Religion: Your Money or His Life

Oral Roberts delivers an ultimatum to bolster his sagging empire

From wrinkled bills to neatly creased $100 checks, donations poured into the Rev. Oral Roberts' sleek Tulsa headquarters last week. Cash and pledges have arrived in a steady stream over the past fortnight, at a rate of more than $160,000 each day. That was the good news. But there was also the bad news: a television channel in Washington dumped two January episodes of his 30-minute telecast. Seven other outlets, including stations in Tulsa and Dallas, are now monitoring each of the United Methodist preacher's syndicated shows to see if they fit the stations' standards. The Tulsa Tribune, a somewhat sympathetic...

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