Oral Roberts Dies At Age 91

[derby378]

Source: KTUL NewsChannel 8 (Tulsa)

NewsChannel 8 has learned that evangelist Oral Roberts has died.

Roberts died Tuesday, a day after he was hospitalized following a fall at his California home. He was 91 years old.

"Oral Roberts was the greatest man of God I've ever known," said Oral's son, Richard Roberts. “A modern-day apostle of the healing ministry, an author, educator, evangelist, prophet, and innovator, he was the only man of his generation to build a worldwide ministry, an accredited university, and a medical school."

Read more: http://www.ktul.com/news/stories/1209/687732.html

[name not needed]

1. I wonder if he's got a brother named Anal

[bemildred]

7. Anal, Genital, and Manual.

It's a big family.

[name not needed]

I hear Genital is really taking it hard

[bemildred]

29. I really feel that we have gone into this far enough.

It's time to withdraw.

[xxqqqzme]

35. That is the funniest thing I have ever read

posted @ DU. (Where's that 'We're not worthy' smilie) I choked on my pineapple yogurt!

[LostinRed]

44. Seriously

I haven't LOL-ed literally at a post in a long time.

[alp227]

72. C'mon, let's be mature for a time being

Whoever's idea for toilet humor about this man - whose name just happens to spark some people's dirty minds - came too early. I think his parents named him that because they thought that their son would be a powerful preacher, right?

Then again, during the controversy over Bill Clinton's sexcapade with that White House intern, you'd be shocked to know what came out of Roberts's mouth.

[iamjoy]

78. You Mean His Oral Statments?

What were Oral's oral statements on the Lewinsky affair?

[name not needed]

89. You're right. I guess I did come too early.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

97. From Wonkette:

Best headline nominee: "Jesus prepares to receive Oral."

[The Stranger]

55. What about cousins?

Vaginal, Penile, and Nasal?

[Arugula Latte]

60. You guys are being disrespectful, blasphemous, inappropriate and crude.

In other words, you've made me a fan!

:D :applause:

[tonysam]

116. I suppose he liked his middle name of "Oral" better than the first name

of "Granville." I don't think he would have wanted to be called "Granny."

[Archae]

2. He didn't get that money, and got "called home?"

[WI_DEM]

3. God really called him home this time?

[classof56]

19. Maybe we'd better wait three days just to be sure...

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[superconnected]

4. Never really liked the guy, but RIP anyway.

[MNDemNY]

5. Another "fisher of men" gone! Good ridance.

[ipfilter]

6. Rumor is....the large statue of praying hands were originally open

until someone dropped a quarter into them.

[valerief]

34. Dammit, that made my day!!!

:rofl:

[hippywife]

69. From someone who sees those often.

they are the Giant Clapping Hands. ;)

[Archae]

8. First Foulwell, now Roberts.

Next up, Robthemsome.

[ipfilter]

12. Then Robert Jiltthem.

[leftyladyfrommo]

9. Isn't he the one with the son that was stealing money from the school?

There was some kind of big hoopla not too long ago.

I used to love Oral Roberts when I was young. He had a TV show that my brother and I watched faithfully. We loved it when he put his hands on people's head and pushed so hard they could hardly stand up. Then he would yell "Heal, Heal" and they would fall over backward.

That was way before he got so famous and had the big school. It would have been in the 50's.

[derby378]

16. From the Wikipedia page on ORU

In October 2007 a lawsuit was filed in Tulsa County by three former professors who claimed to have been wrongfully terminated. They also alleged university president Richard Roberts misused university assets and illegally ordered the university to participate in Republican candidate Randi Miller's political campaign for Tulsa mayor. This occurred while the tax-exempt university was working lawfully with the Republican National Committee on out-of-state projects as part of a long-standing, pre-approved curriculum which had been in place for several years. Other allegations against Roberts include claims he used university funds to pay for his daughter's trip to the Bahamas by providing the university jet and billing other costs to the school, maintains a stable of horses on campus and at university expense for the exclusive use of his children, regularly summons university and ministry staff to the Roberts house to do his daughters’ homework, has remodeled his house at university expense 11 times in the past 14 years, allowed the university to be billed both for damage done by his daughters to university-owned golf carts and for video-taped vandalism caused by one of his minor daughters, later alleged to be Chloe Roberts (along with benefiting from school property she allegedly stole during the same incident, even after he was informed) and acquired a red Mercedes convertible and a white Lexus SUV for his wife Lindsay through ministry donors.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oral_Roberts_University

[leftyladyfrommo]

17. I think he got fired. n/t

[Javaman]

114. his daughters sound like morons* twin mutants. nt

[MineralMan]

10. 91 is a long life.

