Pat Robertson strikes again

First, let me thank you all for the very insightful comments I have received. I love hearing from you.

I wonder how many of you may have heard yesterday's news about what Pat Robertson, the infamous televangelist, said about the earthquake in Haiti. Robertson has a history of blaming the victims for tragedies, for example saying that the 9-11 attacks were God's retribution for the United States permitting the existence of gays and lesbians. He has been clinically crazy for at least ten years. His most recent statement was the most outrageous and damnable, if we can pass judgement on the words of an insane man. [He also claims to be able to leg press a ton, as a result of his special protein milkshake. I published a humorous depilation of this in the March-April 2007 Skeptical Inquirer. Unfortunately, the article is not yet available online for free.]

Here is what Robertson said: The reason that the earthquake had happened in Haiti was because, two hundred years ago, the Haitians had made a pact with the devil to the effect that, if the devil would drive out the French colonialists, they would serve him.

Big preachers like Robertson just assume that any thought that pops into their minds has come from God, and that they are personally incapable of error. If there is any such thing as blasphemy, this is it. Furthermore, Robertson and others like him have made God, if there is one, appear to be a monster. Only a Satan in the Sky would have sent or even permitted such an earthquake in response to deeds done (or not done; where is Robertson's evidence?) two centuries ago? I think conservative Christians should denounce Robertson for double blasphemy: for assuming he knows the whole mind of God, and for making God appear to be the equivalent of Satan.

I have little concern about the state of Robertson's soul or about his theology. He's insane. My problem is that thousands of people (enough to financially support a whole network) believe everything he says. Mindless followers of an insane person...has history not seen this before?