# Company accused of preying on faith, not delivering millions of dollars in precious m



## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

This is a sad story, preying on Christians. A bunch of people have been ripped off, and I hope it is none of us.

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/call7-investigators/company-accused-of-preying-on-faith-not-delivering-millions-of-dollars-in-precious-metals



> DENVER - They invested their life savings with a self-proclaimed "Man of God," who said he knew the secrets to protecting one's financial future. But across the country, customers of a Colorado-based company say they were left empty-handed and in some cases, out hundreds of thousands of dollars.
> 
> "I don't feel that I'm a gullible individual, but we've been taken," one Wyoming man said, who agreed to share the story he and his wife have lived through if we did not use their names.
> 
> ...


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## RevWC (Mar 28, 2011)

It's kinda like believing Obama is a Christian....


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

That's so sad for those folks. Sometimes I read stories like that and think I'd never sign over that much money - but maybe those folks thought the same thing at one time. 

It's a good reminder for all of us to always know who/what we're dealing with.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

goshengirl said:


> That's so sad for those folks. Sometimes I read stories like that and think I'd never sign over that much money - but maybe those folks thought the same thing at one time.
> 
> It's a good reminder for all of us to always know who/what we're dealing with.


Bernie Madoff should have given many people a wake up call, but maybe people just struggle with what to do with hundreds of thousands of dollars. Or less.

I remember when I first joined the forum, some on here had invested in precious metals that someone was holding for them. They had never seen it and were fine with that. :eyebulge:

In times like this, if I had that kind of money, I would invest in property and develop a retreat. But we know not everyone thinks like that. I would like to be able to live my life safe, with everyone happy and seeing life getting better for people all the time. But it isn't and somehow, I am one of the people who gets that it is going to get so bad that I want to do everything I can to prepare for it. I am not going to invest any money with anyone who will disappear with it when it goes to heck.


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## goshengirl (Dec 18, 2010)

weedygarden said:


> I remember when I first joined the forum, some on here had invested in precious metals that someone was holding for them. They had never seen it and were fine with that. :eyebulge:


I remember that! I can't imagine putting my money into something but never getting it. It creeps me out whenever I hear commercials for that sort of thing.

And I'm like you, I'd be buying land if I could.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

> "We felt like he was a Christian. He knew the Bible and what it was saying about End Times," the Wyoming man's wife said.


Being able to quote the Bible does not make one a Christian. Parole Boards all over the U.S. have learned that. Being on television does not make a person honest. Obama voters all of the U.S. have learned that.

The irony in all of this for me is that at the center of this issue is money. The Bible teaches us to rest in the Lord and His provision & supply, to not focus on the world or material wealth. The greatest thing a Christian can do with their money is tithe, for if you give 10% to the Lord the 90% you retain is blessed. As a Christian I cannot be stolen from because nothing I have is mine and anything that is taken from me will be replaced by my Provider. While I feel for the victims of this con man, I hope the victims return to their Bibles and seek out some Truth instead of seeking out alleged financial security.


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## hitman3872 (Oct 21, 2013)

Sentry18 said:


> The irony in all of this for me is that at the center of this issue is money. The Bible teaches us to rest in the Lord and His provision & supply, to not focus on the world or material wealth. The greatest thing a Christian can do with their money is tithe, for if you give 10% to the Lord the 90% you retain is blessed. As a Christian I cannot be stolen from because nothing I have is mine and anything that is taken from me will be replaced by my Provider. While I feel for the victims of this con man, I hope the victims return to their Bibles and seek out some Truth instead of seeking out alleged financial security.


Amen give unto The Lord and He will always bless you.


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## mojo4 (Feb 19, 2012)

I have no interest in doing business with anyone who says pay me now and I will send you goods later. Especially high dollar purchases. With someone you have no business history with. Just naive and dumb choices. And as far as the Bible thumping goes even the devil knew scripture so quoting the Bible is no deal maker for me.


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## BlueShoe (Aug 7, 2010)

_A fool and his money...._

But as Sentry said, it's not their money anyway.

