Pat Robertson Does Not Speak For Me!

This is a long-overdue post. On January 12, 2010 a magnitude 7.0 earthquake violently shook Haiti and well over 100,000 people died. In fact, some have placed the death toll as high as 200,000. Many thousands more were left homeless. There is no one who disputes the fact that the Haitian tragedy is one of the most horrific natural disasters to hit our world. Shame on Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh whose words added insult to injury. Why do the comments of these two men bother me? Because they both claim to be Christians (Robertson is the founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network) and I want to make it clear that these men do not speak for me.

Reverend Robertson said the earthquake was a consequence of something that “happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about it.” The Haitians were “under the heel of the French. You know, Napoleon III and whatever, and they got together and swore a pact with the devil. They said, ‘We will serve you if you will get us free from the French.’ True story. And so the devil said, ‘OK, it’s a deal.’” In 1804 the native Haitians defeated French colonists and declared independence, but Robertson said the Haitians have been cursed ever since.

Rush Limbaugh discouraged his listeners from donating to the Haitian recovery because, “You already give to Haitian relief – it’s called the income tax.” A whole nation of innocent human beings is in dire need. Why would anyone discourage people who are able, from helping? Unbelievable!

In 2005 a devastating hurricane hit the gulf coast of the United States and it destroyed homes and businesses. Over 1,800 people lost their lives during Hurricane Katrina, and in the floods that quickly rose after the levees gave way. Pat Robertson said this natural disaster was God’s punishment for the many abortions performed in this country each year. If that was the case, then why was Louisiana hit hardest? According to the latest abortion statistics, Louisiana is 19th among the states in abortions per capita.

I’ve talked to many Christians who do believe that the natural disasters that have befallen our world of late are, in fact, a result of God’s punishment for the evil in the world. Listen, I’m not going to make suppositions about what is going on the mind of our sovereign God. I can, however, ask myself, “What would Jesus do” in these desperate times of incomprehensible need? In John, chapter 4 we read about Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well. He didn’t talk to her about a generational curse, or tell her that her problems were caused by the actions of her grandmother’s second cousin’s uncle! Please! Jesus talked to her about her personal choices and then He met her physical and spiritual needs. Simple as that!

Jesus fed the hungry, raised the dead, and healed the sick. He met the physical needs FIRST, then He addressed the spiritual needs. That is the example we should be following. We do not need to look into the eyes of hurting and dying people and tell them they are suffering because they happen to be swimming in the wrong gene pool! Come on Christian.
Sadly, you and I do not have the microphone and audience afforded to Pat Robertson or Rush Limbaugh but the world hears them and assumes that they speak for all Christians. Well, they don’t speak for me! Get off the Pew and meet the physical needs of the hurting and dying! Love them, feed them, clothe them, and then lead them to the well of living water that is Jesus Christ. Get off the Pew!