The Wood Beam in Pat Robertson's Eye

Given Pat Robertson's latest gem about Haiti making a pact with the devil, I figured I would post a blog I wrote a number of years ago about similarly judgmental comments.  Its clear that Mr. Robertson has a long track record of saying wildly idiotic things, yet somehow still maintains a following.  If you are one of the people still watching the 700 club, please stop.  Don't give this man a platform any longer. 

Originally posted on crossleft.org on 11/11/05

Luke 7:42 "How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,' when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye?"

Pat Robertson is quite the "shock evangelist". Yet again, he has passed judgment on someone else other than himself: the town of Dover, Pennsylvania. The town voted out the school board that had voted to adopt intelligent design into the school curriculum. I'll handle intelligent design on a different day, but the point here is around judgment. What gives this one "enlightened" human being the power to judge so harshly? Is he God? Is he vehicle of God who can bring the plagues on the unfaithful?

Robertson's quote: "I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover: if there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God, you just rejected Him from your city...And don't wonder why He hasn't helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I'm not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city. And if that's the case, don't ask for His help because he might not be there."

As a progressive Christian, I'm tired of this guy representing the religion that is such an integral part of my life. Hopefully, someday in the not so near future the press and the rest of America will just ignore this guy.

On a personal level, I know its difficult not to judge. Practicing non-judgment is a basic tenet of Eastern religions such as Taoism. Its a basic tenet of Christianity as well and our leaders need to exemplify this principle.

Pat, stop talking and spend some time working that beam out of your eye.