The bright side to having someone like Pat Robertson around is that he serves as a useful example of the dangers in commingling Church and State.
One danger seems to be inconsistency in basic theological matters, e.g., the efficacy of prayer. Take this example from this past weekend’s discussion with George Stephanopolous on ABC’s This Week:
STEPHANOPLOUS: “Reverend Robertson, the God you describe is taking an active direct role in our lives. One of the earlier clips we showed, you had him saying “I am removing justices from the Supreme Court.” And I’m just wondering, why is a God who is so involved in our daily lives, so directly involved, allows something like a tsunami to kill several hundred thousand people in Asia.”
ROBERTSON: “Um … I don’t think he reverses the laws of nature, uh, the reasons for that tsunami was the shifting of tectonic plates in the Indian Ocean. I don’t think he changes the magma in volcanoes and I don’t think he changes the wind currents that bring about hurricanes. Uh, so I don’t attribute that to God or his lack or otherwise. But in terms of human affairs, I do think he answers prayer. And I think there have been literally millions of people praying for a change in the Supreme Court. The people of faith in this country feel they’re a tyranny, uh, and they see their liberties taken away from them, and they have been beseeching God, fasting and praying for years. So I think he hears and answers their prayers.”
This is, of course, the same Robertson who prayed on-air for Hurricane Isabel to avoid Virginia Beach in 2003.
Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson today prayed on his Christian Broadcasting Network, based here, that Hurricane Isabel would turn from the coast. He asked God to put a “wall of protection” around Virginia Beach and the East Coast.
“In the name of Jesus, we reach out our hand in faith and we command that storm to cease its forward motion to the north and to turn and to go out into the sea,” Robertson prayed on “The 700 Club” program.
In 1985, he claimed to have actually pulled off such a miracle with Hurricane Gloria (which later hit Long Island), and in 1995 he claimed to have averted Hurricane Felix (which later hit New Jersey).
And, of course, in 1998, he had this to say about “Gay Day” at Walt Disney World:
“We’re not in any way, shape or form hating anybody,” said Robertson. “This is not a message of hate; this is a message of redemption. But if [pause] a condition like this will bring about the destruction of your nation. It’ll bring about terrorist bombs; it’ll bring earthquakes, tornadoes and possibly a meteor, it isn’t necessarily something we ought to open our arms to.
“And I would warn Orlando that you’re right in the way of some serious hurricanes,” Robertson continued, “and I don’t think I’d be waving those flags in God’s face if I were you.”
So does God intercede (or choose not to intercede) in natural disasters, or not? Certainly a very thorny theological problem, and one that most folks of faith struggle with for a variety of reasons. Robertson’s struggles seem to be to decide whether it’s to his advantage to claim intercession or not in any given circumstance.
Of course, Robertson is not, as he says, about hate. That doesn’t mean he’s about trust, either, since he also said during his interview that Muslims shouldn’t be appointed to high national offices, including judgeships.
Robertson, who launched a brief presidential bid in 1988, said that if he were president, he would not appoint Muslims to serve in his Cabinet and that he did not favor Muslims serving as judges.
“They have said in the Quran there’s a war against all the infidels,” he said. “Do you want somebody like that sitting as a judge? I wouldn’t.”
In that, at least, he shares common ground of righteous mistrust with some Muslims, as Saudi Arabia recently arrested forty Pakistani Christians in Riyadh for proselytizing. Though, at least, Robertson isn’t advocating arresting Muslims for teaching their faith. Yet.
Though it makes you wonder what he thought about Bush hobnobbing and hand-holding with Saudi Prince Abdullah the other day.
If Pat Robertson wants to re-institute the Old Testament dispensation he should be aware of one thing: false prophets were to be stoned to death (Deut. 13). There’s a reason why in theological circles Providence is called the secret will of God. It is presumption to try to say why.
This Thursday is the National Day of Prayer. It was originally proposed to be the National Day of Prayer and Humiliation. This latter title comes from our historical roots. If something bad happened it was assumed that God was judging US rather than THEM. Thus, we were to humble ourselves to see if our behavior had something to do with the bad outcomes. Even though it sounds otherwise, even this is presumption. Rather, it is the theology of Job’s so-called friends.
I realize Pat Robertson is trying to present a theodicy. But, it is so lame that I suspect that it would be better for him to remain silent (or anyone else for that matter). All answers to George Stephenopolous’ question should start with the same three words:
I don’t know.