As Jackie Gleason so correctly pointed out, "When churches needs money, preachers ask the people for it. When the people need money, the preachers tell them to ask God."

Televangelists: Providing Atheists with ammo for decades.

Watching in December 2023 and STILL RELEVANT.

Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption! A classic parody! John Oliver's shows are the only ones that I watch over and over and over again.

This actually almost made me cry. My own mother believes in this and for years I've been trying to talk some sense into her which has put a permanent stain in our relationship. These people are horrible.

The Bible, I kid you not, details a time when Jesus literally flipped a table in anger over stuff similar to this.

The UK has a series of laws around churches, it's called the "Public good" test. you have to prove that you do ACTUAL not for profit work. For example, there's no disputing the Salvation Army does charitable work, hence the tax exempt status. The Church of Scientology is taxed, because they operate like an MLM, and don't do anything "not for profit." If the IRS finally got their shit together and crack down on these crooks there'd be a whole rank of people in Club Fed. Could even be an Evangelists' Wing of a prison.

The saddest part of this well-researched episode is that the people who need to hear it most probably can’t afford HBO or are too conservative to ever watch it.

Jesus... "Leave your material belongings and follow me" Televangelists... "We accept all major credit cards"

This takes "we could make a religion out of this" to a whole new level.

Celebrating the long overdue passing of Pat Robertson with this classic! 🥳 If Christian heaven is real, at least he isn’t there!!

Iceland 🇮🇸 outlawed Televangelists. We should, too!

When my grandmother died, we began getting threatening collection calls. They were saying my grandmother was not paying her $1000 a month pledge. We learned she had given her life savings to these clowns, and we also owed thousands to the old folks home and hospital and funeral expenses. This 100 year old woman was not competent at the time, but we never recovered a cent of the $200,000 that this criminal trash had stolen.

"The size of your seed will determine the size of your harvest" That's not how plants work

When he introduced Wanda Jo Oliver and I saw it was Rachel Dratch, all I could think of is how much she made me laugh with Debbie Downer, especially when they were at Disney World. That sketch is priceless.

This guy is awesome. He helped me to understand all that well functioning scam machinery set by televangelism... Some robbers have way more honor than those...

"We've seen midgets grow". Uhmmmmm, those are called children.

It's worth noting that if you google Televangelist, this is the first result.

I'm a Christian. Not only is this hilarious it is on point. Bravo.

Watched this for the first time in August 2023 and its ever so relevant😂😂

"Wealth is a sign of god's favour" Ah, yes. I remember Jesus saying that rich people get easily into Heaven. Sure.

2020, this episode never gets old.

I went to a church where the 'offerings' etc were supposed to be put into certain envelopes, with your name, amount, date etc. One of the 'pastors' got angry and told us all off because people had been putting empty envelopes in the bucket/whatever, with no names etc on, so he didn't know who these very naughty people were! 🤣😄😉 This happened just before I left the organization, and I must say, it was quite entertaining, to see him upset and so frustrated! 😂😄😉⚠️⚠️⚠️🌟😉😄🤣

“There’s a sucker born every minute.” -PT Barnum

For someone who has Lupus and grew up in church, this hit on such a level. I had so many people lay hands on me after I was diagnosed in high school and it jaded the hell out of me. Also these type of preachers are EVERYWHERE and they are bastards.

God, that tax lawyer must have had fun with this lmao

My father revealed to me today he follows the word of Kenneth Copeland. I cried for him today. He's 70 years old and doesn't understand he's being taken advantage of.

In Kenya right now, we are facing a church-related massacre where a pastor told his followers to fast to death so that they could meet their god. So far, 133 bodies have been exhumed from the land where the pastor used to bury them, and the process is not over. Hope people in our country saw this video 8 years ago.

Well this story hits home, my dad started following an evangelist and instead of receiving treatment for his prostate cancer he went to one of this guy's services and had him place his "healing hands" on him for a cure. With medical treatment he had a 90% chance of living but you can guess how far prayer got him, it got him buried. I'm still furious about it 7 years later.

When I found out my mom was actually sending money to Kenneth Copeland I immediately became the only person in the house that checked the mail. She never personally received another letter from them. We never could figure out why... 🤔😇

When I was seven years old, I always wondered how our Pastor could afford to have a new car every year?

