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.
And wouldn’t you think that there are other parts of the world that would be more deserving of God’s wrath, like, say the Muslim countries? I mean if you are a true-believing Christian, isn’t Islam the complete antithesis?
They may be Catholic, but they also practice voodoo, an anti-Christian faith.
If it wasn't Robertson it would be someone else on the right they would be targeting. Attention is now off of Harry Reid.
Too bad most of the posters on this thread can't recognize how it works.
Pat Robertson “wears $1000 suits and Rolex watches and guilt-trips his mostly poor audience into sending him more money”?
No. That is a lie. Sadly, a lot of FReepers believe that lie to be true, simply because they enjoy hating on high-profile Christians.
Let me say this about that, I don't control God and I don't control earthquakes. On the other hand I live on a planet with a silicon crust that rides on top of a vast hunk of molten iron interladen with millions of small natural nuclear reactors.
STUFF HAPPENS!
During the colonial era the French side was the better-off and much more populated side of the island. It was France's richest colony while the Spanish-speaking side had less than a fifth of the island's population.
During this century Haiti has had enough “progressive” and socialist policies to keep economic development strangled.
Pat Robertson and other "televangelists" charlatans give Christianity a bad name, thereby defaming it. IMHO
This is a fair and balanced piece.
I’m surprised that FReepers sound so much like DU when it comes to hating on high-profile Christians. I guess we really are more “conservative” than “Christian” around here ...
Just another way to allow the Christophobes ammo, and believe me, they are waiting in the wings with enough venom and hatred to execute any Christian has doesn’t toe the line of tyranny. Pat is still a good man.
The conservative movement owes him nothing. As far as I can tell he hasn't helped the movement in any way.
Remember, the Haitians made a deal with the French to pay them an indemnity for their slaves ~ and it took them 100 years to pay off the indemnity.
That's not Socialism, but it had pretty much the same effect, so when the Socialists came around to "improve Haiti" they'd already been ground down so thoroughly it couldn't get better ~ ever ~ and it hasn't.
The French should repay them the $22 billion indemnity.
>> 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.
I hadn’t considered that. Maybe Robertson has a “yes man” problem ... surrounded by a bunch of sycophants, with no one honest enough with him to take him aside with a copy of his speech, and say “Hey, slick — this particular statement is a freaking lousy idea.”
SnakeDoc
Of all the countries in the world I could live the Islamic ones have to be the last I would choose. Even if I were muslim. They kill each other for fun.
Maybe watch what Pat Robertson actually said before jumping on the hate-Pat bandwagon:
The Duvaliers killed off Haiti’s middle class via the Tonton Macoutes, because they tended to be lighter-skinned Creoles.
<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.
No kidding. I almost turned my attention elsewhere when I heard that (I”m a college prof. My students don’t get away with saying “and whatever”) but for some reason I listened to the rest of his garbage with my mouth open.
I’m going to say something that might tick some people off. I’ve been thinking about Robertson today and wondering if that statement isn’t a bit racist. Should the blacks remain under the heel of the French? Did they not have a right to their own liberty? Why should they have remained under French domination?
I don’t know. I’m just so floored that someone in 2010 would talk about a 200 year old ‘pact with the devil.’ People, please. If you believe in God, I assume you also believe he gave you a brain and that you should use it.
Why are we discussing Robertson? Could it be because Obama and liberals need someone to attack to divert criticism from themselves?
>> I’m surprised that FReepers sound so much like DU when it comes to hating on high-profile Christians. I guess we really are more “conservative” than “Christian” around here ...
I am, and always will be, a Christian first. And, this board is not known for “hating on high profile Christians”. So, when even the vast majority of conservative God-fearing Christians have come to the conclusion that Robertson was being an obnoxious jackass ... maybe its time to re-think before drinking the Robertson kool-aid.
Even Christian leaders are capable of incredible lapses in judgment — and most Christians seem to recognize this as one of those circumstances.
SnakeDoc
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