Naghmeh Abedini Answers About Donations
One of the questions that has been asked since the release of Saeed Abedini has been concerning the money raised while he was imprisoned.
I have raised the question frequently as I have also questioned the different narratives that were given about his captivity.
Based off direct interaction with Naghmeh Abedini and research around offered donations, my concerns about this story from a financial standpoint have been answered.
In tracking down what were publicized as large donations to her during that period I found that most of the money was not received by Mrs. Abedini, or is still sitting accounts which she has declined to receive.
She did receive honorariums and speaking fees which were claimed as income and accounted for properly.
This is normal and accepted procedure for one who travels and speaks for churches or other groups.
In reality, Mrs, Abedini turned down or backtracked out of lucrative book and movie deals, in some cases at expense to herself.
It is my belief that on this matter she’s being truthful and transparent.
While there are still myriad questions about this whole story, I don’t believe financial impropriety is one of them in regard to Mrs. Abedini.
phoenixpreacher@gmail.com
Oh good. I have a mutual friend of Nagmeh and that friend vouches for her and my friend is a truth-teller in my experience.
Glad to hear a good report.
Alex,
Pretty unusual isn’t it? 🙂
She offered me documentation, etc…I’m satisfied at this point.
this good report convicts me of being too cynical, too quick to assume duplicity and greed
Glad to hear a positive note among this whole mess of a situation.
Such a good report
I was never concerned that she had benefited financially from her lies. I thought she lied to get her husband free, and it worked.
The confusion came when she blew the story right before he was released. It never occurred to me that she was trying to make money off the deal. I did think that about ACLJ, but it does not seem that there was a significant change in their donations during that time.
“Mrs, Abedini turned down or backtracked out of lucrative book and movie deals, in some cases at expense to herself.”
Good for her!
I have no way of discerning how the ACLJ or other profited from this situation.
It would be speculation and it is unwise to speculate about a group of lawyers…
No joke 🙂
Actually a couple weeks ago I posted the IRS filings for ACLJ which are online .
From what I remember, those IRS filings showed no significant changes in overall funding levels for the ACLJ from before and during the Saeed campaign.
What we can presume (and probably know in some cases based on personal testimony) is that even though the overall funding levels didn’t change, *some* of the funding they did receive during the Saeed years was directly in response to calls to help Saeed. What that number is, we will probably never know. Did the ACLJ even have donors earmark the money for Saeed if that is what they were giving for or did they just give to the ACLJ’s general fund? If they just gave to a general fund even if their giving was prompted by a call to help Saeed, then there would be no way to prove how much money was Saeed money.
Kev – for us, it was just giving to the ACLJ in general. I don’t know if it was possible to designate. We just knew that ACLJ was help Saeed, and others like him.
My main concern was had they increased their financial intake due to the false Saeed story they pushed. That doesn’t seem to be the case, so I’m at peace with that.
That being said, this case burnt a lot of people, and will probably keep us from contributing to others who may have a more legitimate story.
Everything I hear from a mutual friend is that Nagmeh is a good woman doing the best she can trying to split from an ABUSIVE husband and his family who basically wants a free-ride on the church-donor giving.
I support Nagmeh and I sniffed out the Saeed b.s. early on. He has a conviction from Domestic Violence in Boise. He is not a good guy. He is abusive. He is in that same mold as a Bob Grenier, a total male domineering a-hole who uses “Jesus” for personal gain and then treats his wife and kids and family like crap behind the scenes and hides behind his CC pastor buddies and other Gurus to cover up his abusiveness.
Support Nagmeh, she’s got to raise her kids and fight to survive on her own now.
Personally, I would give to a fund that would help support Nagmeh and her kids. That is righteous. We are to help the orphan and widow and I count single moms in that regard.
Not all guys are like me, I live in a small apartment above a barn and live lean and mean while I pay for my estranged wife and my kids to continue living in their nice home. They will get the bulk of what I have in a divorce agreement and I will survive, but I don’t think it is right to leave your kids high and dry like say Calvary Chapel Pastor Steve Matheson who doesn’t support his kids while his ex-wife struggles to survive.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU JERKS? You’re the ones who are supposed to be “specially anointed by God!” and more godly and spiritual than the rest of us jerks, yet you are worse than most unbelievers I know who would treat their ex and their own kids better than you do.
Shameful. Disgraceful. I “hate” that behavior…and I’m pretty sure Jesus does as well. Support your kids you jerk. And, Calvary Chapel donors who give gifts and money to this “pastor” who doesn’t support his kids….you are equally as guilty for turning your back on his ex wife and their children you Idol-worshipping loveless a-holes.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a sinner and jerk in many areas, but hurting women and kids is especially wrong, so is not supporting your kids (the bible says you are “worse than an unbeliever”) and getting rich off of selling Jesus and the Gospel is also very very wrong.
1 Timothy 5:8 But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his own wife and children, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.
Matheson’s been out of CC for a long time…he’s with a worse bunch now…ask our mutual friend.
He is a scum bag, however.
Al, you must learn how to express your inner feelings. Sugar coating everything and beating around the bush isn’t working for you. 🙂
For the record, I happen to agree with your assessments. I also think that you are handling your divorce like a responsible father. Finally, I pray that you and your wife can fix things.
Matheson teaches a bible study at a non-CC affiliate, but attends a CC affiliate and I bet will end up back in Ministry Donor-funded saddle at that CC affiliate before long.
Not if I can help it…
Matheson is disqualified to be a Pastor, but so was Chuck Smith which is why Calvary Chapel doesn’t care if you run off with the church secretary. No biggie.
“We teach the bible simply*”–Calvary Chapel.
*Following what it says, not so much.
“Not if I can help it…”
Good. Keep an eye on that situation, I’ll email you the CC affiliate he attends.