01 June 2015

The Truth about Scenic, South Dakota



THE TRUTH ABOUT 
THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO’S
SCENIC, SOUTH DAKOTA

From Tokyo to South Dakota:
When Will They Stop Telling Lies 

  

REMEMBER how those who oppose the Church Administration fabricated story about the alleged tax evasion case of the Iglesia Ni Cristo in Japane? However, THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO blog exposed their lies: it is a fact that religions in Japan are tax exempted so how could the Church face a tax evasion case if the Church enjoys tax-exempted status? These people fabricated stories (making lies) to make the brethren believe that there is indeed corruption occurs in the Church today. Their “fabricated stories” did not end in Japan. This time, they made up stories regarding the Church's property in Scenic, South Dakota.

In the latest article in Antonio Ebangelista’s blog, those opposing the Church Administration claimed the following:

“Therefore, South Dakota is the next BIG BOOM in the Oil Industry so the potential is also very lucrative.
“But aside from the oil industry being a source of income with the acquisition of SCENIC SOUTH DAKOTA, Bro. Jun Santos also saw another potential, that is why the nondisclosure clause had to be included in the deal. They were actually waiting for a double-whammy deal, and here it is…
“The proposed pipeline will pass thru South Dakota… now take a guess which part of South Dakota… Take a wild guess… Shhhhhh! Don’t say it out loud… Remember, this is a hush-hush project and WE ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS! (thus the nondisclosure agreement).  I can actually see the frowning faces of the Sanggunian right now, and Ka Jun Santos with steam coming out of his nostrils (literally).”

Antonio Ebangelista wants to make his readers believe that the Iglesia Ni Cristo bought the Town of Scenic in South Dakota for business purposes or for money-making scheme that this land will be crossed by the Keystone pipeline and this will give lucrative income. IS IT TRUE OR ANOTHER OF HIS LIES TO MAKE THE PEOPLE BELIEVE THAT CORRUPTION OCCURS IN THE CHURCH TODAY?


THE PURCHASED OF SCENIC, SOUTH DAKOTA

The Iglesia Ni Cristo purchased a whole town in South Dakota, U.S.A. The town of cenic was once a popular stop for people traveling to Rapid City, but today it's a “ghost town”:

“The town of Scenic – once a popular stop for people traveling to Rapid City from the badlands to the east or Pine Ridge Reservation to the south – was recently purchased by an unusual buyer for less than $800,000. The Iglesia ni Cristo church, established in the Philippines in 1914, bought the town and surrounding acreage from longtime resident and area rodeo legend Twila Merrill, who had gathered the land bit by bit over several decades.” [“Why Did a Secretive Filipino Church Buy a South Dakota Ghost Town?” Oct. 10, 2011 7:49am Billy Hallowell, http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2011/10/10/why-did-a-secretive-filipino-church-buy-a-south-dakota-ghost-town/]

The Church purchased the property from  Twila Merrill Palmer, a rodeo-legend lady, quite a celebrity in her days. The property was purchased from her last July, 2011:

“Merrill, a rancher and rodeo regular, began buying Scenic property in 1963. Olsen said her health began to fail about two years ago, and as cancer took hold, Merrill was forced to put the land – 46 acres in total – on the market.
“It languished for two years with a $3 million price tag. In July, Olsen stepped in and dropped the cost to $799,000. Suddenly, prospective buyers stepped forward from all over the world, said Olsen, estimating that he took more than 500 phone calls and 200 emails about the property. He appeared on television programs in Australia, London, Montreal, Chicago and Atlanta, he said. ‘The offer from the Filipino church was one of several. ‘It was Twila’s decision as to who she chose,’ Olsen said. ‘She seems to be real happy with it.’” [Ibid.]

Please take note: before, the price was 3 million US dollars, but they dropped the price to $799,000. Because of this, prospective buyers stepped forward from all over the world, and the Church was only one of the 500 prospective buyers. However, Olsen, the real state agent, narrated, “It was Twila’s decision as to who she chose. She seems to be real happy with it.”


THE KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE

Is the Keystone Pipeline project the reason why the Church’s purchased the town of Scenic, South Dakota? before we answer this question, let us first inquire if what is the Keystone Pipeline project?

“The Keystone Pipeline System is an oil pipeline system in Canada and the United States, commissioned since 2010. It runs from the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin in Alberta to refineries in Illinois and Texas, and also to oil tank farms and oil pipeline distribution center in Cushing, Oklahoma.” [Wikipedia, s.v. “Kestone Pipeline”]

This project has three phases already completed as of this date. They are:

[1] The Keystone Pipeline (Phase 1), delivering oil from Hardisty, Alberta 3,456-kilometre (2,147 mi) to the junction at Steele City, Nebraska and on to Wood River Refinery in Roxana, Illinois and Patoka Oil Terminal Hub (tank farm) north of Patoka, Illinois, completed in June 2010.

[2] The Keystone-Cushing extension (Phae II), running 480-kilometre (3—mi) from Steele City to stirage and distribution  facilities (tank farm) at Cushing, Oklahoma, completed in February 2011.

