History Main / GreedyTelevangelist

-- 1 Timothy 6:10]]

* ''Film/LicenceToKill'' has Professor Joe Butcher conduct a televised ministry that's really a communications system for cocaine kingpin Franz Sanchez's distribution network, with donation ammounts indicating how many kilos will be purchased at the given price (the donation amount Joe mentions). It's remarked in-universe that Joe's televangelism is profitable even without the drug angle.

SubTrope of VillainByDefault and CorruptChurch. Compare SinisterMinister and ScamReligion, which often overlaps. Several {{Religion Rant Song}}s that don't rail against God or religion in general are about these kinds of televangelists.

-->''[[CulturePolice Burning records]], [[BookBurning burning books]],''

* Music/RayStevens: "Would Jesus Wear a Rolex" takes some very pointed jabs at the hypocrisy of visibly wealthy televangelists asking their congregations/viewers for money by asking if Jesus would do the things they do after He returns to earth. The implication is very much "No, He would '''not'''".

-->''[[CulturePolice Burning records]], [[BookBurning burning books]],

** One of the criticisms of religion that comes up in "Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk" from ''Music/BroadwayTheHardWay'' is how televangelists tend to manipulate people with religious beliefs into giving them money. The song explicitly mentions Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker as well as Pat Robertson.

In media, televangelists are often portrayed as [[OnlyInItForTheMoney Only In It For The Money]]. Using a large, devoted platform, they promise their followers spiritual rewards, often intangible until the afterlife, while using these funds to line their pockets and live luxuriously. Some such evangelists preach [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosperity_theology "prosperity theology"]] or "prosperity gospel," claiming that followers can achieve more material success from God in return for donations to their ministries. As many religions denounce such frivolous lifestyles, this not only preys upon followers who often have far less income but also rings [[{{Hypocrite}} quite hypocritical]]. People with strongly-held religious beliefs may be particularly susceptible to being taken advantage of like this through appeal to their ideals and authorities, which adds a layer of insidiousness. In some cases, the leaders may even be confirmed to not even ''[[StrawHypocrite believe]]'' what they preach at all, much less practice.

In media, televangelists are often portrayed as [[OnlyInItForTheMoney Only In It For The Money]]. Using a large, devoted platform, they promise their followers spiritual rewards, often intangible until the afterlife, while using these funds to line their pockets and live luxuriously. Some such evangelists preach [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosperity_theology "prosperity theology"]] or "prosperity gospel," claiming that followers can achieve more material success in return for donations to their ministries. As many religions denounce such frivolous lifestyles, this not only preys upon followers who often have far less income but also rings [[{{Hypocrite}} quite hypocritical]]. People with strongly-held religious beliefs may be particularly susceptible to being taken advantage of like this through appeal to their ideals and authorities, which adds a layer of insidiousness. In some cases, the leaders may even be confirmed to not even ''[[StrawHypocrite believe]]'' what they preach at all, much less practice.

In media, televangelists are often portrayed as [[OnlyInItForTheMoney Only In It For The Money]]. Using a large, devoted platform, they promise their followers spiritual rewards, often intangible until the afterlife, while using these funds to line their pockets and live luxuriously. Some such evangelists preach [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosperity_theology "prosperity theology"]] or "prosperity gospel", claiming that followers can achieve more material success in return for donations to their ministries. As many religions denounce such frivolous lifestyles, this not only preys upon followers who often have far less income but also rings [[{{Hypocrite}} quite hypocritical]]. People with strongly-held religious beliefs may be particularly susceptible to being taken advantage of like this through appeal to their ideals and authorities, which adds a layer of insidiousness. In some cases, the leaders may even be confirmed to not even ''[[StrawHypocrite believe]]'' what they preach at all, much less practice.

