Marcus Lamb, whose Christian television network spread unfounded and inaccurate information about COVID-19, died Nov. 30 after contracting the virus.
Lamb served as CEO of Daystar Television Network, which, Religion News Service (RNS) reported, aired several programs featuring vaccine deniers such as Robert Kennedy Jr. Shows on the network also promoted the use of hydroxychloroquine, which has been shown to be ineffective against the virus.
Lamb, 64, also hosted programs on the network. During one broadcast, he urged people to do their own research about COVID vaccines and told the audience, “Why are we doing this? Because God loves people and we love people.”
Lamb added, “And let me tell you something: God has made us body, soul and spirit. He’s concerned about the whole person, and so are we. And you know that the devil can take people out before they fulfill destiny and purpose, that’s what he wants to do because he hates God. So the only way he could get back at God is trying to attack God’s children.”
NBC News reported that In July 2020, Lamb ran an hour-long program attacking “censorship” around COVID issues and highlighting the views of America’s Frontline Doctors, a fringe anti-vaccination group. The Washington Post reported that Daystar’s website included a section titled “Vaccines: The Unauthorized Truth,” which asserted that vaccines are “the most dangerous thing your child could face in life.”
When Lamb fell ill in November, his family members blamed the sickness on Satan.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that this is a spiritual attack from the enemy,” Lamb’s son Jonathan said on the air Nov. 23. “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. And he’s doing everything he can to take down my Dad.”
RNS reported that Lamb and his family tried to treat the virus with alternative treatments, but they didn’t work.
Daystar is the second-largest Christian television network in the world. In December 2020, the network came under scrutiny after media reports that Lamb had received $3.9 million under the federal Paycheck Protection Program, part of which was used to buy a luxury jet. The network later paid back the money.
