Posted on 07/31/2013 8:36:12 PM PDT by Morgana
VIRGINIA BEACH, VA, July 31, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Two days after saying he found nothing sinful about sex-change operations, televangelist Pat Robertson said contraception is “a very important part of humanity” that would prevent the birth of too many Appalachian “ragamuffins.” He also said that Natural Family Planning violated the provisions of the Old Testament.
On today's episode of the 700 Club, a woman asked whether the use of birth control is sinful, something about which Catholics and Protestants disagree.
When Robertson's co-host, Wendy Griffith, said not all families could afford to have multiple children, Robertson replied, “That's the big problem, especially in Appalachia. They don't know about birth control. They just keep having babies.”
“You see a string of all these little ragamuffins, and not enough food to eat and so on,” he said, “and it's desperate poverty.” Pat Robertson discusses NFP on today's 700 Club. Pat Robertson discusses NFP on today's 700 Club.
“I'd say yes, birth control is absolutely an important thing for people to use,” he added, saying contraception “is a very important part of humanity.”
Robertson said that “birth control in the Protestant churches has always been permitted,” because they “feel that the care and rearing of children is a tremendous obligation.”
However, the 83-year-old host had negative words for the Natural Family Planning method. “Our good friends in the Catholic Church forbid the use of birth control but they allow people to use what's called 'rhythm,'” he said at the beginning of his answer. “If you read the Old Testament they were forbidden to have sex while women were having their menstrual period, and the Catholic Church is telling women to do just that, and it's OK.”
The Bible discouraged men from having sexual relations with a woman during her menstrual cycle – or touching her – in Leviticus 15:19-33, a provision taken up by Judaism and Islam.
However, Robertson went on to tell another writer later in the segment that eating pork, which is banned in Leviticus 11:7 and Deuteronomy 14:8, is not a sin.
“Where do people get all these things?” he asked. “This is ridiculous.”
The Protestant Reformers opposed artificial contraception, something not embraced by Protestants until the Anglican Communion's Lamberth Conference in 1930.
Pro-life activists point out that many forms of “birth control” – including the morning after pill, the IUD, and hormonal birth control pill – may cause a chemical abortion by blocking the implantation of a newly conceived child.
Get this loon off the TV. PLEASE!
His family must hate him to allow this to continue.
I was really depressed several weeks ago and was watching TV upstairs in my bed. Came across the 700 club as that was about the only decent thing on after watching Idiocracy which come to find out is really a documentary on the here and now.
I’ve seen snippets of the 700 Club here and there before, but was pretty impressed with the stories they were talking about. Homosexual marriage. Israel. One story was of a Christian Iranian American woman whose husband/father of her children is being held in Iran. He was over there doing humanitarian work and they accused him of proselytizing.
Anyway, Pat Robertson is a little toony, but he’s fun to listen to on some things. Maybe he’s always been somewhat toony and maybe it’s getting worse with age. I don’t know. He’s at the end of his life, and I’m sure his ministry has done some very good things over the years. Other than the Muslims where so many are so fascist and violent with their beliefs, I don’t get too bent, normally, about what other people think and believe.
Not sure why Pat decided to single out the Appalachians, though. I can think of a big illegal demographic that’s doing a lot more sucking on the system. I’d rather very few have to get welfare, but if I had to choose, I’d choose the citizens over the non.
I’m genuinely curious: what is terribly offensive with what he said?
He might have been clumsy with his words, but I don’t understand the outrage.
If you can’t feed a family, you shouldn’t make a family.
What’s happening to Pat Robertson?
My husband and I were laughing today, I don’t know how it came up, about how Pat Robertson had told a woman caller to get used to it, men cheat it’s natural. Or some such nonsense.
We’re Catholic, I’ll have to share with my husband the part about Catholics being told to have sex during that time of the month. That will crack him up. And sicken him. Both at the same time.
He’s gone full retard.
I agree with you.
What I found offensive was the reliance on shomer niddah in Judaism. If he wants to bring Jewish Law into Christianity, he better start reading Talmud. There are a number of mitzvot that you really need Rabbinic help before holding.
Eating pork IS a sin. Then Paul came around and altered the eternal Word of God which is meant to be ETERNAL and unchanging in any way shape or form.
I suppose I should mention that I don’t find the laws of niddah to be offensive. It is the blind reference to them that I believe he engaged in that I find troubling.
Retire Pat. Please.
That girl might be the foremother of the Free Republic belt-fed gunner promo woman.
Dear Lord, give us the wisdom to do according to Your will.
Give us Your grace in discerning the foolishness of some of those who claim to speak in Your name.
“Lose my religion” is actually a euphemism for losing one’s temper.
It has nothing to do with “religion” at all.
I haven’t watched 700 club lately but I thought of that too, there is a chance that the 700 club could have 95% of the time, programming that many of us might like, reporting news stories we find entertaining, sympathize with, agree politically with. Then, something like this comes up. It doesn’t make it okay but there could be a chance we are exaggerating what happened or at least, making too big of a deal about it.
Could Pat R. have been saying this in a light-hearted joking way and could he have been using it as a sort of code word for the needy in general?? Maybe he didn’t want to say you know, something that might get construed as racist so made a point another way, even if ill-advised.
I know a lot of times when he would say things, he has that smirk on his face and that tone in his voice. Good observation.
(Quote from article) “However, the 83-year-old host had negative words for the Natural Family Planning method. “Our good friends in the Catholic Church forbid the use of birth control but they allow people to use what’s called ‘rhythm,’” he said at the beginning of his answer. “If you read the Old Testament they were forbidden to have sex while women were having their menstrual period, and the Catholic Church is telling women to do just that, and it’s OK.””
Interesting, may research this a bit later.
I am willing to cut him some slack because my impression is that he is a well meaning person despite some of the weird things he has said lately. I consider him more of an entertainer at this point in his career. I hope that he is someone who is able to recognize his own limitations and stand aside when his performances begin to damage his organization.
I am glad that Paul Harvey didn't lose it in public before he died. And of course you don't hear that much from the great Billy Graham now that he is 94. I can't imagine him ever making a fool out of himself... but of course Pat has never held a candle to Billy Graham.
****Then Paul came around and altered the eternal Word of God****
It was Peter who had the vision in Acts.
Humane Vitae will be there for the closing arguments of the Final Judgement.
Pat Robertson will be asking the “raggamuffins” to dip their fingers in water to cool his tongue.
The Catholic Church was right on the subject of contraception, years before She knew she was right.
Faithful Catholics and Christians are chastised for having large families, but contracepting families are much larger.
Pope Francis WANTS no power over ANYBODY nor any body. He just wants to tell you/him ‘Find Mercy and Truth in JC’ is all.
You don’t get to play God, you only get to enjoy your oneness with your wife - the baby or not thing is God’s plan. Be open to it, TRUST in God’s plan for you and any and all He wants you to carry on into this world.
Play God during intercourse - play God during pregnancy and kill the little one.
I almost voted for this guy as a pro-life Pres Candidate but he is/was anything but!
“’Before you were formed, I knew you’ but your parents stopped your being formed”?
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