[3] The Gulf Coast Extension (Phase III), running 784-kilometre (487 mi) from Cushing to refineries at Port Arthur, Texas was completed in January 2014, and a lateral pipeline to refineries at Houston, Texas and a terminal will be completed in mid-2015.

Phase 1 is from Alberta to Nebraska and from Nebraska to Illinos was completed in June, 2010. Pahse 2 is from Nebraska to Oklahoma, completed in February 2011. Phase 3 is from Oklahoma to Texas, completed in mid 2015. Take note that these three has nothing to do with Scenic, South Dakota.

However, there is a proposal for the construction of the fourth phase running from Nebraska through Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. This is called Keystone XL Pipeline. But this proposal is highly controversial. The following is a brief history of the Keystone XL Pipeline proposed project:

“A Brief History of the Keystone Pipeline:
“On September 19, 2008, five years ago, when TransCanada first submitted its application to the U.S. State Department to build the Keystone XL pipeline, a $7 billion private infrastructure project that would create thousands of jobs and advance America’s energy security.
In April 2010, when the State Department issued its Draft Environmental Impact Statement, which said the pipeline “would result in limited adverse environmental impacts during both construction and operation.”
“In October 2010, when then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was asked about approval of the pipeline in 2010 and she said, "We are inclined to do so”
“Summer 2011, when almost three years had passed since the application and we still didn’t have a pipeline.” [“A Brief History of the Keystone Pipeline” Posted by Tom Fletcher on Thursday, September 19th, 2013, 2:32 PM, http://www.atr.org/brief-history-keystone-pipeline-a7876]

TransCanada submitted its application to build the Keystone Pipeline in September 19, 2008. After two years, still no approval, and only in April 2010 when the State Department issued its Draft Environmental Impact Statement, which said the pipeline “would result in limited adverse environmental impacts during both construction and operation.”

In Summer of 2011, three years had passed since the application and still no pipeline. THUS, during the time when the Church was negotiating with the agent and the owner of the Town of Scenic, STILL THERE WAS NO APPROVAL FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE KEYSTONE PIPELINE.

Please Take Note: 
If the Scenic property was a potential “billion dollar maker” would Merrill sell it for only 799,000 US dollars? Why she dropped the price from 3 million US Dollars to only 799,00 US Dollars? Is it acceptable that "big time" real state agent, Olsen, would not know that this property is a potential “billion dollar maker?


Let us continue our discussion of the brief history of the Keystone XL Pipeline project:

“In July 2011, when the House of Representatives approved H.R. 1938, the North American-Made Energy Security Act, to expedite construction of the pipeline.
“In December 2011, when both the House and Senate unanimously approved – and President Obama signed into law – a bill requiring approval of the Keystone XL pipeline within 60 days unless the president determines the project does not serve the national interest.
“In January 2012, when after over three years of review, President Obama formally rejected the pipeline’s Presidential Permit and asked TransCanada to reapply.
“In February 2012, when the House of Representatives approved legislation to remove the president’s authority of the pipeline’s permit.
“In March 2012, when President Obama personally lobbied the Senate to kill an amendment calling for congressional approval of Keystone XL.
“In late March 2012, when the president traveled to Cushing, Oklahoma, to take undue credit for the southern leg of the pipeline stating, “I don’t want the energy jobs of tomorrow going to other countries. I want them here in the United States of America.
“In January 2013, when Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman approved TransCanada's proposed reroute of the pipeline through the Cornhusker State.
“In March 2013, when the State Department issued its Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement which confirmed the pipeline will have limited adverse environmental impacts.
“In late March 2013, when the Senate passed a budget amendment urging approval of Keystone XL by a vote of 62-37.
In April 2013, when the House of Representatives approved H.R. 3, the Northern Route Approval Act, to end the delays and allow the project to move forward.
“Today, after five years, when the president has still not approved Keystone XL, keeping America waiting for thousands of jobs and greater energy security.” [“A Brief History of the Keystone Pipeline” Posted by Tom Fletcher on Thursday, September 19th, 2013, 2:32 PM, http://www.atr.org/brief-history-keystone-pipeline-a7876]

Take note that ever since the filling of the application for the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline, President Obama is against it. Thus, it is not surprising that he vetoed the construction of the Kestone XL Pipeline:

“WASHINGTON — President Obama vetoed a bill Tuesday that would have approved the Keystone XL pipeline, making good on a threat to reject a proposal embraced by Republicans as a jobs measure but opposed by environmentalists as contributing to climate change.” [“Obama: Keystone pipeline bill 'has earned my veto” Gregory Korte, USA TODAY 8:03 a.m. EST February 25, 2015. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2015/02/24/
obama-keystone-veto/23879735/]



The Keystone XL Pipeline proposed project HAS BOTHING TO DO WITH THE PURCHASED OF SCENIC, South Dakota. This property was purchased by the Iglesia Ni Cristo last July, 2011. Although TransCanada submitted its application to build the Keystone XL Pipeline in September 19, 2008, but after two years (2011) still no approval of the proposed project. In Summer of 2011, three years had passed since the application and still no pipeline. 

