Pat Robertson swears a pact with the crazy
In my recent column I argued that disillusioned conservatives and libertarians should focus on transforming the Republican Party and taking it back from its ineffectual leaders, its special interest groups, and its Pat Robertson types. In case you weren’t convinced, Mr. Robertson himself has just helped to prove my point.
In response to the devastating earthquake in Haiti that has claimed tens if not hundreds of thousands of innocent lives, Robertson casually opines that Haiti has been “cursed” because it “swore a pact to the devil” during the early 19th century. Yes, I’m serious. Watch for yourself.
Really, Pat? Thousands of innocent men, women, and children are dying in the streets right this second, and you have the audacity to explain away their fate based on a 200 year old “curse” and a “pact with the devil?” These are human beings, Pat. They are not pawns in your religious culture war. But wait…it doesn’t stop there. Not to be outdone by his own stupidity, Robertson goes on to say that this tragedy may actually be a “blessing in disguise” because “now new safer structures can be built.”
Shame has left this man’s vocabulary, and sanity has left his mind.
If Mr. Robertson were content with simply running his corporate mega-empire and counting his biblical millions, I may not have such a huge problem with this. I would still find his comments disgusting, but I would chalk him up to being another victim in a long line of kooks and faith healers who can sometimes distort the true meaning of Christianity in an attempt to gain fame, fortune, or publicity.
But Pat has gone further. From his (thankfully) failed 1988 Republican presidential bid, to his recent chummery with Al Sharpton (and their ridiculous global warming commercial), to his incessant crusade against anything he deems to be immoral or ungodly (regardless of its actual harm to society), Robertson has had a negative impact on American politics — and specifically on the Republican Party.
While today’s remarks were not directly political, Robertson’s activism and his Christianity have become so intertwined that they are indistinguishable to the majority of the nation. Although I actually agree with many of Robertson’s critiques of liberalism and his calls for limited government, he does far more harm than good in the political realm. After today, I’m baffled why we continue to grant him clout and influence over the direction of the Republican party.
As a Christian myself, I understand that people can come to Christ (or any religion) through various messages. I consider Robertson’s style of ministry to be tacky at best (and morally questionable at worst), but if his followers genuinely gain hope or inspiration from him…then hey, it’s a free country, and the more believers the better. I have to draw the line, however, at any crusade attempting to hijack a national party and impose a collective moral will over a nation of individuals.
I’m all for morality in government and I have no problem with public nativity scenes or “In God We Trust.” I have a serious problem, however, with any political activism that seeks rampant censorship, increased criminalization, or discrimination, all as a matter of law — and all in the name of religion. This problem is only reinforced when the very “spiritual leaders” spearheading the activism are able to babble such cold and indefensible nonsense in the face of such overwhelming suffering in Haiti.
Keep it in church, not the voting booth or the lobbyist office. Let your private lives and your charity be your testimony, not your ability to influence government action. And for the love of God (literally), don’t dismiss countless tragic deaths as a “blessing in disguise” or part of a spiritual “curse.”
To go back to yesterday’s Goldwater theme, when he was challenged on his “conservatism” by the religious right, Goldwater quipped that “every good Christian ought to kick Falwell right in the ass.” After today’s comments, I’m pretty sure he’d add another to the list.
Latest posts by Tyler Andrews (Posts)
- Pat Robertson swears a pact with the crazy - January 13, 2010
- To my fellow conservatives and libertarians: A third party is not the answer. - January 12, 2010
- Retaining our Constitutional culture - December 9, 2009
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Who let the Gimp out of his box?
I thought we were all clear on the rule that Pat was only allowed to be out when he was around basements full of sodomizing hillbillies…
Pastor Pat’s craziness like a fox goes back a long way, as far back as 60 years ago when he was a Marine lieutenant in Korea and he got his pappy, a United States senator (a Democrat!), to keep him away from the front lines and into the safety of an officers club in Japan.
All of Robertson’s self-righteous religious moves and despicable comments since then have served the same main purpose — to advance the cause and publicity of Pat Robertson. Sodomizing hillbillies and their like-minded brethren and sistren in the Lord have paid close attention all along the way.