Shortly after going public with my exposé revealing the lying nature of Focus on the Family and their unwise
decision to promote a man by the name of Tom Papania I received two e-mails from someone
objecting to the report. Who objected? Tom Papania!
The two e-mails I was sent are from an AOL account bearing Tom's name (those of you who
are subscribed to the AOL service can view Tom's profile using the AOL Member
Directory). For a number of years the e-mail contact information for Tom's ministry
"God's Saving Grace" was also an AOL account
("GSGMinistries@aol.com"). I have confirmed these e-mails as being real
and will keep them on file to forward to others if there are ever requests made for me to
prove the authenticity of the letters.
These two letters reveal the actions of a man who is compelled to lie and smear the names
of others in order to defend his ministry. My responses to the letters were written
on the same day each of them was received:
From: TPapania@aol.com
Date: Monday, 26 August 2002 19:30:58 EDT
Subject: website
To: bkarjala@christianissues.com
Brian, you are making statements that have not been proven in a court of law. Your
information is coming from a website and not legal documents. You should pray before you
publish rumors and gossip. I have never deceived Focus or anyone else for that matter
regarding the airing of my testimony. I will be praying for you for the root of bitterness
you have allowed to enter into your heart. Go in peace, my brother.
Tom,
My information is coming from credible news reports which reveal established COURTROOM
facts about the life of Tom Papania (and thus confirm the authenticity of the EZnewsTV
website). These facts about your life differ from the testimony contained on the
"From Mafia to Ministry" Focus broadcast tape. You have deceived Focus on
the Family by allowing them to air an inaccurate account of what you claim is a truthful
personal story. The fact that Focus on the Family has refused to reair the broadcast
or even acknowledge publicly [via their website] that Tom Papania was at one time a part
of their ministry indicates a serious problem. In your opinion, why do you think
they've stopped offering the tape?
I do not rely on rumors and gossip. If you believe that slanderous accusations have
been leveled against you then you can provide a statement on your website answering each
of the points made by David Reyna concerning the problems he has outlined regarding your
testimony. You can start by explaining why your so-called Christian testimony is in
parts identical in detail to the events recorded in the book "House of Cards" by
Rocky Scarfone. You couldn't invent a story of your own? You lose points for
originality. You're going to lose even more for lying.
I'm doing the right thing by exposing this issue. I have prayed about this matter
and my conscious is clear. How's yours? Do you still have one?
Brian Karjala
From: TPapania@aol.com
Date: Tuesday, 27 August 2002 03:35:33 EDT
Subject: Re: website
To: bkarjala@christianissues.com
Brian, I'm truly sorry that you feel the way you do. I can see now it is pointless to try
to prove my innocence to you. For your information: It was I who asked Focus to stop
selling the tapes as that is my only means of income. Focus agreed to do so and now refers
people to me for the tapes. As for David Reyna, well, he and Rocky Scarfone (not even his
real name) are partners. Scarfones book was published in 1997 when he claims he was saved.
I was saved in 1984 and Focus aired my testimony in Dec. of 1996. You can't copy something
before it is written, Brian. But, it seems your mind is made up about me. I forgive you,
and may God bless you in all you do.
Tom,
You're playing loose with the facts (an old habit with you). I am a former employee
at Focus on the Family and I was told by another Focus employee why the tape was pulled
from the rebroadcast schedule. Focus on the Family does NOT continue to refer people
to your ministry. This can be confirmed by anyone who contacts Focus on the Family
directly. Who do you think you're playing here?
Rocky Scarfone's book ("House of Cards") was published in November, 1996 and was
based on an earlier manuscript (I have confirmed this as fact). So the book was in
circulation BEFORE the December 1996 Focus broadcast.
These are the facts. Now, do you want to explain why there is such a similarity
between your "testimony" and the content of that book? Why not release a
statement on your website explaining this?
