Madison Avenue should take note of Oral Roberts' latest scam to raise cash – viewers must cough up $4.5 million by March or "God could call Oral Roberts home." the TV evangelist has claimed.
But regardless of whether Roberts turns out to be a marketing genius, it's already clear that he's a first-rate scoundrel. By taking advantage of those who believe in him most, he makes a mockery of the spirituality he claims to be ministering.
This kind of sleazy tactic isn't new. Jerry Falwell, who was one of the first fire-and-brimstone types to take to the tube, has made it a habit of misleading his faithful.
He has told listeners of his "Old Time Gospel Hour" that he will be forced to take the show off the air "unless God definitely shows me that he wants us to continue in the media." The heavenly sign, of course, has to come in the form of greenbacks.
Falwell once admitted that he has no intention of pulling the plug on his program, but he simply would reduce the stations that aired the show. Needless to say, viewers' contributions always save the "Gospel Hour" from the clutches of fate.
There's a chance that Falwell would have to end his program. Even "M*A*S*H" couldn't be produced forever. And Roberts could breathe his last breath two months from now. Even TV preachers are mortal.
But a gambler with any sense wouldn't bet on Roberts' passing away in March. Far more likely, Roberts' listeners will come through with the bucks – or he'll claim they have.
In the meantime thousands of poor people and old folks on fixed incomes will contribute the small amounts they can ill afford, simply because they believe this mischievous man, and his absurd rantings.
There will be those who wonder what kind of God could the Roberts and Falwells of America possibly represent. But the question followers of the evangelists should be asking is: What kind of men are these?

This should be criminal!