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.
He’s still an idiot.
Are you kidding me?
He’s a moron to even repeat something like that that he read somewhere.
True, he says some dumb things sometimes. BUT...here's the difference
There's an army of people waiting to pounce everytime Robertson slips (it was the same with Falwell); this army lets legions of other public figures slide when they make the same number of dumb comments.
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.
Good balance to what we’ve been hearing.
Pat’s exact quote: “The Haitians were under the heel of the French. You know, Napoleon III and whatever.”
Here’s a little tip. When trying to make a case using “You know” and “and whatever”, it kind of gives the impression that you don’t know what the Hell you’re talking about.
“He’s still an idiot.”
Please refrain from associating idiots with Pat Robertson, the are deserving a little more respect.
This headline needs a “Barf Alert”. The strong majority of Haitians are Catholic so this devil worship bs just doesnt hold water.
The Haitian slaves made a pact with the devil to be free of the French slavemasters??
Who knew?
And you thought they were just making up this voodoo stuff.
Robertson suffers from the same problems Obama has.
When you surround yourself with people who believe just like you, you tend to think your life is reality for everyone.
Free advice for Pat and Bambi.
Stop living off donations and get a real job and you will find life is much harder than you thought.
Especially when you can’t keep your Napoleons straight.
This is roughly equivalent to confusing Washington and Lincoln.
Not that either Napoleon can be compared, except negatively, to either of our presidents.
Blaming Hurricane Katrina on abortion and now blaming the Earthquake in Haiti on a “pact with the devil” that, unlike our Declaration of Independence, no one can show actually happened, only gives the mockers the opportunity to kick any fence-sitters right back into the anti-Christian camp.
Here at work, I had to sit through a lunchroom filled with gaffaws, hoots, howls, and knee-slapping derision for the stupid things said by this TV “evangelist”, who wears $1000 suits and Rolex watches and guilt-trips his mostly poor audience into sending him more money.
Sorry, but, by my reckoning, ole Pat is helping the devil more than helping our Lord.
It’s one thing to be derided because we believe Christ died to set us free from the penalty of sin.
It’s another to be derided because someone perceived as your “brother” says things so painfully stupid at such a sensitive time.
Being a nominal Catholic in one of the world's poorest countries doesn't make you immune from the attraction of the ancient religion of your ancestors.
Voodoo is supposedly based, roughly, on Vodun worship in West Africa. It's akin to Santeria except that it has no apparent Hindu elements.
It's kind of like being a Catholic in the United States while practicing Democrat party strategies which include killing babies, only better since killing babies isn't part of the deal.
Don’t miss your chance to join in the fun and be a part of the in-crowd!: “ten minutes of hate!” at whomever political correctness targets next.
Trent Lott, Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, Pat Robertson, Ann Coulter! All of them make politically incorrect statements and have political incorrect ideas the Left can soundbite for the “ten minutes of hate” program.
That said, I could care LESS what the lunchroom crowd says.
Neither should you.
Maybe this will move a few people to actually study a little bit of Haitian political history.
It is a 200 year horror show.
Read Haitian history and it will make your hair stand up. Most people stop with the French colonial period and the American occupation with Chesty Puller and that era. Those are probably the high points. The rest is a slow-motion nightmare.
Right now, in the midst of this disaster is really not the time to dwell on all that; people are hurting and the only people who can deliver effective help is the US military.
But Haiti’s tragic situation is not an accident and it isn’t a mystery. Robertson is probably too old to care what people think. If his remarks are simplistic, they also point only to the very tip of a tragic iceberg.
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