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| I mocked televangelist Jan Crouch for her, um, amazing hair and makeup, but to me she was also a tragic figure. She died recently at age 78. |
Jan Crouch was the subject of my February, 2012 post: "The Televangelist With The, Um, Amazing Hair," in which I contemplated the remarkable structure, if you can call it that, of her hair and wigs.
We learned this morning that Crouch died of a massive stroke at the age of 78.
I guess it's a requirement that female televangelists have elaborate makeup and hair. Crouch's makeup, by the way, was as amazing as her hair.
Another requirement in third rate cable televangelism TV, Crouch became mired in infighting, lawsuits and allegations of criminal activity.
Crouch was the co-founder of Trinity Broadcasting, which pushed what is to me a very scammy sort of televangelism. Basically: Give all your money to me, and God will then reward you with material riches.
Though I'm not a Bible expert, I don't think that's the gist of the Holy Book, but what do I know?
I know it's mean of me to kick round Jan Crouch when she's just passed away. It's true I didn't respect her.
However, I felt a bit sorry for her when I wrote that post about her hair in 2012 and I feel sorry for her now.
She seemed obsessed with gaudy, showy moneyed ickiness. I wonder if she was at all spiritual, and in her quest for money, did she miss out on what really matters in life.
At the end, she was estranged from much of her family, due to the infighting. Her grandchildren wrote pleading messages to her, saying that they loved her, but the grandchildren were kept away from her, due to the fighting and lawsuits about all the money the "ministry" raked in.
Jan Crouch's wigs were certainly works of art, of sorts. The artful beauty of love and compassion and just experience life as a human being seemed to elude her.
Which makes this subject of my mockery also a tragic cautionary tale.
