Jack Van Impe

[[File:Jack Van Impe.jpg|thumb|right|165px|The end is nigh!]]{{Christianity|1}}
'''Jack Van Impe''' {{lived|1931|2020}} was a televangelist known as the "Walking [[Bible]]."<ref>[https://www.jvim.com/about/scripture-memorization/ Scripture Memorization] at jvim.com.</ref> Van Impe was another in a long line of biblical [[Fundamentalist Christianity|fundamentalists]] who preached that the world would soon end. His syndicated religious program ''Jack Van Impe Presents'', co-hosted by his wife Rexella, was presented as a faux newscast complete with co-host chatter.

Van Impe's ministry publishes ''Intelligence Briefing,'' a newsletter that provides an analysis of current events from the viewpoint of a  fundamentalist [[paranoid]] [[conspiracy]] theorist.<ref>[https://www.jvim.com/category/intelligence-briefing/ Intelligence Briefing] at jvim.com.</ref> This publication uses [[fake news|reputable news]] sources such as [[Breitbart]], [[Russia Today]], and [[World Net Daily]] cross-referenced with [[Bible]] verses that purport to validate Van Impe's apocalyptic worldview.<ref>For example, see the May 2016 [https://www.jvim.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/May-2016-Intelligence-Briefing.pdf Intelligence Briefing,] containing summaries of seven Breitbart articles, three from World Nut Daily, and one from Sputnik News (Russia Today) thrown in for good measure.</ref>

==The end is nigh==
Van Impe had predicted the [[Apocalypse]] on numerous occasions, but as the dates came to pass another miserable failure ensued. He last banked on <strike>the Mayan calendar end times of [[2012 apocalypse|2012]]</strike> a nuclear war with [[Russia]]. Russia was one of his favorite bogeymen, as it fit in with his interpretation of the [[end times]] foretold in the [[Book of Revelation]]. Of course, [[Islam]] and [[China]] also fit nicely with this conspiracy, and every single news event involving any of these subjects was used to demonstrate that his predictions were true.<ref>[https://www.jvim.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/December-2013-Intelligence-Briefing.pdf Intelligence Briefing], December 2013. {{quotebox|I, in 1951 began warning America and Canada that Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39 predicted in verses 1 and 2 of both chapters that Armageddon would occur in the future under the cities named as Gog of Magog [Russia], as the Greeks called the Scythians who populated Russia. The other names Meshech [Moscow], Tubal [Tubalsk, Southwest of Siberia] – where the famous U-2 pilot, Gary Powers, was shot down in 1960.}}</ref><ref>[https://www.jvim.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/2011mayib.pdf Intelligence Briefing, May 2014.] ''Russia ... is preparing for World War III and is building massive weaponry for the battle of Armageddon — Revelation 16:16. So much for the START treaty Mr. President — Ezekiel 38 & 39.''</ref>

Van Impe escaped the [[capital punishment|death sentence]] despite the [[Old Testament]] commanding that prophets whose predictions fail should not live ([[RationalWiki:Annotated Bible/Deuteronomy#Deuteronomy 18:20|Deuteronomy 18:20-22]]). Fortunately for him, the [[United States]] is not a [[The United States as a Christian nation|Christian country]].