Brian
After I sent that last message the conversation ended. Tom will not discuss the
issues of his life story because he can't argue against the facts. He tried to
redirect the conversation from the issue of his credibility by casting doubt on the
credibility of others. Stating that David Reyna and Rocky Scarfone are partners does
not imply a sinister motive as he would like it to. My motive was also denounced
(Tom is in no position to judge my heart). That the name Rocky Scarfone is an alias
for Joe Baffa is also a non-issue. But when Tom tried to knock the salvation story
of Scarfone he made a major mistake (the mistake being his deliberate attempt to spread
disinformation). "House of Cards" was published before 1997! I have
confirmed this using a couple of different sources, one of which is through the company Amazon.com (check the publishing date under the "Product Details"
section).
[Rocky Scarfone's response to the above
Tom Papania letters]
(Updated info following Scarfone's response as of Jan. 2006!)
It does make sense to me that Tom would ask Focus on the Family to stop selling the Focus
produced Tom Papania tape because the Focus tape cut into his profits (Tom sells his own
tape/CD). This man is all about money so for him to make that request would be
consistent with his character. However, it appears that Focus never answered that
kind of request and only stopped selling the tape after Tom's copyright violation was
reported to them by Rock. I can't believe Tom's explanation because I know he lied
to me when he stated that Focus continues to refer people to his ministry. According
to a Focus letter sent to an individual in July of 2001 I know that this has not been true
for some time. (In 2002 I wrote to Focus and was sent an almost exact carbon copy of
that letter. I was sent what they refer to "in house" as a c-text
explanation which is a form letter kept on file in their database retrieved to address a
given subject. Unfortunately, this Focus letter neglects to answer the question I asked the ministry regarding the exact
date they stopped selling the tape nor does it express any regret or sorrow for the
trouble the tape has caused me and countless others.)
In one of my letters to Tom I mentioned that Focus on the Family had no comments about him
on their website. In early 2005 the ministry finally posted an online statement
about Tom saying only that they no longer offer their broadcast tape of his
testimony. The statement doesn't give any warning about his fraud. This is a
disturbing development. For years people who contacted Focus over the phone and
through the mail were given a general warning about Tom. Is this website statement
an indication that Focus has abandoned their warning? Since that website statement
became public I had heard from people who have called Focus on the Family asking about
Tom. They were being told only that the tape "From Mafia To Ministry" is
no longer available and were not being given any additional information. Yet, a
woman wrote me who claimes that she called Focus at the beginning of 2007 and was told
that Papania is not credible. The Focus phone response has been inconsistent over
the years. The ministry is still issuing a general warning about Tom through the
mail. But in their letter about Tom the ministry neglects to tell us specifically
what is wrong with his testimony. Finding out the specifics of Tom's fraud is a job
left to us.
We the public can utilize a variety of different sources to disprove the testimony Tom
offered on the "From Mafia to Ministry" Focus on the Family tape. Court
documents and newspaper accounts show that the man publicly admitted during his 1987
Atlanta trial that he never had anything more than "informal ties" to the
Gambino crime family (directly contradicting what he had stated on the Focus tape and
elsewhere about being a top man in the family). There are marriage and divorce
certificates Tom does not want his supporters to find out about (Tom's
most recent divorce). The videotaped testimony of
mob expert Jerry Capeci denouncing Tom's mafia claims is in itself a major blow to Tom's
story (available for online viewing at the home page of this site called Tom
Papania's Mafia Ministry which provides audio and video
footage from NBC's New York affiliate station). You'll notice from the television
report that Tom never gives anyone a straight answer. All he does is vilify those
who have uncovered his fraud without addressing the evidence against him. If you
warn others about his false testimony be prepared to be labeled as bitter and hateful (for
proof of this visit his website and read the letters he wrote to me).
Over the years there have been changes to Tom Papania's
website (and mirror sites).
There was a time when Tom placed a lot of emphasis upon himself and on his works.
