Your favorite pastors, apologists, televangelists, etc.?

[Brian63]

Even as a nontheist, do you find any interest still in watching or listening to sermons from various Christian preachers or apologists or televangelists over time? Kenneth Copeland is one of my go-to-guys for that role. Even if he was a respected PhD scientist giving a lecture on quantum physics to a lecture of fellow physicists, the guy would still come across as creepy and suspect. As it is, he just happens to be spewing his religious bullshit as well. Still, when having a meal I sometimes turn on his show just for entertainment and for trying to get a better grasp of that mindset that people like him hold.

Recently Jimmy Swaggart was shown on TV giving a sermon from back in 1983. Man, that guy could really deliver rhetorical punches for religion and conservative politics, all intertwined. He was speaking to a packed, almost stadium-sized, church in addition to being broadcast live to hundreds of other churches across the country. I could not fathom having been an atheist in society around that time, and admire those who were and openly advocated for secularism.

Sometimes if Pat Robertson is on with his 700 Club show, I will tune in just to get a glimpse of the guy in his (presumably) last moments.

A couple months ago I had a short-lived email exchange with Ray Comfort where we discussed a few atheist/religious topics. For some reason unknown to me I have a special fascination for him, as well as Kirk Cameron (his sidekick).

The only decent apologetic book that I can ever recall reading was from years ago, JP Moreland’s “Scaling the Secular City.” It was not enough to persuade that God existed, but still seemed to provide the most thoughtful and interesting arguments I had seen at that point. WL Craig’s “Reasonable Faith” and Strobel’s “The Case for Christ” were certainly overhyped.


Do you have any all-time personal favorites, when it comes to pastors, preachers, priests, evangelists, televangelist scammers, apologists, creationists, self-proclaimed prophets, etc.? Do you now just tune them all out completely?

 

[hurtinbuckaroo]

I was always entertained by Exidor:

[YOUTUBE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aylTZqvwc_0[/YOUTUBE]

 

[ideologyhunter]

Back in the 80s, I watched Jim & Tammy before going to work. They were on Toledo TV at 6 a.m. What a couple of maniacs!! Jim was impossibly hyper and upbeat and had the worst polyester wardrobe. Tammy.....ye gods. What a fashion statement. She would wear bandanas tied on like headbands and wail her ridiculous country/gospel tunes.
Swaggart, as you say, really brought the crazy. Despite his anti-hedonism rants, his house band played stompin' rock music at some point in every broadcast.
Rex Humbard (so close to Humbug) was as oily as they come.
Pat Robertson, so chucklesome -- how does this guy drink a beverage? Doesn't he chuckle through every swallow?
Oral Roberts -- oh my God. The 80 foot Jesus or whatever.
Falwell -- lugubrious and poisonously right wing. Selling 'The Clinton Chronicles' on VHS tape. What a con artist.
Robert Schuller -- so, so boring. He should have done ads for Sanka.
Ernest Angley -- king of the crazies. Healing the deaf: "SAY BABY!!! SAY JEE-SUS!!!" I actually heard an exchange on his show where he asked the mother of a deaf child, "And is he dumb?" and she said, "No, he's quite smart."
I never got to see Creflo Dollar, but would love to. That's got to be the ultimate televangelist name.
You could do a whole thread on the processed hair of the holy roller TV stars and their women. And of course the age-old question, 'Who is sending money to these people????' You always hope it's not your rich single aunt. Full disclosure: I once sent Jim and Tammy two bucks, but I wanted to see what their literature was like and I wanted to see how long they'd write me on a two buck donation. (Two mailings exactly.)

 

[Atheos]

Had a friend who bought into the "seed faith" bullshit. Haven't seen her in years now and I think she may be dead. It was truly bizarre knowing her.

For some reason I used to enjoy listening to the parade of radio preachers who'd come on every weeknight on one of the AM stations here. Each one would do his (or her) thing for maybe half an hour and end with a money-begging segment. For all I know they still do that.

