Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Scandal-plagued preacher Jim Bakker, who built a television empire with ex-wife Tammy Faye, dies at 86
Daily Mail ^ | Published: 23:48 EDT, 5 October 2026 | Updated: 02:34 EDT, 6 October 2026 | By JACK TOLEDO

Posted on 10/06/2026 3:20:16 AM PDT by Ezekiel

Controversial televangelist Jim Bakker, who built a Christian television empire, died Monday at the age of 86.

'It is with a broken heart that I share that my beloved husband, Jim Bakker, went home to be with the Lord this evening,' his wife, Lori Bakker, wrote.

Lori said Bakker's final moments were filled with faith after he devoted 66 years of his life to preaching the gospel.

Bakker was best known for hosting The PTL Club, short for The Praise the Lord Club, a popular Christian television show that aired from the 1970s through the late 1980s, as well as developing Heritage USA, the now-defunct Christian theme park.

>>>

Bakker's cause of death had not been revealed at the time of this report.

He is survived by his wife, his two children from his first marriage, Tammy Sue Chapman and Jamie Bakker, and five children the couple adopted in 2002: Maricella, Lori, Clarissa, Marie and Ricky Bakker.

(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.com ...


TOPICS: Religion; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: heritageusa; jimbakker; ptl; ptlclub; tammyfaye
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-54 next last

1 posted on 10/06/2026 3:20:17 AM PDT by Ezekiel
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Ezekiel

Con man, right to the end.


2 posted on 10/06/2026 3:28:34 AM PDT by Jonty30 (Male simping and female promiscuity is the same thing. Resources without reciprocation.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jonty30

He lived a life that served a mission; to show the world how not to be


3 posted on 10/06/2026 3:49:23 AM PDT by AppyPappy (They don't call you a Nazi because they think you are one. They do it to justify violence. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Ezekiel
Bakker was best known for hosting The PTL Club

Oh please. No...he wasn't.

4 posted on 10/06/2026 3:51:49 AM PDT by Bloody Sam Roberts (Perfection is impossible. But if you pursue perfection you may achieve excellence - - Vince Lombardi)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ezekiel
Who didn't have one of these shirts? LOL


5 posted on 10/06/2026 3:56:23 AM PDT by Tell It Right (1 Thessalonians 5:21 -- Put everything to the test, hold fast to that which is true.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ezekiel

Sam Kinison was right about him.


6 posted on 10/06/2026 4:05:11 AM PDT by FLT-bird
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ezekiel

Wonder how Satan is treating him... It’s a win win for Bakker. Satan won’t let Tammy in due to toxic makeup and the possibility of a chemical reaction to the heat.


7 posted on 10/06/2026 4:11:01 AM PDT by maddog55 (The only thing systemic in America is the left's hatred of it!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ezekiel

When I was in the Army & serving in West Germany in the late seventies, a fellow lieutenant told me the story of how his parents were taken in/scammed by Jim & Tammy Faye. His parents lived in NC and my friend was away at college. He went home one weekend to find his folks had sold the house and moved to the PTL HQ to devote all their worldly possessions to Jim & Tammy. I can’t imagine the sense of betrayal he felt.


8 posted on 10/06/2026 4:54:37 AM PDT by T-Bird45 (It feels like the seventies, and it shouldn't. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ezekiel

Satellite - Hooters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVXjBMK3EkI


9 posted on 10/06/2026 4:58:49 AM PDT by posterchild
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jonty30

Jim and Tammy, Oral Roberts and Jimmy Swaggart were what the late comedian Sam Kinison referred to as “God’s Special-Ed squad”. He had a good solid 20 minutes of material on these snake oil salesmen.

CC


10 posted on 10/06/2026 5:08:48 AM PDT by Celtic Conservative (Heghlu'meH QaQ jajvam!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Ezekiel

A certain part of me hopes that Tammy Faye was waiting at the gates to give Jim a swift kick in the crotch with a pair of those heels she used to wear. :P


11 posted on 10/06/2026 5:17:49 AM PDT by Kriggerel ("All great truths are hard and bitter, but lies... are sweeter than wild honey" (Ragnar Redbeard))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Tell It Right

Me. Never had one.