Just to update everyone. “Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption” was closed because multiple people sent sperm. Wish I was lying

Reading the closure statement on the website was also hilarious. "We have still, miraculously, not broken any laws by promising you untold riches in return for sending us money. We’re also not closing down because you all kept sending us actual seeds, even though we explicitly told you not to. We’re closing because multiple people sent us sperm through the mail. And when someone sends you jizz through the mail, it’s time to stop whatever you’re doing."

Ah yes, as Jesus famously said: "get to heaven by buying a private jet, see you there bestie ❤️"

Now that is a good suit. The grey with the nice blue tones, if John Oliver had blue eyes, the tie would really bring them out. AND it works with the beige vest that he puts on at the end? Amazing. It makes sure that John doesn’t disappear into the background, but also isn’t too bold that he becomes the center of attention. 11/10

Rachel Dratch as Wanda Jo was absolutely brilliant. 😂

The most ironic thing about the things these preachers preach is that there is *literally* a parable in the Bible about a guy who *literally* buried his money in the actual ground and what did he get out of it? Nothing! He got kicked out of the house. :|

Jesus... "Leave your material belongings and follow me" Televangelists... "Leave your material belongings with me"

This is an actual man of God. Bless you John Oliver! All hail the Lady of Perpetual Exemption!!

I have seen the light! Bless you Brother John!

How has this show not got an Emmy yet ?

I called the number, I am not disappointed

😂 Absolutely love this episode 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Excellent roast & point 👍🏻

I have found a wonderful person to watch! Thank you! You are great! I love your view on things!

2020 happened because John Oliver didn't send the dollar back.

"He loves you and he needs MONEY! he's all powerful, all knowing, all loving, Just can't handle money" - Gorge Carlin

Without a doubt, one of my favorite of his programs. Haven’t laughed😂so hard in awhile

I wish he'd do a programme on $cientology.

"act happy over my blessings, folks" is possibly the most narcissistic and insufferable sentence that has ever been spoken. I'm definitely using it from now on

Wow this was 8 years ago and im just getting into John Oliver, great writing!

That philosophy that extreme wealth is a result of moral living is funny, reminds me of good old Calvinism, which kind of boiled down to “your fate is predetermined, f*ck the poor and unfortunate, because they’re clearly destined to be evil”

I actually have lupus and, believe me, I would throat punch any televangelist who says this. Most people with chronic debilitating illnesses live in poverty because they can no longer work or afford the medical help they need and become desperate to be well. Preying on the desperate is unconscionable.

Okay, that cancer bit made me really mad. I was diagnosed with a rare form of ovarian cancer at the end of last year. For the first few months of 2020, I went through an awful regime of chemotherapy which, even tho it’s over, is still affecting my hands and cognitive abilities. So knowing that someone tried to turn the horror and fear that goes with facing a cancer diagnosis into monetary profit, preying on someone so vulnerable, makes me immensely mad.

Ironically an ad for a collection of last week tonight recordings was on the screen as this episode ended. Classic!

Love this all the way from Australia. Wish I was there in the audience.

"My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves." - Jesus

4:56 I love how in the Bible it actually says the exact opposite. A parable talked about how the mustard seed is so tiny but grows into a giant tree.

I feel I learn a lot every single time I watch John Oliver show

This was hilarious and sadly too accurate!! Also, I love Wanda Jo! 🤣

This was the first segment of John Oliver I ever watched. Years later, still so good

Anyone else think that Copeland guy straight up looks like he could play the devil in a movie???

It is always John saying (@16:25), *"And lo, another box was ticked!"* that always makes me pass out laughing!!! 😂😅😆🤣😅😂😆

This is this the best episode ever!

Anyone remember that South Park episode with televangelists asking people to donate a spaceship to bring the Africans back to Earth so they don't reach Marklar?

Wow. I touched the screen when they told me to and guess what, I don’t have lupus. Whether or not I had lupus before doesn’t matter, but I don’t have lupus.

Best episode of Last Week Tonight.

And this is why I love John Oliver!😂❤

John Stewart may be gone, but Mr Oliver is a master at unmasking hypocrisy. Well done

A friend of mine actually sent a dollar in the mail to John Oliver's church back in the day. She got back a letter which among other things included a paper with (allegedly) the outline of John Oliver's buttocks, with the text "Sit on this and think about what you've done!", and a notification that he forwarded the dollar donation to Doctors Without Borders.

Once again you prove that learning can be entertaining

here again because Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption is today's featured WIkipedia article

I may not be religious, but didn't Jesus drive people like this out of a temple with a makeshift whip made of rose stems?

