“One can reject the Bible, but one cannot claim to be a Christian and then say that God doesn’t punish those who don’t follow him, and those who turn away from him.”
Right...and tragedies never happen to those who follow Him.
A study of the book of Job would put that argument into proper perspective.
> Right...and tragedies never happen to those who follow Him.
Your point is well-taken. God doesn't promise us an easy life. See Job, for example, as others have noted. I note also evidence of true faith on Haiti, from a pastor from Cap Hatian who preached scriptural truth in my local mainline church in Virginia. First sermon that moved me in years, as the guy preached from the Bible. As much as the Hatians need our U.S. material aid, we need their understanding of Christ even more.
The bulk of Pat Robertson's detractors (outside of this FR board), however, are not arguing that Roberson commited a tactical error of timing, or that he commited an error of presumptuousness of speculating on God's particular involvement in this particular situation. Robertson's detractors are oblivious to the basic biblical understanding that God does indeed ACT, and does indeed act based on a nation's obedience to God, and does indeed act as a vengeful, angry, judgemental God.
Robertson's speculations are within the realm of possibility. (Although the Napoleonic reference is rather much a stretch, it seems to me.)
But remember that, as I understand it, Robertson has and will have and (likely) has had for some time resources on the ground in Haiti. Serving the poor and sharing the gospel.