S2 E25: Televangelism & New Zealand's Flag: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
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- čas přidán 25. 05. 2024
- Season 2, Episode 25, August 16th, 2015. John Oliver challenges US tax law for televsion preachers by opening his own church. Plus, New Zealand holds a flag design contest.
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New Zealander here, so you all know, we spent $26 million on that flag referendum, and we did not change it
Yes time for Australia to change theirs as we had the flag first.
@@kiwihib Technically true in the worst way.
We made ours first - we just didn't have an official flag until the 50's
Personally I prefer the red ensign, red flags rule the waves
That is a spectacularly fun fact. amazing AND hilarious.
thank you for the update on the story!
@@smalltime0 Nah, the NZ flag is older in every single way, made first, adopted first.
I can't believe John is responsible for every terrible thing that has happened since 2015 all because he did not send that dollar back 😔
Thanks John lol
I'm just depressed that the legend James Randi debunked those medium/psychic/faith healer scumbags decades ago and they still con people to this day
I lived in a homeless shelter for a while with an elderly woman that gave so much money to Pat Robertson that she lost her home. Then she went to get help from his church and they refused to help her.
Wow. Already humiliating enough for her to go asking for her own money
Yet there are people out there keeps on questioning why atheism is still a thing.
That is just evil
That’s what they are all about.
Holy shit, that's so fucking sad.
Brilliant. Thank you for posting this---the church shut down in just a few weeks (too many seeds) and all the money went to Doctors Without Borders. Thank you, thank you, thank you. And Praise Be!
The subscription feed has been spammed. The binge-watching marathon has begun. Praise be.
Praise Be!
Be
About 6 episodes in, praise be!
Praise Seed!
Blessed be his name, Hostus Mostus.
I voted for Laser Kiwi. I was sad Laser Kiwi didn't win. I pledge to the Laser Kiwi every time I see it.
Laser Kiwi is Brilliance. Laser Kiwi is Hope. Laser Kiwi is Courage. Laser Kiwi is, forever, sheer AWESOMENESS.
@@Beth-ie Well, to be fair the last one is correct.
28:06 They actually went through the trouble of re-editing the episode to remove the phone number (but forgot to do so in the following episode).
Praise be - this be the most holiest and blessed of all of Pastor John Oliver's weekly sermons. One of my favorite, glad it's available in the channel in its entirety now. Looking forward to seeing the reuploads of the follow-up sketches to this
This be!!!!??? Seriously????
I love the addition of the mustard colored sweater vest to John's outfit. It's a small detail, but it completes the bit.
As an FYI, the Laser Kiwi flag is often cited as the unofficial flag of New Zealand. In fact during the pandemic of 2020 artists who draw satirical artwork for news media drew the laser kiwi using its laser sight to protect the country.
I think this is the first ever episode of Last Week Tonight I encountered which sent me to this rabbit hole, ever since following everything whatever the funny toucan leads us to.
Check out wicki hole pod cast
This episode led to you fucking a rabbit?
While John Oliver is the figurehead of LWT, we must also applauds all his collaborators who are making all this possible, and never imagined to say that of a lawyer.
The church bit was the first John Oliver segment I saw after a teacher mentioned it in class once. There’s a lot of truly terrible news and not much has changed for the better since 2015. But at least John Oliver’s still on, and the Laser Kiwi persists in homages such as the Laser Loon. Amen.
I'm a devout Christian who loved this episode and agree with everything John Oliver said and did. In fact the so-called "Prosperity Gospel" is in direct contradiction to the Bible and what it teaches just in case someone here didn't know that or is about to write a comment slamming John Oliver for being sacrilegious or disrespectful of religion. God bless John Oliver and his work.
I've just got to the part of "the size of your seed determines the size of your harvest" and had to think of the poor widow with her few coins and think "maybe, but definitely not the way you think."
Oh, and the mustard seed, too.
Direct contradiction indeed.
🙄
@@beth12svist True. Another example I was thinking of at the time was how Jesus said that it is "easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than a rich man to enter the kingdom of God".
@@dokskwyr4353 That's one of the most obvious ones, of course. I think I was just particularly struck by the way that phrase demonstrates how they're using biblical imagery but turn it on its head...
@@beth12svist Good point. Another thing that also comes to mind is that Jesus was born into a very poor family. If prosperity was so important to God why did he allow his only begotten son to be born into a dirt poor family. Clearly he considered righteousness more important than wealth.
@@dokskwyr4353 A minister of my acquaintance just shared a rundown on the subject of "Should the church be poor?" and, based on all sorts of biblical passages, concluded "It should, first and foremost, be fair, and readily share its possessions to help those less fortunate." (paraphrase)
That's about it, really.
These episodes ages sooo well. It is insane
Ripping on religion always ages well
@@Spurs577unfortunately, many problems in the world are still caused by religion.
"Lupus you complicated and not especially easy to describe malady, [...] you vex us with your foul Lupus-ness" As someone diagnosed with Lupus in the last year, that's perfectly described. I'm googling weird symptoms + lupus daily. i chipped a tooth earlier, apparently lupus can affect teeth or gums. yeah, it's totally hard to describe and vexing!
