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June 10th, 2012
02:07 PM ET
Megachurch pastor Creflo Dollar on his daughter: 'She was not punched'By Steve Almasy, CNN Atlanta (CNN) - Telling thousands of parishioners that he should never have been arrested, Pastor Creflo Dollar said at his Sunday morning service he neither choked nor punched his 15-year-old daughter, as she claimed in a report to police. Dollar, senior pastor of World Changers Church International in suburban Atlanta, told congregants in the sprawling megachurch and listening at one of more than a dozen satellite churches that when the facts of the case come out, they will be "appalled." "The truth is, she was not choked. She was not punched," Dollar said. On Friday, deputies responding to a 911 call photographed a scratch on the daughter's neck and arrested Dollar on charges of simple battery, family violence and child cruelty. Dollar said the mark on his daughter's neck is more than 10 years old, the result of eczema, a skin condition. CNN’s Belief Blog: The faith angles behind the biggest stories "I want the church family to know that all is well in the Dollar household," he said, in his first public comments since spending more than 12 hours in jail. He immediately addressed the issue upon taking the pulpit Sunday, speaking for nearly eight minutes about the challenge of raising children and denying he had hurt to his daughter. After Dollar told the crowd about the skin abrasion, one man yelled, "Case dismissed!" Dollar's daughter said she argued with her father over attending a party, investigator Brent Rowan of the Fayette County Sheriff's Office told CNN on Friday. Rowan said the daughter told the deputies that her father charged her, put his hands around her throat and began to choke her, according to a police report. She said he then slammed her to the ground, punched her and beat her with his shoe. Deputies also spoke with another daughter, 19, who corroborated her sister's account of what happened. Follow the CNN Belief Blog on Twitter Dollar blamed the devil for causing the controversy, saying that to discredit his message of "prosperity gospel," the enemy must discredit the messenger. Prosperity ministers preach that God rewards the faithful with wealth and spiritual gifts. Pastors such as T.D. Jakes, Dollar and Joel Osteen have become the Prosperity Gospel's most well known preachers, building megachurches and business empires with a message equating piety with prosperity. Dollar's church claims about 30,000 members and has an $18 million, 8,500-seat sanctuary about 15 miles from downtown Atlanta. Friday's incident was emotionally charged and escalated from an argument, Dollar said Sunday. But he never intended bodily harm to anyone, he assured the audience. "I love her with all my heart," he said, shaking his head with conviction. Creflo Dollar's Prosperity Gospel finds followers and critics He cited a Bible verse from Psalms that talks about malicious witness against the good man, and evil men delighting when he stumbled. He later, during his sermon, also joked about the arrest, saying that being a religious man sent to jail "upped my resume." "Paul ... Jesus ... and Creflo," he said to a huge cheer. The pastor, known for his pinstriped suits, laughed at being clothed in a yellow jumpsuit and sandals while being handcuffed and being held in a cell. For most of the service, Dollar spoke of the people being "the righteousness of God by faith," the third in a series of sermons he prepared weeks ago, he said. "No weapon that forms against you shall prosper," he reminded the audience, citing scripture. At the end of the more than hourlong appearance, he said that he was persevering thanks to God's love. "And we couldn't do it without the love of you brothers and sisters." After the service, congregants declined to comment on Dollar's appearance. Since he started his ministry in an elementary school cafeteria in 1986, Dollar has earned praise and criticism. Supporters say he has preached a message that's financially empowered his parishioners and challenged the idea that Christians should be ashamed to be rich. Critics call him "Cash-Flow Dollar," and say his message perverts the Gospel. CNN's John Murgatroyd and John Blake contributed to this report. soundoff (2,056 Responses)« Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 Next »
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The CNN Belief Blog covers the faith angles of the day's biggest stories, from breaking news to politics to entertainment, fostering a global conversation about the role of religion and belief in readers' lives. It's edited by CNN's Daniel Burke with contributions from Eric Marrapodi and CNN's worldwide news gathering team.  |
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So he "neither choked nor punched his 15-year-old daughter".
So I guess he just raised his girl to be a liar to her father and to police authorities...Yeah, that sheds a better light on the Dollar household.
Dollar was just looking for the dollar, as many other evangelical, pentecostal, baptist, are as well looking for the dollar, rather then practicing what the bible says! Then these people still have the shame to be screaming on tv for Jesus...
