Pat Robertson Accused of Damaging Movement

AP on Yahoo | 2/18/06 | Sonja Barisic - ap

[csmusaret]

I have never heard Pat Robertson claim he was speaking for all of American Christianity. Have you?

[BibChr]

You are correct.

[politicket]

What about public sin ? When Ananias and Sapphira publicly lied about the money they contributed did Peter privately take them aside and speak with them ? No. He denounced them immediately in front of the entire church.

You, sir, are the one taking God's word WAY out of context.

Let's look at the text that you refer to (in Acts, Chap. 5):

Ananias and Sapphira

1Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2With his wife's full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles' feet. 3Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."

5When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

7About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8Peter asked her, "Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?" "Yes," she said, "that is the price."

9Peter said to her, "How could you agree to test the Spirit of the Lord? Look! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also."

10At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband. 11Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events.

---

If you read this passage in context you can easily see that Ananias appeared before the apostles, not the entire church. Ananias was appearing before his elders and lied to them. God responded to that by striking him dead. The same thing happened with Sapphira a short time later.

You will also notice that the entire church did not find out what had happened until later.

Please quit arguing with God's word just because you would like to have things happen your way...

[Malesherbes]

I absolutely agree that some of his remarks are "over the top." However, I take him for what he is - a Bible believing patriot. I rather like it when a 76 year old man shoots off his mouth without worrying about offending the norms of political correctness. We are all free to like it or not, just as he is still free to do it. The MSM, of course, revels in it and dramatizes every incident.

[politicket]

You are correct.

No, he is incorrect. Please cite biblical passages to uphold your belief...

[Sam the Sham]

When a brother sins against YOU ! Obviously you can't read the Bible. When your brother has committed a private wrong against YOU deal with it privately between the two of you instead of going through court.

Robertson's wrong was not committed privately against Dockery. This is not something just between Dockery and Robertson. It was committed against the entire body of American Christianity for whom he presumed to speak. It was committed in public against the entire church like Peter when he would not eat with Gentiles or like Ananias and Sapphira when they lied to the congregation.

[Sam the Sham]

There just plain aren't enough Jewish babies to make the West Bank and Gaza Jewish at any time in the forseeable future.

[Sam the Sham]

Please stop wrapping yourself in the Bible in a way as presumptuous and self-righteously self important as Pat Robertson does.

When Ananias lied he lied to the leadership of the church which was in effect, lying to the entire church. They lied publicly and were punished publicly.

[Reagan Man]

I don't know what material you're reading, or where you getting your information from. Sounds like you're being fed a bunch of BS from the columns of the Wash Post's liberal writer Colbert King. King hates PresBush, John Roberts and anything conservative or rightwing. King is a supporter of Democratic Party and NAACP propaganda.

Pat Robertson bought into a joint venture for a Liberian gold mine, that supposedly paid a 10% kick back to the government of Charles Taylor. Even though the business deal put several hundred Liberians to work and built a medical clinic for the people of that community, some people on the anti-Christian left have carried their criticism for Robertson to an irrational level.

As far as I can ascertain, Robertson had no connection with Charles Taylor and the Sierra Leone diamond mines. In fact, Robertson has said he's never met Charles Taylor. Robertson has publically stated, he regrets saying anything in an interview he gave to Colbert King of the WashPost, that may have been taken as "unqualified support for Charles Taylor".

[politicket]

When Ananias lied he lied to the leadership of the church which was in effect, lying to the entire church.

There is OBVIOUSLY a difference between the elders of the church and the congregation as a whole. You are trying to establish the "New Sam the Sham (NSS)™" version of the Bible.

You are free to misinterpret the Bible as you see fit. Have a great night...

[Sam the Sham]

I have never heard Pat Robertson claim he was speaking for all of American Christianity. Have you?

What other Protestant issues fatwas ?

[flair2000]

I occasionally watch the 700 Club and find the CBN News segments to be fair and informative, but when Lee Webb is between stories, they flip it over to Pat and this is when Pat gets in trouble. If he would pipe down on the between-stories commentary and let the viewers make their own opinions on the stories, the show would be much smoother.

[beckett]

It's a shame to watch , he started with nothing and built a vast enterprise...

Robertson is the son of a prominent and wealthy Virginia politician. IIRC, he went to Yale. Hardly a start from nothing.

Robertson has employed dubious business practices for decades in the building of his financial empire, and in the 700 Club, for anyone with eyes to see, has long exhibited a strong tendency towards megalomania.

Any thinking conservative should be emabarrassed to have Robertson's name associated with conservatism.

[csmusaret]

So I guess the answer to my question is no.

[WalterSkinner]

..Pat's claims of extra-Biblical revelation have gotten him into trouble before(1988)...

I think Dr. Richard Land nailed it in his comments...

Christian Coal., Operation Blessing and the other ministries have done tremendous good over the years..

Pat Robertson and Billy Graham have shown the effects of age in recent years with ill-advised public statements--perhaps it is time to exit the stage...

[Sam the Sham]

Can you read ? What other Protestant sees himself as so supremely infallible that he issues fatwas ?

[Sam the Sham]

Pat Robertson is the son of Senator Robertson, former Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. A man who succeeded in having his reservist son mobilized for the Korean War made "regimental liquor officer" instead of being sent to Chosun Resevoir.

[Doctor Don]

I have a "word of knowledge" for Pat Robertson.....close your mouth! You have created a very distorted stereotype of what a sincere believer thinks and does. You have distorted Scripture while serving your immense ego. The liberal press comes to you on a controversial issue knowing that you will say something that embarasses true believers in the Kingdom of God.

[csmusaret]

Can you read? The answer to my question remains no. He has never claimed to speak for all American Christians.

[BibChr]

He did.