The criticism he received for doing this is most likely what contributed to him taking on
a more humble appearance (but don't be fooled by it). At one time on the home page
of his website a statement was made that "Entire cities and nations have been
impacted by Papanias presence and message." (verified
quote) Apparently the man
does not understand that a sinner who is truly saved by the grace of God will never boast
about the presence of anyone other than God (and Tom was very arrogant to make the false
and outlandish claim that his own presence and message have changed entire cities and
nations!). Tom is also very dishonest in the way that he reveals his past
associations with organizations that no longer promote him. His website serves only
as a promotion vehicle with the ultimate objective of gaining him revenue. Tom's
ministry is devoid of any real substance and exhibits a superficiality similar to what can
be seen on TBN's site,
an organization which, by the way, continues to promote the man in their address
book. But when you consider
TBN's legacy of promoting deception Papania being listed in their address book makes
complete sense. Fittingly enough, TBN's endorsement of Papania contradicts another
one of their endorsements given some time ago. Years back TBN co-founder Jan Crouch
gave an endorsement of Rocky Scarfone that appears on the back cover of his book
"House of Cards"!
You want more irony? In early 1999 Tom Papania was interviewed on The 700 Club
where he was lauded by Pat Robertson. Some years ago Pat, like Jan, gave an
endorsement of Rocky's book that can also be seen on its back cover! One needs to
wonder why after promoting Rocky Scarfone Pat Robertson (who's supposedly gifted in the
area of discernment) was unable to see through the man who's life was praised on his program. Where was Pat's famed so-called "word of knowledge" to
alert him to the fraud of Tom Papania? If Pat truly has the gift of revelation
knowledge what better time for the gift to manifest?
[Pat Robertson flashing a masonic sign: TIME
Magazine.]
Do you know what the real meaning of the Tom Papania issue is? Do you know what it
is that God is showing us through this man? Papania can be seen as a kind of
spiritual barometer revealing to us the condition of our spiritual health. That a
thief and a liar is able to mix in so well with the top religious leaders of our day
indicates a significant problem. Sadly, through this man and others like him we now
have conclusive proof showing us that the meter measuring apostasy in our society is
reading at a dangerously high level.
I very much regret the part I at one time played in promoting the man (incidentally, why
haven't James Dobson and Pat Robertson made this confession?). I trusted the
leadership at Focus on the Family and believed that they knew best about who to
promote. How wrong I was. Their failure to do a thorough background check on
Tom's story was a mistake. Refusing to account for the mistake reveals a level of
deceit. It says a lot about our society when the respected "Christian"
ministries of our day refuse to account for their sin. These are the same ministries
that exist for the purpose of telling you and me how we should live our lives who even
after becoming aware of their blatant error deny their problems and have the audacity to
make us believe that they remain our leaders. They are allowed to remain in their
positions because an apathetic society permits them to do so.
Some Focus supporters have tried to silence me by making the outrageous claim that the
issue is minor and that the (alleged) overall good of Focus outweighs the bad (this is the
false "scale and balances" theology which denies the need for each sin to be
addressed and then confessed). Do these people not know what a little leaven does to
the whole lump of dough (1 Corinthians 5:6)? Understand that the Tom Papania issue
is about more than just Tom Papania's fraud. The Focus sanctioned Papania cover-up
reveals to us a character problem with the Focus leadership. Focus leaders have yet
to apologize for promoting Tom and have not issued any warnings about him through their
website, radio programs, magazines or newsletters. The only way a person can find
out that the ministry no longer promotes him is to ask them directly. The ministry
does not volunteer the information. Focus on the Family is a non-profit ministry
that is supposed to be accountable to the very public from which it draws its
support. We have every right to demand full disclosure on this issue and nothing
less than that should be accepted. Ask the ministry to address the issue publicly
through their radio broadcast. That's the same venue from which they first made the
mistake of giving Tom a voice. Of course, the leaders of Focus would then have to
explain why they have not previously used their radio program to report the news of Tom's
fraud.
