POLITICS

Oral Roberts Shaken by Scandal

Allegations of misuse of school funds, improper political activities and an Imelda Marcos-style closet full of shoes have led to a lawsuit and investigation at the evangelical university.

By Catharine Skipp and Arian Campo-Flores | Newsweek Web Exclusive

Oct 19, 2007 | Updated: 8:22 p.m. ET Oct 19, 2007

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Discuss

Posted By: wwjd2008 @ 02/28/2008 11:10:03 PM

Comment: i'd like to say that most people would blame the roberts family for all that has gone wrong but in fact what people dont see is that these are outright attacks from satan himself and thats the fact . i dont personally know all about mr roberts but have heard of his ministry its up there with the likes of billy graham ect and i just pray for this dear family and thats the Lord always causes us to be victorious as his word says ans just encourage the roberts in the Lord because God's grace and love is greater still . and this is only a light affliction and it will pass cause God is the lifter of our heads and he is our rightousness . i just dont get why people have to be hipacrites on this when in fact they are probally doing the same thing but trying to justify themselfs by say all this trouble the roberts family is going thru is wrong wake up folks and get the truth which only comes from the Lord thanks you and God bless everyone in the name of Jesus!
Posted By: Mary E. @ 11/30/2007 10:04:32 AM

Comment: May God help these people who preach one way and live another. I wouldn't want to be in their shoes when judgement falls on them. It is a fearful thing to fall into the Hands of the living God.. May God have mercy on them.
- Posted By: imtuff1969 @ 03/01/2008 5:11:16 AM
  
  Comment: Spoken truthfully by someone who knows the truth and is not willing to let anything or anyone get in the way of her relationship with the Lord and knowls the troje power God.
  
  Bless you Mary E.
Posted By: Just my 2 cents @ 10/26/2007 12:03:59 PM

Comment: $80,000.00 for Creationism? that's money well spent by the Roberts' shopping "SFREEEEE"!
Posted By: Cherokee2557 @ 10/22/2007 8:36:46 PM

Comment: Yeabaaaby from NY - No one is criticizing the students or faculty at ORU, so take the speck out of YOUR eye because you obviously can't even read what's being written. By the way, you didn't even quote Jesus correctly! He said to take the BEAM from your own eye so you can take the speck from someone else's eye. Did you flunk your ORU Bible class? And what is this about "you southerners"? How do you know where any of us are from? What prejudice. You sound like a Pharisee; judging people by how they looked or where they were born. Is being Southern the new Samaria? For your information, not all of us are "Southern" and we certainly aren't as judgemental as you. Most of us here have posted in support of those who have peeled back the veil on the Roberts' extravagant lifestyle and immorality. You are the one who has cast stones at people you know nothing about. I have known some fine people who went to ORU, but your biased and unprovoked vitriol does nothing to enhance its reputation. You have mistaken the welcoming of the truth about the Roberts for an attack on ORU. Of course, it WOULD be hard to read with posted the comments with a log in your eyes. Maybe you should get that taken care of before you pick up another stone.
Posted By: zeemumbai @ 10/22/2007 5:04:44 PM

Comment: $80,000 for degree from Oral Roberts University? It's impossible to ignore a form of financial Darwinism at play here, providing insight into how stupid people are relieved of their wealth.
Posted By: zeemumbai @ 10/22/2007 4:58:27 PM

Comment:
Posted By: yeabaaaby @ 10/22/2007 10:44:57 AM

Comment: You southerners all seem so hypocritical from up here in NY. Jesus said "take the speck out of your own eye first before trying to take the beam out of your brothers eye" The point is we will never be perfect here on earth, "let he who is without sin cast the first stone" Jesus is the only one without sin, who is worthy to judge us all. I went to ORU from 84 to 86, it was the best experience of my life, I made lifelong friends there. therethereawouwou
Posted By: yeabaaaby @ 10/22/2007 10:41:38 AM

