Has this been discussed? Doug Phillips *resigns* from Vision Forum (Ministries)!

[ColleenInWis]

Well the nature and purpose and audience for conferences and conventions is (and has been) a whole 'nother thread.

 

Thanks for pointing out that there is another thread, Sebastian.  Found it!  I

[ZooRho]

Its disgusting. It went on for so long (10 years) and with a young girl. His whole resignation letter is so "me" oriented.  He manipulated, violated and took advantage of this girl yet his letter seems to be all about him. Its so sad.

Seeing that number is shocking to think about, 10 years out of a young woman's life. so very sad.

[awisha.]

nm

Edited November 16, 2013 by Moderator
Um, maybe let's tone down the language a bit?

[Blueridge]

I've been celebrating Thanksgiving and Hanukkah and now Christmas shopping, so the whole Doug Phillips disaster hasn't been on my mind. I saw even more tragic updates today, among them being that Vision Forum, Inc. is perhaps closing by December 31st. Lots of news that saddens me greatly, still going on. So far we've seen the tip of the iceberg, I'm afraid. :(

http://spiritualsoundingboard.com/2013/11/30/compelling-evidence-that-vision-forum-inc-is-closing-liquidating-and-doug-phillips-show-of-repentance-revealed/

http://scarletlettersblog.wordpress.com/2013/11/29/patriarchy-never-sleeps/

[Plink]

 

 

On Wednesday (11/27/13), T. W. Eston over at Jen’s Gems broke the newsthat Vision Forum, Inc., the for-profit half of Doug Phillips’ now-crumbling empire, is slated to permanently close December 31st, 2013.

:hurray:  :hurray:  :hurray:

[ZooRho]

I've been celebrating Thanksgiving and Hanukkah and now Christmas shopping, so the whole Doug Phillips disaster hasn't been on my mind. I saw even more tragic updates today, among them being that Vision Forum, Inc. is perhaps closing by December 31st. Lots of news that saddens me greatly, still going on. So far we've seen the tip of the iceberg, I'm afraid. :(

http://spiritualsoundingboard.com/2013/11/30/compelling-evidence-that-vision-forum-inc-is-closing-liquidating-and-doug-phillips-show-of-repentance-revealed/

http://scarletlettersblog.wordpress.com/2013/11/29/patriarchy-never-sleeps/

Interesting. I'm in VA will be interesting to see if they head this way.  He had lots of supporters up here.

[Blueridge]

Yes, I wonder where they will relocate after losing that huge home. I feel so badly for his family, especially after hearing that his closest friends don't believe in him anymore...

[FaithManor]

Yes, I wonder where they will relocate after losing that huge home. I feel so badly for his family, especially after hearing that his closest friends don't believe in him anymore...

It's worsenthan that. The last tax records for the nonprofit show that the
appraisal on the home was over $600,000 and the fair market rental value was
$5000 per month. Athens rent sounds steep, but according to their public records
he only paid taxes on the "parsonage" benefit to the tune of $18,000 and change.
I tried to copy and paste the IRS forms into this post but I am on my stupid
kindle and it's not working! A San Antonio CPA commented that he expected amended
returns in the future because as part of both the 501c and the for profit closing
their doors, an IRS investigation is likely. On top of that, the board of
directors, which has given them until Dec 31 to vacate the home, has announced
that the home furnishings and his automobiles were also purchased with ministry
funds. The ministry also paid for all of the family's extensive travels. Since this
is all the result of donations/fundraising they are responsible to track it all
down and repossess it for proper disposal since it is an asset of the 501c.

Essentially, they walk away with the clothes on their backs and that's if he didn't
purchase their clothing with company funds as well. Regardless of any sympathy
and compassion they maybhave for the family, they have to follow legal procedures
or put their own behinds in the hotseat.

I feel awful for Beall and the kids. I just found out that Beall's father is an
attorney in Virginia and a pretty darn good one too. Hmmmm we'll see how this pans
out. If Doug is headed to jail for fraud, her dad might step in to see that his
daughter and grandchildren have their wagon permanently unhitched from his.

So unbelieveably sad for the innocent people, the children. I think life is going
to be very disconcerting these next few months.

Faith

[Seasider]

http://jensgems.wordpress.com/2013/11/27/vision-forum-inc-to-permanently-close-december-31/

Beall and the kids are not the only ones who will feel the financial fallout. However, if the implications of the blog article linked above are correct, DP has been preparing a soft landing spot.

[unsinkable]

http://jensgems.wordpress.com/2013/11/27/vision-forum-inc-to-permanently-close-december-31/

Beall and the kids are not the only ones who will feel the financial fallout. However, if the implications of the blog article linked above are correct, DP has been preparing a soft landing spot.

How could he and his family have lived off donations?

Did the donators know their money was going to vacation, cars, clothing, etc?

[FaithManor]

He billed these expenses to the ministry. Be it credit cares or turning in expense reports and the
financial officer paying them without questioning...but the expenses were paid for by the ministry which
was funded by donations/fundraising/selling ministry items for suggested donation, etc.

Dh got a church treasurer in trouble once when a church asked him to do a review of the books. The pastor
had used the church credit card to buy all kinds of personal items as well as plane tickets for vacation
etc. and just paid the expenses without question.The pastor ended Hp having to put in amended tax returns
and had to pay taxes and penalties on the benefit and the church had to go after the individual to attempt
to recover the money.

