K. A. Paul

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K.A. Paul on Tarmac in Haiti
K.A. Paul on Tarmac in Haiti

Kilari Anand Paul, originally named Anand Kilari,[1] was born on September 25, 1963, in a small village called Chittivalsa in the province of Andhra Pradesh, India, into a Hindu family. His parents were Barnabas and Santhosamma. His parents were strong believers of Hinduism until they became Christians in the year 1966. Paul became a Christian in March 1971, when he was eight years old. Paul used to travel with his evangelist father to hundreds of villages in India sharing the gospel to many non-Christians. They faced severe persecution and opposition even as his father preached the gospel. At the age of 19 Paul felt a calling and entered into the full-time minister. He left behind his education and a successful part-time business to become a Christian preacher.[2]

Contents

[edit] Christian evangelist

He is a Christian fundamentalist based in the U.S. city of Houston, Texas. He is the leader of "Global Peace Initiative" and "Gospel to the Unreached Millions". Paul had preached in 54 countries and was attracting large multidenominational audiences by the time he launched his first American crusade in 1999.[3]

He counseled Liberian dictator Charles Taylor and appeared with him at a large public prayer meeting at which Taylor announced his intention to peaceably go into exile. [4] Taylor referred to K.A. Paul as his “religious leader.”[5] Paul approached Taylor at the request of Liberian bishops, and spent 18 hours with him. Regarding his decision to leave, Taylor said “I will say that 99% of [the credit] goes to Dr. K. A. Paul alone.[6]

Paul also counseled Haitian strongman Guy Philippe. Paul says he has also counseled Yugoslavia's Slobodan Milosevic and other world leaders, including rebels and terrorist groups in all 89 countries where his ministries operate. He scolded Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat for sending children out as suicide bombers. Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who traveled with Paul in 2002 described rallies in India with 75,000 to 100,000 in attendance. Texas oil billionaire Nelson Bunker Hunt, once co-chair of Global Peace initiative, said “I hesitate to tell people how big these crowds are, because they can't comprehend it.” Paul’s ministry has not attracted the attention in the U.S. that it has in the third world, partly because of his aggressive self promoting, and partly because his issues are world hunger and peace rather than the big issues of conservative evangelical American Christians such as school prayer, abortion, and gay marriage.[7]

K.A. Paul with Haitian Rebel Leader Guy Philippe and Former US Congressman Bob Clement, at a press conference in Haiti after Paul convinced Phillipe to lay down his arms following Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's fleeing the country
K.A. Paul with Haitian Rebel Leader Guy Philippe and Former US Congressman Bob Clement, at a press conference in Haiti after Paul convinced Phillipe to lay down his arms following Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide's fleeing the country
K.A. Paul walking off Global Peace One on March 2, 2004, on a humanitarian mission to Haiti
K.A. Paul walking off Global Peace One on March 2, 2004, on a humanitarian mission to Haiti

Paul received favorable mentions in national publications The New Yorker[6] in 2003 and The New Republic[7] in 2004, but was the subject of a 2006 exposé article by the Houston Press, a free weekly alternative newspaper, which claimed that a large part of his ministry's income is spent on jet fuel for his 747 aircraft rather than on charity, that Paul arranged for goons to assault him at gatherings in order to gain media sympathy in the West and a host of other activities of questionable nature.[1] Paul says the jet is presently grounded and he uses a van worth $10,000 for transportation.[8] The jet was used in January 2005 to take volunteers and medical personnel along with 76,000 pounds of relief supplies to Tsunami victims in a joint effort of Global Peace Initiative, Feed the Children, and other charities. Former heavyweight champion Evander Holyfield was one of the volunteers.[9][10] In October 2005 Holyfield joined Paul in India for a peace rally to celebrate the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's birth. Said Holyfield about Paul, "Find the world's most ruthless leaders and it is a good bet that Dr. Paul has already gone to them to try to intervene and stop the carnage. I know of no other individual who has stopped five wars in seven countries. He has earned my respect and unqualified support."[11]

In 2005, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability terminated the membership of Paul's organization for failing to meet financial accountability and governance standards.[12] Financial details of his ministries are listed by MinistryWatch; the independent source for ministry ratings.[2]

In 2006, he met with House Speaker Dennis Hastert to urge him to step down over Hastert's handling of the Mark Foley Scandal. Paul said that Hastert probably met with him because of his connection to evangelical Christian donors and with prominent Republicans.[12] Paul said he met with Hastert for 40 minutes, prayed with him, and "laid hands on him". According to Hastert's spokesman, the two had a cordial discussion, but the Speaker disagreed with Paul's point of view.[13][8]

In October 2006, Paul announced a 30 city tour. He spoke in Cleveland before an audience of 1,000 and said voters should oust Republican congressional leaders. He spoke against government policies which make it difficult for Christian missionaries to go to Iraq, Iran and Syria. He described the war in Iraq as "unnecessary genocide."[14]

He completed an Op-Ed titled, Is God Mad at the Republican Party? [15], which received a mixed back of criticism and praise for its bold opinion on the 2006 Republican losses at the U.S election polls.

[edit] Chronology

  • 1983. K.A. Paul was ordained at his father's church and the same year K.A. Paul founded Gospel to the Unreached Millions ministry in India, at the age of 20.
  • 1989. Paul came to the United States.
  • 1993. Paul created the U.S. nonprofit, 'Gospel to the Unreached Millions in Duluth, Minnesota.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b [1] Houston Press expose on K.A. Paul
  2. ^ a b [2] Ministrywatch.org. retrieved October 17, 2006
  3. ^ “Other evangelists rise to prominence”, New York Times, January 1, 1999, pg. A14
  4. ^ ”7 said to be killed in Monrovia during shell attack on church”, New York Times, July 27, 2003, pg. N8
  5. ^ ”Liberian says he’ll leave in 10 days; fighting eases”, New York Times, July 23, 2003, pg. A3
  6. ^ a b Finnegan, William ”The persuader,” The New Yorker, V79 no 24 pp 26-7 Issue of 2003-09-01 Posted 2003-08-25
  7. ^ a b ”Dr K.A. Paul versus American Christianity. Foreign Minister”, The New Republic, V230 no 18 pp18-22. Post date May 12, 2004. Issue date May 17, 2004 [3]
  8. ^ a b [4] Harkinson, Josh, "Evangelist who counseled Saddam says Hastert promised to resign", Mother Jones, Oct. 11, 2006. viewed 10/12/2006
  9. ^ [5] Remke, Andrea, "Lindner III, students take relief items to south Asia", The Enquirer, Cincinnati, Ohio, January 4, 2005. viewed October 14, 2006
  10. ^ [6] Forgrave, Reid, "Local mission returns from Sri Lanka effort - 'I've never been impacted more by one week in my life'", The Enquirer, Cleveland, Ohio, January 13, 2005. viewed October 14, 2006
  11. ^ [7] Tankha, Madhur, "A peace punch from a champ", The Hindu, online edition, August 23, 2005, viewed October 14, 2006
  12. ^ a b [8] Hernandez, Nathaniel, "Hastert meets with critic over scandal", Washington Post. AP Story, October 10, 2006, viewed 10/12/2006
  13. ^ [9] Sweet, Lynn, "Hastert duped into letting stranger inside", Chicago Sun Times, October 11, 2006. viewed 10/12/2006
  14. ^ [10] Gaylord, Becky, "Preacher says GOP delaying 2nd coming", The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio, October 9, 2006. viewed October 14, 2006
  15. ^ ”Is God Mad at the Republican Party,” [11]

[edit] External links

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