Rejoin the chemistry of the earth, Oral. Eventually, the atoms in your body will be distributed over the entire planet. That's your eternity.

[olegramps]

111. I hope there is a purifying cycle.

[superduperfarleft]

11. I love when god bans a troll n/t

[Deep13]

13. Only the good die young. nt

[brooklynite]

14. Hurry! If you contribute right now, he might come back!

[kestrel91316]

15. Oh, now there's a tragedy for you.

[SirRevolutionary]

18. I thought he was waiting for the rapture?

Couldn't heal himself this time?

[Goldstein1984]

20. All I can come up with is:

Here lies Oral Roberts;
Spent his life producing converts.
In one hand a bible,
In the other a basket;
He made the world better,
When he entered the casket.

[superconnected]

26. I enjoyed that!

[rasputin1952]

28. Hey...That's pretty good...

:D

[Arugula Latte]

64. Mine:

He was a preacher, a ranter and a yeller
The stupid wanted snake oil; he was the seller

"Gawd'll call me home!" he began to wail
The conned sent him fortunes through U.S. mail

But put no more money in his cup
Charlatan Oral has finally shut up.

[Goldstein1984]

74. Nice

I think you captured his essence.

[marasinghe]

83. in reverent homage to you & A-L

educator, author, evangelist, prophet;
never met a follower he couldn’t turn to profit.
modern-day apostle of the ancient fiddle,
master of the art of the supernatural diddle.
patron saint of stupid, he channeled elmer fudd;
now he's gone to his heaven under six feet of mud.

[Goldstein1984]

85. They keep getting better!

But you have had more time.

[marasinghe]

94. true on the time. and modesty aside, i really do think your original was best; with AL a close 2nd.

cheers! if that's not too crass a greeting, in the context of this wake.
:toast:

keep up the good work; your reward will be of the spirit.
:+

[Ian David]

21. I hope he found out that D.C. passed Marriage Equality before Satan called him home. n/t

[old mark]

22. About fucking time. nt

[Roland99]

46. No shit. Too bad he didn't take that charlatan douchebag Robertson with him.

[old mark]

86. Yeah - in some sexually oriented mutual suicide pact.

Preferably with heavy drug involvement.
Men of God.
:puke:

mark

[Ian David]

23. I have a dollar on six days three hours, 14 minutes before the first bastard child emerges. n/t

[derby378]

31. Somehow, I have a feeling there won't be one

I mean, look at Oral, his ego, and his temper. There aren't that many women who are able to put up with that for a long time.

His ex-daughter-in-law, Patti Roberts, said that Oral had trouble getting close to anybody. He often treated his own family members as though they were employees. As far as I know, Oral never mistreated Evelyn or cheated on her, but she no doubt had to put up with a lot of shit from him over the years.

[ipfilter]

36. There are a lot of women in fundie land who would

love to sleep with a "man of god" like Oral. Those churches are full of women who believe they are "unequally yoked" with their backsliden husbands and the pastors prey on them. I actually saw this behavior firsthand in a small Pentecostal church in Enid, Oklahoma where Oral Roberts himself was a pastor before I was born.

[Ian David]

38. How long before you were born was he pastor there?

(ducking for cover)

[ipfilter]

40. Hah, I see what you did there.

I was born in a different city fwiw.

[Ian David]

41. Oh, good. Then I'm still in the running to win the pool. Whew. n/t

[marasinghe]

65. see your dollar & raise you a dollar - on it being a b/j (oral that is). (n/t)

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[undeterred]

25. The good, they die young.

[valerief]

32. Ha!

:rofl:

[JNelson6563]

27. Must've missed that fundraising goal

so bible-god whacked him.

At least we can all take comfort in the fact that ol' Oral no doubt had the best health care money can buy.

Julie

[Ian David]

30. Oral Roberts is Dead

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=McHyLKw5mHc

[valerief]

33. Hope he took a fan with him where he's going. nt

[mulsh]

37. My great-uncle lived down the street from Oral in the late 50s &

early 60's. His last name was also Roberts - they were not related. He loathed Oral. Oral hated when kids in the neighborhood would play near his house My G-U got lots of pleasure organizing the neighborhood kid to play football, baseball, what ever in front of "that sleazy sob's house". O I have a memories of a couple of times when Oral came out to yell at usand my great Uncle yelling very unchristian and impolite things back at him.

