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My least favorite is the fat cat pastor who lives off his church. Like First AME pastor John J. Hunter. This is what he had to say when confronted over a three year $100K spending spree financed by church credit cards.
I may owe [the IRS] some money, but I absolutely have never done anything criminal," Hunter said. "I have nothing to hide. To the extent I have any responsibility, I have fully embraced it and all of these matters have been addressed.
He already had problems with the IRS. What’s $300k in back taxes and penalties? Nothing to be concerned about people, move along… And then there are the same allegation from his previous church in Seattle. Again, nothing to worry about…
Where are the criminal charges? Why is he still a pastor? How is this behavior allowed to flourish over the years? Where is the moral outrage?
Allegations of financial mismanagement have dogged the pastor since his tenure at First AME Church in Seattle from 1998 to 2004. More than 30 Seattle church members formed a "Save Our Church" committee to protest what they alleged were improper charges on church credit cards and tax evasion by Hunter. In a series of 2005 interviews, Hunter dismissed the allegations and categorically denied any wrongdoing.
"There's nobody who's a leader who doesn't have enemies," the Boston University Law School graduate said at the time. "You have to make decisions. You can take the easy road, or you can take the right road."
No… It’s played off as his enemies are trying to bring him down. He can’t even take responsibility for his own actions by saying he knew spending church funds on personal items was wrong.
I guess it’s all ok because he runs a big church and… you know, them pastors are men of god and all.
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Logging you in...
deleted5855019 44p · 858 weeks ago
This is true. Embezzlement and child rape are often two things they are paid to do by their congregation as you have clearly stated in the past few articles you've written.
However, not to be the one making claims or supporting conspiracy theories (as I guess I do have a right to, as do we all)... I will say though that according to a film I've been intensely watching in the past few months, Zeitgeist says there is no law telling you to pay taxes. It backs it up using actual court cases won by the defendant stating there is no law in any judicial document telling you to pay taxes. Not to mention that's one of many reasons we can to this country and killed "red people" to get it. Now I am not saying that this is now okay that he's done this... no no... he's cheated the system and the people of his own church no doubt, but what I do want to argue for is, since he is a law student, do you think he finds his actions justifiable because he knows of this lack of a law that Zeitgeist claims to have?
Just a though, comments and questions welcome...
For more information:
- http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/
- http://www.zeitgeistmovie.com/transcript.htm (Part III is where this tax evasion is discussed I believe)