Dear ESN,

I received a phone call from CRI recently--I assume because I'm on their mailing list. The lady wanted to know if I would take a few minutes to listen to a message from Hank Hanegraaff. Then she put a taped recording on of Hank Hanegraaff and he went on and on about how all this money was needed "by the end of December." Then the tape started playing over a second time!

Later when the lady came back on the line, I said, "Did you know that recording was played twice?" She says, "Oh? I wonder how that happened?" Then she went into her script (that you could tell she was reading from) and asked if I would I sent $75.00 to CRI? She told me if I would, then I would receive a "free copy of the latest version of The Kingdom of the Cults [with Forward by Hank Hanegraaff]. [This version of the book has Hank Hanegraaff endorsing WCG and saying they are no longer a "cult."]

Then when I said that I couldn't send that much in, she kept going down in price (with me saying "that's too much" each time) until she got to $25.00. If I sent in $25.00 she told me that I could still receive the book. I still told her I couldn't send that.

Finally she said, "Well can you tell me you will be sending in a donation next month?" When I said I just didn't have any money now, her voice suddenly changed and she quickly mumbled something about "I hope your financial situation improves" and then it was "goodbye." 

These calls by big ministries (Chuck Colson's ministry is another one) begging for money from anyone they can are getting more and more commonplace!

Sincerely,

T. W.
December 18, 1997

COMMENT: As of December 2000 ESN, has received more reports that CRI is continuing to make these phone calls--usually right before Christmas. The usual method is the caller waits until you have said "Hello" two or three times and then asks if you want to listen to a "short message by Hank Hanegraaff."  If you have been on Hank's mailing list (even if CRI no longer mails you any literature due to your lack of sending in donations), you will probably still be targeted for sometime to receive these pleading phone calls at least once a year. 

Other "Christian" ministries are now using these same phone calls to get the listener to commit him/herself to donating a certain amount of money. It  makes no difference if you haven't contacted their ministry in years; if you are on their list as writing to them only once, they will phone you.

CRI in the News Again

Back to OIU 4, Part 2

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Letters to Hank Hanegraaff (regarding Worldwide Church of God's changes)