Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Pat Robertson shoots from the hip (#1,731 in an ongoing series)
In case you've been hiding underneath a rock or hibernating through the summer, you've no doubt heard a great deal of talk about the growing political activism within portions of Evangelicalism. However, we haven't heard much recently from one of the founders of what's been known as the Religious Right, Rev. Pat Robertson, so I suppose it was about time that one of his oh-so-fallible pronouncements would hit the headlines. This time, Robertson has gone so far as to suggest that the U.S. Government assassinate the leader of Venezuela. If Robertson's intention was to make a splash, he's certainly done so: the White House has rushed to distance itself from his remarks, and an ally of President Chavez has denounced him as a "fascist."
For some time now, I've been skeptical of the political activism that's been promoted by men with names such as Robertson, Falwell, Dobson, and Colson, and to be perfectly frank, episodes such as Robertson's latest outburst are just going to make the evangelical right look ridiculous, but the situation is far worse than that. When an individual who claims to be a Christian minister speaks out in such a manner--calling for the death of a political leader even though the Scriptures make it clear that it is God and God alone who raises up and tears down the powers that be, whereas Christians are to pray for those in authority however wicked them may be, not strive to tear them down--he gives the enemies of Christ abundant cause to blaspheme, not merely to ridicule the religious right, but also to deride the very name of Christ.
I pray that God will have mercy on Robertson, bring him to repentance, and provide him with the opportunity to make a public apology to all whom he has given offense. Although he has the right to air his disagreements with the actions of Chavez, he has no right to call for the man's death.
For some time now, I've been skeptical of the political activism that's been promoted by men with names such as Robertson, Falwell, Dobson, and Colson, and to be perfectly frank, episodes such as Robertson's latest outburst are just going to make the evangelical right look ridiculous, but the situation is far worse than that. When an individual who claims to be a Christian minister speaks out in such a manner--calling for the death of a political leader even though the Scriptures make it clear that it is God and God alone who raises up and tears down the powers that be, whereas Christians are to pray for those in authority however wicked them may be, not strive to tear them down--he gives the enemies of Christ abundant cause to blaspheme, not merely to ridicule the religious right, but also to deride the very name of Christ.
I pray that God will have mercy on Robertson, bring him to repentance, and provide him with the opportunity to make a public apology to all whom he has given offense. Although he has the right to air his disagreements with the actions of Chavez, he has no right to call for the man's death.