In media, televangelists are often portrayed as [[OnlyInItForTheMoney Only Being In It For The Money]]. Using a large, devoted platform, they promise their followers spiritual rewards, often intangible until the afterlife, while using these funds to line their pockets and live luxuriously. As many religions denounce such frivolous lifestyles, this not only preys upon followers who often have far less income but also rings [[{{Hypocrite}} quite hypocritical]]. People with strongly-held religious beliefs may be particularly susceptible to being taken advantage of like this through appeal to their ideals and authorities, which adds a layer of insidiousness. In some cases, the leaders may even be confirmed to not even ''[[StrawHypocrite believe]]'' what they preach at all, much less practice.

-->-- '''Music/{{Genesis}}''', "Jesus He Knows Me"

[[quoteright:330: [[Literature/HowToGetRichAsATelevangelistOrAFaithHealer https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/how_to_get_rich.jpg]]]]

A form of TakeThat directed at televangelists. Depictions of religious leaders span a broad spectrum in media, from [[GoodShepherd enthusiastically positive,]] [[SinisterMinister scathingly negative,]] and everywhere in between. However, while in-person congregation leaders are regularly shown as benevolent, the same cannot be said for their congregators.

SubTrope of VillainByDefault and CorruptChurch. Compare SinisterMinister and ScamReligion, which often overlaps. Also often a FakeFaithHealer. Several {{Religion Rant Song}}s that don't rail against God or religion in general are about these kinds of televangelists.

* ''Manga/DeathNote'': Hitoshi Demegawa is a sensationalist media personality whose primary motives are money and influence. After he began publishing Kira's demands to attract ratings, people began to openly worship Kira. He then appoints himself as Kira's spokesperson, hosting ''[[ShowWithinAShow Kira's Kingdom]]'' as a platform, but it soon becomes apparent that Demegawa is primarily acting to make himself rich on Kira's name instead of helping Kira beat the SPK. Demegawa and his hand-picked inner circle are soon dealt with by Light's new [[TheDragon Dragon]], Teru Mikami, once Light gets fed up with him.

* ''Film/LicenceToKill'' has Professor Joe Butcher conduct a televised ministry that's really a communications system for cocaine kingpin Franz Sanchez's distribution network, with donation amounts indicating how many kilos will be purchased at the given price (the donation amount Joe mentions). It's remarked in-universe that Joe's televangelism is profitable even without the drug angle.
* ''Film/OhGod'': The villain of the film is a greedy televangelist who is angry at being called out by the film's protagonist, who is one of God's chosen prophets.

* In ''Literature/TheApocalypseTroll'', the Troll's chief human subordinate is a former one who lost his financial empire after a journalist exposed just how he was spending his donations.
* The ''Bedlam's Bard'' series by Creator/MercedesLackey has Reverend Billy Fairchild, who started out as a fairly sincere traveling preacher until his daughter's literally magical singing voice brought him fame and fortune and it went to his head. His later greed caused his daughter to run away from home and live on the streets just to get away from him, leading the Reverend to fall into a plot of the Unseelie Sidhe while trying to find his cash cow and bring her back.

* Music/IronMaiden has [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPV4jlOlWjA "Holy Smoke"]], from ''No Prayer for the Dying'', a song length TakeThat to the modern day christian clergy[[note]]especially the profit driven megachurches common in the US[[/note]], from the perspective of Jesus, no less.
--> ''Believe in me, send no money\\
I died on the cross and that ain't funny\\
But my so called friends they're making me a joke\\
They missed out what I said like I never spoke\\
They choose what they want to hear, they don't tell a lie\\
They just leave out the truth as they're watching you die\\
They're saving your souls by taking your money\\
Flies around shit, bees around honey''

-->''How much money do you make?\\
How much will you let me take?\\
I can send you tranquility,\\
Just send your welfare checks to me!''

-->Would He wear a pinky ring, would He drive a fancy car?\\
Would His wife wear furs and diamonds, would His dressing room have a star?\\
If He came back tomorrow, there's something I'd like to know\\
Could ya tell me, would Jesus wear a Rolex on His television show?

