Tonight on Close Up ` why the church claiming to get you closer to God might send you to the poorhouse instead. Plus, how do we protect our kids from the dangers of the digital world? Parents need to be involved with their cyber-life. And the North Island's answer to Otago's famous rail trail. They want new adventure. And this is where they're gonna find it. Due to the live nature of Close Up, captions for some items may be incomplete. ONE News captions by Angela Alice and Glenna Casalme. Close Up captions by Richard Edmunds and Jessica Boell. They're asked to give to God for his blessings, and some are giving in a big way ` tens of thousands of dollars a year; their cars and even their houses ` so God will answer their prayers. The giving's all part of a 'pay and pray' movement in some churches that's known as prosperity gospel. It's drawn hundreds of followers to one church in South Auckland, but left others disaffected and angry. Matt Chisholm canvassed the divided opinions on the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God. OMINOUS MUSIC WOMAN: There are wicked people. If you don't give, you go to hell. It's a story we've worked hard to bring you.... Bishop Marcelo! ...a story this church doesn't want us to tell. Its leader refuses to talk. No, he won't do it. What does this church have to hide? We've got nothing to hide. Talk to me, then. Talk to me about what is happening inside this church. Everybody knows. Step inside the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God ` a Brazilian-based church who have been in South Auckland for seven years, offering four services a day ` that's 28 a week ` to hundreds of followers. These people are really brainwashed. They're very much deceived. Their pastors talk to the devil in people. And through God, they say their hands can heal. But it comes at a price. This footage was obtained using a hidden camera, showing one of the church pastors claiming giving brings great reward. All the time, every day, he used to talk about only money. Who goes to this church? > Mostly are Indians, Tongans, Samoans. Mostly are Indians, who are` who doesn't have visa. These people do not have the money that this church is asking for. Even the unemployed are expected to cough up. Does this church care about people? > Does this church care about people? > Only people who got money. And they don't stop at tithing. These women visited the UCKG help centre back in 2010. We saw people putting keys in a bowl, and, um... from their homes and from their cars. Are there are a lot of people who have given houses and cars? > Are there are a lot of people who have given houses and cars? > There is heaps. It's known as the prosperity gospel, where the more you give in sacrificial donations, the more they say you'll receive in return. Marcelo tells us you have to sacrifice something which is` which really hurts you. It should really hurt you. The thing you love you have to sacrifice to God. If you don't give, you don't get nothing. You will go to hell. They are just terrified. So they give the finance in any way. I thought, 'OK, God, I give you everything I got. 'In return, I want everything better than whatever I got.' Mother-of-six Vineeta Velu paid a high price for her two years in the church. She says with her estranged husband, Danny, they gave about $50,000 on top of their tithes, as well as expensive jewellery and an $8,500 car. There is no such things as giving so much to church. I lost everything. I lost my house, my car, my business, my family. Everything. So you got the opposite of what you were praying for. It went all opposite. She says it was the wedge that drove her and Danny apart, and while she's left the church, he still goes. We don't get any help from him any more. He always says, 'I don't have money.' But sometimes my kids go and say, 'Mum, uh, Dad has given the money to church.' You have a lot of children. Are you struggling to feed your family? > Yes. Yes. And I have gone through lot of, uh, Salvation Army and those places asking for food. Who told you that they hungry? My children never hungry. If she gave you that information, that's wrong. She's lying to me? > I dunno. I dunno. You weren't forced to hand over your money, your assets. How much responsibility do you take for the situation you're in now? I take all, um... Not all responsibility, because... I know I've given the thing, but in one condition ` that I'll get it back. I have to say, you were very naive. I regret what I have given in my life. When my kids, they want anything, I can't afford. sometimes even I can't afford to buy them clothes and shoes. I always have to get help from WINZ. Do you think, Danny, it's OK, though, that the taxpayer is helping to feed your children because` because you give all your money to this church? I am the taxpayer. I am the taxpayer. So am I. I am the taxpayer. I don't know about you. Vineeta doesn't want sympathy. She says she just wants to make sure other families don't end up in the same situation. I have lost everything, that's why I'm telling the truth. One of the many issues we hope to