dwv@ihuxt.UUCP (07/18/83)
I have a thought for a new discussion. Can TV preachers really take the place of the local churches? Appearently some think so. My thought on the subject is a church in the local community is essential. If you look at the churches in Chicago giving out food to the needy and doing other community work, it seems that you cannot extinguish local churches. While we are at it, Who is your favorite and least favorite TV preacher. Post responses to the net. I want to start a discussion, not take a poll. Dave Vollman BTL IH ..!ihuxt!dwv
trb@floyd.UUCP (Andy Tannenbaum) (07/18/83)
Good question! I watch a good deal of tv. I watch most of my tv preachers while waiting for "Sunday Morning" and "Nova" to come on. Here's some comments on the Sunday morning spew: I find the clean-cut southern preachers utterly foul. At the top of this category go Jerry Falwell and the "you are loved" guy, whatever his name is (Oral Roberts?). "You too can own a piece of Liberty Mountain, in Lynchburg, VA." How appropriate. There's a pudgy little critter named Ernest Angely (I'm not kidding!) who wears leisure suits and has cheeks like a squirrel and a pitch like a huckster and he saves people ever week, praise the Lowered. He's a riot to watch, but he's not to be taken seriously. Theres a Long Island (NY) version named Gene Profeta, who is the "Saturday Night Fever" edition of the video preacher. Just as ridiculous as Angely but with an Italian New Yawkah bent, instead of the monotonous and tiring southern stuff. You might think that I just don't respect any of these guys, but you'd be wrong, as usual. There's one guy I really like, though I'm not about to convert to Goyism. His name is Frederick K. Price, he's a black preacher from somewhere out in California. He's quick witted and intelligent, and he tries to teach his congregation something, rather than just shoving Jesus down their throats. He doesn't have a hint of a holier-than-thou attitude. This isn't to say that he doesn't put anyone down, if he thinks that the mainstream church is full of baloney regarding some issue, he'll say it in that many words. You can immediately tell a bad preacher by how much he sweats. Profeta sweats like a dog, Angely is just about as bad. Mr. U.R. Loved is pretty bad. Falwell is more media oriented, and hardly sweats at all, which makes him especially dangerous. Frederick K. Price wouldn't sweat if he had to play racquetball while he preached. I really suggest that you check out Price. He's on in the NYC area before 9am, I forget which channel. I would think and hope that he would be on elsewhere as well. Andy Tannenbaum Bell Labs Whippany, NJ (201) 386-6491
larry@grkermit.UUCP (Larry Kolodney) (07/19/83)
The "you are loved" character is Rex Humbard, (not to mention the Humbard Family Singers!). -- Larry Kolodney #13 (I try harder) (USENET) decvax!genrad!grkermit!larry allegra!linus!genrad!grkermit!larry harpo!eagle!mit-vax!grkermit!larry (ARPA) rms.g.lkk@mit-ai
robin@nmtvax.UUCP (07/20/83)
In response to the query, my favorite TV preacher is Ernest Angely, though I haven't seen him in a while. He is so siiiillllyyyy. Allan F. Perry ...lanl-a!unmvax!nmtvax!robin
liz@umcp-cs.UUCP (07/20/83)
I don't know how many of them really think they can take the place of the local church, but I don't think they can at all. This isn't to say that they don't have a place within the church, but part of being a Christian is being involved in fellowship with other believers. You can only learn so much about the Christian life by watching someone on TV. You can learn a lot more by spending time with another Christian who understands more about God than you do and by watching them work through problems in their life. Participating in a worship service is also much better than watching people sing hymns somewhere -- you need to participate and it's difficult to do so on TV since that's so geared to having a passive audience... And, it's a big help to have a preacher who is not so far removed as the TV ones are -- someone you can actually call on the phone or get together with if you want/need to... -- -Liz Allen ...!seismo!umcp-cs!liz (Usenet) liz.umcp-cs@Udel-Relay (Arpanet)
rh@mit-eddie.UUCP (Randy Haskins) (07/22/83)
My favorite 'TV' preacher is Robin Williams doing an Ernest Angley(sp?) imitation. He does this on his first album (Reality... What a Concept) and he did a short sketch once on 'Mork' when he ran into a guy trying to start 'The Friends of Venus Society.' -- Randwulf (Randy Haskins) genrad!mit-eddie!rh or... rh@mit-ee (via mit-mc)