[SirRevolutionary]

39. I wonder if they'll play some of his sermons at his wake

Cenk laughing kills me http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61_rPgitFmc

:puke: :rofl:

[VaYallaDawg]

42. When I was a kid (back in the 40s) he came thru the little

hicktown in N. Fla. (1 mile from the GA line) where we lived - in the biggest Cadillac anybody had ever seen there. The back-fence gossip for weeks was that he had sacks full of money in the trunk of that car.

[ipfilter]

43. That's how he built his little empire in Tulsa, Ok.

He used to have a TV show on Sunday morning where he would literally cry for money. It was sickening.

[mike_c]

45. good riddance....

eom

[Yuugal]

47. Oh well, more oxygen for me! nt

[5thGenDemocrat]

48. Grandmothers' Social Security checks everywhere are a little safer today

And I had no idea that Oral Roberts University (aka "Six Flags Over Jesus") was accredited.
John
I'm getting atheistic in my old age but I'd submit that my cousin, the principal of a small Lutheran elementary school in Arizona, does more Christ-like good in a day than this fraud did in his entire life.

[Don Draper]

49. Do you think he will be shocked to find out God isn't a Republican?

I don't want to judge, but if he makes it to heaven, I doubt he will find Jerry Falwell there.

[Arugula Latte]

56. Or maybe he'll be shocked to find out God just ... isn't.

Unfortunately, there probably won't be that Simpsonian moment of "D'oh! -- It was all Crapola!"

[moonbatmax]

58. No, but...

I'm sure he'll find Jerry Falwell.

[sasquatch]

50. Vaya al Daiblo, fascista

[bookworm65t]

51. I thought he was already dead

Must have mistaken him for another TV preacher.

[Ishoutandscream2]

112. I did, too

Thought he had been dead for some ten years or so. I guess because I haven't been hearing much from him like in earlier days.

[penndragon69]

52. Good riddence!

May he rot in hell for all eternity!

[tonysam]

53. I used to watch his tent shows on television years and years ago

He was always a charlatan, but I never thought he was the worst of them; after all, he was largely apolitical.

A better article is from Tulsa World. About the City of Faith fiasco:


In 1977, Roberts told his partners that God had told him to build a medical complex that would merge “the healing streams of prayer and medicine.” Construction of the $150 million City of Faith complex began in 1978.

Although Roberts had encountered controversy before, this project stirred intense debate and proved to be one of the biggest financial burdens on his ministry. During the construction, when donations were down, Roberts said he saw a vision of a 900-foot-tall Jesus lifting up the City of Faith complex and saying, “I told you that I would speak to your partners and through them, I would build it!”

A $25 million debt forced the closing of the City of Faith and its medical school in September 1989.


More

[moonbatmax]

59. I actually got to visit this place...

back while it was still pretending to be a medical center.

I remember a few things about the visit, but the two that really stood out
were my mom's amused observation of the dead bugs floating in the River of Life,
and the Healing Springs, closed for repairs (guess they hadn't quite healed yet).

[Joe Bacon]

110. Yeah and I remember the place was CASH ONLY

my idiot aunt sent a nice five figure chunk of change to that crook while he was building his so-called hospital. I remember all too well that liar saying that once the complex was finished, GOd was going to reveal the cure for cancer to him in his secret prayer language.

Well, he lied about that too, but my idiot aunt still funneled the cash to that ass.

[Dennis Donovan]

68. I did a large part of my flight training at Jones/Riverside Airport across the river...

...from the City of Faith. When I still had my downy feathers, it was rather disconcerting to fly in the pattern with that skyscraper seemingly so close I could touch it.

On a related note, my ex-wife worked for the Tulsa Trib before it went belly-up, and was planning to write an unflattering story about ORU. When she brought it up to the city editor, he squelched it and she was fired the very next day.

Oral OWNED Tulsa...:eyes:

[hippywife]

73. And I've heard stories from them that was there

about all the "partners" who showed up as soon as it was built to camp in the parking lot expecting to receive free medical treatment, which they never received. Don't ya just wonder, when that many people are "misled", what they were actually promised in the pitch?

