Editorial
TV evangelist scandal
humorous hypocrisy
Fifty percent of TV evangelist viewers do not have a
favorable view of TV ministers according to a New York
Times/CBS News poll released Tuesday.
This comes as no aurprise, especially in light of the re
cent Jim Bakker scandal and of Oral Roberts’ plea for $8
million. TV evangelists always have been the subject of
humor and satire, but now they are living up to the come
dians’ punch lines.
When Roberts announced he had received a message
from God to raise $8 million by April, the entire money
making process of television ministries came into question.
Critics had a field day mocking Roberts and other ministers.
Both those who watched Roberts’ program and those
who did not became skeptical. The idea that God had spoken
to this overstated minister and told him to raise money or die
seemed presumptuous. It enhanced the critical view that
these people were running some sort of scam — not in the
name of God but for their own benefit.
Nonetheless, Roberts managed to raise the money, and
— thank the Lord — is still with us today.
But just as one TV evangelist starts to fade back into the
woodwork, another has jeopardized the profession’s
reputaiton. The news of Rev. Jim Bakker’s affair seven years
ago calls into question the true values of these moral men.
Bakker's tryst with Jessica Hahn, a seemingly fun and
free-loving woman, apparently led to his blackmail and
eventually his resignation as head of the PTL ministry.
The entire incident reflects the human and sometimes
immoral side of the men who preach their views of the Bible
to millions of viewers every Sunday morning.
But at the same time, problems of credibility continue to
grow. The New York Times / CBS poll mirrors the mounting
skepticism among the evangelists' regular followers. Their
attempts to brush this nasty business under the rug only
have created new problems. Not only are their followers
leaving, but they are taking their checkbooks with them.
But maybe there is a positive side to this sticky ball of
wax. These TV evangelists claim to speak for God. But if
they continue to compromise their values and exploit their
positions, where does that leave their viewers? More and
more are turning away from their preaching.
The freedom of religion gives people the opportunity to
choose and express their own beliefs. This scandal shows
that despite stereotypes, the followers of these ministers are
not brainwashed. They can determine their own values and,
in a sense, have a say over the conduct of evangelists.
Bakker has put the PTL in a state of hypocrisy. The
ministers have put themselves above their followers and
now must prove that they practice what they preach.
^^pixasssi0"
n* SEEMS \
ORAL ROBERTS \
GOT THE MONEY. 1
YOU DON'T HAVE TO 1
TAKE HIS LIFE. J
COULDN'T I JUST \
SLAP HIM AROUND 1
A LITTLE ANTWAY? J
To live or die
In response to the article and
letters concerning the recent
suicide of a University student:
I have been a crisis intervention
counselor for almost 15 years
and have talked to hundreds of
people who were contemplating
suicide or had made an attempt
at suicide.
What I learned most of all,
without question, is that no one
and no thing makes a person
decide to kill himself or herself.
It is a personal, individual
choice. It is entirely the in
dividual’s decision.
At the same time, no one
makes a person choose to live. I
never “lost” any of my callers,
and I never saved anyone's life.
They made the decision to live.
I may have offered them options
they weren’t aware they had,
but they decided to live another
day to exercise those options.
I suspect the friend of Mr.
Fisher may be feeling a quite
natural and expected feeling of
guilt over the death of his friend
and his “blaming” the Univer
sity may be his way of dealing
with that guilt.
I hope he realizes it’s not his
fault. It was Mr. Fisher’s deci
sion; it was his responsibility.
