Msg#: 3615 *RADICAL_BIBLE* 03/27/89 11:24:04 (Read 17 Times) To: ALL Subj: DR. GENE SCOTT

Msg#: 3615 *RADICAL_BIBLE*
03/27/89 11:24:04 (Read 17 Times)
From: CULT BUSTER
To: ALL
Subj: DR. GENE SCOTT

Although there exists a feverish interest in front-page
TV-evangelist scandal, several of these "saints seem to avoid
nation-wide controversy.  One that comes to mind is Dr. Gene
Scott, pastor of Wescott Christian Center in Glendale, Ca. 
Since coming to the rescue of his flock (formerly Faith Center)
in November,  1975, Scott has been building his own financial
empire, sometimes secretly and sometimes publicly.  Dr. Gene
Scott arrived at Faith Center in order to save the organization
from financial ruin after the death of Pastor Raymond Shoch. 
Shoch had invested millions of dollars into a TV-radio network,
based primarily in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Hartford, Ct. 
The problem was that Shoch had spent the church's money on
cameras and broadcast equipment, leaving no cashflow to support
the network. The church was on the verge of bankruptcy when
Scott arrived, so the members were desperate for someone to take
charge and keep the ministry alive.  Scott claims that he was
voted in as pastor by a majority of the congregation (this figure
varies from 105 - 120 people when Scott's memory fails him). 
Former members state that no one knows the actual vote, but Scott
was able to convince everyone (or almost everyone) it was
legitimate.  Nonetheless , Scott divided his congregation, even
pitting family members against one another, in order to drive
them into submission or out of the church.  Those who stayed gave
enormous amounts of money to keep the churchafloat, and Scott
proclaimed that the Faith Center debt was being paid off. That
would seem logical, taking into account his salary was "$1.00 A
YEAR PLUS EXPENSES."  What the congregation didn't know, though,
was the extent of Scott's expenses.  Money given to the church
was spent on houses, real estate, a Lear jet, horses, and a
flamboyant lifestyle second to none.  Scott set up his church
board with his parents, W. T. and Inez Scott (First Assemblies of
God) and another elderly couple, Stan and Ethel Clements. Board
meetings were never announced, and church members were prohibited
from attending.  Scott gradually took control of his TV-radio
audience.  Because of constant member defection, Scott was forced
to speak out against his "enemies," in order to maintain control
of the flock.  His use of biblical scripture was his only method
of controlling the situation, and anyone who disagreed with him
was in a conspiracy with the Devil.  Scott made enemies of
various political figures in California and Washington, D.C. and
eventually lost his FCC licenses.  After a series of unsuccessful
appeals in State and Federal Courts, Scott was taken off the air
on May 24, 1983.  Except for a few newspaper articles, the sales
of the Hartford station went unnoticed. What happened to the $3.4
million he sold it for?


  He was ordered to stay off of VHF stations, yet he miraculously
appeared on Channel 9 in Los Angeles a short time later.  After
buying satellite time on Westar 5 - Transponder IX, Scott could
be seen across the United States and on local UHF and nationwide
cable TV networks.  His latest escapade began in ril, 1985, when
he began his campaign to purchase the Church of the Open Door
in downtown Los Angeles.  The original owners had moved to
Glendora, Ca. and had decided to sell the church to Scott for $23
million after a deal with Lincoln Properties, a San Francisco
based development company, went sour. Scott announced the sale in
early January, 1986.  After a calculated plot to create a
controversy over a former trust deed on the property, one of
Wescott's members, Lehua May Garcia, filed a lawsuit against the
C. O. D. for violation of the (former) trust.  She had
suspiciously joined the C. O. D. in January, 1986.  Scott filed
suit against the C. O. D. the day after her suit, in early 
September, 1986, and stopped payments on the property.  He had
hinted on numerous occasions that "the Lord had shown me a way to
get that church, SCOTT FREE!" The property, which consisted of
the santuary, the Rainbow Hotel, and the former dormitory tower
of Biola University, went into forclosure in late-August, 1987. 
Lehua May eventually lost her suit and Scott lost the property. 
Coincidentally, Scott had purchased a horse farm in Springfield, 
Ky., fifteen days before the church went into foreclosure.  The
farm was bought for $900,000 and consists of 696 acres.  Scott
also purchased a ranch in Bradbury, Ca., valued a $1.9 million
and it is registered under his name, along with Christine Shaw,
his director and former "personal secretary."  In May of 1985,
Scott purchased a mansion in Pasadena, Ca. with the help of his 
followers, "SECRET #1," for $3 million.  He is still trying to
recoup the $6.5 million he paid for the C. O. D., and the case is
still in litigation. Scott claims that these properties were
purchased from the income of his corporation,  Dr. Gene Scott,
Inc., which sells the artwork he shows on the religious TV 
broadcasts.  According to Scott, "People buy my artwork, and I
buy horses." One fact the author is privy to is that Scott raised
the money for Secret #1 buy holding banquets across the country,
in order to raise money for a property valued at $30 million.  On
May 18, 1985, Scott held a banquet at Chasen's Restaurant in Los
Angeles and charged $5,000 a plate. Six days later he bought the
mansion.  These facts are kept from the church members, although
some have already been reported in the press.  Anyone with
information on Dr. Gene Scott or Wescott Christian Center is
encouraged to respond to this message.  There will be more
information forthcoming.  Stay tuned.
--- TBBS v2.0
* Origin: Cult Monitor LA (818)566-1828  (102/744)








Msg#: 3617 *RADICAL_BIBLE*
03/27/89 20:45:59 (Read 15 Times)
From: HENRIK YEGHIAZARIAN
To: CULT BUSTER (Rcvd)
Subj: REPLY TO MSG# 3615 (DR. GENE SCOTT)

IT'S GREAT TO SEE SOMETHING FINALLY BEING SAID ABOUT THIS MANIAC. 
FOR SOME THIRTEEN YEARS OR SO, THE NEWSPAPERS IN LOS ANGELES HAVE
BEEN REPORTING ALL SORTS OF VIOLENCE AND UNETHICAL DEEDS
PERPETRATED BY THIS ORGANIZATION.  MANY OF MY FRIENDS FIND GENE
SCOTT AND HIS FOLLOWERS TO BE DISGUSTING AND DISHONEST. HOPE TO
HEAR MORE ABOUT THIS NUT.  LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE REPLIES.
--- TBBS v2.0
* Origin: Cult Monitor LA (818)566-1828  (102/744)