Televangelist wants to build $125M Christian resort in San Diego

[CopyBoy]

SAN DIEGO – A televangelist wants to build a Christian-themed resort in San Diego that includes fancy timeshare suites, a Biblical museum, high-tech attractions and a 20-foot-high replica of Jerusalem’s wailing wall.

Morris Cerullo is planning the $125 million project on the site of a foreclosed Mission Valley hotel he bought more than four years ago, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

The project would include 127 suites, a spa and other amenities along with Cerullo’s new ministry headquarters, a Biblical museum housing Judeo-Christian artifacts, hologram-filled catacombs and a theater offering an immersive through-the-Bible movie experience — including actual mist during the parting of the Red Sea.

ocregister.com/articles/christian-701212-diego-cerullo.html

 

[Son_of_Niall]

I can think of much better ways to spend 125 million.
Only in 'merica.

 

[7_Sorrows]

I can think of much better ways to spend 125 million.
Only in 'merica.

I know what you mean. The economy is still pretty bad. People have to be able to afford to travel there, pay for food and staying at the resort. And fees to the attractions.

 

[Petaro]

How far some of the flock has wandered from the Shepherd.

 

[SyroMalankara]

Nice. And tax exempt, I’ll bet… at least he’ll attempt it, until the IRS arrests him and shuts this down. Meanwhile Kanye and his often unclothed wife are running around with there wealthy pastor, even got him a reality tv show to showcase his “ministry”… his pastor goes to all the fancy Hollywood parties cause afterall “Jesus hung out with tax collectors and prostitutes” (which means what exactly? Pastor considers his ‘friends’ equivalent to hookers and thieves?!)

 

[ltwin]

Nice. And tax exempt, I’ll bet… at least he’ll attempt it, until the IRS arrests him and shuts this down.

They aren’t going to “shut this down” because it’s not illegal for a pastor, church, or other religious institution to open up a theme park in America. We don’t throw people in the gulag for simply applying for tax exemption; you actually have to commit tax fraud. If this pastor does file for tax exempt status, the IRS will simply reject the application and the corporation that owns the park will have to pay taxes on profits derived from the park.This has been done before:

http://illicitohio.com/SBNO/heritage/heritageold/heritage002.jpg
Jim and Tammy Faye Baker’s “Heritage USA”, now defunct

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
The holy land theme park owned by TBN.

In the case of the TBN-owned park, it is exempted from state taxes because Florida has a law that provides exemption for parks that, like museums (who receive the same sort of exemptions), display, exhibi t or illustrate and interpret biblical manuscripts.The law also requires the park to host an annual free admissions day.

 

[7_Sorrows]

Nice. And tax exempt, I’ll bet… at least he’ll attempt it, until the IRS arrests him and shuts this down. Meanwhile Kanye and his often unclothed wife are running around with there wealthy pastor, even got him a reality tv show to showcase his “ministry”… his pastor goes to all the fancy Hollywood parties cause afterall “Jesus hung out with tax collectors and prostitutes” (which means what exactly? Pastor considers his ‘friends’ equivalent to hookers and thieves?!)

I haven’t heard of Kanye’s pastor. I thought North was baptized into Armenian Orthodox church. He even has a reality show?

 

[SyroMalankara]

I haven’t heard of Kanye’s pastor. I thought North was baptized into Armenian Orthodox church. He even has a reality show?

He was, somehow. I wonder how they managed that … they were married by celebrity Pentecostal pastor Rich Wilkerson, Jr., I guess he doesn’t baptize babies.

 

[SyroMalankara]

They aren’t going to “shut this down” because it’s not illegal for a pastor, church, or other religious institution to open up a theme park in America. We don’t throw people in the gulag for simply applying for tax exemption; you actually have to commit tax fraud. If this pastor does file for tax exempt status, the IRS will simply reject the application and the corporation that owns the park will have to pay taxes on profits derived from the park.This has been done before:

http://illicitohio.com/SBNO/heritage/heritageold/heritage002.jpg
Jim and Tammy Faye Baker’s “Heritage USA”, now defunct

My priest is busy enough ministering to families and celebrating the sacraments. How does this mega-church pastor (I assume equal to a somewhat small diocese’s bishop as far as finances and congregants) have time to open up theme parks, while raising kids, grandkids and having a family life? That link to Jim and Tammy Faye is an example of what not to do, both in one’s personal life and religious “vocation”.