Ya gotta wonder what's wrong with black "culture" when it spawns role models like The Reverend Dollar. Lazy, stupid, ignorant, and brainwashed is no way to go through life. Yes, it goes for white trash like Rush Limbaugh too.
i expect that he will creepflow dollars will be able to twist this into a profit making event. Not christian event, profit making, there is a diffrence.
First of all Sam Stone is hilarious. Second, it's time for people to stop blindly following these individuals. It seems like no matter what these people do, the sheeple always come out to defend them. From Earl "incest" Paulk (deceased), to Eddie Longstroke to Creflo Dollarbill, it's time to stop co-signing their behavior by patronizing their businesses...er....I mean churches.
i'll be here all week, tip the waitress
Oh and lets forget that he is a pastor but he a man first. We all fall short of the glory of God. So of your children probably have done worst time out doesn't always work. We need to stop being our children friend and be a parent and take our household back and letting our children run our house.
My parents denied the abuse they did to me. The beatings, the other type of abuses. When they hit me, they blamed me – I brought it on myself, it was me. When the school saw them as the nurses treated my abraisions, the story changed to "I fell"... When my grandparents saw the bruises and asked them about what I told them.. it was then "my lie".
I remember slowly living in the shadows of life. No one stepping forward to press for answers, everyone seemingly on my parents side. Even almost convinced myself I did fall, I did deserve it.. to the point I continued to take aspirin at the age of 9, hoping.. to just never wake up – to another day of it. I only wanted their love.. I only wanted their forgiveness for what ever it was I continued to do – to get beat.
My life now – well I'm never me. I back down least I anger anyone. It took me 18 years to leave my abusive spouse, continually thinking I deserved this too. But our children did not. My children never knew their grandparents, I felt – no... I can't open them to those that hated me so. so much, so often.. and ... I keep asking myself, who was it I was supsosed to grow into .. who was it God, wanted me to be? I dont know... I still am afraid, I still carry my deep sadness.. never thinking I am good enough, pretty enough, smart enough – all of the words – that stung me – as a child. I am no one... and this, was the gift my parents gave to me. God to me, in my opinion, is my only parent – and I know now, they failed... God gave me to them – he felt them worthy and now look at me. I live in sadness... despair and if it was not for God, and my children – I'd end it. So sure.. excuse it away.. Three know the truth .... let him continue lying...
BTW, why are no COMMENTS being allowed on SANDUSKY, the (child molester), same as they are with this guy, CNN ??
TBN – DAYSTAR
Those stations ring a bell CNN, those are the PROSPERITY gospel tv stations, YET, your M. Gray writes an article about Creflo Dollar & prosperity gospel !!!!!
U people no longer ever bother to hide ur bias, u just rub it in Blacks' faces daily don't ya?
First off some of your comments are so naive. Lets analyze this picture first. She is arguing with her father st 1 a.m. in the morning. So therefore, she is just coming home maybe from the party he told her not to attend. So when is it alright for your fifteen old daughter or son to argue with you about a manner when you them not to go some place and they did any away. He might not choke her a punch her like she said he did but she would have more than a scratch on her if he did do all of that to her. He propably did hit her. But at the same time my child better not raise their voice at me nor disrespect me in my house. If I don't punish. My child for their action the law will it will be worst. The law and system is not going to be nice to them they will be beaten as well and worst if they ever be in system.
choking and hitting a kid is illegal
Be careful. It is even illegal to yell at your kids under any situation. So, just be a nice quiet parent and hand over the credit cards and no one will get hurt. Then party like no tommorrow when they turn 18 and you can change the locks and then they start thier real learning. Scary parenting world out there now. Mine are grown and I'm exausted.
Creflo Dollar, just look at his name, this man is the high priest of Mammon, not God. This man serves wealth and power and that is all he is interested in. I could see if only one person said he assaulted her, but her older sister confirmed what happened. This man probably uses money to control his family, and his charisma to fool his parishioners. To God, money is an evil thing created by the greed of man as a way to control others, this is an affront to God. Also the arrogance of Creflo to equate his brief incarceration to those who truly suffered because of their beliefs (Jesus and the early ministers of the faith). Creflo is EVIL, just because he can beguile you with his charm doesn't make him a pious person; as he is living large how are the disadvantage in his congregation doing, are they seeing this wealth he promised?
