Sure, you can spin the weave that it's how the public and media world "perceive" your rights and wrongs. We live in a PR world. Being honest early is crucial. And that how your ministry fares impacts every Christian group. Okay. That argument is understood. But if you hold fast to integrity first, make it the bedrock of your existence and run a ministry clinging to it, then this "if it's smoke, it must be fire" routine that ORU is enduring will rarely crop up. Don't feed the machine with excessive perks, salaries, jets, assts, decorating, etc.

Decades ago the Billy Graham team created what became known as the Modesto Manifesto after a crusade in said California town. They determined that they would take reasonable salaries, would not be caught in situations with the opposite sex (alone, at lunch, in an office, etc), they wouldn't pump up their accomplishments, and they'd let professionals write the checks and bank the offerings. They also hired an independent board to oversee the ministry.

Not perfect, who is? But worked pretty good for them for almost 60 years. Very few fires to put out. Is there a lesson to be learned here?

1) They are so out of touch with reality that they do not even realize how spoiled they have become.  Reminds me of when I worked at  megaministry back in the 80s.  The "big cheese" was speaking to the staff–some 800 or so of us.  To illustrate a point, he showed a ring that he was wearing that had tongues wagging.  "The truth is," he said with great thunder, "…this is nothing but a $700 CZ." 

 Behind me, one of the camera men said to another "Wow, that is more than my car cost."  CLUELESS!!!

2) The deal with Lindsay and the under age boy is clearly a big nothing.  But when you have people pissed off because of the issue in (1), they grab onto this and run with it.

Lord help us…

I ,personally, suspect the money allegations are likely true to some degree, but that is my own fallible suspicion. Lets not rush to a judgment we would not want inflicted on ourselves without the benefit of a court of law. fair Enough?

Regarding the Larry King thing, RR actually seemed to show some wisdom by going to a media outlet that was live.  He knows that putting words in your mouth and setting someone up is very hard to do with live programming.  He also knows that LK does not produce mud-slinging campaigns.  What he didn't seem to realize was that his own words might just hurt just as much.  LK does have a way to let you snare yourself by giving you so much rope!

How the media really plays, is that the empire was built thanks in part to the reach of television.  The spotlight has now shifted from a controlled studio to a personal life. 

 I don't have a vendetta against the Robert's, but I was there years ago as a student, and as an employee working in the security department / motorpool.  I did see things that were slightly questionable to me, and I learned very quickly that if I expected to keep my job (which I desperately needed), then I wouldn't question things.  Matter of fact, NOONE felt comfortable questioning ANYTHING.  Learning the ropes, I was told quite early on (through a wisper and wink by a high ranking security employee) that things I saw were not to be questioned if I knew what he meant.  I won't say that I saw major scandalous things.  What I saw did open my eyes, and I did realize that people who questioned were people who would end up resigning or being let go.

That said, I certainly hope that the school can emerge from this.  Unfortunately, that is going to be very difficult with the direction of current leadership and their "rubber-stamp" decision making.  Hopefully leadership will change, so that the school can have a chance.

As I stated, where I am, the media has ignored it as non-news.  Oh – Heritage USA is (err 'was') a stones-throw from here, maybe that is part of it. 8o)  But I think that for the most part, this is the sentiment.  I have been surprised that the Tulsa World hasn't done any real "investigative" reporting.  They have pretty much stuck to the facts.  I haven't seen much from them as far as opinion columns either.  So overall, I don't think that the media has been too unfair. 

The unfair opinions have really seemed to show themselves in forums.  This one, not so much, maybe you are just doing a great job with your moderating!  But the unfair opinions that I have read have been on both sides.  There is obviously a balanced view as well, but I think that as far as the church is concerned, the balance needs to be found on the history we have in the Bible.  David was very wealthy for instance, and he did fall but not merely because he was wealthy.  To people that categorize sin, that is how you justify your own.  David's weakness was another man's wife.  Love of money and power may be the weakness of RR.  Jealousy or pride may be the sin of the judgemental.  But back to David, he DID repent, he DID pay a dear price, but the full judgement of God was withheld because of his repentence. 

I can only hope that true repentence births in each of us with regards to our own failures.  For Richard, I hope he CAN see the truth and repent for the way he maintained power (fear and firing).  I hope he can repent if the love of money caused his stumble.  However, there will still likely be some heavy cost as with David.  I hope that the University is not altogether lost, for the value that it provides to students of the Word.