The Eyes of Tammy Faye

Hugh downs: Jim and Tammy Faye bakker

were the most famous fe/e vange/isz' couple in america,

and, by far, the most prosperous.

Al Dale: Ken and barb/e of fe/e vange/ism.

And they seemed honest.

R e p 0 rt e r 1: They brought encouragement and hope to lots of people.

Geraldo Rivera: He's the president

of a multi-mi/iion o'o/iar religious organization

called the praise the lord club.

Reporter 2: Ptl also operates heritage I/I//age

in fort mill, south Carolina.

Reporter 3: Christian Disney world

where ptl members can vacation with inspiration.

They are among the best-known figures

in the world of television evangelism.

But tonight they are out of business.

Following the scandal that led

to founder Jim bakker's resignation last week.

There's debate about how much the bakker scandal will hurt

all the television ministries and quiet concern...

Modern warfare among the TV preachers.

In this electronic age, the stakes are high

- with millions of followers... - And recriminations.

And caught up in the fighting are their fellow evangelists

Jimmy swaggart, oral Roberts, Jerry falwell.

Now, about what some people around here are calling "pearly-gate."

Pearly-gate is the story of Jim and Tammy bakker.

It's remarkably like Watergate,

which tainted the name "politician,"

and such an episode is bound to taint the name "preacher."

Reporter 4: The bakkers oou/o'n't even get out of their car.

There were so many people waiting to see them

after three months of seclusion.

Reporter 5: Bus/oao's of tourists,

hoping to get a glimpse of the elusive evangelists,

but they had no better luck than the waiting newspeop/e.

Woman: Okay, I'm gonna start by taking some of this off.

Tammy: Okay.

Woman: Gonna take your foundation off.

Tammy: M'Kay.

Woman: And then we'll start fresh.

Can you take your lips off?

- Okay. - Do you want a little remover?

Oh, no. That's it.

That'll be all. They're permanently lined.

Woman: Oh.

And my eyes are permanently lined and my eyebrows are permanently on,

so there's not a whole lot you can do.

Woman: My goodness,

- I... I didn't know. - Mm.

Have you never done pictures without those eyelashes?

Nope, and I never will

because that's my trademark.

And, you know, if I take that away, then it's not me,

and no one's gonna wanna look at me without my trademark.

So, I hold onto that.

Even if we softened 'em up and kept...

No. No, you can do anything you want,

but my eyelashes stay right where they are.

Woman: That's really you.

Tammy: Mm.

Oh, yeah, this is who I am.

Preacher: I didn't know what the words "glory" or "hallelujah" be

because the devil is all around us!

Oh, yes, he is!

And it's up to you to resist his temptations. Hallelujah!

If you're not saved by Jesus,

you open yourself up to demons

and the devil will make a home in you!

Woman: Glory to god!

When god spoke peace to my heart,

I didn't know how to say glory or hallelujah,

but I got saved!

I leapt upon that altar.

Jesus told me he loved me,

and he will love you.

He speaks through her. Say, "hallelujah!"

Congregation: Hallelujah!

Preacher: She is with the holy spirit right now!

Feel the spirit! Say, "glory.

"Glory to god."

Congregation: Glory to god!

Preacher: You too, sister! Feel the spirit.

Raise your hands up, folks.

Little Tammy: I was here.

Here the whole time.

Little girls go to hell for lying.

Honest and true.

I wanna be saved.

If you let me come in with you, god'd love me like he's supposed to.

There's reasons you can't be seen in church, tam.

Grown-up reasons.

Is it because everyone thinks you're a harlot?

And I come from a time

before Fred made you respectable and stuff.

Only reason they let me back

is 'cause nobody but me can play the piano.

But you remind them I was divorced.

They see you,

all of us is going to be banished.

The souls of all your brothers and sisters

burning in hell because you don't listen and you can't sit still.

Stop performing.

You're going to hell, Tammy.

You don't belong here. You don't belong anywhere.

You're ugly.

You've got a demon inside you.

But I don't wanna go to hell.

If they loved you, they wouldn't leave you here.

They love me.

They love you not.

Jesus, come into my heart

and forgive me my sins.

I don't know what this is everybody's getting,

but if it's real,

then, please, Jesus, give that to me.

Preacher: Amen!

Be strong in the lord and his mighty power.

Put on the armor of god

so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.

For our struggle isn't against flesh and blood,

but against the powers of this dark world!

Casting down imaginations

on every high thing that exalts itself.

- Do you feel love? - Congregation: Yes.

Preacher: You feel it, sister! I know you feel it!

You too, brother?

If you feel the love,

- say, "hallelujah!" - Congregation: Hallelujah!

Preacher: Say, "glory to god!" Congregation: Glory to god!

Preacher: Accept the blood!

Feel love forever!

Congregation: Hallelujah!

Woman: Praise the lord!

Are you ready to accept the love?

Yes.

Tammy Faye!

I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry.

No, Tammy!

Tammy, get up.

He is with us!

- She's peeing herself! Praise god! - Yes!

- Tammy, I said get up. - Woman: Shush now.

This baby is a miracle. Don't you take her from us.

Man: Mr. Bakker?

Jim: Yes, sir?

Thank you.

Um, sorry.

I would like to start with a verse.

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper

"and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth."

That is John 3, verse 2,

and it's written right here in the good book.

He gave me this verse last night.

God, he came right down and he whispered it in my ear.

He said, "Jim bakker,

"I intend for you to thrive,

"to live, and to love

"in this life."

He said it to me.

But us christians,

we've been taught that we're supposed to

expect failure.

When Jesus calls you home,

you think you're going to get a bonus

if you make yourself miserable?

You think if you deny yourself indoor plumbing,

or if you don't have shoes

on your feet...

I'm... I'm sorry.

Go ahead.

You know, heaven, heaven is heaven, that is for sure.

But god's hope for us

is that we live and we thrive and we love here

in the promised land.

Here and now.

Here and now, and in this very, very moment.

Hallelujah!

God does not want us to be poor!

Oh, no!

He will gift the faithful with eternal life,

eternal love, and eternal wealth!

Hallelujah! Praise god! Praise him!

Be right to remember,

"blessed be the poor," Mr. Bakker.

Doesn't sound very blessed to me.

You two are here to learn the ways of the lord through scripture, yeah?

- Yes, sir. - And to spread the word of god.

Oh, yeah. You know, I'm gonna sing the word in every tent, in every church.

You know, god told me that that's what he wants for me.

With makeup on your face?

Man: Ahem. Jezebel.

"I do my best to maintain always

"a blameless conscience,

"both before god and before men."

"A man who keeps company with harlots

"wastes his wealth."

Proverbs 29:3.

"Your stature is like that of a palm

"and your breasts like clusters of fruit.