If you would like to help me and others fight this battle for truth and accountability
then PLEASE make your voice heard. You can call Focus on the Family at:
1-800-A-FAMILY (232-6459)
If you would like, let them know who sent you. If you are
interested in knowing how to correctly pronounce my last name I will spell it out for you:
KARJALA
car-juh-luh
"juh" as in jug
"luh" as in luggage
If you would like to write to the ministry you can address your letter to:
Focus on the Family
8605 Explorer Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80920
By writing the ministry you will receive a written reply offering
you documented proof on how they presently view Tom Papania. If you receive any
strange comments from them (whether over the phone or through the mail) please let me
know. (I will protect your privacy.)
Ask the ministry why they have no warning about Tom on their website. When they
refuse to give you an answer you'll understand the character of this ministry (if you
don't already).
I think you can understand why I quit my Focus job.
Getting a straight answer from these people is next to impossible. Some of them have
already ignored me. Let me give an example. In September of 2002 Dr. James
Dobson appeared as a guest on CNN's "Larry King Live" (one of his many
appearances on the show). On the morning before the broadcast (9/18/02) I e-mailed
Dobson lieutenant Paul Hetrick (Vice President of Media Relations) and asked him if Dobson
would use the opportunity to come clean on the issues of his son's divorce, his
involvement with the elusive Council for National Policy and the truth about Tom
Papania. All relevant concerns but the man never answered the e-mail.
[Paul Hetrick can be reached at (719) 531-3336 or press@family.org.]
People who read this page should wonder why Dr. Dobson thinks he is qualified to speak on
moral issues when he is not willing to speak out against one of the most infamous guests
ever to appear on his broadcast. And what right does Dr. Dobson's son have to teach
on family related issues when we consider the fact that he was recently divorced?
Ryan Dobson has continued to serve in leadership positions for Focus on the Family which
raises the issue of whether or not this public figure should continue to lead
others. Is it right for Dr. Dobson to keep the
divorce a secret? What other
secrets is he keeping from us? These are fair questions. Why was I not told
about their involvement with the CNP while I was an employee with Focus? They may
never answer me. Focus on the Family has a history of secrecy and they're not about
to come clean.
[The Council for National Policy (or CNP) is a semi-secretive psuedo-Christian political
group with documented ties to individuals / organizations favorable to the New World Order.]
It's not easy to get these people and their supporters to focus on the issues because so
many of them prefer to attack the messenger. Many people have been conditioned to
believe that criticism of Focus on the Family and ministries like it translates to an
attack on the Christian faith itself. This is an erroneous belief. Focus on
the Family and the Gospel of Jesus Christ are two separate and distinctly opposing
entities. The Gospel will stand the test of time. Ministries like Focus on the
Family with all of their lies and false doctrines will soon pass away. This is what
needs to be understood so that people do not make the mistake of thinking that I am making
war on "The Church". Much of what passes today as "The Church"
is nothing more than a conglomeration of lukewarm religious institutions who are
themselves largely responsible for perpetrating deception. Tom Papania would not be
allowed to continue to deceive people throughout the world if Focus on the Family, CBN,
TBN, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Charisma magazine and a host of other
major ministries who once promoted the man would take a stand against him and put a stop
to his fraud once and for all. In this task these organizations have failed.
It is now a battle of the individual. Only the individual moved by the Spirit of God
is strong enough to overcome the opposition.
So just what kind of opposition have I encountered?
In January 2005 I received a threatening letter from Tom Papania's attorney accusing me of
defamation. I was instructed to retract and remove all of the negative material I've
published about his client by January 15, 2005, or I would be subject to legal action
seeking punitive damages, attorney's fees, and costs of litigation. I was not the
least bit intimidated (obviously, as this website, mafiaministry.com, has not backed away
from reporting Tom's fraud. I own a total of two websites... be sure to check out my
other site: christianissues.com!).