discuss with Bishop Marcelo Rocha. Through his lawyer he agreed to do an interview, but the night before that interview, he pulled out and stopped returning our calls. So we thought we'd visit the church. What you get out of here? What you get out of this? This is what I said to you on the phone. I think people want to know about what's happening inside this church. > They have no right to know what's in this church. Everything that we have here in the church, according to what the Bible is. Something disputed by former disenchanted members of the church, who say they want the practises exposed. We're sick of waiting for you. > You can send an email at UCKG` I've already done that, Marcelo. > ...and then we are going to talk to you. We've already done that, Marcelo. We are tired of waiting for you. > May God bless you. What have you got to hide, Marcelo? As you may have gathered from that story, many attempts, many arrangements were made to speak to Bishop Marcelo Rocha and the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, but they all came to nothing. The church, though, has sent us a written statement. It criticises our reporter Matt Chisholm and what it calls his 'behaviour and antics', and it says this is why Bishop Marcelo wouldn't front. It says the donation of the car was voluntary according to Pacific Island custom and that the bishop even offered it back to Vanita's husband, Danny. It also says a marital dispute is behind the accusations against the church and that Vineeta phoned the bishop to say she didn't want the car back and that she regretted complaining. Further, they claim, the couple have tried to have the complaint withdrawn and it's been distressing for clergy and churchgoers. Well, that is a truncated version of the church's position. It's fair to say they feel this is no one else's business and that there's no story. Joining me is Associate Professor Peter Lineham from Massey University. Now, he's an expert on religious sects. You would call this a sect? Yeah, I think a sect is precisely a group where you've got confined controls of` certain people are in and certain people are out. where you've got confined controls of` certain people are in and certain people are out. And the 'in' people have a knowledge and a control that the others don't have. This preoccupation with money ` is that something common? This is a distinctive group ` a group that we call prosperity gospel. In the prosperity gospel ` and especially in the form of this Brazilian group, in its origins, and notice they're still speaking pretty much a Brazilian form of English ` they're strongly preoccupied by making money. Does that mean it's wrong? When I think it becomes very unethical is if you don't ask what's the impact of the giving on the people who are giving. And where does the money go? The money goes, I think, pretty clearly, firstly, to fund the operation in NZ; secondly, to fund the international leaders ` and they do fly their leaders around the world; and thirdly, especially the Brazilian followers ` and there's an enormous number of Brazilian poor in this group. They're trying to build a replica of Solomon's Temple, and they're working on fantastic attempts to create a bigger and bigger sect. It's not just the NZ operation; it's part of an international church? 120 different countries have branches of this, and in about 77 countries ` especially very poor countries in Africa ` they've had a big impact. Some people have described this as like a cult. The trouble is that 'cult' is inflammatory language. And I can see how they will say, 'Well, we're genuinely trying to help people. 'We're genuinely trying to help the poor.' Some have also called it a con. There's got to be an aspect of a con about this, because if you promise in very strong terms that something's gonna happen, and in fact, your delivery of that is nothing like what you promised, then you're kidding people. See, it's hard` we saw in Matt's piece there, it's hard to reconcile how praying to God is gonna get you a visa to stay in NZ. Yep. And I think what happens in this is that there's an enormous level of sincerity and prayer and earnestness, and they'll look at that. And I think, in the Brazilian group, it was like that a bit. What would possess someone to hand over the keys to their car or, in fact, their house? Yeah, but supposing you're very poor, supposing you're struggling for a visa, supposing all aspects of your life are on tenterhooks, then it's` it is a form of gambling. And remember that, for the working-class suburbs in South Auckland, there's a mighty lot of gambling goes on. See, how do we know that Bishop Marcelo is not a genuine person who honestly believes what he's doing is gonna get them visas and jobs and prospects? Oh, I think that some of their bishops genuinely do believe this. But then they don't ask, 'Well, how come all the money ends up funding, actually, the running of a sect?' Do they get a, sort of, siege mentality as well? I've seen` I've been in the office when Matt has tried again and again and again and again to get the church to