Don’t take that right and that
Oregon Daily
Emerald
The Oregon Daily Emerald is published Monday
through Friday except during exam week and vacations
by the Oregon Daily Emerald Publishing Co., at the
University of Oregon, Eugene. Oregon, 97403
The Emerald operates independently of the University
with offices on the third floor of the Erb Memorial Union
and is a member of the Associated Press
The Emerald is private properly The unlawful removal
or use of papers is prosecutable by law
General Staff
Advertising Director Susan Thelen
Production Manager Wayne Michael Lottinvllle
Classified Advertising Alyson Simmons
Assistant to the Publisher Jean Ownbey
Advertising Sales: Peter LaFleur / Sales Manager
Teresa Acosta. Beryl Israel, Janelle Heitmann, Laura
Goldstein, Catherine Lllja, Rick Martz, Joseph Menzel,
Peter Miller, Joan Wildermuth
News and Editorial 686-5511
Display Advertising and Business 686-3712
Classified Advertising 688-4343
Letter Perfect Graphics 688-5511
Production 686-4381
Circulation 686 5511
Editor
Managing Editor
News Editor
Spectrum Editor
Spectrum Assistant Editor
Editorial Page Editors
Sports Editor
Photo Editor
Spectrum Photo Editor
Graphics Editor
Night Editor
Associate Editors
Community
Politics
Higher Education / Administration
University Affairs
Student Government
Student Activities
General Assignment
General Assignment
General Assignment
Michelle Brence
Lucinda Dillon
Michael Rivers
Stephen Maher
Stanley Nelson
Michael Drummond
Angie Muniz
Capl Lynn
Michael Wilhelm
John Giustina
Lorraine Rath
Michelle Brence
Jolayne Houtz
Nick Reed
Chris Norred
B J Thomsen
Carolyn Lamberson
Sarah Kitchen
Karen Creighton
Dennis Fernandes
Scott Maben
Reporters: Sean Axmaker, Mary Courtis. Gary Henley.
Janet Paulson
Photographers: Sherlyn Bjorkgren, Shu-Shlng Chen,
Maria Corvallis, Derrel Hewitt, Bobbie Lo, Dan Wheeler
Production: Michele Ross / Ad Coordinator
Kelly Alexandre, Ronwin Nicole Ashton, Virginia Baniaga,
Samantha Barbitta, Sandra Bevans, Sara Briscoe, Shu
Shlng Chen, Janet Emery, Judith Gatz, Lisa Haggerty,
Donna Leslie, Curtis Lott, Steve Lundgren, Kelli Mason,
Mike McGraw, Rob Miles, Angela Muniz, Julie Paul, Ingrid
White, Serena Williams, X. Kang Xie
responsibility away from him.
The truth is we all make the
decision to live or die every mo
ment of our lives; some choose
the latter. It’s their decision to
make.
Thank you.
Norma Sax
Career Information System
Swindler
This letter is in response to
Dan Goulet’s letter (ODE, March
13). Oral Roberts is not trying to
raise money to send to Third
World countries!
Oral Roberts is trying to raise
money to pay off his multi
million dollar debt. This debt
surrounds the construction of a
worthless medical facility.
Roberts’ medical facility is
unable to sustain its self
financially.
With regard to the “left
leaning pop-artists” who
“raped’’ the American public of
its money; one of those
“rapists” (the organizer of
Band-Aid) was nominated for a
Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts.
Band-Aid and USA for Africa
donated the proceeds from con
certs and record sales to help
Third World countries.
However, Roberts claimed that
God threatened to kill him if the
American public did not help
him raise money.
Hey Dan, where is Oral’s
Nobel Peace Prize for feeding
the starving? Oral does not have
one! This is because he abuses
his position as a religious leader
to swindle the American public
into paying his bills.
Maura C. Roche
Political science
--—-—
Categories
It seems to be a fact of human
nature that we tend to gather
people into categories and label
them. Perhaps this is because it
is so much easier to deal with an
entire group at once rather than
taking the time and trouble to
understand and respond to
individuals.
Whether it is a particular race
or color, some social or
economic class, adherents of a
certain system of belief, those of
a different gender or who simp
ly hold values and opinions dif
ferent from our own — we simp
ly lump together people with
some characteristic in common
(even if it is something relative
ly insignificant), and then pro
ceed to treat everyone in the
group of widely differing peo
ple as if they were all alike.
By finding examples of
bizarre beliefs or conduct in
people belonging to a particular
category (and every category
has some), we can label the en
tire group as being like that.
Using simple association, we
can thus effectively pin a charge
on these people that is difficult
to refute. After all, aren’t those
extreme examples members of
that group, and therefore
representatives of what people
in that group do and believe?
The ease and effectiveness
with which we can persuade
others to fear, mistrust and even
hate a whole category of people
make this method attractive —
that is, if we don’t mind using a
tactic that damages the lives
and reputations of innocent
people. By using it, we il
lustrate bigotry in action.
William Moore
Music school
Letters Policy
The Emerald will attempt to print all letters con
taining fair comment on topics of interest to the
University community.
Letters to the editor must be limited to 250
words, typed, signed and the identification of the
writer must be veritied when the letter is turned in.
1 he hrnerald reserves the right to edit the letter for
length or style. Letters to the editor should be turned
intothe Emerald office. Suite 300. EMU.