Televangelist Ernest Angley has passed on from this mortal plane (the cause of death is currently unknown, 99 is a pretty good run) and while I’m not going to speculate whether the 99-year-old faith healer has gone on to be with the Lord or burning in the pits of Hell, I will say his weekly TV programs were a treasure trove of laughs for me, my family, and our friends. For example, Angley’s program featured him bringing in people who supposedly couldn’t hear with Angley slapping them in the head as he’d say something like “deaf, dumb spirits come out!” Angley would then ask the person to say ‘baby” with the miraculously healed person saying “bay-bee” The best of course was when Angley claimed to heal the sick and the lame. For example, someone would bring their poor friend or relative out on crutches. Angley would slap them, proclaiming “you are healed!” (or some other healing word). Many times the person would fall on their ass, but everyone acted like Angley had performed a true miracle. Every Sunday my brother and I watched Angley’s comedy show and eventually it became known as Ernest Angley’s Disco Temple of Comedy. It didn’t take long for Ernest to get parodiied.

Brother Angley was not without controversy however. According to Ohio newspaper, The Morning Journal:

An investigation by the Akron Beacon Journal in 2014 concluded that Angley controlled congregation members by advising them not to have children, shunning those who left the church and using free labor at his for-profit buffet restaurant and television station.

Angley denied the allegations

That wasn’t all. Christian Headlines’ news of Angley’s passing noted:

In 2017, a restaurant run by the church, Cathedral Buffet, was forced to close after a U.S. District Court ordered Angley to pay $388,000 in back wages and damages to over 200 congregation members who had worked at the restaurant.

While Angley won an appeal, the restaurant never reopened.

Angley’s ministry was your one-stop shop for all your healing needs. For example, a quick perusal of the Ernest Angley Ministries web page led me to the “Blest Cloth” page. What’s the Blest Cloth, you ask, gentle reader? The site describes it as:

In obedience to the Word, Rev. Angley prayed over this cloth and asked the anointing of the Holy Spirit to rest upon it so that when you receive it and put your faith together with his, God’s healing will go into action. It is God’s divine will for you to be in good health; and when you obey His Word, you can expect miracles.

Set your time of deliverance. Then carry the Blest Cloth with you or pin it inside your clothing, and believe that God is getting you well. Claim victory and close your case with full assurance that God is faithful and that what He has promised will come to pass.

Looking at the page, you merely fill in all your pertinent information (no, not your savings account routing number and account number, that’s probably later) so you can get your cloth and likely get bombarded with numerous offers and requests for donations. After all, healing don’t come cheap. It’s either ask the reverend or try Medicare.

I’m sure the thought of a televangelist being anything less than as pure as the driven snow may surprise some people. All I know is that Ernest somehow managed to combine religion with comedy, making for some hilarious moments.

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