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images...24553788120/The-main-gate-of-The-Holy-007.jpg
The holy land theme park owned by TBN.

In the case of the TBN-owned park, it is exempted from state taxes because Florida has a law that provides exemption for parks that, like museums (who receive the same sort of exemptions), display, exhibi t or illustrate and interpret biblical manuscripts.The law also requires the park to host an annual free admissions day.

Don’t get me started on TBN and their shilling. While freedom of religion is a wonderful concept, the exercise of it in this nation is an affront both to freedom and religion.

 

[Peebo]

I can just hear it now…“the Lord has laid it on my heart to build a theme park to his glory…I need $125 million…I know the Lord will richly bless you if you give as much as you can…any amount…$100…$1,000…the more you give the greater blessing you will receive…trust me…I’m a televangelist”

 

[Padres1969]

San Diego’s paper had a more in depth look at this…

sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/jan/23/morris-cerullo-televangelist-proposes-christian/

http://cdn.sandiegouniontrib.com/im....jpg?122770e84b36f1c039d5c4c2ca15c2d8bc4ecd52

It sounds like a religious amusement park more than anything properly religious. He’s going to have underground Romanesque grottos, a replica of the Western Wall in Jerusalem. I guess this isn’t the developer’s first crack at this either. He bought disgraced televangelist Jim Baker’s South Carolina Religious amusement park and ran it for a short time before it shut down.

http://cdn.sandiegouniontrib.com/im....jpg?5df2a6e0ac564ff4ddc2702f3c8561935b88c24b

 

[7_Sorrows]

He was, somehow. I wonder how they managed that … they were married by celebrity Pentecostal pastor Rich Wilkerson, Jr., I guess he doesn’t baptize babies.

North is their daughter. Kim’s father was Armenian. So I don’t know if she was baptized in the Armenian Orthodox church herself. I forgot their son’s name, but I don’t think he has been baptized yet. oh. I think his name is saint.

 

[IgnatianPhilo]

Who are the Christians who listen to these Televangelists? Why do they listen to them?

 

[Catholic1954]

San Diego’s paper had a more in depth look at this…

sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/jan/23/morris-cerullo-televangelist-proposes-christian/

http://cdn.sandiegouniontrib.com/im....jpg?122770e84b36f1c039d5c4c2ca15c2d8bc4ecd52

It sounds like a religious amusement park more than anything properly religious. He’s going to have underground Romanesque grottos, a replica of the Western Wall in Jerusalem. I guess this isn’t the developer’s first crack at this either. He bought disgraced televangelist Jim Baker’s South Carolina Religious amusement park and ran it for a short time before it shut down.

http://cdn.sandiegouniontrib.com/im....jpg?5df2a6e0ac564ff4ddc2702f3c8561935b88c24b

It sounds like it belongs in Las Vegas more than Mission Valley. If PETA finally closes Sea World, maybe Shamu can move into one of the time shares, sorta Jonah and the whale kinda thing.

 

[cheezey]

Oh, please; not in my beloved favorite city in the U.S. Please. Oh, please, no.

 

[Padres1969]

Oh, please; not in my beloved favorite city in the U.S. Please. Oh, please, no.

I wouldn’t worry. Even IF the city council approves this whacky idea, and IF it passes the extensive California EIR procedures, it’s not going to be that big.

google.com/maps/@32.7593246,-117.1713772,270m/data=!3m1!1e3

The plot of land is not particularly large, and it’s not got the best freeway access (that exit across the street is an antiquated throwback to the 50’s. Plus with the developer being 84 years old… nature may prevent this even if the city doesn’t.

 

[EveningSkye111]

I don’t know. I’d kinda like to see the mist during the parting of the Red Sea.

 

[ltwin]

While freedom of religion is a wonderful concept, the exercise of it in this nation is an affront both to freedom and religion.

Well, that is kinda what you’re asking for when you actually give people freedom. They might just step on what you consider decent and appropriate.