There was a natural disaster somewhere, so I opened my mailbox to find lots of links to Pat Robertson saying stupid things about the Chilean earthquake, like this one and this one and this one and this one.
Sorry, gang, I don't believe it. Not only do I expect that nowadays, when his staff at the radio and television stations hear about a disaster, the first thought in their heads is how to stifle Pat, but some of those accounts are clearly satire, and they all say something different. It's become the obvious expectation that Robertson will blame something stupid for natural events, and everyone is jumping the gun. Write to me when you've got video straight from the 700 Club, and not before.
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More troubling than Pat Robertson is huffingtonpost.com headline:
"Only spirituality can solve the problems of the world"...sigh
It's all going to be ok folks, Ratzinger is praying to the sky god for relief for the Chilean victims of the earthquake.
"I pray for the victims, and I am spiritually close to those so tried by such a grave calamity," he said. "For those, I implore God to give them relief from suffering and courage in this adversity."
Nothing fails as predictably and consistently as prayer.
But it's so cheap and easy to do. :)
Smiling Pat has yet to retire, but Dour Dobson has stepped down from Focus on the Family. And D. James Kennedy is "with Jesus." We can't, however, expect much relief from the god-botherers. The new generation (Rick Warren, Joel Osteen, etc.) is on the job and exhorting us to prayer (and don't forget to send money!).
The prayer is okay. I endorse prayer for all believers. When they're on their knees, at least they're not doing something else.
Don't know Zeno. Ted Haggard got into a LOT of trouble on his knees.
Isn't that the excuse the priests use?
Think positive -- maybe Pat understands now that it's tectonic plates that cause earthquakes, and not pacts with the devil!
@MikeMa
Don't you know? If it's being done to you, it's Not Gay®
I expected Robertson to blame the earthquake on Chile's pact with Nixon.
Nah. I expect he's just doing proper research this time to make sure he doesn't blame it on the wrong Napoleon.
There's no way in hell I'm watching the 700 Club!
been waiting for some evangelizing jackarse to blame...um, catholicism? voodoo? the absence of glow in the dark jesus factories? for chile. it's been more than 24 hours now and haven't heard a peep; which of course, leads me to conclude that the whole thing is a conspiratorial lie and that no such quake has ever happened.
CABRAS EN EL FUEGO!
sorry, you're too late F...it's a very nice try, but this clearly must be filed under conspiracy now.
I'm surprised that Old Pat did not say something about the moral decadence of a country that elected a woman as president who has two illegitimate children. l don't suppose many Chileans give a damn about Pat's opinions. Since the CIA stopped killing their elected officials and installing dictators, Chile has made some real progress. In some ways they make us look like country bumpkins.
I was sorry to hear of the devastation caused such a massive earthquake. I will be curious to see how the Chileans look after their people compared to to how "W" looked after New Orleans.
The reason Pat Robertson hasn't said anything about the earthquake in Chile is because he does not know Chile is a county not a vegetable.
I have this wishful fantasy that Pat's handlers have him locked up somewhere in a straitjacket and a Hannibal Lecter mask over his mouth to prevent any further gaffes. If only.
A conspiracy to deny the goatsuckers. They don't go for barbecue.
700 Club? Is that anything like the Mile High Club?
@Zeno (#4):
'but Dour Dobson has stepped down from Focus On Your Own Damned Family' =)
It really annoys me that evangelical Christians seem to feel that they 'own' the concept of 'family'. From what I can see, Christian families fare no better or worse than all others; I encourage Dobson and others similarly engaged to shove their interfering busybody 'family' meddling where the sun don't shine.
Its roughly the polar opposite.
I'm a member of the Mile High Club; in the Solo Division.
A heathen explains why God would be mad at Chile, despite not having made a 'pact with the devil':
http://heathensguide.com/02/28/earthquake-in-chile-gods-wrath/
Maybe Pat thinks the earthquake was caused by too much chili, and hasn't connected the seismic event to the nation of Chile.
Q.E.D. #2:
You mean the cosmic God. There's a difference, you know. What do you think he is, a pagan?
;-)
That's because Chileans are not black.
According to Wikipedia, Chile is ~70% Catholic, ~15% Protestant and ~8% athiest or no religion, while Haiti is ~80% Catholic, ~16% Protestant and 4% other or none. Between 1/2 abd 2/3 of the population also practice vodou. So why did Chile get hit with a much more massive earthquake, but sustained much less damage and death? And I suppose that only the Protestants in each country didn't sustain any of the tragedies the rest of the populations suffered.
Dammit, PZ! You're supposed to accept uncritically anything that supports your position!
If everyone went around questioning their assumptions, where would we be?
I don't believe any of the linked stuff attributed to Robertson either. However the guy has said so much obvious bullshit about so many other things that it's not unreasonable to believe he said some of the things he's accused to saying.
It matters not that Pat Robertson has, or has not said the things attributed to him.
Let's just enjopy being uncritical for once and blame him for all of it!
The guy is a loudmouth wanker with a penchant for godness....he deserves it.
We could hope that the verminous little prick has learned his lesson. Or we could hope that he's on a bender and hasn't woken up yet.
If the latter, I can only hope that one of the hookers is taking pictures.
700 Club? Is that anything like the Mile High Club?
http://www.cbn.com/700club/
Well, me, I'm worried about the old guy.
I mean, seriously, what? We haven't got video of him shooting his slack jaw off 'bout this yet? It's been three whole days?
He can't be well. Best wishes to the ole' asswipe's family, 'n all...
(/And do let's hope Hitch is ready with an appropriate eulogy.)
Personally, I think the pact with a chupacabra is awesome. Still, if I was placing bets on what Pat will say about this latest disaster, I would guess it would be something last-days-ish. I mean it would probably be something like "Look at the sudden rise in 'natural' disasters. Zod is is clearly trying to send us a message. The day of judgment is at hand. If you don't have your lube, ..." Huh, that went somewhere odd.
Louis Farrakhan has spoken up on the subject.
"It's not an accident that a great earthquake took place in Chile," Farrakhan, 76, said an hour into his three-hour address. "It [precipitated] what I have to tell you today of what's coming to America. You will not escape."
Goheels @11
Actually that's all they show Down There.
hyoid @22: the winnah.
Robertson hasn't, but Louis Farrakhan has.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/religion/ct-met-savioursday-20100301…
Pat Robertson hasn't sunk his fangs into the latest natural disaster? Truly we live in a age of miracles and wonder.
Thanks PZ! A couple friends have posted the "story" without question. It would make sense that Robertson would spew nonsense like this so I can see how the satire was easily misunderstood.
-Jfff
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Sorry about the link it's been a rough morning... er day.
http://jesusfetusfajitafishsticks.blogspot.com