Comment: You judgemental people all seem so hypocritical to me from up here in NY. I went to ORU from 84 to 86 and it was the best time of my life, I met the nicest people down there and am still friends with many of them, it was a great experience. We are all accountable to Jesus for how we live our lives, spend His money, us and Richard and Lindsay. Jesus said "Take the speck out of your own eye first..."
Posted By: Cherokee2557 @ 10/22/2007 10:18:03 AM

Comment: Good for Culpepper, Swails and the Brookers! They should be commended for their courage in exposing the lavish and corrupt REAL lives of religious hypocrites like the Roberts. Just like Jim Bakker and other tele-evangelists (such as Benny Hinn), the Roberts have maintained an opulent lifestyle that is in direct conflict with what Jesus lived and taught. These self-delared Christian "ministers" set themselves up as modern-day kings and queens who must be maintained by the tithes and offerings of the masses all in the name of Jesus. It makes a mockery of the true Christian message and of Jesus Himself. The world looks at people like the Roberts and sees no difference between them and the grasping, greedy, immoral and vain potentates of Hollywood or Wall Street, and the truth is: there IS no difference.

Richard and Lindsay Roberts can wail and deny all the want. By their works, you shall know them. What works have they done, other than use the Lord's name and people's goodwill to enrich themselves and their personal coffers. I'm glad the truth is finally coming out. There is nothing "non-profit" about Richard and Lindsay Roberts. And I have a suspicion who the poster "At Peace" really is. After all, who would need to take such a "hat"? Maybe someone who is claiming to be "at peace" with all of their shoes, clothes and boy toys perhaps?
- Posted By: regular and some @ 11/30/2007 3:14:50 AM
  
  Comment: I wish people like Paula White, Kenneth Copeland, Benny Hinn, Creflo Dollar , Joyce Meyer get persecuted to the FULL EXTENT of the law for spreading false messages, especially, false prosperity message
Posted By: BuffaloBayouGirl @ 10/21/2007 8:05:48 AM

Comment: Culpepper, you are still my hero. Yes, I see why people don't come forward and give information on the abuse these religious frauds dish out, because their "dupes" like "At peace" try to make it as though your counting shoes is as evil as buying all that stuff while working exclusively for a nonprofit "ministry" and "uniersity" funded by nicles and dimes of poorer people. There is no comparison. And I speak as a person who truly believes in the Pentecostal message, it's just times that we see that many "messengers" are "wolves in sheep's clothing."
Posted By: BuffaloBayouGirl @ 10/21/2007 8:00:43 AM

Comment: Enter Your Comment
Posted By: At Peace @ 10/21/2007 2:27:58 AM

Comment: Culpepper is a joke! A real joke! She ought to be ashamed to admit that she went into Pres. Robert's closet and counted their clothes! How low can a person get??? Of course jealousy comes just before murder, and that's just what this is all about: murder ORU because we are jealous!
- Posted By: imtuff1969 @ 03/01/2008 5:24:07 AM
  
  Comment: I am a joke????? yeah right!!! That is sa joke in and of itself! LMAO! Thanks for the comic relief.
  .
  I am not the least bit ashamed of i went into RR & LR's closet....you make it sound like i wasn't supposed to be in there.....i was in there multiple times a day.....the girls and I gathered in there while LR got ready for the day.....plus i went in there to put things up....so you can bite me about me being ashamed.....I am not ashamed for doing my job.
Posted By: At Peace @ 10/21/2007 2:25:26 AM

Comment: Culpepper is a joke! A real joke! She ought to be ashamed to admit going in Pres. Robert's closet counting his clothes. I guess jealousy comes just before murder and murder is what this is all about! They want to murder ORU because of jealousy. Wonder what's in their closets???
- Posted By: imtuff1969 @ 10/21/2007 1:57:11 PM
  
