Jim on History looks back to the early days of 1980’s televangelism.
In theory, it’s a beautiful way to spread a message of faith to the masses.
In reality, it seems to end disproportionately in hand-tailored suits that cost as much as a down payment on a mortgage and, in more than a few cases, prison.
It’s true.
If you’re looking for a celebrity figure that’s going to get hit with a scandal, you’d do alright perusing the ranks of televangelists.
That was certainly the case in the 1980s, when scandal hit time and again.
During the 1980s, Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker were televangelism’s brightest, weepiest luminaries.
But multiple scandals led to divorce and sent mascara-streaked Tammy Faye into obscurity and a terrified Jim to prison.
Jimmy Swaggart, Oral Roberts, Jerry Falwell, Benny Hinn (just to name a few) also saw their share of controversies.
Jim on History recalls the 1980s Iran-Contra scandal. In a nutshell, it was a secret U.S. arms deal by the Reagan administration that traded missiles and other arms to free some Americans held hostage by terrorists in Lebanon, but also used funds from the arms deal to support armed conflict…
Kanye West made a highly anticipated appearance at televangelist Joel Osteen's megachurch in Texas today where he opened up about his faith and his latest album. The 42-year-old rapper appeared at the Lakewood Church in Houston where he talked about his 'journey to his faith' for about 20 minutes before…
The state of Missouri is suing disgraced televangelist Jim Bakker for selling a fake coronavirus cure on his website and show. Attorney General Eric Schmitt named Bakker and his production company, Morningside Church Productions, as the defendants in the suit which was filed in the state's circuit court of Stone…
