# Oral Roberts dies **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 15, 2009, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406 "2009-12-15T21:36:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406/21 "2009-12-15T22:48:08Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I note with interest that here we have an MPSIMS thread about a recent celebrity death, most of the comments appear to be negative, and there is no mod-smacking in evidence. > > Yet when Ted Kennedy died, there was mod smacking for negativity. Ted Kennedy was a liberal. Oral Roberts was a religious conservative. Hmmmmmm. Ted Kennedy wasn’t a con artist. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406/22 "2009-12-15T22:51:30Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I note with interest that here we have an MPSIMS thread about a recent celebrity death, most of the comments appear to be negative, and there is no mod-smacking in evidence. > > Yet when Ted Kennedy died, there was mod smacking for negativity. Ted Kennedy was a liberal. Oral Roberts was a religious conservative. Hmmmmmm. And I caught an enormous amount of shit for trying to impose my preference that the conversation remain civil – apparently, there’s no expectation that it be so. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406/23 "2009-12-15T22:55:09Z")
I didn’t realize he was still alive, not that I follow the comings and goings of televangelists. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406/24 "2009-12-15T23:00:40Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > And I caught an enormous amount of shit for trying to impose my preference that the conversation remain civil – apparently, there’s no expectation that it be so. You are listed as a moderator, are you not? If you decide one has to drown somebody in order to have civil conversation about one’s death, you can make it so. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406/25 "2009-12-15T23:10:41Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I note with interest that here we have an MPSIMS thread about a recent celebrity death, most of the comments appear to be negative, and there is no mod-smacking in evidence. > > Yet when Ted Kennedy died, there was mod smacking for negativity. Ted Kennedy was a liberal. Oral Roberts was a religious conservative. Hmmmmmm. It’s an opinion. If you wish to lionize the guy, feel free. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406/26 "2009-12-15T23:29:34Z")
> [@MoodIndigo1](#): > > Ted Kennedy wasn’t a con artist. Maybe not, but he was a murderer. Or at least a vehicular manslaughterer. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406/27 "2009-12-15T23:31:06Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > It’s an opinion. If you wish to lionize the guy, feel free. Not gonna. I think Oral Roberts was an asshole. Just want to be sure conservatives have a level playing field. ---
**Author:** ![lexi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lexi/32/6806_2.png) [@lexi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lexi)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406/28 "2009-12-15T23:37:03Z")
Ted Kennedy caused suffering to the friends & family of one person via his incident, Oral affected the lives of thousand through providing false hope for “healing” and through financial hardship for many others… I don’t see this as left or right, I am sure just as many people on the right know Oral was a huckster. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406/29 "2009-12-15T23:46:08Z")
My grandmother sent small amounts of money to him for many years. She could not afford it. When I pointed out how well Roberts lived ,she muttered something about gods will. ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406/30 "2009-12-15T23:58:10Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Maybe not, but he was a murderer. Or at least a vehicular manslaughterer. So was Laura Bush. When she dies, I’m sure it will come up. I can’t believe you are trying to compare Ted Kennedy, a senator who made a mistake when he was younger, (a mistake his constituents seemed to be able to forgive him for) and a man who’s only goal in life was to use a holy book and its teachings to make as much money as humanly possible. Oral Roberts deserves an eternity in hell, forever washing the smalls of all the old ladies he swindled. Since I’m an atheist, I know he’s just slowly rotting in the ground. Too bad, by my account. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2009, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406/31 "2009-12-15T23:58:54Z")
Oral BELIEVED. I met him (grew up in Tulsa, my father did some business with him, my brother is an ORU graduate). I don’t consider him a con man because IMHO he believed in his mission. He loved the University, and providing a hard core Christian education (and at times a decent basketball and baseball team). He funded medical missionaries for years (paid for medical school if you would serve in Africa afterwards while preaching). I don’t agree with him, I never sent him money, and I come not to praise but to bury, yadda yadda yadda. However, there was another side to his work beyond the mansion and air conditioned dog house. The university and the mission work was good work, even if built on the backs of donations from those who should not be writing checks. Then again, when we moved my wife’s grandmother into a home, we found many a thank you letter from politicians, pseudo charities, and others thanks to her multitude of checks. Oral’s operation was just one in a long line of people who get checks from the elderly. Richard Roberts, on the other hand, is an idiot. I also never got the same feeling from him that I did from Oral (OK - that sentence is going to come back to haunt me - go ahead). ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406/32 "2009-12-16T00:02:05Z")