And also, the proposed route of Keystone XL Pipeline Project did not include Scenic, South Dakota because it is adjacent to "BAD LAND NATIONAL PARK." If the proposed route of Keystone XL Pipeline Project included Scenic, South Dakota: (1) this should be included in the "environmental impact statement" of the US State Department; (2) it will trigger an environmental controversy and will not escape the attention of the Environmentalists; and (3) Twilla and Olsen will not sell it for only 799,000 US Dollars (dropped from 3 million US Dollars) because it's a potention "billion dollar maker." Hence, Scenic is not included in the proposed route of the Keystone XL pipeline project from the very beginning.

THUS, during the time when the Church was negotiating with the agent and the owner of the Town of Scenic, STILL THERE WAS NO APPROVAL FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE PROJECT, but a NEGATIVE REPORT by the US State Department stating that the Keystone XL pipeline project “would result in limited adverse environmental impacts during both construction and operation”, and Scenic is not included in the proposed route of said project from the very beginning.
 


WHAT IS THE REAL REASON WHY WE BOUGHT
THE TOWN OF SCENIC, SOUTH DAKOTA?

Remember the history of the Central Office in Quezon City, Philippines? During the beginning of the office of Brother Erano G. Manalo as the Executive Minister of the Iglesia Ni Cristo, the Church’s Central Office was housed inside the compound of the F. Manalo Locale in San Juan, Metro Manila. Because the Church was fast-growing, Ka Erdy decided to temporarily transffered the Central Office in FGR Building in Makati City. They immediately look for a property where the permanent Central Office complex will be build. They found a property in Diliman, Quezon City. “Diliman”? This word means “darkness” in English. That place was called as such because during that time it was a remote place, a “gubat” (a “jungle”) during that time. Also, there was no locale congregation of the Church in the said place. There are high-ranking ministers who oppose the purchase of that property in Diliman, Quezon City, But, because Ka Erdy is a “man of vision,” he said to his co-ministers, “Darating ang panahon na uunlad ang lugar na ito at makikilala dahil sa Iglesia Ni Cristo.” (In the future this place will progress and will be well-known because of the Iglesia Ni Cristo). The rest is history. In this remote, jungle-like place, the Central Office complex of the Iglesia Ni Cristo emerged.

The Church Of Christ in North America is really growing fast, now having hundreds of locale congregations and many more will emerge in the future. There will be a time that there are districts established in all the 50 states of the USA. So, in the future, we will need a "place" where we can built if not a Main Office complex (like the Central Office complex in the Philippines), a large House of Worship or a multi-purpose building.KA EDUARDO V. MANALO, LIKE KA FELIX AND KA ERDY, IS INDEED A MAN OF VISION.


LIES, LIES AND MORE LIES

Antonio Ebangelista is indeed lying when he said:

“TO WRAP THIS UP IN A NUTSHELL: THE SANGGUNIAN WENT INTO A PROPERTY ACQUISITION DEAL FOR THE TOWN OF SCENIC SOUTH DAKOTA UNDER THE STRICT RULE OF NON-DISCLOSURE, NOT TO BUILD A CHURCH, OR PROPAGATE THE WORDS OF GOD, NOT TO ELEVATE THE LIFE OF THE PEOPLE THERE, NOT TO ESTABLISH A LOCALE CONGREGATION… BUT TO GO INTO BUSINESS. USING THE IGLESIA NI CRISTO FUNS FROM OUR OFFERINGS AND USING IT AS A CAPITAL TO INVEST IN A BUSINESS VENTURE POTENTIAL, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE DECLINE IN U.S. FINANCIAL SITUATION TO GAIN A STRONGHOLD IN WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE GREATEST FINANCIAL BYPASS DEAL OF THE CENTURY.”

Antonio Ebanghelista is also lying in saying that Scenic was purchased “not to build a church, or propagate the words of god, not to elevate the life of the people there, not to establish a locale congregation.” Even before he wrote this article, the Church Administration already assigned Brother Joe Ventillacion in the Town of Scenic, South Dakota. If the Church has no purpose of establishing a locale congregation in Scenic, why Brother Eduardo V. Manalo sent the leading debater and missionary of the Church in this place?

THUS, indeed, Antonio Ebanghelista is lying when he saidusing the iglesia ni cristo funs from our offerings and using it as a capital to invest in a business venture potential, taking advantage of the decline in u.s. financial situation to gain a stronghold in what might have been the greatest financial bypass deal of the century.”  

ANTONIO EBANGELISTA IS INDEED A PATHOLOGICAL LIER


PRISTINE TRUTH



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3 comments:

  1. Libel cases - the hard lesson and equalizer for Ebanghelista...

    ReplyDelete
  2. bigyan mo naman ng tagalong translation ito blog na ito. salamat

    ReplyDelete
  3. Only our unfeigned faith and devotion to God almighty is our assurance for our salvation.

    ReplyDelete

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