* Music/FrankZappa: A particular favorite target of his that shows up in several songs:

*** "The Meek Shall Inherit Nothing," from the same album, is more generally about religion being a scam but does reference Billy Graham, churches "taking a cut," and "Jesus Freaks."

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* ''TabletopGame/MageTheAscension'': In the 20th anniversary edition, some [[OmnicidalManiac Nephandi]] use prosperity theology as one of their avenues to power, extorting their followers for money while encouraging those same followers to indulge in selfishness, greed, cruelty and bigotry in the name of God. It's mentioned this actually gives them a competitive advantage over Nephandi who pursue a more traditional ReligionOfEvil, encouraging a lot of the same horrific behavior but with both more public respectability and an added dose of hypocrisy and self-righteousness.

[[folder:Theatre]]
* "As Someday It May Happen" from ''Theatre/TheMikado'' by Creator/GilbertAndSullivan is ListingTheFormsOfDegenerates in [[ListSong song]], with the Lord High Executioner Ko-Ko providing examples of those "who might well be underground, and who never will be missed". There is a tradition of the director, or the singer performing the role, to rewrite the lyrics to add more contemporary malefactors, and "The Televangelist" pops up from time to time, as it perfectly fits both the meter and the rhyme.

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCity'': Pastor Richards is a televangelist whose radio ads promise salvation through building an indestructible Salvation Statue using his followers' money. His appearance on "Pressing Issues", where he preaches that selfishness is a virtue, reveals that he's really using the money for the Salvation Statue to build a mansion in Hawai'i.
* ''VideoGame/{{Warframe}}'' has Nef Anyo, a Corpus 'prophet of profit' whose mannerisms are drawn heavily from a mix of megachurch televangelism and infomercial shilling. His favorite confidence trick is promising "[[GoodFortuneFromGod blessings from the Void]]" if viewers give money to his temple. Most notably, you never meet Nef in person -- he only ever communicates by remote broadcast, particularly in Fortuna where he exploits the downtrodden Solaris people.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* The season one finale of ''WesternAnimation/BlackDynamite'' concerns the return of Reverend Daddy Dynamite, Black Dynamite's long-lost father, and a shamelessly greedy pastor who tells pimps and whores to remove their sins by tithing all their illegal income to him. The [[ItMakesSenseInContext Islamic puppet frog]] That Bastard Kurtis convinces Daddy Dynamite to take his message to the airwaves, promising that if he uses ''The Puppet Show'''s old studios, he could become the wealthiest minister in the whole puppet community. Of course, it's all a plot by Kurtis to [[CycleOfRevenge kill Daddy Dynamite in revenge for Black Dynamite killing his own father]].
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Bordertown}}'': The episode "Megachurch" spotlights Reverend Fantastic, the blatantly incompetent and corrupt head of the local megachurch that the Buckwald family attends. All of the money that goes into the collection plates ends up being spent for his personal use on things like a private jet, and later sets his eyes on Ernesto's church for more money when his usual crowd doesn't "donate" as much as what they used to.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Duckman}}'': The episode "TV or Not to Be" has Mother Mirabelle, a televangelist for the Home Miracle Network, which is openly aimed at a very important demographic; People with disposable income. She and her followers worship a painting of a pair of feet called The Blessed Mother of the Weeping Soles, which she claims causes miracles to happen. When the painting is seemingly stolen, Duckman and Cornfed go to offer their detective services to her in order to find it, but Duckman causes a scene and calls her a fraud on live television. The feed cuts and she threatens them with a group of goons, but upon finding out they're detectives, she takes $20 off them as an apology...and promptly gives them the $20 as the fee for their detective services, effectively hiring them for free. When Cornfed asks about the thousands of dollars she just took from her audience, she says "This imported Italian marble doesn't grow on trees!" In the end, it turns out that she engineered the theft to boost viewership when the painting was returned, and only got Duckman and Cornfed involved so it looked like she was trying to find it.
* ''WesternAnimation/GodTheDevilAndBob'' had this in the [[SeriesEstablishingMoment first episode]], as Bob is tasked with getting the word of God out to the public again, so he approaches one of these with the idea of a call-in show where people share miracles they'd experienced. When the televangelist tries to figure out how to monetize it, Bob clarifies that it'd be free... and is promptly booted to the curb.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Team Homer" plays this trope when Bart and Milhouse try the Magazine/{{Mad}} magazine fold-in to answer the question, "What higher power do TV evangelists worship?". The answer: "[[TheAlmightyDollar The All-Mighty Dollar]]"
* ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'': In "[[Recap/SouthParkS4E10Probably Probably]]", Cartman becomes one of these when the boys start their own church.
[[/folder]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' episode "Team Homer" plays this trope when Bart and Milhouse try the Magazine/{{Mad}} magazine fold-in to answer the question, "What higher power do TV evangelists worship?". The answer: "The All-Mighty Dollar"

