Sympathy for the Brewer.

“If you can’t say something nice about a person don’t say anything at all.” That’s what my dear mother told the magistrate just prior to her final sentencing, and I’ve never forgotten the power of her words, although sadly they fell on liberal atheist ears and she received 25 years to life. Even though I was just a small child at the time, and until then had no comprehension of the way unbelievers have so little respect for important church-leadership principles like extortion, I knew that my mother’s teaching would serve as a faithful guide for the rest of my life.

Which is why I always enjoy discussing J. Mark Brewer. Try as I might it’s impossible for me to find something unpleasant to say about him, since it’s clear that despite the difficulties which have forced Mark to seek bankruptcy for his St Stephen the Great Charitable Trust he’s still managing to ensure charity begins at home.

For all the details of Mark Brewer’s brilliance it’s probably best to read things for yourself here, Certainly, there's not many people who can manage to squeeze $111,092.36 for themselves (in return for “legal services rendered”) out of a business that’s going nowhere, as well as paying a further $75,338.07 to their own charity.

Of course this doesn’t take into account any of the anguish which I’m sure Mark is feeling over the $494,097.55 he claims is still owed to his deserving foundation, nor the outstanding balance of £56,000 owed to Mark’s law firm. Yet despite this terrible injustice Mark hasn’t uttered so much a single cry of pain, but has instead simply asked (out of modest humility, I’m certain) that people don’t discuss his suffering. (Alright, so he didn’t so much “ask” as “demand” – but how can anyone criticize a man who’s given so much, and has yet to receive so much more?). In the light of all this the complaints by those who have yet to receive their wages and benefits should be seen in an entirely new perspective, as I’ve no doubt Mark himself would be the first to say.

No; were she still with us I’ve no doubt my late mother would love and admire Mark Brewer as much as I do, and be appalled at the way people continue to shine a spotlight on his financial affairs. Just because a charity running a chain of Christian book shops in the UK managed in under 12 months to accumulate a debt to a US-based private grant making foundation in excess $800,000 is no reason to accuse the chain’s owner of incompetency. Especially not when the US foundation is registered to that owner’s address, and his own name is listed as an alternative name under which the nonprofit organization does business.

I’m Father Christian and I teach the Bible.