Controversial televangelist Marcus Lamb is once again making headlines after dying of COVID-19 following a months-long anti-vaccine campaign in which he shared conspiracy theories about the pandemic.
Lamb, the CEO of Daystar Television Network, one of the nation's largest Christian broadcasters, died Tuesday after having been hospitalized with COVID-19 since November 12.
Lamb was 64, unvaccinated and diabetic, and chose alternative treatments for the disease.
Marcus Lamb's Daystar Television Network promoted both anti-vaccine and #LGBTQ conversion therapy quackery. https://t.co/zPrTGdSRgo
— LGBTQ Nation (@lgbtqnation) November 30, 2021
Long before the pandemic began, Lamb was notorious for his homophobic and transphobic views and promotion of so-called "Gay Conversion Therapy," an abusive practice which purports to "cure" gay people of homosexuality and has been ruled a human rights violation by the United Nations.
Lamb was also frequently embroiled in scandal, including a 2010 extramarital affair that was rumored to be with a transgender person, and his purchase of a private jet with funds from a $3.9 million loan from the Trump Administration's 2020 Paycheck Protection Program meant to aid small businesses at the outset of the pandemic.
But Lamb's more recent notoriety sprang from his televised anti-vaccine crusade during which he featured a "who's who" of anti-vaccine conspiracy theorists.
Hydroxychloroquine promoter Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was featured on Daystar shows, as was Sherry Tenpenny, infamous for claiming the vaccine makes people magnetic, and Ryan Cole, who falsely claimed "thousands of patients" had contracted "stage 3 or 4 cancers" after getting vaccinated.
Cole was also a proponent of treating COVID-19 with Ivermectin, a veterinary anti-parasitic that has not been approved to treat COVID-19 and the use of which has resulted in a handful of deaths. Lamb himself chose Ivermectin to treat his COVID-19 case instead of medically approved treatments.
But his family seems to see no connection, instead blaming Lamb's struggle with COVID-19 on an attack from "the enemy," an evangelical nickname for Satan.
Lamb's son Jonathan made the claim on a November 23 appearance on his father's show Ministry Now.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that this is a spiritual attack from the enemy."
"As much as my parents have gone on here to kind of inform everyone about everything going on to the pandemic and some of the ways to treat COVID — there’s no doubt that the enemy is not happy about that.”
On Twitter, Lamb's death didn't inspire much sympathy.
Marcus Lamb, Christian TV grifter, adulterer and major anti-vaxxhole who used COVID-19 funds to buy a $4 million private jet, is dead from the disease.
“Marcus is now in the presence of his Lord and Savior,” mourns Franklin Graham.
I hope his Lord and Savior is wearing a mask.
— Victor Laszlo (@Impolitics) December 2, 2021
Marcus Lamb: “Lord, please give me a sign. Show me what you think of my ministry telling folks not to get vaccinated in a pandemic.”
God: “OK, if you insist . . .” https://t.co/qwsAn0MVYO
— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) November 30, 2021
Here's an update on the condition of Marcus Lamb, founder of the religious Daystar TV Network, who contracted Covid after two years spent attacking science and vaccines, calling them a sin against God and the work of the Devil.
He's dead.
— Duty To Warn 🔉 (@duty2warn) December 1, 2021
Anti-vaxxer and founder of Daystar televangelist network, Marcus Lamb died of Covid. He had been taking Ivermectin, Hydroxychloroquine, and praying to treat it. VACCINES WORK, not mumbo-jumbo. Get vaccinated.
— Amy Lynn👣🕎❤ (@AmyAThatcher) December 1, 2021
Though Lamb claimed that he and his wife Joni have been taking Ivermectin, Hydroxychloroquine, and vitamins and minerals as a preventative nothing seemed to work. Funny about that. @MrScarce https://t.co/uZrsrIwoJ5
— Crooks and Liars (@crooksandliars) November 26, 2021
He founded the second biggest Christian network in the world.
He used it to crusade against #COVID19 vaccines and to spread unfounded lies to millions of people about the life-saving jab.
Now he has died.
Of COVID. https://t.co/jHtAgBpyym
— David Beard (@dabeard) December 1, 2021
Even though Marcus Lamb wasn’t a radio host (he founded a large Christian television network), he could arguably be added to the growing list of right-wing broadcasters who have died of COVID after using their platforms to spread anti-vaccine/anti-science hysteria. https://t.co/M7WFcQSpX5
— Caroline Orr Bueno, Ph.D (@RVAwonk) November 30, 2021
How many anti-vaxxers dying from Covid (Marcus Lamb is the latest) will it take for other anti-vaxxers to realize they should get vaccinated?
That's a rhetorical question.
They are never going to learn.
— Brian O'Sullivan (@osullivanauthor) December 1, 2021
I am sorry that Marcus Lamb is dead. His death was preventable.
How many people believed the anti-vax garbage on Daystar, bringing them along with him?
4/x
— Sarah Posner (@sarahposner) November 30, 2021
The prayers didn’t work. Neither did the ivermectin or hydroxy. You know what would’ve worked, THE VACCINE. #MarcusLamb Maybe his sheep will take note! https://t.co/IZHvOssnfD
— Amy Aiello Lofgren (@azsweetheart013) December 1, 2021
It doesn't seem likely Lamb's death will change his family's or congregation's minds about the pandemic and vaccines. On the episode of Ministry Now broadcast just hours after Lamb's death, his wife Joni said she and her family "stand by" their endorsement of alternative treatments like Ivermectin.
