Pat Robertson

[sneakyimp]

I'm sorry if political/religous shite bothers you folks but....
<RANT>
I'm not a particularly religious guy, but last time I checked, killing and lying were banned by the Ten Commandments--and that's just the old testament we're talking about.

I don't know if you guys outside the US know, but Pat Robertson (founder of the Christian Coalition) said this on TV yesterday about the (democratically elected) president of Venezuela:

"If he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think we really ought to go ahead and do it. It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war. … We have the ability to take him out and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability."

And then today has the brass bollocks to LIE about it and say that he was 'misinterpreted'. He's a warmongering psychopath in sheep's clothing. The guy has got to be stopped. I've written a few news outlets today calling for his head on a plate. Heck I even wrote the pope - [e-mail] - and demanded to know why he hasn't spanked Robertson's ass over this.

Again, sorry to bring this up, but a lot of clueless Americans follow this guy and believe what he says. It's really causing a lot of problems in the world. If you guys have a second or two, maybe try writing a letter to force a retraction or --better yet-- get that old evil geezer to step down.

</RANT>

[drew010]

agreed, I cant stand seeing these types of stories in the news.

[Jason_Batten]

Personally I think in a situation like this we need the Fab-Five.

Or a large-african american lady making comedy.

Either way thats my..2..5.. $1.75 worth.

[sneakyimp]

what i wouldn't give to see Ali G interview ol' Pat. maybe then i could feel better.

[dalecosp]

Exactly when was the right to free speech removed from our Bill of Rights, friend? 😉

As to the Pope, Pat's not a Catholic, so what good would that do....

OTOH, Robertson was a Marine during the Korean War, and won some awards/stars or some such. He's probably shot a few rounds in (righteous?) anger in his lifetime. So it sounds like he stepped back into a mental foxhole and opened his yapper a tad too wide on his network, but as an ex-Marine it's maybe a wonder that he's not quoted like that a little more often, even. Or, maybe he is. He's certainly said some controversial things.

I really don't think the government is basing its foreign policy on the "700 Club", though.

And, for the Ten Commandments, the concept is a little more like "murder" --- there's plenty of Scripture that tells the people of Israel (at that time) to "wipe out" entire cities --- so "thou shalt not kill" is a cultural misunderstanding. Still, the sentiment expressed was definitely not very loving. Go figure.

I doubt that Pat has a direct revelation from God that we are to obliterate Venezuela. Hopefully GWB doesn't either. AAMOF, I can't even think of anything they've done to us lately. We're too busy worrying about ourselves to notice, anyway....

[sneakyimp]

Good point about free speech, Dale. It's not the first wacko thing Robertson has said. He has also said that feminism encourages women to "kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians." As a man, I have my own suspicions about feminisms benefits for us, but I still think that sounds wacko.

I support free speech (and was exercising mine) when I said he's got to go. I'm entirely capable of getting behind violent action when it's needed. That said, assassination is still murder. So is wiping out cities. It's not the failure to follow the strict and yet completely inconsistent doctrine of that interesting piece of historical fiction known as the Bible, it is the hypocrisy of his politics that kills me. That old ornery bastard parading around as some bastion of righteousness rankles me to no end. He is a rich partisan capitalist and no better than Jim Bakker or any of those other snake oil salesmen. My suggestion was not to do anything but give him proper reward for his colorful free speech and remove him from any position of influence.

To his credit, he did apologize.

Chavez's only crime (aside from being a politician) is being critical of the United States' foreign policy and trying to find other buyers for his country's oil. Oh...that and buying votes with subsidized food.

And as for the pope, if we can give muslims a hard time about terrorism, he can sure as hell give Pat Robertson a dressing down.