  Comment: Culpepper is by no means a joke....the real joke is that Richard and Lindsey have gotten away with doing this kind of stuff and living this way for over 20 or more years. This is no about 'wanting to murder ORU because of jealousy". I absolutely loved my time at ORU.....the friends I made, the relationships I made with the professors.....they were the best parts of ORU. What I didn't like at ORU was the fact the these two people (RR and Lindsey) promoted themselves into the power status they have and have manipulated people to get what they want and then live a luxurious lifestyle all the while, asking students for more and more money because the school was going to close, because this program needed to be started or this building needed to be built. It is a crime that they have lived like this and then cry poor mouth to the student body ! That my dear "At Peace" is where the wrongdoing is. I am not jealous of their lives....I wouldn't want their lives if offered to me on a golden platter. RR is just a man....he is no President.......but he has used that title President to make everyone idolize him and then be aftraid to come up against the man or woman of God......that is dead wrong!!
Posted By: nurseschlagal @ 10/20/2007 8:44:46 PM

Comment: Christ warned us about these types of deceivers who "come in His name". All Christians must use discernment when listening to anyone who claims to have "heard from God" or who is proclaiming to be a minister/preacher/teacher, etc. Everything they say must line up with the Word of God. Be careful because Christ said even the elite will be fooled by these false prophets.
- Posted By: HDRK2000 @ 11/05/2007 1:56:04 AM
  
  Comment: Christ did not say that the elite would be fooled, he said "If it were possible" they would be fooled.
Posted By: nurseschlagal @ 10/20/2007 8:33:57 PM

Comment: Enter Your Comment
Posted By: BuffaloBayouGirl @ 10/20/2007 6:22:32 PM

Comment: Congratulations to Suzanne Culpepper! You are my hero. To finally blow the whistle on these people who are using the donations and offerings of God's gullible people to enjoy a luxurious, opulent lifestyle takes courage. I can imagine the oppressive environment at such a "ministry" and "university," but God breaks the chains of bondage. You deserve to be praised. Newsweek also did a great job, the article was very fairly presented.
Posted By: BuffaloBayouGirl @ 10/20/2007 6:20:15 PM

Comment: Enter Your Comment
Posted By: lincoh @ 10/20/2007 1:26:34 PM

Comment: Dishonesty has been a problem at ORU since 1965 when it opened. While I was a student at ORU there were irregularities in recruitment of basketball players and embellished stories published about University sponsored student ministries to other countries. The lavish lifestyles of the Roberts' are also nothing new. I graduated from ORU in 1969.
Posted By: americanscholar @ 10/20/2007 9:47:10 AM

Comment: Funny how the Puritans in this country persecute those who do not follow the Bible literally when they themselves are skimming the cream off the top in the name of God. Jesus called those people hypocrites and tore apart the Temple when they were selling things for "holy" purposes. These evangelicals are pretentious freaks who have been attempting a cultural revolution for years now with their universities that puts students in the government pushing their religion on public policy.
Posted By: ~sojourner @ 10/20/2007 7:59:07 AM

Comment: I am a life long Tulsan, and I just want to thank Miss Culpepper for stepping forward! Now that the veil of fear the Roberts' have placed over ORU is lifting I am hopeful, and prayerful, that more with inside knowledge and TRUTH will feel free to step up and speak out! Our city, our state, and the body of Christ deserve to know the TRUTH! God Bless Miss Suzanne Culpepper, and all who rise to speak up for God, and against what seems to be the worst stewardship I have ever witnessed in my life! God bless the students, faculty, and alumni of ORU for the evil that is now being spoken about them all because of Lindsay and Richard Roberts, and my prayer is we begin to look into all these megachurch ministries who's pastors sit on the board at ORU... Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, and Marilyn Hickey immediately come to mind... but there are about 40 of these guys on the ORU board... "Birds of a feather flock together" is what my Daddy always told me... I love every one of these preachers, but I love God even more! God's will be done is my mantra of prayer in this situation. Lord help us all!!

vickie from okrahoma ;o)
- Posted By: imtuff1969 @ 10/20/2007 11:13:38 PM
  
  Comment: Thanks sojourner for your prayers and support.....I need them more than you know....or maybe you do know!!!
- Posted By: imtuff1969 @ 10/20/2007 11:12:42 PM
  
  Comment: Thanks so much for your support and prayers. I need them more than you know....or maybe you do know!!!