front. And it's almost like a game. There is an aspect in which, particularly in their relationships with the media, it does see itself as constantly under siege. You're the enemy. Coming up ` what are they teaching kids these days? The new lesson that keeps kids safe online. And we're with the man carving up the countryside to make our nation's new cycleways. Last night we told you how police have a new weapon to tackle internet predators, and many of you commented that parental involvement and education are what's needed as well. Tonight Gill Higgins looks at ways that parents can do exactly that ` getting involved with protecting kids online. I've had a text-bullying situation, and I've also had an 'identity theft on Facebook' situation with our kids. It's` Anything that the mind can imagine, there's people out there willing to exploit and take advantage. Safe at home, but not alone. The internet, now, is really the greatest gathering space that has ever been created in human history. It's a virtual fun park ` pleasure and people galore. But think about it. OMINOUS MUSIC What if this was the real world? Imagine taking a 9- or 10-year-old and letting them into that environment for three or four hours without any support. This is not about policing them. This is not about controlling them. It is supporting them to use this technology safely. In the Nelson area, they've now got lessons for kids as young as 9. What we have to remember is that paedophiles and predators and criminals are targeting at that age. This is called a role play. 10- and 11-year-olds, this is already their world. > Absolutely. < Who's used a cellphone? Now, there's so much to tempt them. Chat sites are everywhere. Like, gaming sites. < What do you think when all these other people that you don't know start talking to you? Nothing much. (CHUCKLES) < Do they seem like friends or like strangers? Kinda like friends. So they try an exercise. < Sport is the theme. They're told to chat. The aim: to teach them a basic rule. Not to go and meet somebody from the internet that they do not know. They think the chat's all amongst themselves. But then they're told to stop. Simply look at the chat room and watch what happens. Andrea is gonna ask if there's anybody else in the chat room. Somebody has said, 'Yeah, I'm still here.' Ask this person to send a picture. So, now we're talking to somebody that we don't know. They ask the mystery schoolgirl to show herself. So, who wanted to meet me? LAUGHTER, APPLAUSE Can you see how easy it is to be tricked on the internet? Did anybody know that this was your teacher? The tricks of the trade are all made clear. Why would they send you a picture with a dog in it? Because it makes that adult look a bit more friendly. They say, 'Will you meet me? Please meet me.' They're pressuring you now. I want you to say 'no', just like you would in the street. We have to start at a young age. Because in a few years, these students may well be tempted to connect with strangers. If that man is somewhere else,... Laying ground rules now makes that less likely. Never give somebody a picture of yourself. If a predator tries to get sexualised pictures of a young female, he doesn't ask for that picture at the start. He initiates a relationship. He deceives the girl. 'Please. Look, I sent you one of me and my mother.' You don't know that. > And then, over time, through leverage, he will get the sexualised pictures. As the students get older, the lessons will have to change, because... You will get some that do want to push the boundaries. If a young 15-year-old is determined to meet somebody that they've met on the internet, part of our task is to equip them with safety measures. It's got to be in an open... you know, an open place. It's got to be well lit. If you think that meeting is going wrong, send a smiley` you know, send a face back that's sad. And that's a red flag for somebody to come in. It is a bit of a minefield for mum and dad. Some of their kids know more about the internet and media sites ` social media sites ` than them. But the message is not to be afraid or embarrassed about taking control. Parents need to be involved with their cyberlife. They really do. But teenagers might just think, 'Nope, don't want my parents here.' Absolutely. The minute we give a cellphone to a child, it shouldn't be a no-go area for a parent. They should have the ability to look at every text message that that child receives. Or, with this free app, there's another way for parents to take charge. For example, you can set up the active hours ` no text to be received or sent after 7 in the evening, and then again until 8 the next day. OK, so that stops you having to make sure the phones are in the lounge each night. You can limit contacts and block surfing or YouTube. Greg has a daughter and plans to use it. It means that I can control a little bit of what goes on, but also feel that I know who she's communicating with. But you still need some good old-fashioned talking ` who they played with at school; who they hung out with on Facebook. That is normal conversation. We're not