I have a close friend who's mother gave thousands ( I believe tens of thousands) to Jim Bakker and Tammy Faye. Jimmy Swagart is still in the religion business too. I listened to him one afternoon in about 2009. A caller phoned in to ask him to comment on the claim they were paying Israel for the privilege of having a presence in Israel. He never said they weren't. He just kept saying "Why would we do that?" and offering it as a denial.

I feel sorry for people who can't recognize a crook. If it's on TV, especially one of the Christian channels, it has a slant to it. That's not a knock on Christianity. I just notice a lot of deception in the messages coming from preachers and the like on those shows. I like to catch up with them from time to time to hone my skills.

Regarding Obama and his faith, he's obviously not a Muslim. Muslims aren't permitted to own dogs at all.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

I am sorry that this happen to these people.
My standard is "If my mother needs money I will gladly give it to her! but if she has a investment for me, then she will have to prove it worth like any stranger would!"
Yes my mother is a christain, but if you do not stand for something, you will fall for anything! 
Billy Graham, the Pope,Clint Eastwood all fall below my mother on the trust list, so some guy from T.V. will not stand a chance.
Trust NO one, question EVERYTHING!
II Corinthians 11:13,14.
For such are the false apostles,deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.


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## PrepN4Good (Dec 23, 2011)

DH has a small woodworking shop & does little jobs here & there. He says a red flag instantly goes up when a customer or anyone else he's doing business with has to proclaim what a great Christian they are. 

It's sickening that people would use their faith (or pretend to have faith) to con someone. As they say, a special corner in hell...


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## Grandeland (Jan 19, 2014)

You need to re-read the Bible. You have misunderstood the context of the good book. Everything is the lords, you are correct there, but he blesses those who store up provisions for their families and he will judge those who prey on his sheep. Be careful before you judge the Christians that are abiding by his word and preparing for the future.



Sentry18 said:


> Being able to quote the Bible does not make one a Christian. Parole Boards all over the U.S. have learned that. Being on television does not make a person honest. Obama voters all of the U.S. have learned that.
> 
> The irony in all of this for me is that at the center of this issue is money. The Bible teaches us to rest in the Lord and His provision & supply, to not focus on the world or material wealth. The greatest thing a Christian can do with their money is tithe, for if you give 10% to the Lord the 90% you retain is blessed. As a Christian I cannot be stolen from because nothing I have is mine and anything that is taken from me will be replaced by my Provider. While I feel for the victims of this con man, I hope the victims return to their Bibles and seek out some Truth instead of seeking out alleged financial security.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

PrepN4Good said:


> DH has a small woodworking shop & does little jobs here & there. He says a red flag instantly goes up when a customer or anyone else he's doing business with has to proclaim what a great Christian they are.
> 
> It's sickening that people would use their faith (or pretend to have faith) to con someone. As they say, a special corner in hell...


Some of the nastiest people I know proclaim that they are Christians and serving the Lord, and then look down their noses at me because I am not as good as they are. Proclaiming yourself as a wonderful Christian does not make you so.

I agree, red flag for many of these people.

I once worked with a person who was always talking about "peace". Why? Because so much of her behavior was backhanded, dishonest, and manipulative and someone who had known her recognized how un-peaceful she was. She thought if she planted a peace pole in the garden and decorated her space with white doves, she was peaceful!

Just because you are in a garage doesn't mean you are a car. Your actions should speak for you.


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## DKRinAK (Nov 21, 2011)

Sadly this isn't new or uncommon. Called *affiliation fraud,* you see it in many church communities.

We have an iron clad rule here at Belly Acres. If someone, _anyone_, tries to use their ties to our church to sell us something, we turn them away. I also make a point of letting the Elders know this is going on and suggest they look into the scheme - nothing will smear a church membership faster than headlines that say "So and so of X church convicted of.."

If what they are peddling is good, they would *not* have to start by saying, "Hey, Brother, have I got a deal for you."


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