It also happens in for profits. Mark Hurd of HP fame got caught padding his expense reports to the tune of
millions...company money used to entertain mistresses and other such pursuits which ended up including
a sexual harassment suit. He went on to he snapped up by Oracle for their new CEO!

Faith

[Seasider]

How could he and his family have lived off donations?

Did the donators know their money was going to vacation, cars, clothing, etc?

These are excellent questions. I hope a forensic accountant is somewhere ferreting out the answers.

[ZooRho]

More stuff coming out I guess.

http://jensgems.wordpress.com/2013/12/02/yet-another-doug-phillips-sex-scandal/

[Blueridge]

nm

[Donna A.]

 I am trying to understand why so many stayed at their church despite all this going on. Being called Jezebels...fearing excommunication...so sad to have so many damaged.

 

It's the nature of abusive relationships.  The abused are convinced that they "deserve" the abuse.... even if they don't recognize it as such.  And sadly, there are some church leaders who truly believe themselves to have the authority to do this stuff.  BUT... I think this is true in all walks of life, not just churches.  Some people just thrive on the authority -- whether perceived or real -- that they've either been given, or taken.

 

[Kathryn]

More stuff coming out I guess.

http://jensgems.wordpress.com/2013/12/02/yet-another-doug-phillips-sex-scandal/

 

Can someone give me a summary? Too long for something I don't really care all that much about!

[Seasider]

That's a good summary, Patty Joanna. You left out one word - bizarre. The account in that last link is quite a story.

[Jean in Newcastle]

That's a good summary, Patty Joanna. You left out one word - bizarre. The account in that last link is quite a story.

Yes, basically a woman seems to have become mentally unhinged after her brother's death leading her to act out sexually with younger men and boys.  Instead of stopping the behavior or getting her help, the leadership of the church enabled her behavior and hampered the families who wanted the situation dealt with.  

[Jean in Newcastle]

That's a good summary, Patty Joanna. You left out one word - bizarre. The account in that last link is quite a story.

Yes, basically a woman seems to have become mentally unhinged after her brother's death leading her to act out sexually with younger men and boys.  Instead of stopping the behavior or getting her help, the leadership of the church enabled her behavior and hampered the families who wanted the situation dealt with.  

[Kathryn]

Thank you!

[unsinkable]

Yes, basically a woman seems to have become mentally unhinged after her brother's death leading her to act out sexually with younger men and boys. Instead of stopping the behavior or getting her help, the leadership of the church enabled her behavior and hampered the families who wanted the situation dealt with.

It sounds like no one helped her bc some men liked having a promiscuous woman around. Too bad if she went after boys, too, seems to be the idea.

[Donna A.]

Net net:  Doug Phillips, head of Vision Forum Inc and Ministries and a church was forced to resign from his leadership positions in all of these groups because of the disclosure of an ongoing romantic relationship with a woman not his wife.  Once this was disclosed, a bunch of other disclosures/discoveries have been made about finances, tax issues, and general hypocrisy related to what he teaches. 

 

That's about as cold-blooded and terse as I can be, right? 

 

I wouldn't say it was cold-blooded and terse. Your summary is factually true.  Sometimes just simply stating the blatant facts sounds cold-blooded and terse... especially in this situation where many people have been hurt. 

[Donna A.]

Yes, basically a woman seems to have become mentally unhinged after her brother's death leading her to act out sexually with younger men and boys.  Instead of stopping the behavior or getting her help, the leadership of the church enabled her behavior and hampered the families who wanted the situation dealt with.  

 

Yes, and the big question is WHY they allowed it when it contradicts everything they teach (and sell and receive donations for).  Hhmm... possibly because the leaders themselves (or at least one that we know of for sure) were in sin themselves?  It would've been hypocritical for them to do anything to try to stop this woman.  Oh, wait..... 

[Guest T.W. Eston]

nm

 

 

MODERATOR (OF THE DAY) COMMENT: The purpose of this board is to give parents a place to discuss educational issues, not to provide contacts for those who have other axes to grind. Please do not use the boards for this purpose. Our members should not feel that they are being recruited, stalked, solicited for commentary, etc. from those whose primary concern is not home education.  SWB

Edited December 23, 2013 by T.W. Eston
See note in post.

[Guest GayleG]

 

Don't start me on RC Sproul Jr.! He makes the two Dougs look almost normal, but then when his financially shady dealings, along with startling s*xual improprieties (multiple girls in the youth group, a mother and her daughter, etc.) plus supplying alcohol to minors was outed, both Dougs also publicly supported him. To me, this only indicates slime defending slime. I won't go any further. Sproul Jr. deserves his own thread, and it would be one that makes your stomach twist into knots.

 

Faith

 

Faith, I appreciate your informative posts. What I am reading here is troubling and shocking. I have only recently discovered the scandals involving R.C. Sproul Jr. surrounding his defrocking. Because I have read much documentation from different sources on these things, I believe them. I am most disturbed for those who have been hurt by Sproul (and too many others). I, too, was abused by clergy so it strikes close to my heart.

 

I have not heard/read anything about the additional things you mentioned here (s*xual improprieties and supplying alcohol to minors). Is there somewhere I can read about them? Can you point me to any websites?

 

Do you have a blog or website of your own?

 

Thank you,

 

Gayle