12 posted on 10/06/2026 5:26:20 AM PDT by RetiredArmy (The Bible speaks truth! Don't believe it, you do so at your own peril. You'd better be right!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Kriggerel

He was a fag, Jim.


13 posted on 10/06/2026 5:28:23 AM PDT by dfwgator ("I am Charlie Kirk!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: dfwgator

“...He was a fag, Jim...”

And Tammy-Faye was a pillhead. More reason for her to give him that swift kick. :P


14 posted on 10/06/2026 5:33:41 AM PDT by Kriggerel ("All great truths are hard and bitter, but lies... are sweeter than wild honey" (Ragnar Redbeard))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Ezekiel; Apple Pan Dowdy; Big Red Badger; boatbums; bonfire; Bulwyf; BDParrish; CityCenter; ...
Decades ago, there was a tall man named Jimmy Baker in the Baptist church I was then part of, thank God, who had been converted due to a member, Frank, leaving "Chick tracts (note I do not sanction all he offers) at the machine shop when before left the first shift. Next day they were all gone, so he figured they were thrown away by the clean up man (the shop did try to prevent this evangelization, but since other workers left obscene printouts then the union prevailed in his defense).

One day during a shift change, Frank offered a tract to Mr. Baker, who said he had already read one, and invited him to look in his tool box, which was full of them. So Frank asked him if he had made a decision for Christ, to which Jimmy replied Yes. Frank asked when, and Baker said "Every time I read one."

But the story does not end there. Jimmy was raised Catholic, and began going back to Mass, and appreciated Biblical aspects, but soon realized something was amiss and began going to the Baptist church.

However, while Jimmy was growing in faith his wife was not a believer, and did not want to be one, and they had already a rocky marriage (with two children) in the past. One day (IIRC), she told him "I'm going to get a a fifth of whiskey and when I get back you had better not be here." She left and Jimmy got on his knees and prayed something like, "Lord, I told you that I would follow you no matter what," and asked Him to intercede regarding his wife.

Well, she came home, put the bottle of whiskey on a table, and said, "Now what was it that you were trying to tell me?" The short of it was that she (Laurie) became a believer. Some time later Jimmy Baker (one "k") became the church treasurer, and was also challenged to tithe (whether you believe this is Biblical or not, giving out of faith is and God rewards such). Finances were tight as they were, and he calculated that even 10% giving would leave them no money for food.

However, despite his wife's reluctance they proceeded to do so. After about a year he reported that they not only met all their bills, but their children were in Christian school, and he had the best job ever and they had plenty of food, thanks and glory to be God.

Fast forward over 30 years, Jimmy is one of the many pastors in the fairly large evangelical church I attend (and loves to talk). However, last that I know, his wife left the Lord and marriage, for whom he is burdened and prays for.

15 posted on 10/06/2026 5:56:10 AM PDT by daniel1212 (Turn 2 the Lord Jesus who saves damned+destitute sinners on His acct, believe, b baptized+follow HIM)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kriggerel

No comment from Jessica Hahn? I’d like to see how she looks today.

“I enjoyed posing nude. It made me feel closer to God.”
-Jessica Hahn


16 posted on 10/06/2026 5:58:26 AM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: daniel1212

I find that tithers usually have a story about God becoming like their employee after they tithe.


17 posted on 10/06/2026 6:05:55 AM PDT by AppyPappy (They don't call you a Nazi because they think you are one. They do it to justify violence. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: daniel1212

That was a great read.

I hope she reverses course and gets back with God, and her husband.


18 posted on 10/06/2026 6:13:29 AM PDT by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Ezekiel

He’s the one that had gay sex with staff at the tv station if memory serves correct. Even after that all his followers still sent him big $$ till his last breath. He is in hell, that’s not a judgement, but a fact.


19 posted on 10/06/2026 6:18:23 AM PDT by Battlestar (1776 - Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: AppyPappy

Yep. That’s not how it works. We don’t get money and success in return for tithing. Often much the opposite. But most people seem to think God is a slot machine or something. Sad.


20 posted on 10/06/2026 6:22:19 AM PDT by Battlestar (1776 - Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-20, 21-40, 41-54 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson