The article and lawsuit in question are at this article RZIM can be sued by donors over Ravi Zacharias’ sexual misconduct, judge rules found at Christian Post The first paragraph tells much of the story:
A federal judge will allow a class-action lawsuit against Ravi Zacharias International Ministries to proceed, a case based on allegations that the apologetics organization used donated funds to pay off victims of the late Ravi Zacharias.
The keywords are in bold. We disagree with the judge’s decision as allegations are not fact. They are accusations and you need real, verifiable, and credible hard evidence to prove those allegations true.
The second keyword is ‘used donated funds.’ This is going to be hard to prove as if we understand the ministry correctly, donated funds and funds earned through other means were mixed together.
It would be very difficult to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that donated funds were purposefully used in that manner. There are no names on the money and no one can tell if it was theirs that was used or not.
The lawsuit alleges that RZIM “bilked hundreds of millions of dollars from well-meaning contributors who believed RZIM and Zacharias to be faith-filled Christian leaders.”
The keyword here is also in bold. That is a criminal term referring to con men who purposefully go out to deceive people in hopes of taking their money from them.
In the 40+ years this ministry existed no such allegation had ever been sent RZIM’s way. At no time that we were able to determine was the ministry or Mr. Zacharias involved in any criminal activity or intent to defraud anyone.
What we can see is some type of money grab to get back money willfully given without duress to the ministry for its use. If the lawyer is not a Christian then there is some secular thinking driving this lawsuit and is an attempt to defraud God of the money given to him through this ministry.
We are quite certain that Mr. Zacharias and his staff followed God’s leading in the use of the donated and earned funds. The Christian & Missionary Alliance, who ordained Mr. Zacharias, never found any wrongdoing in the 40 years Mr. Zacharias was under their ordination, etc.
The lawsuit then refers to the false accusations and labels placed on Mr. Zacharias by the fraudulent Miller Report as a basis for filing their faulty lawsuit:
In fact, Zacharias was a prolific sexual predator who used his ministry and RZIM funds to perpetrate sexual and spiritual abuse against women,” the lawsuit complains.
This looks like an attempt to sway the opinions of the judge and jury, if there is one, to decide in their favor. If they think there is a case, let them leave those suspicious and false accusations out of the lawsuit and bring the real evidence showing there was fraudulent use of donated funds.
When people give money in a generic way, not designating where the money is to be used, the ministry is at liberty to use those funds as they see fit. As long as it is not used for illegal purposes which these alleged payments were not.
The lawsuit alleges that “RZIM funds were funneled to women subjected to Zacharias’s sexual misconduct” and that “Zacharias provided money to these survivors, gave them large tips following massages, and showered them with expensive gifts.”
There is no real proof that he participated in such sexual misconduct as our other Ravi Zacharias articles have proven. These gifts may have been done out of genuine care for the ladies and not for some nefarious purpose.
Mr. Zacharias was well-known to take genuine concern for people and it is well-known he often showed genuine kindness toward them. To falsely label those acts of kindness as sexual misconduct is making claims that are not supported by the evidence.
The big question here is, why are Christian donors going against God and using unbelievers to settle their claim? Just for that reason alone, this lawsuit is wrong and sinful.
Christians are to abide by God’s instructions no matter the situation. We do not change that behavior because the sinful world’s ways will benefit us better and more lucratively.
We stand with God and his way so that the unbelieving world knows that there is a better way to do things. When we go to the unbelieving world we are telling them that God’s ways are not better and God is not concerned for anyone.
It is a bad message to send to the unbelieving world and one that undermines all evangelistic efforts and discipleship training. It would be best for any Christians in that group to drop out and seek God’s way first so that he can get the glory and souls can be won for Christ.
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