Posted on 01/14/2010 1:17:00 PM PST by ZGuy
It is excruciating to see the images of human suffering emanating from Haiti in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake. Prayers and practical compassionate care is truly needed.
But sometimes things are said in the midst of crises that exacerbate the already raw feelings of grieving people. So then what's all the fuss about Pat Robertson's remarks?
I first knew something was up while driving yesterday. I heard two national conservative talk radio personalities make some disparaging remarks about Pat Robertson, who, by the way, is one of the reasons they even have jobs. Pat was one of the most important leaders of a resurgent conservative movement.
When I got home I immediately looked up what Pat said and I was overwhelmed. But not by what Robertson had said, rather by the hype and hysteria of those who took an expression of genuine concern and hope for Haiti's future and used it to bash Pat.
Last week it was Fox News analyst Brett Hume's turn to be attacked because he dared to compassionately urge Tiger Woods to turn to Christianity and find forgiveness and redemption. Now it's Pat Robertson's turn.
Perhaps what we have here is a simple failure to communicate, but then again, what Pat said was not complicated. Or is it that there is so much contempt against Pat Robertson and /or what he represents, that no benefit of the doubt is to be afforded him? Or is there something else in play.
What exactly did Pat say that was so terribly egregious?
First he retold a very familiar story about the history of Haiti about a pact that was made by its revolutionary leaders. In exchange for help in throwing out the French Haiti would serve satan. Some have disputed this ever happened. But what is indisputable is Haiti's history ever since then has been one of incredible suffering.
To use Pat's words, Haiti's history was, "cursed, desperately poor." Then Pat went on to describe the incredible economic disparity between Haiti, which sits on one side of the Island of Hispaniola, and the Dominican Republic on the other side. So was Pat using "cursed" literally or metaphorically?
The modern cynic chaffs at any suggestion that there may be a connection between historical realities and unseen spiritual influences, or as the Bible calls it God's "blessing or cursing." Although most people are very comfortable with the notion that God blesses people, we are not at all comforted with the terrifying prospect that Almighty God might also curse.
The overwhelming majority of Americans believe in God and /or moral causality. Eastern religions call it Karma, but Christians call it God's Providence. I wonder if the reason that so many hate Pat is because he expressed what many Americans don't want to face- the moral and spiritual dimension of our lives.
As long as everything is going well we live as if we are never going to die. Then crisis hits and death slaps us in the face. Rather than humbling ourselves and searching our hearts like the Pilgrims did, we lash out at God and anyone who dares insinuate Him into our lives.
What the Robertson bashers left out is that finally, and with great compassion and concern in his voice, Pat said, "They need to have, and we need to pray for them, a great turning to God and out of this tragedy I am optimistic that some good thing may come, but right now we are helping the suffering people and the suffering is unimaginable."
Agree or disagree with what Pat said, it was well within the bounds of historic Christian theology. Maybe that's the real problem after all.
Man is offended by the fact that he is not God. They resent God's Providence. A simple reading of the Bible shows how God uses natural disasters to further his purposes. Earthquakes, floods, famine, locusts, etc. they're all there, but man hates it. Rather than humbly acknowledging that God's ways are not our ways, man rails against and accuses God. The last thing they will do is cry out for his mercy in Jesus Christ.
So Pat is an easy target. But before you judge him perhaps you ought to know that the whole time he was making these comments they had the number on their screen for their viewers to give to their humanitarian relief organization Operation Blessing. OB has already been at work in Haiti long before the earthquake.
Operation Blessing has touched the lives of more than 209.3 million people in 105 countries and all 50 states, providing goods and services valued at more than $1.7 billion. So, once you have surpassed that, then you will be in a better place to judge Pat Robertson. In the meantime, let's do what Pat is doing and bless the poor people of Haiti.
Try reading through the New Testament and then imagining Jesus responding to a disaster like this the way Robertson did.
Robertson is a mean-spirited whackjob. God will deal with him in due course.
Also a lot of so-called “Christian leaders” turn out to be wolves in sheeps’ clothing.
Ummmm, sounds pretty innocuous to me...Sunday morning stuff!
>> Why are we discussing Robertson? Could it be because Obama and liberals need someone to attack to divert criticism from themselves?
Because the clown went and shot his mouth off. If he’d have put a sock in it, nobody would’ve mentioned him.
SnakeDoc
God bless Pat Robertson for all the good he and his charity organizations do, but he is simply wrong as a matter of scripture to contend that God is cursing present-day Haitians for a satanic practice 200 years ago.
What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?
As I live, saith the Lord GOD, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel.
Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die....
