Statement Regarding Pat Robertson's Comments on Haiti

CBN ^ | 1/13/10 | Chris Roslan

[ZGuy]

On today’s The 700 Club, during a segment about the devastation, suffering and humanitarian effort that is needed in Haiti, Dr. Robertson also spoke about Haiti’s history. His comments were based on the widely-discussed 1791 slave rebellion led by Boukman Dutty at Bois Caiman, where the slaves allegedly made a famous pact with the devil in exchange for victory over the French. This history, combined with the horrible state of the country, has led countless scholars and religious figures over the centuries to believe the country is cursed. Dr. Robertson never stated that the earthquake was God’s wrath. If you watch the entire video segment, Dr. Robertson’s compassion for the people of Haiti is clear. He called for prayer for them. His humanitarian arm has been working to help thousands of people in Haiti over the last year, and they are currently launching a major relief and recovery effort to help the victims of this disaster. They have sent a shipment of millions of dollars worth of medications that is now in Haiti, and their disaster team leaders are expected to arrive tomorrow and begin operations to ease the suffering.

Chris Roslan Spokesman for CBN

[marron]

we should not send aid because God will strike them again.

This, in the midst of a report on the aid he is mobilizing and talking about his aidworkers already on the ground there from prior to the earthquake.

Read the history of the country. Haiti was a tragic place before the earthquake and has been throughout most of its history.

His remarks were describing the aid that is going in, and they were directed to the people who are paying for that aid. And the implication is that there is much to be done there even once the earthquake is cleaned up.

He is not merely a talking head. He was involved in Haiti before the newspeople woke up to it.

[GOP_Party_Animal]

Robertson's implications were clear: Make a deal with the devil, suffer the consequences. Why else would he bring up the slave rebellion in connection to this tragedy? I watched the segment and his contention was that the Haitians deserved God's wrath even though he had sympathy for them.

An utterly stupid, stupid thing to say. He did damage to the reputations of all evangelicals and should have known better.

[onedoug]

My comments from yesterday:

‘Seems to me he’s been saying similar stuff about every earthquake for awhile now. What was it here in LA in 94? That God had lifted his hand of protection, or something?

It’s physics, Pat. That’s the way God made it.

[Buckeye McFrog]

there are elements of truth in what Pat said, but spinning this out there now is really kicking them when they’re down

[metalcor]

His response is disingenuous. How can their troubles be related to a ‘pact with Satan’ but have nothing to do with God? Pat has always given me the creeps as do all TV preachers, but I’m sure he has done some good along with his scam. I suppose I really don’t care what he said and wonder why people take him seriously, but it’s still a relatively free country. He gets to be stupid just like the rest of us, and we each get to decide who we choose to defend or not.

[tuckrdout]

I watch the 700 club everyday. I watch for the testimonies of God at work in people's lives. I do not support nor do I put much stock in what Pat Robertson has to say.

But, I did see this segment, and indeed Robertson was calling for prayer and help for Haiti. He had a long segment with his head of “operation blessing” in Haiti. The man explained what the ministry was doing, and will do for the people of Haiti in the coming days. They have already given many supplies, and medical help, with more on the way.

Robertson only pointed out the history of Haiti. There is a statue commemorating the sacrifice of the black pig to satan. It isn't superstitious slander. It is a fact. Robertson did not conclude anything from the comment. But one can not help but conclude that the blood of pigs hasn't helped the nation of Haiti, and perhaps they should look to the blood of Christ to cleanse them and save them from the horrors of violence and poverty.

By the way, Robertson knows a great deal about pacts with the devil, as he himself has was a business partner with Charles Taylor, the murderous dictator in Liberia.

[chesley]

Where I get bogged down on this whole “deal with the devil” thing is that the devil doesn’t need to make a deal. Unless you’ve accepted Christ, he’s already got you.

Which isn’t to say that some people may believe that they have done so.

Still, anything you do affect my spiritual welfare, unless I let it?? I don’t think so.

However, I can believe that Haiti is cursed. But by ignorance, poverty, corrupt and contemptible ‘leadership’, and a victim mentality. But that’s just me.

[Señor Zorro]

I rummaged YouTube for a bit trying to find as complete a version as possible of Robertson's comments. Not surprisingly, a lot the videos claiming to be more complete had been yanked for copyright reasons (I refuse to comment on this...). Here are my 2 cents:

• Robertson does indicate that Haiti has received bad fortunes due to a pact with the devil. I don't see how this can be escaped from the portions I saw.
• Robertson also was very compassionate towards the Haitians (something that is overlooked) indicating that he hoped this would bring them back to God (and what nation, including our own, does not need this?) and asking people to pray for those who were suffering. Fred Phelps, he is not. It is impossible to know the heart, of course, but the substance of what he says is caring, not malicious or unconcerned.
• I think that Robertson's critical thinking is a little dull. It is difficult to know to what extent the legend about the Satanic beginnings is accurate. The Wikipedia (I know, I know) article on Haitian Voodoo is interesting. It does mention a pagan ritual, a sacrifice, and a demon possession (whether this is real or alleged, I do not know and so will not speculate). Whether this is is a Satanic religion, a Faustian bargain, or whatnot is not clear. It is also unclear to what extent this was a part of the movement (as Robertson indicates) or something that was done by some members of the revolution on their own volition.
• I think he asserts with too much certainty to know the mind of God. Even if we grant him complete accuracy on the pact with the devil, there is not really any evidence with which to link it to an earthquake 219 years later.
• Most of the real offense seems to stem from the idea that Robertson would dare attribute any adverse act to the wrath of God. The hysteria does not revolve around a lack of evidence, but on how nasty Pat Robertson is for saying that God would punish someone. For any Bible believing Christian, however, this ought not to be a problem. We know from the Bible (and if someone does not believe this, that is their own business but they should understand the perspective from which Robertson is coming) that God does, in fact, punish sin on earth.

[votemout]

Not in question. Focusing on his ridiculous statement.

[Anti-Utopian]

Not only does your superstitious assumption have no merit whatsoever, it is precisely the same Biblically illiterate nonsense that this article is trying to spin away from Robertson.

If poverty and death are a sign of unrighteousness and curses, and wealth and prosperity are a sign of God's favor in your Pharisaical religion, perhaps you and Pat should think twice about claiming Christ and His disciples, who did nothing but suffer and die as paupers in their righteousness.

[SpaceBar]

By the way, Robertson knows a great deal about pacts with the devil...

According to a 2 June 1999, article in The Virginian-Pilot, Taylor had extensive business dealings with American televangelist Pat Robertson. According to the article, Taylor gave Robertson (who also had business dealings with dictator Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire) the rights to mine for diamonds in Liberia's mineral-rich countryside. According to two Operation Blessing pilots who reported this incident to the Commonwealth of Virginia for investigation in 1994, Robertson used his Operation Blessing planes to haul diamond-mining equipment to Robertson's mines in Liberia, despite the fact that Robertson was telling his 700 Club viewers that the planes were sending relief supplies to the victims of the genocide in Rwanda. The subsequent investigation by the Commonwealth of Virginia concluded that Robertson diverted his ministry's donations to the Liberian diamond-mining operation, but Attorney General of Virginia Mark Earley blocked any potential prosecution against Robertson, as the relief supplies were also sent.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Taylor_(Liberia)

[votemout]

Onl;y questioing his remark which you choose to ignore.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Thank you, ZGuy. While I don’t share Robertson’s theology, I admire his commitment to the Bible and his understanding of the Biblical G-d. It has long amazed me how many FReepers will jump on him for the slightest thing, sounding no different than the atheist media.

[ladyL]

I clearly remember in 1991 when Haiti renewed it’s pact with Satan. Many thousands in the Evangelical community had bee praying for the entire year previous to August 1991 when the pact was up for RENEWAL. We prayed that the Haitian people would denounce this pact and come out from it’s curse. Unfortunately they did not. The pact was renewed for another 200 years. For those of you who do not attribute any reality to the spiritual realm this is NOT the place you want to even have an opinion about. Unless you know what you are talking about you need to stay away from commenting on this one.

I was vacationing on the Gulf of Mexico the day the pact was renewed and a “unnamed hurricane” is what they called it, blew up suddenly and came across the Gulf. It was unexplainable. I knew the pact had been signed and it was.

Satan is a hard taskmaster. Whether he owns a person’s soul or an entire nation. A person can give themselves to him by rejecting God and you can see the destruction in their lives, Haiti gave themselves over to him corporately and you can see the destruction.
As I said, if you don’t know the full story behind this, best stay away.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Well the bible is VERY clear that God IS the dispenser of blessing AND curses. No one else. How is it so hard to understand that??

Thank you so much for saying this! So many FReepers don't seem to understand this, either blaming natural disasters on pure randomness or on an evil counterpart to G-d. There is One G-d, He kills and He quickens, and from His hand their is no deliverer!

[Zionist Conspirator]

Pat Robertson is a nut bar. claims he has a direct line to God.

Throughout history people have claimed a direct line to G-d. Many of these people are considered Prophets and saints (Isaiah, Catherine of Siena) and no one calls them "nut bars." I suppose that's because they weren't from Virginia and didn't speak with Southern accents.

[tuckrdout]

And so, does one conclude that his recent cancer is punishment from God for this satanic pact?

[stormer]

Pat Robertson is a complete and total douche bag. Does he realize that the Haitian revolution was the result of abject desperation as people freed themselves from the worst slavery has to offer? Here's the kicker, “...countless scholars and religious figures over the centuries ... believe the country is cursed.” Countless? Does that mean you never bothered counting CURSED? Give me a f’ing break. I'd love to meet the “scholar” that says someplace is “cursed”. Robertson and his ilk are nothing but charlatans.

[stormer]

Put down the bong.

[stormer]

That’s only the tip of the iceberg.