Posted on 01/12/2006 8:20:53 AM PST by Cagey
JERUSALEM - Israel has suspended contact with evangelist Pat Robertson for suggesting Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's stroke was divine punishment for withdrawing from the Gaza Strip.
The controversy has cast doubt on plans for a Christian tourism center that would showcase the growing flow of money and influence from U.S. church groups.
The decision, announced Wednesday by Israeli officials, does not affect other Christian groups that also consider it their spiritual duty to support Israel as fulfillment of biblical prophecy.
Israeli leaders see the Christian allies as tireless lobbyists in Washington and elsewhere. The evangelicals also funnel millions of dollars each year to Jewish settlers in the West Bank and — before last year's pullout — the Gaza Strip.
Tourism Minister Abraham Hirchson said he gave instructions to "stop all contact" with groups associated with Robertson. Last week, Robertson implied Sharon's massive stroke was a blow for "dividing God's land" with the withdrawal from Gaza and four West Bank settlements.
But Hirchson said the order did not apply to "all the evangelical community, God forbid."
Robertson is leading a group of evangelicals who have pledged to raise $50 million to build the Christian Heritage Center in Israel's northern Galilee region, where tradition says Jesus lived and taught.
Under a tentative agreement, Robertson's group was to put up the funding, while Israel would provide land and infrastructure. Hirchson had predicted it would draw up to 1 million pilgrims a year, generate $1.5 billion in spending and support about 40,000 jobs.
But the fate of the project is now in question, said Ido Hartuv, spokesman for the tourism ministry.
"We will not do business with him, only with other evangelicals who don't back these comments," Hartuv said. "We will do business with other evangelical leaders, friends of Israel, but not with him."
A spokeswoman for Robertson's ministry declined to comment on Israel's decision.
"We have not talked to the Israelis on this topic," said spokeswoman Angell Watts. "We continue to maintain our long-standing commitment to the Jewish people and the state of Israel."
Robertson's comments on Sharon drew condemnation from other Christian leaders and President Bush.
"God considers this land to be his," Robertson said on his TV program "The 700 Club." "You read the Bible and he says 'This is my land,' and for any prime minister of Israel who decides he is going to carve it up and give it away, God says, 'No, this is mine.'"
The "Christian Zionist" movement began to take shape in the 19th century, but in recent decades it strengthened into a powerful force with deep pockets. Some estimates place the annual figure of evangelical aid to Israel at more than $25 million. The Gaza withdrawal has become a new and potent rallying point.
In October, a group of Gaza settlers received a standing ovation from more than 5,000 Christians at a conference in Jerusalem sponsored by the International Christian Embassy, a private agency that promotes Christian ties to Israel.
Robertson's Christian Heritage Center is planned for 35 acres of rolling Galilee hills near key Christian sites, including Capernaum, the Mount of the Beatitudes, where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount, and Tabgha — on the shores of the Sea of Galilee — where Christians believe Jesus performed the miracle of the loaves and fish.
Israel was considering leasing the land to the Christians for free.
Hartuv left the door open for continuing the project, but only with people who don't back Robertson's statements.
"We want to see who in the group supports his (Robertson's) statements. Those who support the statements cannot do business with us. Those that publicly support Ariel Sharon's recovery ... are welcome to do business with us," Hartuv said.
Robertson should be quiet. He does damage when he speaks.
He really has more than foot in mouth disorder...if he really believes this it is no different than taking 'literally' the Bible when it says "suffer the witches to die". The islamofacists take their Koran litereally and go out and kill. Where does Robertson draw his line in his literal interpretation of the Bible?
Say, how about enlightening us with the chapter and verse where it says ""suffer the witches to die"?
The passage in question is found in Deuteronomy, I believe. And it states that "You shall not suffer a witch to live", I think. Don't have the Bible in front of me so I don't have the exact reference.
Shut up, Pat.
Just shut up.
Exodus 22:18
Although I've always seen it as "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live." Guess it depends on the translation.
Don't tell Pat, I wouldn't put it past him to come up with another of his 'zingers'.
Well...laugh if you must, but I saw it on a documentary about the 'witch burnings'. The self righteous witch burners used that phrase to justify their actions.
Here is what I found on google:
Exodus 22:18 (KJV) "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live."
There are several references to witchcraft in the Christian Bible, and the strong condemnations of such practices which we read there do not seem to be based so much upon the supposition of fraud as upon the "abomination" of the magic in itself. (See Deuteronomy 18:11-12; Exodus 22:18, "wizards thou shalt not suffer to live" - A.V. "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live".) The whole narrative of Saul's visit to the witch of En Dor (I Samuel 28) implies the reality of the witch's evocation of the shade of Samuel; and from Leviticus 20:27: "A man or woman in whom there is a pythonical or divining spirit, dying let them die: they shall stone them: Their blood be upon them", we should naturally infer that the divining spirit was not a mere imposture.
The Deuteronomy verse is the one that says don't consort with witches or people who try to divine the future or talk to the dead. Don't hang out with any sort of magic maker. I dunno exactly where it is either.
Robertson should be prepared to give his lucrative investments, but by all means speak, as is his right.
"suffer the witches to die" doesn't ring any bells with me, but I guess the one in Exodus sounds right.
At least he could have been more tactful.
Your tagline is hilarious!
Robertson spoke. It is his right to do so. Israel took umbrage at his words, as is their right.
Now, Robertson is out of the picture with regard to a pet project of his.
A lesson, perhaps, to be learned.
Even though the pullout of Gaza was just plain wrong (in my humble opinion), Pat suffers from a chronic case of hoof and mouth disease.
I was willing to give him slack on the Falwell debacle but it's obvious he can't help himself.
That idea is so disgusting it makes me ill, and I am not even a Christian.
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