Correction: The love of money is the root of all evil. (1 Timothy 6:10).
I just wonder if you have listened to his messages or if you are commenting based on what you've heard?
I believe that he has tapped into something that all human beings should be exposed to and that is the ability to believe... believe that God will do " immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us."
I find it very difficult to believe that as Christian people, we don't want to see pastors have financial increase, but if someone like Beyonce, Michael Jackson Oprah, or Dr. Phil is rich then it is okay. All of them carry a message of empowerment, it's just where the root of the message lies that is different.
Hey Joy... I wonder if you've listened to what two of his daughters say he did? Do you let your love of your God blind you to the point of wallowing in ignorance? Those artists you name, while I really don't care much about them in any fashion, at least they were selling their talent, not tricking people into turning over their money because of false claims/promises...
$ee what I mean, he get$ richer, and i$ $till a jerk
As a man of God, raising teenagers in a society that would rather you not punish bad behaviour because they really want our children to become part of a system that enslaves them....(prison) You get the picture now. None of my kids will be ever handicapped from respect and fully understanding the difference between right and wrong. If you love them, don't spoil them. Nobody wants anything spoiled.... Not even you. The devil's mission is to stop the progress of potential adversaries, so how can he do this? Send them to jail, or set them up of failure. Creflo Dollar ain't having that, and neither will I....!
Instilling respect and responsibility in your kids is noble. But, c'mon...Creflo Dollar is a con man. Don't hold him up as an example to look up to.
Great, so in other words, you advocate child abuse in the name of God... do you not see just how sick and twisted that view is?
There is no devil. Sometimes when teenagers defy us they are right to do so. I've seen it with my own eyes.
$$ is NOT a "man of God". He's a con artist, pure and simple.
Nobody mentioned child abuse, both my daughters are fine they love their father. My oldest daughter calls me all the time because now she understands what I was saying to her when she was being a hard headed teenager. She talks to my youngest daughter for me, because she now respect the tough disciplent she recieved. Some people want to label punishment as child abuse, when society punishes bad people everybody is ok, but the break down is when parents are parenting correctly then prison systems and crime will disappear. We have more people in prison, more people are victims because when it came to parenting many times the child raised themselves or the parents were busy trying to be their friend instead of the parent they really needed. The guildance is lacking. Some kids have very strong personalities, and some are very meek, but in either case the right approach requires the right tool. You can't get through to kids who will physically challenge you, you must shut that down or for you your authority as a guide or parent is over. Many teachers are helpless against these kids what's your answer for them? Throw them into the street, nope wrong answer. The right answer get the parent involved and maybe the police too!
cg... if you've raised a child that would resort to choking and punching their child, then you sucked at being a parent... you can try and pretty it up all you want, but plain and simple choking and punching is NOT how you raise a child... it shows just how weak of a man you are...
wow, cg....you sure are godly.
Rushing to judgment is frequently a bad idea. I may not like prosperity geology, but the guy may be innocent of the accusations.
No Christian megachurch "pastor" is innocent. They are all charlatans and criminals.
I think you meant Theology not Geology!
Stop hating! Because you have doubt's doesn't make what you say true. The devil don't want you to recieve the truth! Obviously if Christianity has survived thousands of years its because Jesus is alive. He lives in us because we have seen through Him the work of the Father. God. Christ died for you too! If you repent and recieve God believing in His Son Jesus; then you are saved. Now live your life as God would want you to and watch our God work!
cg: nor does your lack of doubt make you right
Then why hurt his daughters who made these accusations, by using it as a sermon in church? Why... Because he needs to ensure everyone is on his side.
If he did nothing, then his days would go on as usaul, and he would not make this all about himself, he would understand his daughter needed his time, that her "lie" (as he calls it) is a symptom of something bigger and he needs her. We put aside anything about ourselves – and listen, really listen – to what is being said to try to help our young children. To try to walk them through what ever is going on. A good parent, knows... things are said in anger, accusations are made - but they put aside hurt feelings, they put aside all petty selfish-me-me-me's - and stop, hush... pause... and hear the words of their child... who is sincerely trying to get through to them anyway they can.
