When an earthquake devastated Haiti Tuesday and thousands lay dead or crying for help, Pat Robertson offered some interesting ideas on TV about why it happened; it was because the Haitians had made a pact with the Devil:
"And you know Kristi, something happened a long time ago in Haiti and people might not want to talk about it. They were under the heel of the French, uh you know Napoleon the third and whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the Devil. They said we will serve you if you'll get us free from the French. True Story. And so the Devil said "OK, it's a deal." And they kicked the French out. You know, the Haitians revolted and got themselves free. But ever since they have been cursed by one thing after the other, desperately poor. That island is Hispaniola is one island. It's cut down the middle. On one side is Haiti, on the other side is the Dominican republic. Dominican Republic is prosperous, healthy, full of resorts, etc.. Haiti is in desperate poverty. Same island. Uh, they need to have, and we need to pray for them, a great turning to God and out of this tragedy. I'm optimistic something good may come."
I see no need to comment further. This statement speaks for itself.
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Comments
*facepalm*
How do you spell evil? P-A-T R-O-B-E-R-T-S-O-N
There are Christians, I am one of them, who are ashamed at this. Pat Robertson does not speak for me, my prayers are for the Haitian peoples and all who have been affected by this tragedy. Caused by the devil? Perhaps, no matter the cause our response should always be one of compassion which should then move us to action. My apologies, I know my people (Christians) are an embarassment, Our Father isn't too happy with the way most of them behave either.
Rita Viselli, Orange County Single Moms Ministries Examiner
Richard A. Haggerty, ed. Haiti: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1989.
Protestantism
Haiti Table of Contents
Protestantism has existed in Haiti since the earliest days of the republic. By the mid-nineteenth century, there were small numbers of Protestant missions, principally Baptist, Methodist, and Episcopalian. Protestant churches, mostly from North America, have sent many foreign missions to Haiti. Almost half of Haiti's Protestants were Baptists; Pentecostals were the second largest group. Many other denominations also were present, including Seventh Day Adventists, Mormons, and Presbyterians. Widespread Protestant proselytization began in the 1950s. Since the late 1950s, about 20 percent of the population has identified itself as Protestant. Protestantism has appealed mainly to the middle and the upper classes, and it played an important role in educational life.
Protestant churches focused their appeal on the lower classes long before the
"I know my people (Christians) are an embarrassment, Our Father isn't too happy with the way most of them behave either." Thank you, Rita, for writing how I feel. I'm so tired of their judging of others.
Lets see if this piece of trash Robertson can show his "christian charity" and donate some of his millions to the Haitians. What a scumbag....Hopefully he will gp the way of Falwell and be raptured to the next life minus his corpse.
I would say "Shame on you!" to this guy if he was joking. And "You silly bastard!" if he really meant it.
Pat Robertson always says this stuff about Haiti, and he said something similar about New Orleans after Katrina. I think its the conventional white evangelical thinking, that black people can't really be christians, because of their skin color. A blanket generalization that ALL blacks mix voodoo with their christianity.
This earthquake is a little out of the ordinary, but being in Hurricane Alley makes Haiti prone to storms of nature, not the supernatural, however I won't discount Robertson's assertions that God hates humanity, especially black people. Having read the OT, I think its a fair conclusion. Although, I think god hates us equally regardless of race.
Y'all don't get anywhere close to the truth by reading this lame article. What the "writer" doesn't tell you is that Robertson and his organization already have sent over two million dollars in aid to Haiti and if you watch the entire video on CBN's website it's clear that Robertson does NOT say that this incident is a result of God's wrath for the so-called pact with the Devil the Haitians made long ago. Robertson is not a particular favorite of mine, in fact I think these comments were ill-timed and unhelpful, but one would think you intellectual atheist types would take the time to dig deeper for the truth. Of course truth is a commodity that you find singularly uninteresting!
He also blamed the Katrina disaster on the gays. Not only an embarrassment to Christians, but to the whole human race as a whole.
Yes, his charity is already on the ground helping Haiti, but they won't see one cent of my money. Donate to Yele Hait (formerly the Wyclef Jean Foundation) and 100% of your money goes directly to disaster relief.
I have heard Robertson say that Haiti made a deal with the devil, but not on this occaision, because I wasn't watching him. I stand corrected.
KAW, do you know how to read? The exact quote from the video is right there in the article.
"...they [Haitians] got together and swore a pact to the Devil.
...
But ever since they have been cursed by one thing after the other, desperately poor."
He is totally blaming this tragedy on his make believe story of their pact with the devil. He is a disgusting old man. Of course the black slaves should not have revolted against their white masters, they should have stayed subjugated. Now I am reading between the lines and showing that Robertson's motive could be racism.