SubTrope of VillainByDefault and CorruptChurch. Compare SinisterMinister and ScamReligion, which often overlaps. Several {{Religion Rant Song}}s that don't rail against God or religion in general are about these kinds of televangelists.

* ''Manga/DeathNote'': Hitoshi Demegawa is a sensationalist media personality whose primary motives are money and influence. After he began publishing Kira's demands to attract ratings, people began to openly worship Kira. He then appoints himself as Kira's spokesperson, hosting ''[[ShowWithinAShow Kira's Kingdom]]'' as a platform, but his decision to collect raining money over helping Kira beat the SPK proved his beliefs to be self-serving, and Demegawa and his hand-picked inner circle are soon dealt with by Light's new [[TheDragon Dragon]], Teru Mikami.

* The ''Literature/BedlamsBard'' series has Reverend Billy Fairchild, who started out as a fairly sincere traveling preacher until his daughter's literally magical singing voice brought him fame and fortune and it went to his head. His later greed caused his daughter to run away from home and live on the streets just to get away from him, leading the Reverend to fall into a plot of the Unseelie Sidhe while trying to find his cash cow and bring her back.

-> ''Believe in me, send no money\\

* Music/{{Genesis|Band}}'s ''Music/WeCantDance'': "Jesus He Knows Me" is a song criticizing televangelists for their extravagant lifestyles and hypocrisy. The music video shows the band dressed like famous televangelists living in luxury, while the lyrics show insistence in being right by AppealToAuthority.

Depictions of religious leaders span a broad spectrum in media, from [[GoodShepherd enthusiastically positive,]] [[SinisterMinister scathingly negative,]] and everywhere in between. However, while in-person congregation leaders are regularly shown as benevolent, the same cannot be said for televangelists.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Duckman}}'': The episode "TV or Not to Be" has Mother Mirabelle, a televangelist for the Home Miracle Network, which is openly aimed at a very important demographic; People with disposable income. She and her followers worship a painting of a pair of feet called The Blessed Mother of the Weeping Soles, which she claims causes miracles to happen. When the painting is seemingly stolen, Duckman and Cornfed go to offer their detective services to her in order to find it, but Duckman causes a scene and calls her a fraud on live television. The feed cuts and she threatens them with a group of goons, but upon finding out they're detectives, she takes $20 off them as an apology...and promptly gives them the $20 as the fee for their detective services, effectively hiring them for free. In the end, it turns out that she engineered the theft to boost viewership when the painting was returned, and only got Duckman and Cornfed involved so it looked like she was trying to find it.

* ''Film/LicenceToKill'' has Professor Joe Butcher conduct a televised ministry that's really a communications system for cocaine kingpin Franz Sanchez's distribution network, with donation ammounts indicating how many kilos will be purchased at the given price (the donation amount Joe mentions). It's remarked in-universe that Joe's televangelism is profitable even without the drug angle.

* Music/FrankZappa:

[[quoteright:330:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/how_to_get_rich.jpg]]