Ohio evangelist promises "miraculous" AIDS cure to Lesotho's poor

An American evangelical franchise is plastering posters around the poorest areas of Lesotho, promising "miraculous" cures for AIDS. Headed by Ohio-based preacher Ernest Angley, the flyers effectively equate "salvation" with medical treatment, which is much harder to come by for Africa's poor. Not such a rare thing, but it's interesting to see it documented by Paul, a blogger/aid worker in Lesotho:

This kind of thing isn't generally that destructive in the United States. The preacher claims to cure your cancer, you go see your doctor the next day, take a few tests, and you can verify the claim. If the miracle is a fake, nothing is lost.

But in Maseru, people have more faith, and the word of an American preacher may be as good as the word of a doctor. Especially when the preacher says you are healed, and the doctor's solution is to prescribe you medicine for the rest of your life.

So if Mr. P___ goes to see Mr. Angley, and hears that he is healed, maybe he will believe. Maybe he will believe, and, in an act of faith, stop taking his medicine. Maybe he will get sick three weeks later, and get tested again, discovering that he still has HIV. Except during his three week hiatus from the medicine, the HIV has developed resistance. And now he has HIV, and thanks to Mr. Angley, the meds no longer work.

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Reader comment: Les Jenkins says,

Seems this charlatan has been at this for quite some time now. One example I came across was an online recreation of a Penthouse article titled "The God Biz" By James A. Haught from December 1980 (Link, alternate link) that talks about about Mr. Angley and his miraculous healing powers. There's probably quite a bit more out there, but after the first three or four articles I came across I couldn't stomach looking at any more. Damned shame he's taking his nonsense to other countries now.

Reader Comment: Steve A.

If you've never seen Ernest Angley in action, you're missing out. Of course the only downside is there are some sad souls out there who buy into his crap. I haven't caught him lately, but when I lived in Chicago you could see Angley's show on the UHF channels. Very entertaining. In fact, I believe Robin Williams used to use him as the basis for his televangelist schtick.

Reader Comment: Gordon Morrison:

I went to high school in Ohio near the home of Ernest Angley ministries. He bought a cathedral that belonged to previously disgraced (financial scandal) televangelist Rex Humbard. Link. It went from being called Rex's erection to being called Ernest's erection so I guess he got the naming rights too...

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