 

[Iznomneak]

In the 1980s I used to watch Robert Tilton. He was a hoot speaking in tongues and asking everybody for $1000, which was a pretty good chunk of change back then.

Then in the 1990's I used to watch the "Evolution vs Creation comedy hour" by the one and only Ken Hamm.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

Many years ago, I worked at a job that was sometimes boring and repetitive. I used to get bored with what was on radio and sometimes checked out the AM religious crap stations. Favorites at his peak was maniac Bob Larson. Who would have young heavy metal idiots call in his program. Bob was quick on the kill button so they usually had 30 seconds to razz him. Despite this, many of them got the better of him anyway. This degenerated into the most bizarre radio I have ever heard. Another fave was Robert Shambaugh. Shambaugh was an old faith healer who had a not very good voice, sounding something like Gabby Hayes. But he knew how to use his voice well and could make you hyperventilate reading the yellow pages. His program was a 30 minute monologue, pure performance art. But strangely enough you could listen for a half hour and not remember a single thing he said. It was pure word salad. Industrial grade bullshit. The punchline was trying to remember a single coherent thought Shambaugh made in a half hour and failing to do so. Always made me laugh.

 

[steve_bank]

There is a slew of them on TV I watch from time to time.

The latest variant is The Jewish Jesus. A rabbi playing to Christians and of course pan handling for money.

 

[James Chapman]

Mrs. Betty Bowers, America's Best Christian

 

[RavenSky]

Even as a nontheist, do you find any interest still in watching or listening to sermons from various Christian preachers or apologists or televangelists over time?...

Do you have any all-time personal favorites, when it comes to pastors, preachers, priests, evangelists, televangelist scammers, apologists, creationists, self-proclaimed prophets, etc.? Do you now just tune them all out completely?

Not sermons, but I do enjoy reading his blog & following him on Twitter: John Pavlovitz

https://johnpavlovitz.com/

If every religious person were more like him, I still wouldn't believe in their gods but I would not hold such a negative opinion of religions and religious people in general.

 

[Harry Bosch]

Even as a nontheist, do you find any interest still in watching or listening to sermons from various Christian preachers or apologists or televangelists over time? Kenneth Copeland is one of my go-to-guys for that role. Even if he was a respected PhD scientist giving a lecture on quantum physics to a lecture of fellow physicists, the guy would still come across as creepy and suspect. As it is, he just happens to be spewing his religious bullshit as well. Still, when having a meal I sometimes turn on his show just for entertainment and for trying to get a better grasp of that mindset that people like him hold.

Recently Jimmy Swaggart was shown on TV giving a sermon from back in 1983. Man, that guy could really deliver rhetorical punches for religion and conservative politics, all intertwined. He was speaking to a packed, almost stadium-sized, church in addition to being broadcast live to hundreds of other churches across the country. I could not fathom having been an atheist in society around that time, and admire those who were and openly advocated for secularism.

Sometimes if Pat Robertson is on with his 700 Club show, I will tune in just to get a glimpse of the guy in his (presumably) last moments.

A couple months ago I had a short-lived email exchange with Ray Comfort where we discussed a few atheist/religious topics. For some reason unknown to me I have a special fascination for him, as well as Kirk Cameron (his sidekick).

The only decent apologetic book that I can ever recall reading was from years ago, JP Moreland’s “Scaling the Secular City.” It was not enough to persuade that God existed, but still seemed to provide the most thoughtful and interesting arguments I had seen at that point. WL Craig’s “Reasonable Faith” and Strobel’s “The Case for Christ” were certainly overhyped.


Do you have any all-time personal favorites, when it comes to pastors, preachers, priests, evangelists, televangelist scammers, apologists, creationists, self-proclaimed prophets, etc.? Do you now just tune them all out completely?

My favorite Pastors are those with really big Kohannies! How about the pastor who begged for more tithes to help him buy his long suffering wife a new Maserati?!! But my favorite is Jesse Duplantis who asked his congregation to donate more so that he could buy a more modern jet! 54 million big ones! Unbelievable:

https://www.cnn.com/2018/05/30/us/jesse-duplantis-plane-falcon-7x-prosperity-gospel-trnd/index.html

 

[ideologyhunter]

Some worthy runners-up:
The late D. James Kennedy -- so square, he made Ward Cleaver look like a naked bongo player in McConaughey's band. A Central Casting ideal of 'scolding dad from 1957.' Always excoriating the liberals, the heathens, the gays -- the usual suspects. The squarest hair and the most Republican face you will see in this lifetime.
Jack Van Impe - still going strong with his wife hanging breathlessly on his every word and delivering set-ups for his bromides ("So Jack, what are we think of Iran's ratcheting up of its nuclear threat, as predicted in Revelations?") Her name, by the way, is the ultra-perfect televangelist wife's name -- better than, wasn't it, Mavis Falwell? -- REXELLA. As in, hide, 101 Dalmatians!!! Rexella is coming!!! She'll eat your puppies!!
Joyce Meyer -- sort of a Josephine the plumber televangelist. Peppy, chucklesome, overcaffeinated. So gabby that she's hooked me from time to time, even though her basic message is delusional.
Reverend Ike -- used to watch his bizarre show in the late 60s/early 70s. A mix of evangelism and voodoo, always selling ridiculous trinkets like prayer cloths that were going to bring incredible riches your way. Is this guy still alive?

 

[Brian63]

As legendary as he was, I have actually never seen much of a Billy Graham sermon. Just small portions and short clips of them. Maybe someday I will set aside some more time for that (probably not).

My mom has a book by Joel Osteen and has watched him sermonizing a little, and says he is more liberal than the other televangelist counterparts, which runs counter to the very little I have observed of him. Has anyone here seen/read anything more by him and can verify either way? Thanks.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

Some worthy runners-up:
The late D. James Kennedy -- so square, he made Ward Cleaver look like a naked bongo player in McConaughey's band. A Central Casting ideal of 'scolding dad from 1957.' Always excoriating the liberals, the heathens, the gays -- the usual suspects. The squarest hair and the most Republican face you will see in this lifetime.
Jack Van Impe - still going strong with his wife hanging breathlessly on his every word and delivering set-ups for his bromides ("So Jack, what are we think of Iran's ratcheting up of its nuclear threat, as predicted in Revelations?") Her name, by the way, is the ultra-perfect televangelist wife's name -- better than, wasn't it, Mavis Falwell? -- REXELLA. As in, hide, 101 Dalmatians!!! Rexella is coming!!! She'll eat your puppies!!
Joyce Meyer -- sort of a Josephine the plumber televangelist. Peppy, chucklesome, overcaffeinated. So gabby that she's hooked me from time to time, even though her basic message is delusional.
Reverend Ike -- used to watch his bizarre show in the late 60s/early 70s. A mix of evangelism and voodoo, always selling ridiculous trinkets like prayer cloths that were going to bring incredible riches your way. Is this guy still alive?

Long ago, I occasionally watched a bit of the Van Impes. I'd turn down the sound and lust over Rexella Van Impe. But her voice ... was so insipid.

 

[southernhybrid]

I can't stand any of them, and I was dragged to the Billy Graham Crusades in New York City when I was about 7 or 8. He used some very emotional appeals to manipulate people, like lowering the lights and having the choir sing "Just As I Am" quietly in the background, while he invited people to come forward and be saved. It was very theatrical.

Your thread did remind me of an atheist friend that loved to watch Ernest Angley, an evangelical who I think was a "faith healer". She had invited us over for dinner and I didn't realize she was an atheist. When we arrived, she was watching Angley, while she cooked and I asked her why. She told me that she was an atheist but she thought he liked watching him because he was so amusing. I just looked him up and discovered that he was amused of sexual abuse.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Angley

Angley, who has spoken out against homosexuality as a sin,[17] has been accused of sexual abuse by former Grace Cathedral pastor, Rev. Brock Miller.[18] Miller filed a lawsuit against Angley and claims that he was abused for nine years. A 1996 tape recording of Angley admitting to sexual relations with a different man was subsequently leaked by an anonymous source.[19] Allegations of further sexual abuses, including forced vasectomies and abortions, have been reported by the Akron Beacon Journal and Forbes.[20]

What an asshole.

 

[Tharmas]

Years ago I would occasionally watch a TV preacher named Gene Scott, who supposedly held a PhD from Stanford, and seemed more intellectual that most in his profession. He would sit in front of the camera, sometimes smoking a cigar, and even occasionally sipping some whiskey, and go on about some obscure point of Greek grammar in the New Testament. Every now and then he would go off the deep end and get into full blown woo – Pyramidology and the like. He raked in the bucks too.

I read where he died in 2005, at age 75. Too many cigars and sips of whisky I guess.

 

[skepticalbip]

Years ago I would occasionally watch a TV preacher named Gene Scott, who supposedly held a PhD from Stanford, and seemed more intellectual that most in his profession. He would sit in front of the camera, sometimes smoking a cigar, and even occasionally sipping some whiskey, and go on about some obscure point of Greek grammar in the New Testament. Every now and then he would go off the deep end and get into full blown woo – Pyramidology and the like. He raked in the bucks too.

I read where he died in 2005, at age 75. Too many cigars and sips of whisky I guess.

But then the life expectancy of the average white male born in 1930 was 59.7 years. Maybe the cigars and sips of whisky could be credited for those extra fifteen years.

 

[Cheerful Charlie]

Years ago I would occasionally watch a TV preacher named Gene Scott, who supposedly held a PhD from Stanford, and seemed more intellectual that most in his profession. He would sit in front of the camera, sometimes smoking a cigar, and even occasionally sipping some whiskey, and go on about some obscure point of Greek grammar in the New Testament. Every now and then he would go off the deep end and get into full blown woo – Pyramidology and the like. He raked in the bucks too.

I read where he died in 2005, at age 75. Too many cigars and sips of whisky I guess.

Gene Scott married a young trophy wife. After his death, she took over his ministry. In her former life she was a porn star.

https://www.marieclaire.com/sex-love/news/a2823/melissa-scott-porn-pastor/

 

[Brian63]

In the 1980s I used to watch Robert Tilton. He was a hoot speaking in tongues...

Oh my non-existent god. I watched a little bit of him speaking in tongues, and that is actually something I had never watched anyone do before, but is so ridiculous. How is that supposed to work? God speaks to that person in a language that only that person is able to truly comprehend, and the others are just supposed to make educated guesses about what those noises translate into in their own fluent languages? Or when someone is speaking in tongues, does everyone think they are filled with the holy spirit and can easily and completely follow every noise and what they mean?

...and asking everybody for $1000, which was a pretty good chunk of change back then.

Well, in fairness to us poor folks, it still is.

 

[ideologyhunter]

OOOH, the glossolalia -- so interesting when it is actually caught on tape. You feel like you're watching surveillance footage of genuine crazy people -- legit psychopaths -- committing a crime. It's always a word salad filled with vowels -- O, monna-lon-donna vadomma da gata nata!!! O, sha donna la monna ba donna donna doh! Translated: I'm out of my fucking mind, come be crazy with me, bring 20 dollars. Selah! (I think Selah! is evangelical for mic drop.)

 

[Brian63]

That is so simple, so useful, so easy for those of us who want to dupe other people into giving us money. Readers, send me $50 at the behest of Almighty Satan, and She will return the seeds to you 1,000x over. You know this is legit because [jlkagf eoiubz xdbnkwat ghoyu bdzfb pwragsg!!!]. Much appreciated!