[Magdalen] Church as Personality Billy Graham

[Jim Guthrie]

From: Revd Martin Dale via Magdalen
>secretary  Jessica Hahn in 1980 and resigned in 1987, when it came to light

Met her once and spoke with her on the phone, as the church where she was 
secretary bought airtime on the radio station I worked for in the mid 1970s, 
Very nice, I thought.

The biggest scandal, I think has never really seen the light of day -- maybe 
because at the time, Pat Robertson was running for President and no one wanted 
to point out the ethical problem.

Robertson's "700 Club" and associated programs had mostly switched to Cable in 
the late 1970s -- he was a pioneer in cable network ministry (along with Paul 
Crouch in California). The programming -- whether produced by Robertson;s 
outfit's or third party televangelists all pleaded for (tax exempt) monetary 
contributions. And 700 Club itself would hold begathons as well, raking in 
millions of dollars.

At some point, Robertson decided to sell his cable network, and garnered almost 
4 Billion with a B dollars for it, along with some over-the-air stations he 
owned and had been supported on the same basis.. Quite a personal haul 
considering the source of revenue that built it all. You tax dollars at work, as 
they say. (Robertson's Network became the ABC Family Channel. He reserved an 
hour of time every night at 11 PM for one hour to continue the 700 Club -- don’t 
know if it's still on the air).

He put lots of that money into establishing and building his Regent University, 
which turns out lawyers, who, among other things, make great mischief amongst 
mainline churches and their synods and dioceses and property ownership.

Cheers,
Jim Guthrie