Saturday, January 07, 2006

On Reverend Pat Part 2

"He wears his faith but as the fashion of his hat." --William Shakespeare, "Much Ado about Nothing", Act 1 scene 1

(sigh)

Once again, Pat Robertson has opened his yap when he should have kept it shut.

I'm sorry. That makes me sound as if I am advocating censorship. I am not. Maybe I should re-phrase that. Let me put it this way:

Pat Robertson should perhaps consider the implications of what irresponsible and intolerant statements can instill in people who can not think for themselves and realize that what he is saying represents a very narrow minded viewpoint not shared by the majority of free thinkers in America and elsewhere.



Fundamentally, he is correct in part of his statement. Israel is Gods land. God designated that land for His chosen people, the Jews. He really doesn't want it to be divided. God has, in the past, inflicted people with illnesses and infirmities and yes, even death, to those who disobey Him.

All of these facts are found within the pages of the Holy Bible, which we Christians believe is God's Word.

But it is irresponsible, to say the least, of the "Reverend" Robertson to make any statement that indicates he believes that God is punishing Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for dividing God's land, contrary to God's wishes.

That, actually, may be true, but Robertson doesn't speak for God.

How can I be so sure?

Remember when he proclaimed God wanted him to be President? Did he become President?

See what I mean?

Believe me, if God wanted him to become President, Robertson would become President, in spite of lack of votes and lack of support from any political party.

And if God wanted anyone to announce that He is punishing Ariel Sharon for dividing the land, He would certainly choose a better, more authoritive spokesman.

Dang! Now I am presuming to speak for God. Call this my humble opinion.

Here is more of my humble opinion:

I never liked Pat Robertson. I think he's a phony. I think the only God he really worships is the almighty Dollar. I think he does more to set back real fundamental Christianity (in the true sense of the word) than anything atheists can do.

I think my opinion of him was sealed several years ago when I saw him praying on his TV program. He closed his eyes tightly, as if making sure that his audience would know, without a doubt, that he wasn't peeking. Then he said something like, "Somewhere in America, right this very moment, someone is being healed of a serious back ailment".

I thought, "What audacity! How does this guy presume to speak for God? How the H*** does he know what's happening somewhere in America? Anywhere in America? What a phony!"

If he is a Christian, he has allowed himself to become corrupted by the self gratification of the spotlight to the point that one can no longer tell, by his actions, that he is or ever was a Christian. He has become drunk with the power that well meaning but naive Christian people have bestowed upon him.

I believe there are levels in Hell. I don't think there is Biblical evidence of that belief, but humor me on this one. I think there is a special place for people like Pat Robertson there.

A level directly proportional to the number of people he has misled and conned.

If he isn't a Christian. Anyone can be saved. Anyone.

I cannot and will not say whether he is or isn't a Christian. I can only say he doesn't convince me by his words or deeds.

I heard a comedian on TV tell this anecdote once:

A couple of Jehovah's Witnesses were trying to convince me to join their flock. They said, "Don't you want to go to Heaven?" I said, "Well, not if people like you are there!"

I kind of feel the same way about Pat Robertson.

24 comments:

KEvron said...

swell post, mark. at last we can completely aree on something: robertson's a kook and a menace. he's his own parody.

KEvron

Mark said...

I wouldn't go as far as calling him a menace. More of an embarrassment really.

Timothy said...

Mark,
I was just praying on the floor this morning... and I had a card, a 3x5 card, with your name on it... and I was praying... "somewhere in America, there is a guy named Mark... and this Mark has a beef with a guy named Pat... O that both would send me $25,000!"
Sorry, couldn't resist. :)

The Game said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
The Game said...

When I heard what he said I could not sigh and put my head down...
The media and the Left make him a spokes person for the Right and GWB.

The WordSmith from Nantucket said...

I don't know if he's a phony...he probably actually believes everything he says and does in the name of God. That's what's scary. His own self-brainwash. And he's an example of what those on the left fear about the religious right. He exemplifies the worst of it every time he opens his yap...and he's been saying stupid stuff for years now.

Dionne said...

I am very reticent to criticize Evangelical Christians since they get demonized enough by the MSM but for Robertson I make an exception. He is an embarrassment and he doesn't speak for me. He soooo needs to retire!!

I knew you would have Braveheart listed in your favorite movies after I saw your quote from the Scottish Declaration of Independence. I love Braveheart and have even read a book on William Wallace. I may steal that quote sometime.

Love your blog and have linked you as well :-).

Mark said...

Miss Chatterbox! Welcome to my place! I AM Scottish by heritage. I once wrote a post about it. You can read about it here.

Erudite Redneck said...

Re, "The media and the Left make him a spokes person for the Right and GWB."

Here we go again. Ah, no. Robertson holds himself out as an important part of the religious right and you know it.

If I have to hold my nose and put up with Michael Moore, than y'all have to hold your nose and put up with Pat Robertson.

Mark said...

Best way to put up with him is to just ignore him.

tugboatcapn said...

Ignore who?

I am so sick of people who presume to speak for me...

As far as the whole "THE Media" argument goes, have you ever noticed that whenever you see someone who is supposed to be religious on a television show, they are either Roman Catholic, Jewish, or a Snake Handling Zealot Nut Case?

I am none of the above.

But whenever people who are not religious find out that I am Christian, (and *Gasp!!* Baptist), I am automatically assumed to be the "Snake Handling Zealot Nutcase" variety.

I Am Not.

"The Media" encompasses a lot more than just the New York Times and CNN. People get their templates for things that they are unfamiliar with from everything from Chicken Noodle News to Seinfeld re-runs.