[tonysam]

87. Many years ago an insider named Jerry Sholes wrote a book

about Oral Roberts and his ministry called "Give Me That Prime Time Religion." I have that book, which was published around the time the City of Faith complex was being built. He wrote of his concerns about it because there was already a problem with too many empty hospital beds in the Tulsa area and was concerned whether it would survive. His concerns were right, as were his concerns about the ability of Oral's surviving son Richard (the other son committed suicide, as I recall, and one daughter died in a plane crash) to take over the ministry. As we know, Richard and his second wife Lindsay were involved in scandal a couple of years back.

[hippywife]

88. Yeah, I know that very well.

I'll have to check into that book. :hi:

[tonysam]

90. If you can't find it in a local library, Amazon.com's used book sellers

have it available.

I use that a lot for out of print books.

[hippywife]

91. I just checked our library (Tulsa).

They have two copies. One's on hold and the other is for library use only. I have found out-of-print books at Amazon before, too. Can be a handy resource.

[Vidar]

54. Good riddance.to an evil misuser of religion.

[NuttyFluffers]

57. Safety Dance time! "We can dance if we want to, we can leave your friends behind...

Cause your friends don't dance and if they don't dance
Well they're no friends of mine

I say, we can go where we want to, A place where they will never find
And we can act like we come from out of this world
Leave the real one far behind,
and we can dance"

:bounce: :party: :headbang:

[PeaceNikki]

61. Best headline nominee: "Jesus prepares to receive Oral."

:D

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

98. I actually underestimated yout chutzpah.

And for that, I am truly sorry.

[PeaceNikki]

99. I've posted that thrice here on DU today.

My chutzpah overfloweth. :P

[vinylsolution]

62. He'd been undead for years....

... just like his buddy Falwell.

[Javaman]

115. Zombie Roberts. LOL nt

[NecklyTyler]

63. That is a plus

[TrogL]

66. I still have nightmares about him

So here's a kewl link somebody sent me:

The Oral Roberts sex tapes - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKM2p8NLv1w

On a more serious note, I grieve that, along with Jerry Falwell, he never found Christ.

[Ian David]

77. OMG! This is seriously disturbing. Just posted it on Twitter. n/t

[Arugula Latte]

100. Did he check under the couch cushions?

:shrug:

[Xenotime]

113. That's creepy! Was he really preaching that?

[thelordofhell]

67. I've got the wooden stake handy

Just in case

[alp227]

70. Roberts died in Newport Beach...home of shows exhibiting Satanic Hollywood values

According to the NYTimes obit. Y'know, the primetime teen drama The O.C. and the MTV reality show Newport Harbor. I say that Roberts's family sue the production companies of those shows for contributing to Oral's death as well as the denigration of society.

Naw, just playin'. Still my condolences go to his family for their loss, even if I disagree with Oral's religious/political views. And the Orange County coast is a heavily Republican area in contrast to the inland region.

[seeinfweggos]

71. as the old saying goes, only the good die young

[Solly Mack]

75. It took a while but I guess that 900 foot Jesus finally got him

[jobycom]

76. Condolences to the grieving. nt

[Liberal Veteran]

79. Jerry Falwell is reaching up to welcome Oral Roberts to his reward.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

80. He was truly a true conservative!

Oh well - we can take comfort in the fact that Fundamentally Oral Bill lives on!

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_c9lOTZ1T8XQ/SwtAXEkdKCI/AAAAAAAAADw/FIfooHpid3w/s1600/Tales+Too+Ticklish+to+Tell+01.jpg

[amandabeech]

92. Do I ever miss Bloom County.

Tomorrow I decorate my tree and put out the Bill the Cat and Opus on a sled ornament. It's one of my favorites.

[RedSock]

81. one less money-hungry bigot - eff off oral (eom)

[sofa king]

82. Off to see the 900 ft. Jesus.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

84. That was about forty years overdue...

Rot in hell, you sanctimonious prick.

[amandabeech]

93. I thought that he'd leave this earth by ascending to heaven from the Prayer Tower at ORU.

This was an ordinary death.

How can that possibly be explained?

:sarcasm:


Edit: that's ORU not OSU. Of course, for a Michigan fan, it's hard to tell which university is the most evil.

I wonder if Oral will find Woodie Hayes wherever he ends up.

[rateyes]

95. Thank God. I needed some good news.

[unkachuck]

96. "He was 91 years old."....

....once again, this conclusively proves, the good die young....

"A modern-day apostle of the healing ministry,..."

....nah, more like a witch-doctor in a suit....

