John Oliver goes after Televangelists, starts his own church

Whether it’s how our criminal justice system puts low-level weed dealers away for life, how we waste almost half of all the food we produce while a third of the planet struggles with malnourishment, or how soccer’s worldwide governing body is an unabashed organized crime syndicate, John Oliver has been ruining perfectly nice Sunday evenings since his show hit the air two years ago. Part of that gospel relies on something known as “seed faith”, which is the act of placing your money in the church, hoping that it will bring you greater rewards later. Televangelist Gloria Copeland, for example, suggested that rather than undergoing chemotherapy, going to church and donating money would be a better way to get healed.

Oliver was clear he was not criticizing all religion, just televangelists who use people’s faith to take their money and create their own massive, personal wealth. Kenneth Copeland called the jet a “preaching machine” and then used it to go hunting with his son.

To back up that anger, the host then announced that he had spent the past seven months corresponding with the church of Robert Tilton, one of the prosperity gospel’s most vocal proponents. Specifically, he formed, Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption. And he has even less love for all of it being tax-free. The couple basically asked for money from viewers, which can be donated through Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption’s website and the toll-free number 1-800-THIS-IS-LEGAL, both of which actually exist.

With a little help from Sister Wanda Jo Oliver, played by former Saturday Night Live star Rachel Dratch, Oliver’s church will collect copious donations while encouraging congregants to silently meditate on the nature of fraudulent churches.