BeamStalk,
This snippet of a video does NOT tell the whole story and that's the fact. Your condescension is typical for atheist reprobates who have NO regard to discover truth. Yours is a sad freakin' lot!
Well, of course his statements are racist. Recall also, that Pat Robertson's charitable organizations were fronts for slave labour in the illegal diamond and gold smuggling trades in Africa.
Evangelicals, back in the Reagan days, have told me that blacks are supposed to be slaves, because Noah cursed Ham and his grandson Canaan for putting clothes on the dirty old drunk. An implication that either Ham was doing his mom, or Noah was molesting Ham and/or Canaan. Depending on interpretation. They say Ham was Noah's black kid. I don't know if they still think this way.
KAW - I don't care how much he gives, he is still saying they deserve what they get for making a pact with the devil, which is absurd, racist, and wrong. There is no other content needed.
Gnostic Guy - Ken Ham has a display in his museum showing Hammites moving to Africa (I saw it with my own eyes). So they most definitely still believe this.
I appreciate the Ad Homs also.
I suppose CBS news, who reported this quote here:
www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2010/01/14/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry6096806.shtml
also has no regard to discover truth?
Or perhaps the White House:
abcnews.go.com/GMA/white-house-advisor-valerie-jarrett-speechless-pat-robertson/story?id=9555714
CNN? www.cnn.com/2010/US/01/13/haiti.pat.robertson/
USA today?
content.usatoday.com/communities/Religion/post/2010/01/pat-robertson-cursed-haiti-may-have-blessing-in-disguise-in-earthquake/1
I could go on and on. He said it, he said it about Haiti, and it was a horrific, ignorant, and seemingly racist remark.
Don't worry; he'll just apologize tomorrow, and everything will be fine again.
Fascinating set of comments. My favorite, of course, is KAW's blaming of this on atheists. Um. . . Okay. Robertson DID say it. I saw the entire clip. Yes, he also called for helping, but he asked for donations, he didn't personally DONATE a penny, to the best of my knowledge. But preaching hate - and that IS what he's doing - is unforgivable. I don't care if his ugliness comes with help, it does not diminish the ugliness.
Where are the other Christian leaders, why are they staying silent rather than condemning these remarks?
Pat Robertson is definitely a loon at times.
The only thing that has received my attention with this is the fact that the White House actually thought it a good idea to step up and comment on it. A very bad move in my opinion.
With a White House already getting such bad opinions after the Christmas debacles, the last thing they need os to be jumping on the air making responses to the religious community who did not ask for their input nor make an accusation about them themselves.
Totally crazy.
Notice the White House didn't do this when he made the remark about Islam being a political idea and that it was false religion.
The White House would do themselves a favor by keeping their mouth shuts. Patterson is not a public official.
Obama's white house has gone crazy.
Gnostic Guy,
Why are you bringing race into this? If racism were really the issue, do you think Pat would be stating this while sitting next to a black woman whom he hired as one of his on-air personalities who represents the 700 Club?? C'mon man, don't throw the race-card out when the dumb-card will do just fine.
My own thoughts on this can be found at h t t p : //j.mp/pat-haiti
James-Michael Smith, Pat Robertson isn't the only racist. Having a token next to him doesn't make less the would-be colonial master.
You know, if making a pact with the devil, makes you victorious over Jehovah (Same guy to some gnostics like me), then what does that say about our Earthly Kosmocrator?
Once there was King Mesha, who was losing a battle to the Israelites, and he sacrificed his son to Yahweh's brother Chemosh. And in so doing, the Moabites won the battle.
Both Pat and Rush are fools. They see not and hear not. Until we start to believe that we are all one race, The human race there shall not be peace and the kingdom will not come yet.
when you look at the situation I have to say why not here in cleveland, ohio. If you look around were living in sodom and gommorah. No its not spelled right but you know what i'm talking about
You go Pat we live in a time we need to just tell it as it really is. Thats what I do and people tray to splat me I don't care I know who my master is. Its not a time to shrink back forth but a time to love people and tell people who he is!!! If your afraid of people who are you serving? I don't want something in the way between me and GOD and JESUS CHRIST for no man! So you go tell it on the mountains Pat!!!
So long as fingers are being pointed at loonies, it should be noted that actor Danny Glover blamed the Haiti earthquake on global warming.
Wonder if Pat knows all the details of this deal...is it because he was at the devil's right hand (probably a new apprentice at the time). And isn't there a verse in the bible about NOT paying for your father's sins? If this was 200 years ago wouldn't God prevent the devil from continuing collecting on this old debt? OR is that part of the bible no longer applicable....like so many others..except gay marriage is still a no-no, right?
Listen again. Pat did not say God did this. You reap what you sow. 80 % of Christians practice voodoo...look it up. Then read Gods Word.
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