[YOY]

101. I'll really only cheer when that 700 Club Bastard dies...

This one sucked but no where near the level...

[Thor_MN]

102. Well, if you can't say anything nice

[grahmhatch]

103. The perfect eulogy for Oral Bobs

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/8ea0067ad2/dylan-rhymer-oral-roberts-and-televangelists



This pretty much sums up my feelings about this man and his contribution to our world.

[New Dawn]

104. Good riddance.

[krispos42]

105. It sounds like the evangelican '80s were far to close to "Bloom County" for comfort

Damn, the Reagan years sucked.

[alp227]

106. Another part of Oral's legacy: That university!

Some wingnuts who've graduated from Oral Roberts University, which is located in Tulsa, Okla.:
- Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), I think we must know how her constituency feels about her!
- Michael Graham, Boston talk radio host...conservatives + talk radio = a big stinking cloud of noise pollution. He's also a columnist for The Boston Herald and has written several books too (including a Clinton-bashing book, Clinton & Me: How Eight Years of a Pants-Free President Changed My Nation, My Family and My Life, in 2001)
- Kelly Wright, reporter for...Fox News Channel

And then of course, those who spread the Word of God, like:
- Kenneth Copeland
- Ted Haggard, who came to much public attention for pimping with men despite preaching against homosexuality
- Ron Luce, founder of Teen Mania Ministries

Athletes:
- Keith Lockhart, second baseman and third baseman for San Diego Padres (1994), Kansas City Royals (1995-1996), Atlanta Braves (1997-2002), and San Diego Padres (2003)
- Keith Miller, midfielder for New York Mets (1987-1991) and Kansas City Royals (1992-1995)
- Mike Moore, pitcher for Seattle Mariners (1982–1988), Oakland Athletics (1989–1992), and Detroit Tigers (1993–1995). 1989 was his year; the A's won the World Series that year (despite the earthquake), and he was an All-Star.
- Haywoode Workman, current NBA referee and former point guard for Atlanta Hawks (1990), Washington Bullets (1990–1991), Indiana Pacers (1993–1996), Milwaukee Bucks (1999–2000), and Toronto Raptors (2000)
- Bob Zupcic, outfielder for the Boston Red Sox (1991-1994), Chicago White Sox (part of 1994 after trade), minor league teams (1994-1997)

Entertainers:
- Kathie Lee Gifford, former co-host of Live with Regis and Kathie Lee and current host of the fourth hour of NBC's Today show, which presents itself as a women's lifestyle show.
- Ryan Tedder, lead singer of pop/rock band OneRepublic; he graduated in 2001 with a BA in public relations/advertising. That's why OneRepublic has been popular, I guess. OneRepublic's hits include "Apologize", "Stop and Stare", and "Come Home".

Source:
Wikipedia, which cites sources for each person in question

[Manifestor_of_Light]

107. Friend of mine threatened to sue Oral Roberts University.

They wouldn't admit handicapped students.

This guy is a lawyer in Tulsa, and happens to be blind himself.
Threatened to sue them if they didn't change their policies.
They would have lost Federal funding if they hadn't changed, so they went for the money.

I also am a friend of a friend of someone who had the DISTINCT HONOR of being kicked out of Oral Roberts University for .......SMOKING ON CAMPUS!!.....horrors!! :D

[joshcryer]

108. Oral Roberts joke my mom told me yesterday:

This elderly couple is watching one of those television preachers
on TV one night. The preacher faces the camera, and announces, "My
friends, I'd like to share my healing powers with everyone watching
this program. Place one hand on top of your TV & the other hand on
the part of your body which ails you and I will heal you."
The old woman has been having terrible stomach problems, so she
places one hand on the television, and her other hand on her stomach.
Meanwhile, her husband approaches the television, placing one hand
on top of the TV and his other hand on his groin.
With a frown his wife says, "Ernest, he's talking about healing the
sick, not raising the dead."

(Found it online, my mom tells it better.)

[guitar man]

118. LOL

good one! :rofl:

[Harry Monroe]

109. Act now!! We must raise $30 million in 30 days or God will send Roberts back!!

God has finaly "called" the huckster, charlatan and false "profit" Oral Roberts "home" and has said that we must raise $30 million in 30 days or He will send Roberts back. Operators are standing by and I'll be in my prayer tower if you need me!!

[jgraz]

117. I momentarily renounce atheism to pray that Oral Roberts is burning in hell.

Ok.. I'm back.