When Robertson spouts off with stuff like he said the other day, it just provides another opportunity for people who don't know what they are talking about to point and say "See! That's what those people believe! THAT'S how those people are!!"

Well, that's NOT how I am...

KEvron said...

Mark Maness said...
I wouldn't go as far as calling him a menace."


the pandering kook preys on the fears of his congregation. he exploits their faith and misguides and misdirects them. he does this for personal gain and glory, and to further his own idealogical goals.

and his recent blundering proclamations can only lead to further the division which has manifested itself in this country.

that's a menace in my book.

KEvron, somewhere in america

Goat said...

I have a friend that was stoned along with her friends, for attending a concert, by a Robertson splinter group. The concert was a Marilyn Manson show but still that was inexcusable, she has a nice scar on her face as a result. I always rejected "The Moral Majority". I believe religious leaders should stay out of politics and political leaders should stay out of religion. Faith is not meant for gov't regulation or control and government is not the role of religion. She admits he gives the rest of us a bad image. He is definately the Howard Dean of the right, in need of just shutting up.

Mike's America said...

As totally wrongheaded as Robertsons remarks were,

We have more to fear from kooks and menaces that advocate defeat of the United States in war. Especially when those kooks and menaces are in positions of power and influence that eclipse that of Robertson.

TStockmann said...

I think that Al Sharpton might be a better left analogue to Robertson than Moore.

KEvron said...

"We have more to fear from kooks and menaces that advocate defeat of the United States in war."

i'm right there with ya. could you name some of these people, and cite specific instances in which they advocated defeat of the u.s.?

KEvron

Gayle said...

Pat Robertson is a menace to Christianity, because he unwittingly convinces people that Christianity is bad.

At first I thought that he must have been taken out of context. The media just loves to to that. Sadly, I have learned he wasn't taken out of context. So I must conclude the man has lost his mind.
I hope that it will become apparent that he has lost his mind, so that his opinions will carry no weight with anyone.
I'm not, however, mad at him personally. I feel sorry for him because he has become deranged.

And yes, in the overall scheme of things, he's a little fish in a big pond. We do have more important things to worry about...like staying alive here because our borders haven't been protected. But I don't go to sleep at night worried about it. I'm just grateful for every single day that I awake and nothing catastrophic has happened to this country while I slept.

Excellent post, Mark! :)

Dionne said...

Mark: Checked out that post. Very interesting. I also bookmarked that ancestry site to go back to sometime later.

Eric said...

Pat Robertson is one thing... he's certainly strayed from the "optimal" standard of Christianity. I won't go so far as to say he isn't genuine, only God can know that... but then He did say we'd know the tree by the fruit it bears , didn't He... still, there are far worse examples of Christianity. Benny Hinn comes swiftly to mind-- a false prophet if ever there was one.

The problem with the media, though, and hollywood by extension, is they allow their Fame, Degrees and Intellect dictate their moral stances, so much so that Ambiguity has becomes a virtue. Media doesn't understand God, has no desire to understand God or His people, be they Jews or Christians. And Hollowood has yet to provide an accurate picture of Christianity on Television... not Highway to Heaven, not Touched by an Angel, not Joan of Arcadia (though I liked that one. I had to watch it, actually... working for a CBS affiliate and all), and last summers pathetic Book of Revelations, or NBC's newest farce, The Book of Daniel.

Hollow-wood looks at the success of "The Passion" and drools for a piece of the pie, but they fail at every attempt to cook up their own batch of Christian cookies.

To quote some secular wisdom... "A man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest..." Very true of those who think everyone who believes in God is a Bible-thumping Jesus-jumper. Which is what Hollywood really thinks of Christians. We're uneducated, unenlightened, unworthy of a say in government, all because we'd rather save the life of an innocent unborn child than the wasted life of a four time killer like Tookie Williams.

The real kooks are on TV... On CNN, MSNBC, CBS, ABC, NBC, TBN and C-Span (the Senate & House floors. Want to end corruption in Washington? Demand Term Limits! But that's another post)... there's just too much alphabet soup in America's diet.

Thanks for the email. Sorry to be so long-winded.

KEvron said...

elashley,

wasthe omission of faux news from your list an oversight?

KEvron

Eric said...

KEvron--

No, If I want a Liberal opinion I can get that at FOX. You are aware that FOX employees Liberals, aren't you? Knowing how and what Liberals think is a very important part of fighting their dogma/policies.

Besides, If I'm going to be pounded with Liberal dogma, I prefer that it come from someone more intelligent than Messr's Olbermann or Matthews. I can get that at FOX.

Most folks who criticize FOX News rarely, if ever, watch FOX News. That last statement was not addressed to you... I have no idea what you watch.

As for myself, I have to watch CBS 6 nights a week. The latest joke circulating the control room where I work, is the addition (of our own making) of a new Tagline for the "The CBS Evening News". Instead of the, "...with Bob Schieffer" bit, we prefer the following...

"Smoking Reefer with Bob Shieffer"

KEvron said...

alashley,

faux is notoriously and unashamedly biased, token liberals or not. murdock's a kook, ailes is a kook, o'lielly's a kook, hannity's a kook (and colmes is a pud), their regular guest pundidiots are kooks. that joint is nuttier than a fruitcake. puh-lease....

KEvron

KEvron said...

er, "elashley"....

Eric said...

KEvron--

Do you mean to tell me the likes of Olbermann and Matthews are free from kookiness? PUH-leese, back at cha!