame? (PTL = Praise the Lord, by the way.) Well, when their scam-church collapsed, the Cerullo family purchased some of their bankrupt assets. And, today, they've managed to convince their viewers — both here and abroad — to send in millions of dollars, and they've also talked South Carolina officials into tax incentives, far out pacing not only the Bakker's B.S. but other TV preachers as well.

How? Apparently all you have to do to separate people from their money and good sense is say, "God brings financial favor to those who donate." Now you know.

David Cerullo, a businessman and head of Inspiration Ministries, makes $1.5 million per year (and that's not counting his wife salary, daughter's salary, son's salary — and their spouses, too).

How much money do you think Jesus would pull down per year? What would his multi-million dollar Bible campus and propaganda training center look like? Yeah; doesn't make sense, does it?

Condos. Shops. Outdoor concerts. Internships to prepare students for careers in broadcasting.

All were to be part of the Inspiration Networks' 93-acre City of Light.

Or so S.C. and Lancaster County officials thought when they gave their blessing – along with at least $5 million in incentives – to the religious broadcaster.

But more than five years after unveiling its plans, Inspiration has delivered on few of its development promises, leaving Lancaster officials disappointed as they try to revive a county with 19 percent unemployment.

Read more from the second installment at Charlotte.com.