It is not defamation to reveal what is true. Probably the easiest way to prove Tom's
fraud is to search the online archives of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Do a search on that site using Tom's
original last name, Papanier, and you will bring up news articles about his 1987 Atlanta
criminal trial. It does cost a small fee to read the articles. There is,
however, a way to bring up sections from each of the articles without paying a cent if you
know what key words to use (for those who don't have a credit card or don't want to use a
credit card online). Do a search for Tom's wife at the time of his trial, Margaret
Papanier (the woman he has omitted from his published life story), and you will bring up a
preview of two articles. The second article listed is titled:
"Coppola co-defendant [Papanier] denies crime family ties"
The first sentence of the article reads:
"Tommy Papanier, a co-defendant in the trial of accused racketeer Carl Coppola,
took the witness stand Thursday and disputed previous testimony that he was connected to
New York's Gambino organized crime family."
There you have it! The foundation of Tom's "Christian" testimony is his
claim that he was a high ranking member of the Gambino family. Yet at his criminal
trial he denied under oath that he was ever a member of the family.
The greatest witness against Tom Papania is Tom Papania!
Court records reveal that Tom denied any past or present association with the Gambino
family. He did in fact tell the truth (on this one issue he told the truth... there
is doubt as to whether he told the truth about other issues of his trial). On an
Internet forum one supporter of Tom made the claim that when Tom denied being a Gambino
member he was doing so for reasons of secrecy -- to protect the Gambino family. This
supporter is apparently unfamiliar with Tom's present-day "Christian"
testimony. Tom today claims that he told the complete truth at his 1987 criminal
trial (without telling people exactly what he said), a trial which, by the way, took place
three years after Tom says he became a Christian. Tom says that the truth set him
free. If supporters of Tom want to believe that Tom lied in 1987 they will have to
contend with the belief that Tom lied under oath as a professing Christian -- a belief
contrary to what Tom claims today! [UPDATE: Tom now claims
that he lied at his 1987 trial to avoid a life sentence in prison. This newest
revelation in his ever-evolving life testimony poses a new problem for him. For
years Tom has testified to church groups and on audio and video productions that the truth
set him free at his trial. Now he says he lied at that trial (he tells this lie in
order to maintain the lie that he was a high ranking member of the Gambino family).
In actuality, Tom was friends with a bodyguard of Gambino boss Paul Castellano and that is
how Tom secured his job as a bodyguard for the Atlanta restaurant owner and drug dealer
Carl Coppola (who eventually fired Papania). A high ranking Gambino enforcer and
close associate of Castellano would never be dispatched as a lowly bodyguard for a drug
dealer.]
This is the kind of information I have offered to people who have written to me seeking
answers about Tom's credibility. For this reason Tom does not want people making
contact with me. In the past Tom has told people with questions about his testimony
not to write me, claiming that those who engage me in conversation are being abused and
insulted with name calling and profanity. What a blatant lie! But we know that
his words mean nothing. Just look at what he wrote in his last letter to me (at the
top of this page):
I forgive you, and may God bless you in all you do.
You forgive me Tom for telling people the truth about you?! Sure you do.
That's why you continue to attack my Christian faith and tell lies about me. That's
why your attorney sent me the threatening letter.
Tom and his attorney know they don't have a case against me. They were hoping to
scare me into removing my web pages (underestimating my intelligence and resolve).
So why would this attorney have an interest in helping Tom? Is he a fan of Tom's
"ministry" or is there another reason? We need to ask ourselves
this: Who besides Tom Papania and his supporters would have an interest in making my
web pages vanish? Who has a history of concealing the truth? The website of
Tom's attorney, D. Kent Shelton, provides us with the answer. Visit the Links page
of this attorney's website and see what organizations are promoted.
No surprise.
"There's gonna be some world-shakin'!" (Cool Hand Luke)
The year 2008 . . . and still no lawsuit against me.
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