==Controversy==
Van Impe once called fellow televangelist [[Pat Robertson]] an “[[Osama bin Laden|Osami [''sic''] bin Laden]]" for calling for the assassination of [[Venezuela]]'s [[Hugo Chavez]].<ref>[http://mediamatters.org/items/200508300007 Televangelist Jack Van Impe called Robertson "an Osami bin Laden"]</ref> He had also accused [[Rick Warren]] and others of blending [[Christianity]] with [[Islam]], thus making... [[Chrislam]]. Van Impe severed his relationship with [[Trinity Broadcasting Network]] (TBN) over their reluctance to rebroadcast this insight.<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/20/van-impe-rick-warren-robert-schuller_n_880741.html Jack Van Impe Leaves TBN After Criticism Of Rick Warren, Robert Schuller]</ref> Naturally, Warren denied it all.<ref>[http://www.christianpost.com/news/pastors-answer-does-rick-warren-endorse-islam-52833/ Rick Warren Does Not Embrace Chrislam, Say Pastors]</ref> Van Impe believed that interfaith activities are somehow connected with [[demon]]ic influences and the [[New World Order]].<ref>[http://www.goddiscussion.com/67352/van-impe-censored-by-the-trinity-broadcasting-network-over-demonic-interfaith-and-apostasy-accusations/?doing_wp_cron=1355237184.6769940853118896484375 Van Impe Censored by the Trinity Broadcasting Network Over 'Demonic Interfaith' and Apostasy Accusations.] {{quotebox|Although Trinity Broadcasting cut Van Impe's segment accusing Warren of apostasy, the Van Impe program is available on YouTube. It begins with Rexella Van Impe implying that "a one world religion" is affiliated with a biblical "new world order" that is a herald of the end times. Tony Blair and Bill Clinton were also accused by the Van Impes of spreading "interfaithism" that is part of this demonic new world order consisting of a world government and a world religion.}}</ref>

After severing ties with TBN, his show then appeared on rival religious broadcaster Daystar Television.<ref>[http://www.daystar.com/shows/jack-van-impe-presents-with-jack-van-impe/ Jack Van Impe Presents with Jack Van Impe]</ref>

Ever the [[stopped clock]], he wrote the book ''Sabotaging the World Church'' to document and criticize intolerance and hyper-fundamentalism among his fellow [[independent Baptist]]s.<ref>Jack Van Impe, ''Sabatoging the World Church.'' June 1991. ISBN 0934803838.</ref>

In 2001, Jack and Rexella Van Impe were "awarded" the [[Ig Nobel Prize]] in Astrophysics "for their discovery that [[black hole]]s fulfill all the technical requirements to be the location of [[Hell]]."<ref>[http://www.improbable.com/ig/winners/#ig2001 The 2001 Ig Nobel Prize Winners]</ref>

==Announcer==
The start and end of the Van Impe broadcasts, as well as the pitches for his latest book or DVD, were by the bass-throated Chuck Ohman, a former trumpeter for Percy B. Crawford's ''Youth on the March'' television broadcasts. Often on the Christmas-themed broadcasts, he performed a religious song on his trumpet.<ref>[http://youtu.be/Z-dxWnBk-kg Chuck Ohman performing ''God Rest Ye Merry gentlemen'' on a Christmas 2008 episode of  ''Jack Van Impe Presents'']</ref>

==Death, and irony==
In one of his last broadcasts, Van Impe made several remarks that he would defend Jesus "until his last breath" and announced a missionary project to travel the world and preach in major cities. Within days of this broadcast, Van Impe, who had many times prior claimed to receive visions of the future from God, died.<ref>Leah MarieAnn Klett, [https://www.christianpost.com/news/the-walking-bible-televangelist-jack-van-impe-dies-at-88.html ‘The Walking Bible’ televangelist Jack Van Impe dies at 88]. Christian Post, 20 January 2020.</ref><ref>Hemant Mehta, [https://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2020/01/19/jack-van-impe-an-apocalyptic-televangelist-has-died/ Jack Van Impe, an Apocalyptic Televangelist, Has Died]. friendlyatheist.patheos.com, 19 January 2020.</ref> Perhaps there is a God after all.

==See also==
*[[Hal Lindsey]]
*[[Harold Camping]]
*[[Rick Wiles]]
*[[List of predictions of the end of the world]]

==External links==
*[https://www.jvim.com/ Official website]
*[http://americanloons.blogspot.com/2013/11/791-jack-van-impe.html Jack Van Impe]'s entry at the [http://americanloons.blogspot.com/ Encyclopedia of American Loons]

==References==
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[[Category:Televangelists]]
[[Category:Prophets]]
[[Category:Conspiracy theorists]]
[[Category:Fundamentalists]]

Categories: Televangelists, Prophets, Conspiracy theorists, Fundamentalists