> [@yanceylebeef](#): > > So was Laura Bush. > > When she dies, I’m sure it will come up. > > I can’t believe you are trying to compare Ted Kennedy, a senator who made a mistake when he was younger, (a mistake his constituents seemed to be able to forgive him for) and a man who’s only goal in life was to use a holy book and its teachings to make as much money as humanly possible. I’m not. I just don’t want to see any whining or mod smacking when the next liberal dies, and conservatives post negative comments in MPSIMS. Fair is fair. ---
**Author:** ![yanceylebeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yanceylebeef/32/12290_2.png) [@yanceylebeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yanceylebeef)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406/33 "2009-12-16T00:09:18Z")
“Fair is Fair”? What are you, eight? You are not going to have much fun in life constantly trying to tit for tat everything that you think isn’t “fair” Welcome to the internets. This xkcd [cartoon](http://xkcd.com/386/) seems fitting… ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406/34 "2009-12-16T00:18:14Z")
> [@elmwood](#): > > Off-topic, but a serious question: what kind of name is _Oral_? Comanche Indian. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406/35 "2009-12-16T00:20:10Z")
Are any of the televangelists taking up a collection to try to bring him back? Thought not. ---
**Author:** ![tacoloco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tacoloco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tacoloco)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406/36 "2009-12-16T00:29:24Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I’m not. I just don’t want to see any whining or mod smacking when the next liberal dies, and conservatives post negative comments in MPSIMS. Fair is fair. Here’s an idea. How about you let the moderators do the moderating. And if you have a beef with it, you know the right place to express that. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406/37 "2009-12-16T00:31:56Z")
> [@Algher](#): > > Oral BELIEVED. I met him (grew up in Tulsa, my father did some business with him, my brother is an ORU graduate). I don’t consider him a con man because IMHO he believed in his mission. He loved the University, and providing a hard core Christian education (and at times a decent basketball and baseball team). He funded medical missionaries for years (paid for medical school if you would serve in Africa afterwards while preaching). > > I don’t agree with him, I never sent him money, and I come not to praise but to bury, yadda yadda yadda. However, there was another side to his work beyond the mansion and air conditioned dog house. The university and the mission work was good work,\*\* even if built on the backs of donations from those who should not be writing checks. > \*\* > Then again, when we moved my wife’s grandmother into a home, we found many a thank you letter from politicians, pseudo charities, and others thanks to her multitude of checks. Oral’s operation was just one in a long line of people who get checks from the elderly. > > Richard Roberts, on the other hand, is an idiot. I also never got the same feeling from him that I did from Oral (OK - that sentence is going to come back to haunt me - go ahead). He actively and knowingly took money from those who could least afford it, he preyed on their faith and guilt and lived a a lavish lifestyle far beyond any need. He did evil. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406/38 "2009-12-16T00:48:19Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > He actively and knowingly took money from those who could least afford it, he preyed on their faith and guilt and lived a a lavish lifestyle far beyond any need. > > He did evil. So did Kennedy (just to bring this full circle). ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406/39 "2009-12-16T00:50:56Z")
Wasn’t this guy telling us he was going to die (if he didn’t raise enough money for a new building)? I guess he got his wish.😃 ---
**Author:** ![lexi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lexi/32/6806_2.png) [@lexi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lexi)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2009, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406/40 "2009-12-16T00:57:57Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > My grandmother sent small amounts of money to him for many years. She could not afford it. When I pointed out how well Roberts lived ,she muttered something about gods will. Mine too - when my dad mentioned Orals lifestyle, and my grandma lived off meager means as well. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/oral-roberts-dies/521406.md?page=3)