Praise be!!
8:00 what i love about the flag is it sticks to all the rules of good flag design while being incredibly silly.
Legendary episode.
This always makes me laugh hysterically on rewatch:
*(Mailing address no longer available)*
"Call one eight hundred [SILENCE] now!"
*(Phone number no longer available)*
For the record, kiwis (the birds, not the humans) are adorable, and also scientifically fascinating. They're ratites, a class of bird that includes ostriches and emus, making them the smallest ratites, a title similar to "the tallest dwarf". They're the only known bird with nostrils at the tip of their beaks instead of up the top just below the eyes, and they lay eggs almost as big as they are. I love them, little feathery dorks.
I misread that as “rarities” and was a bit confused for a few minutes
@@PQRDG Well, they're both. 😊
I do think the people can be adorable too, see Mitch Evans.
This has always been one of my favourite episodes
For profit Churches, for profit Healthcare, for profit Education, for profit Science... this is what unchecked Capitalism looks like. The people with the money make the rules and that is an issue which will NEVER right itself.
What are u a child ? Who do you know that would WORK FOR FREE ? Of course it’s FOR PROFIT world ! NO RIGHTING NEEDED
@@lambodingus6986 Also, you are missing my point. Profit driven healthcare has no interest in making people well, they make more money sick.
Profit driven education makes knowledge and learning only for the elite. Science only for what the investors want explored, again exploration and learning scrapped if it does not make a buck or otherwise benefit the wealthy.
I do not think out of touch rich a$$holes need to be in control of all those things. It makes the world worse, not better.
@@lambodingus6986 There's a bit of a scale between "work for free", "churches that just about break even to be able to pay their ministers a living wage", and "someone flaunting their riches on TV and still asking for more."
@lambodingus6986 where do you get the idea that Non Profit means Work For Free?
@@nolamullen1889 strange don’t see anywhere we’re EVEN CAME close to saying that infact LITERALLY the opposite lol 😂
John - i hope this reaches you. But as the episodes pile up, my only way of effectively scanning for new episodes - is looking at how much gray is in your hair on the thumbnails. Its actually quite effective 😂 Thank you for all the content.
I do the same thing!
Yep
Can confirm
"Plant it DEEEP!"
😅😅😅
All over his face!
Inside his mouth!
My granddad was in his 80s and would give money to these TV preachers. When my dad found out, he talked to granddad and got him to start sending the money to the local church and local organizations so granddad could make sure it's was put to good use. Thank goodness granddad listen.
BTW...closest & biggest town near him had a population of 1,800 people. The nearest city was 1.5 hours away.
New Zealand - Australia's Australia 🤣🤣
All hail our new overlord, Laser Kiwi.
So what I'm hearing is that there are millions of people in the states not taking advantage of this church loophole...
Absolutely true. When I was a fraternity guy back in 2000, some of the guys didn’t want to do the required community service so one guy got ordained online for $99 and wrote everyone off.
Is anyone else binge watching John Oliver??
Is anyone ever not binge watching John Oliver?
That televangelist robert tilton @9:40 is pretty good! most people who claim to speak in tongues just say " Lalalaalalalala Sasasasasasasasaa Lalalalala". but this dude has some fire ass bars.
One thing I’ve always found interesting about speaking in tongues is that they’re actually influenced by your main language. As in the gibberish you speak is not a universal gibberish, but regionally dependent.
@@TheNinthGenerarion right! Ancient languages likely did not have a lot of the same syllables as english
@@TheNinthGenerarionI remember debating this "phenomenon" with a hyperreligious friend at a theology debate brunch almost 20 years ago and I brought up that little tidbit
I actually screamed when "wifey" walked in! ❤😂
Then, after scamming anyone dumb or desperate enough to believe them, they legally don't pay taxes.
Turns out I still have Lupus… didn’t plant deep enough
Seed faith is some kind of unbelievable. But those charlatans have tapped into quite a system.
Creflo Dollar is the most Tim and Eric name I've ever heard that wasnt in an actual Tim and Eric skit
One of my favorite videos nice to have the full episode on here too. Waiting on the Multi-Level Marketing full episode.
Love it!!!
Thank you, John.
The irony of actual Gospel singers coming out at the end!
I wonder what they thought about the show?
The "Church". Collecting free money on a weekly basis and never reporting actual numbers to the IRS. I need a G650.
I don't think they were actual gospel singers, I think they were probably Session musicians, backup singers and Broadway/Off-Broadway singers.
Hallelujah brother
Greed is a sin, but their pride prevents them from seeing their own greed. Oh, and pride is also a sin.
Funny how often people forget that.
I love this! Halleluja!!! haha
In florida, you can't pay for lotto with a credit card, but you can pay these thieves with credit cards, and they get it tax-free.
This episode was so goated
The LAZER Kiwi flag is truly the most iconic design, and it was created by a trans woman!
Who knew Frankenstein hablad the ol' espanol?
Priceless!!!
