On Sunday’s episode of Last Week Tonight, John Oliver set his sights on the shady world of televangelism. Here, he breaks down the concept known as “Prosperity Gospel” which seems to enable preachers like Atlanta’s Creflo Dollar to purchase a Gulfstream jet worth $65 million.
In a response to the ridiculous nature of evangelists urging followers — especially those in debt — to make donations and leave things up to faith and God, Oliver took things one step further and legally formed his own church: Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption. Teaming with Sister Wanda Jo Oliver (Rachel Dratch), the host urged viewers to chip in to his new congregation.
Per the official website, the church’s mission statement goes as follows:
“When John Oliver found out that Robert Tilton, Kenneth Copeland, and other pastors of their ilk have been taking advantage of the open-ended IRS definition of ‘church’ and procuring a litany of tax breaks, he founded the Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption Church, a tax-exempt organization you certainly can’t say is not a church.”
Brilliant.