From: Watch97@aol.com Date: Thu, 11 Jan 1996 00:12:47 -0500 Subject: If you subscribed to c.c.watch... You may have received e-mail from "c.c.watch" before, but that was just the tip of the iceberg! If you had been a subscriber to the "c.c.watch" newsletter you would have received the following report last Monday morning in your mail box. E-mail box that is. The "c.c.watch" newsletter has now made the transition from print to an electronic news service. Paid subscribers now receive all of their "c.c.watch" information by e-mail--news, updates, analyses, commentary, etc. on Pat Robertson, his many enterprises, and his fellow travelers (like James Dobson, Paul Weyrich, etc.) This cutting edge political information--at the core of the "radical religious right" movement in America--is delivered to subscribers' e-mail boxes in a timely fashion, 3-4 times a week, wherever they are, and in manageable doses! No more searching through periodicals, TV broadcasts and webpages for information that is just not easy to find. Take a look for yourself. THE PAT ROBERTSON EMPIRE: What's New and Exciting? (1/7/96) 1. The Christian Coalition (CC) leaped whole hog into the budget fray last Thursday night by sending an action alert fax from its DC office--"GRASSROOTS CALL TO ACTION: WE MUST WIN THE PUBLIC RELATIONS BATTLE OUTSIDE OF WASHINGTON IN ORDER TO WIN THE BALANCED BUDGET BATTLE IN WASHINGTON." The message parroted the party line thrown out all week by paterfamilias Pat Robertson on The 700 Club (and reinforced by Tom Delay of Texas on Thursday's broadcast) that President Clinton is driven by the polls and won't yield unless public opinion turns against him. Pat urged his viewers to call the White House and Congress. The CC urged its followers to "go on the offensive" with letters to the editor, attending congressional town hall meetings, press conferences, call-ins to radio talk shows, press releases, and meeting with elected officials. Targeted for phone calls were "conservative Democrats"--Bevill (AL), Browder (AL), Cramer (AL), Lincoln (AR) Dooley (CA), Condit (CA), Harman (CA), Lipinski (IL), Hamilton (IN), Roemer (IN), Baesler (KY), Minge (MN), C. Peterson (MN), Montgomery (MS), Taylor (MS), Danner (MO), Skelton (MO), Andrews (NJ), Traficant (OH), Brewster (OK), Spratt (SC), Clement (TN), Tanner (TN), Gordon (TN), Edwards (TX), Geren (TX), R. Hall (TX), Stenholm (TX), Orton (UT), Payne (VA), and Sisisky (VA). MESSAGE: Balance the budget and include the $500 per child tax credit. 2. The Christian Broadcasting Company has acquired Christian World News, "a weekly half-hour TV program which covers news and features on the church's activity around the world." It is produced weekly and aired on FamilyNet. Its founder is Stan Jeter, who is a CBN news senior producer. The acquisition was touted as support for CBN's global evangelism campaign, World Reach--a 5-year program to convert 500 million worldwide begun last October "using TV programming, literature, video and film teams, and 'media paks' containing video, audio and printed materials." One such vehicle was "Micah's Christmas Treasure," an animated film produced in Shanghai, China, and aired on the Family Channel on December 22; it was broadcast around the world in 10 different languages. Last Wednesday, Pat reported that in the past few weeks, 1.1 million Albanians--one-third of the population--had come to Christ due to similar CBN activity in December. On December 29th, Mr. Robertson said that World Reach "may be the greatest news story of the year." (In this same vein, Robertson's Regent University plays host to "Penetrating the 10/40 Window" on March 10-13. The Unreached Peoples Consultation is entering its sixth year! The Seven Strategic Alliance Tracks for stepped-up evangelization are: Buddhist Peoples [Tibetan/Mongolian/Siberian], China, Indonesia, Southeast Asia [Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos], Uzbekistan, India, and Fourth World Peoples [Drug Addicts, Street People, Prostitutes]. For more information call 804/579-4525) 3. No deal! The Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News reported on December 20th that International Family Entertainment, Inc., "continuing its plunge into Asia," had agreed to buy the majority interest in Pakistani Mobile Communications, Ltd. from Motorola Inc. But last Friday, IFE said that it had deferred its decision. The deal, contingent upon approval from the Pakistani government, would have gone through a newly-formed IFE subsidiary called Mobilink Partners, Inc.--and had been considered risky as the Pakistani cell phone company serves fewer than 10,000 customers in an unstable nation of 130 million people. Yet, Pat Robertson had called the deal "an exciting financial opportunity" and had said that "the economies of wireless transmission as an alternative to wired services are appealing." Recently IFE agreed to invest millions in two Hong Kong-based companies that distribute television programs to China and other Asian countries. 4. Folks on The 700 Club mailing list received a "Holiday Appeal" in November with a simulated handwritten note from Mr. Robertson and his wife Dede asking for contributions to Operation Blessing. Subsequent appeals were made on television by Robertson asking for money to make up about an $300,000 shortfall towards the goal--which, he said on December 12--was to be matched 3 or 4 times. The CBN public relations department said that most likely those funds would be matched by local churches that helped distribute food, etc. Subsequent calls by "c.c.watch" to the OB public relations person for clarification were not returned. 5. Meanwhile, the CBN "campus" was glowing all through the holiday season after the "Grand Illumination" on December 2nd of 450,000 lights, a tree and a live nativity scene. 700 Club co-host Terry Meeuwsen was the featured performer, but Pat Robertson himself read The Christmas Story. It cost extra to "experience the joy of an old-fashioned horse and carriage ride" through the grounds. 700 Club members also received a Christmas card trimmed in gold leaf from the Robertsons, who were pictured on the front with their poodle. How much does all THAT cost? 6. On December 24th, CC Executive Director Ralph Reed and senior White House adviser George Stephanopoulos appeared on "Meet the Press" to talk about values in America. Tim Russert asked his guests to evaluate the moral climate in America. Mr. Stephanopoulos, who is from a very religious Greek Orthodox family and has a Masters in Religion from Oxford, replied: "I don't think it's for me to judge." One might say that THIS is what the Election of 1996 is all about. 7. Everyone should watch The 700 Club for her/himself, especially the first segment, the so-called "Newswatch Today"--which is more like "Pat's theories, pet peeves and grinding axes." YOU DECIDE whether Pat Robertson & Company are using the news to promote their agenda. And whether Mr. Robertson should be held accountable for deliberately tying his socio-political views to salvation and miracles--while sowing seeds of mistrust and discontent in areas like the Bosnia peace mission and Israeli peace process. Perhaps he should be asked to choose between politics and evangelism--or lose both his credibility and tax-exempt status. The 700 Club's focus this week, all week, is "America's Two Destinies" and is the basis of a full-fledged CBN telethon. While you watch, remember that Pat Robertson is the founder and president of the Christian Coalition. PS-- "Christian Coalition Sends Dual Messages on Israel," a letter to the Editor of The New York Times by Paula Xanthopoulou, Editor of "c.c.watch" was published on Saturday, January 7th. Copyright 1996 Public-Spirited Enterprises (For more information or to subscribe to the "c.c.watch" electronic news service, call 800-Watch97. Annual subscriptions are only: $29.95 for individuals, $39.95 for organizations, and $49.95 for the media. SAVE $5 IF YOU SUBSCRIBE BEFORE JANUARY 31ST! We accept Visa, MC and AMEX. Why subscribe to another magazine that you don't have time to read or spend hours searching through webpages? Support the important work we are doing and let "c.c.watch" serve you!)