Rebellious children do this – they want the parents attention... and parents can't pick and choose WHEN to hear their child. They need to be listening, watching, observing. And you do not put yourself into the equation – again – its not allll about you. You had your time and will have your time. If a daughter is going out that late, talk to her. Find out why that hour – why no notice – try to understand and come to some meeting of the minds - not my way or bye. Talk to your kids – not at.
When my daughter shoplifted with her friend, I simply did not bail her out. She went through the entire process, and I had her find her own way home. I had her earn funds to take a bus to do her community service, I had her pack her own meal and of course pay me back for it doing chores. I did not yell, I did not talk to her about it – I waited for her to talk to me. She did her community service, she earned the funds to pay her fine and she came to me – gave me one big hug and realized that being acting like an adult, means finishing it up – as an adult would. And I never said a word about it, I let her – talk to me. She is doing good, understands her mistake, mistakes we all have made. We all make mistakes – the key is, that we learn from them.
The bible says in Prov 13:24: "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes (diligently)." It is better for a parent to discipline their child than to have the law discipline them. I just wonder what the African American community would be like if more father's were in the home correcting and "not sparing the rod." The police wouldn't have too and so many black men wouldn't be wasting our tax dollars in jails. Did you know that it cost $33,000 per year to maintain an inmate in jail? The average college education doesn't cost that much.
The Bible has a big lisp.
Another twisted view... "spare the rod" simply suggests that you must raise your child appropriately, it doesn't mean you choke and punch the child... people will twist the bible to justify anything... Next, we'll read about how Jerry Sandusky felt the same way... so he didn't spare the child the rod... and nutty bible twisting folk will tell us how he's innocent too!
You said:: "The bible says in Prov 13:24: "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes (diligently)." I believe in God, but no... I cannot see where it says the rod needs to be used on the child, to beat them, to bruise them... to humiliate or degrade them. I believe firmly that we use empathy, understanding and let our children learn from a young age, that we have mutual trust, and that is of the utmost imporance.
We can be firm, without striking, we can get our point across w/o yelling. The person that cannot do this, has no control over their emotions, no control over themselves and will one day regret it. Why can we treat our child as we cannot treat others? Do we belittle others? Do we curse them, hit them when they are not in agreement with us? Would we do behave this same way if God was standing before us? No.. we would not.. and he is.
He is a man of God. Dollar is being talked about only because he is doing the will of God and the Devil don't like it.
Damn, Christians are crazy. I guess it doesn't surprise me since they believe in invisible men in the sky.
beating and choking is soooooooooooooooooooooooo UN Christian like
wow, loretta, now i see it so much more clearly. as an aside, do you spend lots of time on your knees?
The Will of God – here is a test. Do the same exact thing, infront of the church, infront of the cross – turned to it and admit you are doing gods will. Not in the shadows, not with the curtains drawn, and not in total denial when you are questioned about it or twist it so much it ensures your name is not dimmed.
Well.. go.. prove it is the will of God. He can't because it i not.
'She was not punched she was just ran into my fist repeatedly'
LOL Ya, big difference LOL
Gotta love it... even in this day and age, given testimony by the daughter, and a second daughter... he still chooses to use the old "the devil's to blame" line... When will people wake up and move out of the dark ages... organized religion is a joke, a scam intended to take your money and point blame, so you look over there while they rob you blind... I believe in God, I don't believe in organized religion... I believe the devil's work is in organized religion... so, I guess Dollar had a point...
Hhhmmmm..... what are you talking about???
What am I talking about????? I'm talking about the scam that is known as organized religion... love your God, if you believe in one, but do yourself a favor and stay far away from organized religion... it's what is wrong in this world... This prime example of a "man of God" who defends his pathetic actions by denying them and saying it was the devil creating this situation... Pathetic!!! He's a coward who invokes the pointy eared red guy as a cover for abusing his child!!!
One more time:
Money wasted as the "Dollar nut case" will simply hasten the decline of all religions as they finally go extinct from their own absurdity.. It is time to replace all religions with a few rules like "Do No Harm" and convert all houses of "worthless worship" to recreation facilities and parks.
Totally goofy...
The Apostles' Creed 2012: (updated by yours truly and based on the studies of historians and theologians of the past 200 years)
Should I believe in a god whose existence cannot be proven
and said god if he/she/it exists resides in an unproven,
human-created, spirit state of bliss called heaven??