This episode should be required watching for all the congregants of mega churches before they are allowed their 501c3 tax exempt statuses.
this was a fun episode
I remember the televangelism segment. Praise be!
Australia's Australia .. is a pretty funny pun.
Who all was waiting for this episode?
A fool and their money are easily parted
Oh man, when John bought all the wax presidents and filmed the Oscar-nominated-adjacent short film with Harding was so amazing! Classic LWT (:
By today's standards and prices, if the top 15% of churches paid 15% in taxes on their earnings: Every child in the United States would have free and healthy lunches at school and we would pay off all current student debt in less than 3 years. That includes the accumulated student debt added in those 3 years. After the 5th year, we would be making money to send 67% of the U.S. population to college while also paying for their lunches while they were children. But why do we not do this? Because........ "reasons". **cough cough** republicans
No, no, there are fewer stars on the New Zealand flag so it’s also less ostentatious. Also, New Zealand’s flag represents a country full of NZers so it’s automatically a marked improvement ;-)
Praise Be!
I'm so happy I dont have Lupus anymore
Shout-out to the Hearts of Iron IV mod that gives New Zealand its one true flag.
If you haven't watched the series The Righteous Gemstones, your life isn't complete :D
Praise be!
When one person suffers from a delusion, it is called insanity. When many people suffer from a delusion it is called religion”
The USA systems need to be reformed so badly.
Agreed
Ah, the church. The institution that has survived having the search labels #Daycare and #Doggystyle simultaneously.
The Cuba Controversy: never saw that coming 😅
John you thank
I fucking love John Oliver !
Another Kiwi here. It was about our outgoing prime minister trying to brand us as a corporation
As someone who speaks actual Spanish I think that John Kerry made a honest effor speaking Spanish. Shame on you John Oliver.
Just wish they could do this with The Colbert Report, the best inaccessible show
Praise be
The story of Robert T. alone is a sign of how bad religion is, how toxic it is, and why it needs to be eliminated
Fun fact: if you leave US currency in an air-tight container too long, it will smell SO BAD, some banks won't even accept it.... so much for burying your money 🤷
Minnesota just did a similar flag redesign program and picked the blandest most generic submission, even though someone sent in a bitchin' laser loon.
Wealth is a sign of god's favor... So make sure you give it all to MEEE💵💵💵💵
RE: Churches, never trust a beggar with financial advice.
PRAISE BE!!!!!
I'm in the wrong business.
22:20 That whole thing is clearly bonkers, but it plays on the "legitimacy" of ritualism that people are taught to believe in. Stories are full of rituals, including/especially fantasy stories involving magic, even when magic is supposedly separate from divinity. You have to say words and make motions in specific patterns because that's what you're "supposed to do." And it's probably supposed to be in Latin (that's not to say Asiatic cultures use Latin in their rituals, obviously, but there's typically a particular language associated with "high" ritual).
The legitimacy of ritualism is culturally ingrained through religion and religious people. That's how people get so easily duped. Belief in the supernatural is a toe in the door, but ritualism is like ripping the door off the hinges and putting a neon "welcome" sign over the portal. People are led to believe that doing things in a particular way legitimizes their desires and guarantees or at least increases the chances of achieving their outcomes. In fact, if you don't get your outcome you're made to believe that it's because you did something wrong, or you didn't fully believe in it. Ritualism is dangerous, but it's not super common without religion.
lol the farting preacher
This is way every Christian needs to read the Bible for them self. It will make you immune to "false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”
Most atheists I’ve met (including myself) have read the Bible. There’s a definite correlation.
Kenneth Copeland has a CZcams channel and the comment sections are baffling and terrifying.
The Aotearoa flag replacement reminds me of the time the state of Georgia did the same.
A lot of colonizers thought the thing is a waste of time.
PRAISE BE, MAH WANDA!! Sent y’all my seed (way back when 😉)!
I have been hyping the 'Loon with laser beam eyes' flag design that was an entry for Minnesota's new flag, and now I find it it was just taken from New Zealand. Everything in my life is a lie.
Kiwi here. The board put forward by the (conservative) government at the time to judge the flag entries, contained zero artists. Rather, it was made up of famous sport players, coaches and businessmen. ‘Red Peak’ was by far the favourite amongst anyone under 40
nice
Praise seed!
John, as you may know, as far as money laundering goes, there’s no money cleaner than that which has been “warshed” in the blood of the lamb. (:
Warren G
OG Baby Daddy
9:03 Kiwi Fonz gets my vote
I remember my school talked about this and didn't tell us about the laser kiwi flag...new zealand has fallen
WHY didn't the producers give that guy describing Warren G Harding's affair a pair of Barbie dolls??
TOTAL FAIL, on the part of that news outlet. SHAME.
Very tempting..... Hmmm...
I remember the original phone number….and I’m only 19….am I getting old already?
From 2015 to 2024 & NZ has still not changed their flag.
Evrything aside. His spannish was good though.
Soon as I heard public flag contest ; Buttflag !! #Coolcoolcool #6seasonsandamovie
Rachel Dratch might actually be the funniest woman on the planet.