Robert Tilton

In the August 16th, 2015 episode, Televangelists, Oliver focused on prosperity gospel preachers who tell viewers that giving money to the church will bring them financial or physical rewards.

After skewering numerous televangelists, including Robert Tilton, John suddenly found a new calling.

I had a word of knowledge for someone that's really been seeking God, you have, for a particular purpose or decision in your life.

And that is when I realized the message Robert Tilton was sending me was that I should set up my own church to test the legal and financial limits of what religious entities are able to do.

[cheering] We filed paperwork last week establishing a church called Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption.

He appointed himself Mega Reverend and, along with his fictitious wife, told viewers to sow a seed by sending him money.

... what is it now?

Yeah, that, and that building was Robert Tilton's TV studio originally.

[laughs] We destroyed the fireplace.

Really?

Yeah, yeah.

So the activities of Bakker, Swaggart, Robertson, Morris Cerullo, and Robert Tilton, and others eventually led to change in broadcasting laws.

Mm-hmm.

So, yeah, they couldn't out- come out and outright beg for money or threaten you with God.

So a lot of idiots-

[laughs]

... were like, "Oh my God." Like Robert Tilton, my introduction to him, late night I come home half lit and I...

Who the fuck is this f-

There's also been some other scammers out there.

Let's not forget Robert Tilton.

[laughs] Remember Robert Tilton? The Dallas televangelist who would peek.

That guy was...

He was popped.

Well, $3 million from that time period is approximately $24 million today And this is why these people like Kenneth Copeland, and Jesse Duplantis, and Oral Roberts, and, um, um, Rod Parsley, and Mike Murdock, why do all these charismatic preachers do this? Because there is a lot of money in it.

At the height of his TV ministry back in the 1990s, Robert Tilton had a program called Success in Life, and he would make between $20 and $40 million per month.

That's how much money that these people are able to take in.

He will minister.

Um, and when people have no spiritual discernment, it leads me to wonder, are they actually saved? Why don't they have the Holy Spirit inside them warning them about obvious fakers like the people that I'm showing you today? And keep in mind, there's dozens and dozens and dozens of these people.

I could show you clips for the next 10 hours, but I'm trying to show you clips of people who have had the largest influence over other people.

One of the very first people to make a killing On television with their phony ministry was a man by the name of Robert Tilton, and he was so over-the-top phony.

You would have to say to yourself that this guy, I mean, he would be perfect for a TV show like Saturday Night Live.

You know, Jimmy Swaggart was a good man at some time.

Robert Tilton and his-

Early on.

Tilton?