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
Ezekiel 18:2-4;20
Because for some folks who're used to being on the defensive jumping on the bandwagon just plain feels good.
Please, for the love of truth, watch the actual video of what Pat Robertson said before continuing the slander:
Who started the attack on Pat Robertson? People who hate Christ. Who has taken up the attack on Pat Robertson? People who haven’t actually listened to what Pat Robertson said.
Again, please take the time to watch for yourself. You’ll be SURPRISED at how lovingly he expresses himself.
> That said, I could care LESS what the lunchroom crowd says.
>
> Neither should you.
I like to share my faith with my co-workers. The more stupid things high-profile Christians say, the more difficult that task becomes.
There is no way I can agree with Pat Robertson on this.
He is just wrong-headed and wrong-hearted.
It is not for him to judge what God is doing, or whether God sent this calamity as a punishment.
Oh, and by the way, also killed in Haiti were *MANY MANY* good, Godly missionaries, who don’t have Rolexes, who don’t wear Armani merino and silk, who don’t have chauffer driven limos to take them to their gated, 10,000 sq. ft. air conditioned mansions, and who don’t guilt-trip poor people for money *DAILY* on national television.
Did they also make a pact with the devil?
>HE’S STILL AN IDOT.<
Well, it certainly takes one to know one! Pat Robertson is anything BUT an idiot. Few people have done more to help their fellow man, or served God more than this fine man. Intellectually he is way up the scale from you. And though you do not deserve it, he would forgive you your ill thought remark.
Who cares what Pat Robertson thinks? He lost all credibility when he defended China's one child policy.
If you think Pat's a great guy, that's your HO.
Pat said, “They need to have, and we need to pray for them, a great turning to God and out of this tragedy I am optimistic that some good thing may come, but right now we are helping the suffering people and the suffering is unimaginable.”
Thank you for posting that. In all the coverage I have seen, this comment and conclusion have not been mentioned. It is significant.
If any one of us gets a sentence or statement pulled from a paragraph or greater opinion we give, it can be twisted to mean almost anything. This may indeed have happened to Pat.
Stereotype much?
Where have I heard this tactic before.
Tell me, is this how you share your faith?
Im going to go out on a limb and bet the Jesus Christ in heaven is cringing and wincing at Robertson’s statement and some of the comments on FR justifying what this elf like toad said.
It’s time to lay the blame for this tragedy where it truly belongs . . .
John 10:10 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
I believe the enemy of mankind (Satan) and the demonic realm are ultimately behind this terrible destruction in Haiti - not God.
When we (as individuals or a nation) turn away from Almighty God and the Lord Jesus Christ, the Bible does list various negative consequences (Deuteronomy 28:15-68 for example). When God’s hand of protection is removed from a person’s life because of continued disobedience or rebellion, the enemy can come in like a flood and cause a host of problems. God does not cause these tragedies, but He will use them in this broken world to bring people back to Him - because He loves us and wants us back.
Is it fair that in this process innocent people are hurt? Of course not, but realize that this world is a fallen world, polluted by sin, and Satan and his demons don’t play fair. They are wicked, fallen spiritual beings that are bent on the destruction of the human race - in any way possible.
However, born-again Christians have nothing to fear from the demonic realm, as the Lord Jesus has given us power and authority over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19). As a minister of the Gospel, I’ve prayed with and led hundreds of people in deliverance sessions (exorcisms) over the last 14 years - and demons ALWAYS flee in the name of Jesus.
So is God to blame for this Hatian tragedy? Of course not. God loves everyone and is very patient towards us, working to bring us to a place of repentance and faith in Him. Is the devil and the demonic realm to blame? Ultimately yes, to a certain degree.
What needs to be done? The people in Haiti need help now with physical needs - food, clothing, and shelter - love of God in action. Many also need help with spiritual needs - the life and freedom only experienced through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ (John 3:16, Romans 10:9-10).
> Stereotype much?
Do you deny that ole Pat lives large from the donations wrung out of mostly poor folks?
Do you deny that the missionaries and pastors in Haiti who lived in poverty and died with their CHRISTIAN flocks are condemned along with the witch doctors according to Pat’s assessment of God’s judgement?
Nor does being a nominal Christian in one of the world's richest countries.
> Did they also make a pact with the devil?
> Where have I heard this tactic before.
>
> Tell me, is this how you share your faith?
I don’t understand.
Let me re-phrase.
If Pat says that Haiti is cursed because their ancestors made a pact with the Devil, then what about the Christian missionaries who died there along with their Christian congregations? Are they also considered by Pat as under the same curse as the signers of this hearsay pact?
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