Thursday, January 14, 2010
Pat Robertson Jumps the Shark ... Again
Pat Robertson is at it again. Seems that God is ticked off at Haiti because so many people there have made a pact with the Devil. Good grief. If someone knows anyone in his inner circle, I highly recommend an intervention. “No more microphones, no more public appearances, no more interviews. You are moving to Assisi.” You’d think that after he said much the same thing about New Orleans in the wake of Katrina, somebody would have already shuffled the guy off stage.
I have a fundamental hermeneutic that asserts, If you don’t see or hear Jesus saying or doing such a thing, whatever it is you think you are reading in the Bible, you are wrong.
“You’re an adulterer? Somebody give me a stone!”
“You are a tax-gatherer? Egad! Everybody: grab your wallets and Ruuuuuuun!”
"Haiti has made pacts with the Devil? Gabriel, let's rough those people up!"
You get the picture.
Are there people in Haiti that have made pacts with the Devil? I use to work there and I can say, Absolutely. Black Magic, witch doctors and such are ever a booming business in this nation. After more than two decades of working in Africa, I can tell you that Haiti is as Dark a nation as any on the Dark Continent. Yet, Jesus said that he didn’t come into the world to condemn it, but to lay his life down for humanity. THIS is what I believe we Christians (and non-Christians) are called to do for Haitians: offer our love, not our condemnation.
Of course, love should always be with discernment and wisdom, so whatever we do there should be with an eye toward Haiti’s long term good. But right now, people lying under debris shouldn’t be castigated. They should see a demonstration of God’s redemptive love.
Or so I believe …
Copyright, Monte E Wilson, 2010
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10 comments:
When he says stuff like this, I'm embarrassed that I go to his school.
Not embarrassed enough to let my three readers know, eh?
Correct. Embarrassed enough, though, to say that I don't share his views even though I pay his outrageous tuition amounts to go to his school which, I'll admit, is good. He ought to think about his dumb comments make us, the students, look. Thanks Mr. Robertson, Mister, "I'd like to cast the first stone, Please."
But he only speaketh THE MIND OF GOD!
Robertson does for Christians what Limbaugh does for conservatives. He says we already give them enough aid as it is and that Obama will use this situation to bolster his image in the black community. Regardless of perceived truth, saying things like this just makes them seem like dark souls.
Yes, it does frame them as Dark Souls. While I understand Rush's point, at the end of the day it doesn't matter what Obama's intent is. We do good because it is in our power to do good. We do not refrain from doing good because someone else will seek to highjack it for their own purposes.
Just read where Rush never said not to give to Haiti relief, to private charities. I wondered about that, as it didn't sound like him.
Limbaugh: I'm gonna respond to this absolute BS that I said don't donate... I'm confident everybody in this audience knows what I said and what I didn't say. Even the Washington Post says without the context, "What Limbaugh said is horrible." All I said was, if you paid your income taxes, that's how you donate to government for aid, and sure enough, here comes Obama announcing $100 million from the government for aid to Haiti, fine and dandy. But, you paid for it, it's your taxes. All I said was if you're going to donate do it outside the government, pure and simple."
Yes, I did see his follow-up explanation. If I'm not mistaken I think I remember him pointing out that "look how many millions/billions we've given them in the past x years and they can't manage to make themselves better with it. Ouch.
True? probably. Necessary to say at this time? absolutely not.
Not to make this about RL since that's not who this was about, but the fact is they both MIGHT be absolutely right about what they're saying - it's just plain wrong to come out and say at this time, if ever.
Agreed!
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