invading their space, we're not spying on them, but we are, sort of, staying in touch with what they're doing. It's a great technology to use. We've just got to get careful about how we use it. Coming up ` Michael Holland gets on his bike with the men who are restoring history as they create our country's newest tourist attraction. Opens up an area, and it gives people the ability to cruise along at 8km/h on their bike with a smile on their dial. Remember a couple of years ago John Key was touting cycleways as the solution to regional unemployment ` a venture that would not only create jobs, but put money into local coffers just like the highly successful Otago rail trail. Well, the grand plan hasn't quite taken off, but on the Hauraki Plans, they reckon they've got a cycleway as good as or even better than Otago's and easily accessible to 1.5 million people. It opens in a couple of months. Michael Holland went to check it out. Tranquil, nice running river, clean river. It's perfect, perfect. That's about where its got to be. Are we getting any closer? They want new adventure, and this is where they're going to find it. Just be careful. How are we for distance, Peter? I can see big things happening. For Dan Bustard,... Hold it! ...this is more, much more, than just another "knock 'em up" construction project. You don't mind if I ask how old you are? (CHUCKLES) 74. 74, and you're hard at it? Yeah. It's part of who he is; part of his much-treasured home patch. Yeah, a little bit sentimental. (CHUCKLES) Yeah. The family can come through and say to the grandkids, 'Well, your granddad built that.' It'll be pretty good. What he's helped build ` many of the bridges... < Done a bloody good job, he did. Mm. I think so. ...on the country's newest cycleway ` 77km winding from Thames through the north-eastern reaches of the Waikato, following the long-defunct rail corridor. That's the NZ Railways lifting the railway line between Waihi and Paeroa. This really was the end of the line? This is the last of it, yeah. Which brings us to Dan's earlier, more destructive handiwork along the same route. This is the Waihi Leader ` May 1998. READS: 'Bridge-busting Dan, the dynamite man. 'First the trains stopped running, then the tracks were pulled up. 'Only the bridges remained. Thanks to Waikino's Dan Bustard, they're disappearing one by one.' This catalogues all the bridges you tore down? Yeah, virtually. Yeah. And you've come full circle. Yep, we're putting them back again. Back then, the concept of rail trails for cyclists still in its infancy. But not any more, leaving Dan and his boys to bridge that earlier lack of foresight. 13. < 13 bridges? Yeah, and we've got three to go. Not bad for a crew of just four. They're a good team. They know what they are doing ` they have learnt it off me. (LAUGHS) All locals, in line with John Key's pledge to use the building of a national cycleway network to create regional jobs. All local contractors have been involved in this project. You're not the local National Party chairman, are you? (CHUCKLES) No, not really. 35km away, near Thames, we find a family of bridge builders ` Mum, Dad and two sons ` bringing together the services of 15 local contractors and suppliers. We had a massive job to do in a very short time frame. And as a result we've built a really good network of businesses that can come together to achieve, you know, a fantastic result. And riding off the back of that are towns and settlements along the way,... This is Hikataia. ...preparing to feed, water and house weary pedallers. The Convenient Cow, cafe and general store. Conveniently located next to the rail trail? Yes. This opens up an area and gives people the opportunity to cruise along at 8km/h on their bike with a smile on their dial and a credit card in their pocket. Nice home cooking and just a cute little shop. It was built in the 1920s, and all the woodwork ` the original Rimu ` is all just perfect. After a hard day on the bike? I think they'd like it ` particularly a soak in the bath downstairs. Just maybe it could become the convenient cash cow? Let's hope. (LAUGHS) Designed for anyone who wants an adventure ` families, kids, grandparents. It's a flat trail. it's perfectly finished. Good job. Well done, you jokers. You good for this? I'm good for this. I'll have to be. BJ THOMAS' "RAINDROPS KEEP FALLIN' ON MY HEAD" It's about 60 years since I've ridden a bike. Whoops! Bloody scream and a half, this is. (LAUGHS) It's nice and gentle, isn't it? Yeah, it's very good. I can get my balance better if I'm moving a bit faster, eh. But this is good. You've got to go home and tell Mum you've ridden a bike? Yeah, she'll die. (LAUGHS HEARTILY) Oh gosh. And the Hauraki rail trail will be officially opened on May 5th at the Victoria Battery Site in the Karangahake Gorge between Paeroa and Waihi. In Hamilton this weekend, Richard O'Brien, Rocky Horror creator, is turning 70 Putting on a charity concert. It'll be a don't-miss. Tomorrow night, we'll have the Auckland Gospel Choir. And that's NZ Close Up. Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air.