The PTL Club

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PTL (standing for "Praise The Lord" and "People That Love") was a conservative religious group and TV network. Formed in Charlotte, North Carolina and later moved to Fort Mill, South Carolina, a Charlotte suburb, the PTL Club was a very successful televangelistic group throughout much of the 1970s and 1980s.

Originally started by Jim Bakker and his wife at the time, Tammy Faye Bakker, by the 1980s when Bakker's popularity dropped due to his financial and personal scandals, Jerry Falwell took control when Bakker resigned.[1] It is noted that "Bakker arranged for Falwell to take over PTL in March in an effort to avoid what he called a "hostile takeover" of the television ministry by people threatening to expose a sexual encounter he admitted to having seven years earlier with church secretary Jessica Hahn."[2]

The September 21, 1987 issue of Time noted that Jerry Falwell "plunged" down a 163 foot "hellish" water slide in fulfillment to "a promise made during a fund-raising drive that netted $20 million for the debt-ridden PTL."[3]

Photos cirulated of the event of Typhoon waterslide at Heritage Island in which Falwell remained fully clothed. It was selected as "The Best of Photojournalism" in 1987 Pictures of the Year book presented by the National Press Photographers Association.[1] In September 1999, The Associated Press selected it as one of the top 100 national photos of the century.[2]

Ultimately, Bakker was indicted for directing millions of dollars of church funds for personal use. Much of the nation watched the court case to see the outcome of the 165 million dollar donations.[3] In the end the ruling was:

  • PTL Victims to Receive $6.54 Each
  • Lawyers take $2.5 million of $3.7 million settlement.
  • The 165,000 people who gave $1,000 to Jim Bakker's planned Heritage U.S.A. resort in return for promised four-day vacation stays will receive just $6.54 each.
  • On Aug. 23, 1991, after the second and final day of his re-sentencing hearing, Bakker's original 45-year sentence was reduced to 18 years.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Scencyclopedia: PTL Club
  2. ^ Steve Baker.PTL-Falwell Associated Press. July 21, 1987
  3. ^ American Notes Fundraising. Time Magazine September 21, 1987.
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