It's Past Time For Pat Robertson To Step Down From The Pulpit
In my opinion, the far left fanatics in this country are among the biggest threats to this country and to the world. Many far right fanatics, however, aren't far behind. Some far right fanatics, like Pat Robertson, are especially dangerous because so many people listen to and believe them.
Pat Robertson is a self proclaimed ordained minister, bible teacher, broadcaster, statesman, author, humanitarian, businessman and Christian. From his pulpit as host of the 700 Club, he commands a large audience of religious television viewers. When hosting his show or when giving interviews, he normally sounds intelligent, logical and reasonable. However, more and more, lately, he seems to go off the deep end.
On August 22, 2005 Mr. Robertson, when speaking about Venezuela's President Hugh Chavez, said "I don?t know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we?re trying to assassinate him, I think we really ought to go ahead and do it. It?s a whole lot cheaper than starting a war, and I don?t think any oil shipments will stop." and "We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability. We don?t need another 200-billion-dollar war to get rid of one strong-arm dictator. It?s a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with." On August 24, 2005 he released a clarification stating "Is it right to call for assassination? No, and I apologize for that statement. I spoke in frustration that we should accommodate the man who thinks the U.S. is out to kill him."
I believe that President Chavez is a petty tyrant and an enemy of the United States. I also believe that he is a danger to the United States and to the Western Hemisphere and that something should be done to stop him. I don't, however, believe that it is right or proper for a so called 'Christian' religious leader to call for his assassination. The fact that Mr. Robertson 'apologized' for his statements does not alter the fact that he did call for the assassination and that followers, around the world, heard that call. Far more people heard the call than heard the 'apology'.
On Thursday January 5, 2005 Mr. Robertson, who claims to "be a good friend of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon" (With friends like this who need enemies), suggested that Prime Minister Sharon's stroke was "devine punishment for dividing God's land". Mr. Robertson stated "that the Prime Minister "was dividing God's land and I would say woe unto any prime minister of Israel who takes a similar course to appease the E.U., the United Nations or the United States of America.".
On that same day a spokewoman for Mr. Robertson expressed Dr. Robertson?s outrage at People for the American Way, who have a clear left-wing political agenda and who, on an ongoing basis, lift his comments out of context and widely circulate them in an attempt to discredit him.
I do not have a left wing agenda, in fact I dislike and fear the far left in this country. I am a Christian. I may not be a great Christian but, I believe very strongly in Christianity. I am not a Jew but, I have great respect for the State of Israel and it's people and I strongley support it's continued existance. I have read as much information as I could find regarding Mr. Robertson's statement and I feel that his statement is very wrong, improper and unchristian.
I too feel that the handing over of land to the Palestinians is wrong. I feel that it harms the security of Israel and may hasten Israel's demise. I also, however, realize that Prime Minister Sharon may have had no choice in the matter. In my opinion, the government of the United States, Israel's only 'ally' in the Middle East and possibly in the world, decided, many years ago, that "winning the hearts and minds of the Middle East Arabs" was more important than securing the safe future of Isreal. In order to reach that goal the United States has been doing everything in it's power to secure 'peace in the Middle East' at any cost, including forcing Israel to give up land in order to appease the Arabs. Prime Minister Sharon may have decided that it was better to give up some land, than to lose whatever little assistance it still recieves from, it's 'friend', the United States.
Prime Minister Sharon is or was the leader of the State of Israel and was doing what he thought best in order to attempt to ensure the survival of his country. Whether he was doing right or wrong is for the people of Israel to judge, not for Mr. Robertson. Reasons for or against almost anything can be found in the Bible, depending on how it is interpreted.
Mr. Robertson has been getting wilder and wilder in his assertions and is being forced to issue more and more 'clarifications' (The foregoing are only two examples.). He appears to believe that his interpretation of the Bible is the only true interpretation and that not only does he speak for God, he is the only person on this Earth that does so. When Christians become as rigid and as spiteful as Mr. Robertson has become then, they are no longer any better than the Islamic fundamentalists that are terrorising the world. It's time for Mr. Robertson to step down, otherwise he is going to start turning people away from Christianity and from God.
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David G. Hallstrom, Sr. is a retired private investigator and currently publishes several internet directories including www.resourcesforattorneys.com a legal and lifestyle resources directory for attorneys, lawyers and the internet public. For more lifestyle information see lifestyle.resourcesforattorneys.com, the Lifestyle directory from Resources For Attorneys.