I believe there was a 1st century CE, Jewish, simple,
preacher-man who was conceived by a Jewish carpenter
named Joseph living in Nazareth and born of a young Jewish
girl named Mary. (Some say he was a mamzer.)
Jesus was summarily crucified for being a temple rabble-rouser by
the Roman troops in Jerusalem serving under Pontius Pilate,
He was buried in an unmarked grave and still lies
a-mouldering in the ground somewhere outside of
Jerusalem.
Said Jesus' story was embellished and "mythicized" by
many semi-fiction writers. A descent into Hell, a bodily resurrection
and ascension stories were promulgated to compete with the
Caesar myths. Said stories were so popular that they
grew into a religion known today as Catholicism/Christianity
and featuring dark-age, daily wine to blood and bread to body rituals
called the eucharistic sacrifice of the non-atoning Jesus.
Amen
(references used are available upon request)
The Apostles' Creed 2012: (updated by yours truly and based on the studies of historians and theologians of the past 200 years)
Should I believe in a god whose existence cannot be proven
and said god if he/she/it exists resides in an unproven,
human-created, spirit state of bliss called heaven??
I believe there was a 1st century CE, Jewish, simple,
preacher-man who was conceived by a Jewish carpenter
named Joseph living in Nazareth and born of a young Jewish
girl named Mary. (Some say he was a mamzer.)
Jesus was summarily crucified for being a temple rabble-rouser by
the Roman troops in Jerusalem serving under Pontius Pilate,
He was buried in an unmarked grave and still lies
a-mouldering in the ground somewhere outside of
Jerusalem.
Said Jesus' story was embellished and "mythicized" by
many semi-fiction writers. A descent into Hell, a bodily resurrection
and ascension stories were promulgated to compete with the
Caesar myths. Said stories were so popular that they
grew into a religion known today as Catholicism/Christianity
and featuring dark-age, daily wine to blood and bread to body rituals
called the eucharistic sacrifice of the non-atoning Jesus.
Amen
(references used are available upon request)
=========================================================================================
This is why I say that the government is to involved in how we raise our children. She was; I am sure disrespectful and he may have slapped her, in my opinion she deserved it. She knew if she called the police that he would be arrested and the police department wanted to make and example out of him.
Of course it must be that way, why it's unheard of that a man of God was simply a wolf in sheep's clothing... you've been fooled into giving your money to a scam artist...
A 15-year girl is fearful enough to call 911? Sounds like some "good" parenting. Maybe some court-mandated anger management might sooth that temper.
Does your husband slap you when you are disresptful to him ? There are no valid reason to hit a child. If you feel that need please give up your children for their sake until you get professional help.
NOBODY "deserves" to be slapped or hit or beaten. Plain and simple.
Lynda: Were you there?
lynda: if you were not there, you have no idea of what happened. so, shove your false witnessing up whatever body cavity is most painful
Look at this man.. he has lost sight of his intentions, he can do no wrong and has his people brainwashed, he is so
powerful he' got himself back up on the alter...he's in complete control of his daughters and most likely his wife. Where
is his wife in all this, i'll tell you were she's at, she has been manipulated by this man's money, and he's turned the goodness
of God & Jesus into a evil tool againist his family.. that wrath of God will be cast upon you at my command..if you make
any mistake's i'll crucify you.. this is what this man has become. Like many other's he will fall from his own grace not
the grace of God... many other men of the cloth who lost their way... Swaggert, Baker, Schuler, Jeffs, Hinn, etc.. the
next one in the news will be the TBN couple Paul & Jan Crouch... they are being exposed by their granddaughter....
and that Golden Palace along the 405 FWY in Costa Mesa is going to wiped off the face of the earth by God. You know
Creflooooo... in every jail thier's a " Mens Warehouse" they'll make you look good... i guarantee it !!!!!
Oh yes Mr. Innocent SteveD.... go ahead... cast the 1st stone.
"I want the church family to know that all is well in the Dollar household," – because every day someone is calling 911 in my home. Oh wait, no, it was the devil. The devil had taken possession of my loving daughter and made that call.
What he is saying is that all is well at home, because he can't go back there until the agencies say it's safe for him to return.