NATION : Time to Forgive Bakker: Cerullo
Jewish-born Morris Cerullo, the San Diego evangelist whose bid to buy PTL has won court approval, pledged today to keep Jim Bakker’s Christian retreat free of demon rum and said it is time to forgive the imprisoned evangelist.
“There will be no drinking and there will be no smoking,” Morris Cerullo, 58, told reporters at his first news conference since his $52-million bid for PTL was endorsed last week by a federal bankruptcy judge.
But he said neither Bakker nor his wife, Tammy Faye, will be offered roles in the new ministry, although they are welcome to visit whenever they like.
Tammy Faye visited in March, but Bakker is not likely to visit any time soon--he’s serving a 45-year term for his conviction last year on charges of fleecing his flock at PTL.
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