A Stitch in Haste

Professional bigot fundamentalist Christian Pat Robertson has graduated from anti-gay ranting to calling for political assassination:

Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson suggested on-air that American operatives assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez to stop his country from becoming "a launching pad for communist infiltration and Muslim extremism."

"We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability," Robertson said Monday on the Christian Broadcast Network's "The 700 Club."
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"You know, I don't know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it," Robertson said. "It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war ... and I don't think any oil shipments will stop."
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Robertson has made controversial statements in the past. In October 2003, he suggested that the State Department be blown up with a nuclear device. He has also said that feminism encourages women to "kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians."

When these people say that they are "full of God's love," or that they "accept the teachings of Jesus Christ," they lie.

UPDATE: Since The FaerieWizard was kind enough to link to me, I feel compelled to actually write something. So how about this: It is likely, perhaps even certain, that Robertson will qualify his statement, if not retract it outright or apologize over it. (UPDATE: Yup!) But the real question will of course be how the members, contributors, advertisers, etc., of "The 700 Club" and Christian Broadcasting Network respond.

Gays denouncing Robertson means nothing. Members of The 700 Club denouncing him means a lot.

Stay tuned...

I would never make light of a natural disaster, but this post needs to be written.

Remember how some fundamentalist Christians blamed Hurricane Katrina on the sinfulness of the City of New Orleans, conveniently forgetting both that many other regions suffered from the catastrophe and that, if anti-gay bigotry is a proper Christian virtue, then the State of Louisiana went out of its way to be virtuous.

Then Pat Robertson reminded the voters sinners of Dover, Pennsylvania, that if God happened to be in a smiteful mood any time soon, then they shouldn't be surprised if He set His sites on that Intelligent-Design-rejecting locale. (Never mind that ID proponents insist that their anti-science gobbledygook is not in any way "Christian" theology.)

Well, God still has lousy aim:

At least a dozen wildfires were burning in Oklahoma on Sunday, pushed by 50 mph wind gusts.
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"Today has been extremely intense," Fire Maj. Brian Stanaland said in Oklahoma City. "I think it's maybe starting to take its toll on our department."

Remember, the single most important (even if unwritten) Commandment for fundamentalist Christians is to oppose gays at all costs.

So how pious are Oklahomans?

In the first weeks of Oklahoma's 2004 legislative session, 10 anti-gay bills were introduced, including one to ban gay marriage and another to prohibit the recognition of out-of-state adoptions by same-sex couples.

One of those bills was a resolution urging Congress to pass the Federal Marriage Amendment. And the state's bigot amendment passed in November 2004 by a 3-1 margin. If God hates gays, then he ought to love Oklahomans.

Like I said, God has lousy aim. Either that or -- can it possibly be -- the fundamentalists might be wrong?

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While watching CNN from my San Francisco hotel room, I heard Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry indicate that, when he called the White House to urge the rapid declaration of Oklahoma as a federal disaster area, the President was "unable to take his call." What the heck could the President be doing on New Year's Day that was so important (besides trying various hangover remedies)? Does the fact that Henry is a Democrat matter? I certainly hope not.

An ultra-morbidly obese man has a stroke.

To Pat Robertson, this constitutes divine retribution.

So my question to Pat Robertson is this: What great sin or abomination did Ronald Reagan commit to earn God's Wrath in the form of such a terrible, lingering death?

Just curious.

More thoughts at PurpleScarf, FastLad, Moderate Voice.

Perhaps we were all a bit too hasty to condemn Pat Robertson for attributing Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's crippling stroke to "divine retribution" for giving away "God's Land."

Because now we have Exhibit B:

Fire destroyed a landmark 1890 church Friday on [Chicago's] South Side that played a major role in the development of gospel music in the 1930s.
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The cause of the blaze was not immediately known.
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The building was originally a synagogue but had housed the church since 1922.

I rest my case -- mess with "God's House" and expect fire and brimstone, or at least the "fire" part.

Sorry I doubted you, Reverend Robertson.

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This is, of course, utter nonsense. Which won't stop Robertson from trying to make the connection himself. If he's sufficiently unstable to make the Sharon remark, then why not this kind of illogic too?

Just a hunch.

Pat Robertson has apparently put his money where his mouth is (assuming there's any room left after inserting his foot in it):

Israel is pulling out of a $50 million deal with US TV evangelist Pat Robertson after he said Ariel Sharon's stroke was divine retribution.
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Mr Robertson was leading a group of evangelical Christians hoping to build the Galilee World Heritage Park.
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The centre was expected to cover nearly 35 acres (14 hectares) north-east of the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus is believed to have delivered the Sermon on the Mount. It would have had a park, an auditorium, a Holy Land exhibition, outdoor amphitheatres, information centre and a media studio.

From " The Pirates of the Caribbean" to "The Sermon on Space Mountain." How dignified.

Next, perhaps James Dobson will retaliate by declaring a boycott against Israel ("Don't Patronize the Unholy Land...").

In any case, a few fleeting moments of Schadenfreude toward Robertson are certainly appropriate. It couldn't have happened to a more deserving bigot.

More thoughts at Moderate Voice, PoliBlog.

In breaking news, a corporate jet owned by Pat Robertson crashed.

In other news, Pat Robertson owns a corporate jet:

The jet was registered to Virginia-based Robertson Asset Management. The company is owned by Robertson and is separate from the Christian Broadcasting Network, spokeswoman Angell Vasko said.

She said Robertson was not on the plane and rents it out because he uses it infrequently.

Then again, Robertson has Scripture on his side: As the Gospel According to Mark says: "It is easier for a camel to Learjet through the eye of a needle than for a false prophet to fly coach."

(In other other news: "Robertson Asset Management"?!?)