My grandmother had Alzheimer's and after it was obvious it was getting worse the whole family went for a visit to grandma's. My mom and her sister had the uncomfortable conversation about her not living alone anymore. While we were there they discovered that she had lost thousands on a crap-ton of things like over 100 magazine subscriptions, many of which had as many as half a dozen copies of the same magazine. She had also lost a ton on donations to some preacher who they later discovered had promised to cure my grandmother with prayer, a tactic which worked because my grandmother apparently knew she was getting worse and was desperate to get help. Anyway, they quickly realized that many of these people knew full well that my grandmother had dementia when they took advantage of her. But the really crazy part was when my mom was on the phone with somebody from the preacher. She was canceling the monthly "donations" when she suddenly gasped and started crying. I was too young at the time to know what was happening, just that my mom was crying when my dad went over and talked to her. Then suddenly he was angrier than I'd ever seen him, grabbed the phone, and unleashed a torrent of profanity that was positively shocking. Years later I heard from my mom that when she tried canceling the payments the preacher or their representative had told her that if she did god would punish her with the same disease and that she "wouldn't even recognize her kids." When she told my dad he went absolutely apeshit on that person, to the point where they tried to file a police complaint after my dad threatened to track them down and do some things to them that were...anatomically unlikely.

The foot one was gold. Lol. Thanks Last Week Tonight!

Dear Lord … I have found church … My seeds are the most valuable things I own … bless you brother John … it is all clear to me now …

It says on the website that all donations are being given to Doctors Without Borders, if you were wondering!

Bible: “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5) Televangelists: But Private Jets

Jerry Falwell for sure. My family member was one of the pilots of that Citation business jet he had. Lots and lots of personal trips all the time.

The best thing that happened involving Robert Tilton is the classic "Farting Preacher"/"Pastor Gas" videos.

I tried to convince my Mom that the evangelist she watches on TV, and sends money to, was caught driving a Ferrari, but she did not believe me; Her own son. She thought the show I had watched was lying.

Came back to rewatch after 6 years and the ending bit is still one of the BEST endings the show has ever had. Rachel Dratch is ungodly hilarious.

This one is a true classic!

Brilliant! And your writers and crew must be top-notch. 😂

His guilty conscience jumped out and he was like “I DON’T MAKE THIS STUFF UP!”

I was laughing about all those idiots, but you stops and realize that this is actually really really sad that these people are allowed to do that

Saw Reverend Ike in college. Got thrown out when we couldn't stop laughing. Tax law should eliminate all church exemptions.

I was a victim of some of those preachers in Metairie, Louisiana. They instructed me to give money for tithing to gain god's favor. After a few weeks, I was asked to talk with one of the head preachers on a Saturday. They had not received my tithing yet (church members had to write a check, or put 10% of their income into an envelope, write their names then sign on the back of the envelope) I told him that I had been giving my tithing money to charity. He shook his head and then told me that if I wanted to gain god's favor, I would have to give my tithing to the church before donating any of it to charity. My heart sunk.

How can you, in good conscience, ask for people's last dime?

I think "praise loopholes and their beloved loopiness" will be my senior quote

BRILLIANT EPISODE

5 years later this has aged very well

Interestingly enough, Kenneth Copeland was also claiming that he could heal coronavirus. They just keep getting worse.

I'm sure you'll soar at Amazon, Erika 🦅🎉 I was actually just thinking this was the day to watch Elf, and your vlog confirms it 👍🏼... Mr. Newhart was a good lurk behind your Christmas Tree and I'm gonna hunt down an Advent today when I go shopping (already 5 days behind)🎄😄🎅💙

Call the number. It's pretty damn funny.

We need a cross over episode with the vulgar squirrel, so he can whip out a check and say "Eat shit, Bob!"

I hereby renounce my atheism! John Oliver has shown me the light brothers and sisters! Praise loopholes! Praise tax exemptions! Praise tax lawyers! Join "Our Lady Of Perpetual Exemption"!

Direct your good energy and "ID" nature, combined with your will power & pure spirit, which is the essence of who you truly are, to a positive & higher vibrational level of existence. And, you will then know exactly, why you are here & what your authentic, original & true purpose is as a loving human being.

No matter how bad my day was....this video alway made it better...😂😂

years later still the words “I’ve seen midgets grow” still Makes me laugh out loud so hard that I I have to take a break afterwards… 5/5 idiocy 10/5 comic value

5:15 excuse me what? Size of the seed determines the size of the crop? I am not a catholic anymore but I remember a passage saying how a tiny mustard seed can grow into a giant tree. And the focus was how small the mustard seed was