I wouldn't worry too much if I were you. Hey, he might get it right this time (although I certainly hope that this is one of his wrong predictions). However, I'd say he gets it right maybe half of the time (at the most). Much of his "ability" stems from good research. I could make the same amount of predictions with the same results, because I stay on top of world events.
You might shrug and say, "So Pat's wrong. Who takes him all that seriously anyway? What's the big deal?" Too many people take him seriously, my friend.
If you remember, Pat ran for President of the United States in 1987, although lying about his military service damaged his chances beyond repair. At that time, he had a vast amount of support from many gullible people in the Religious Right. Some of those gullible people (and new converts) follow Pat because they aren't familiar with their own Bibles.
If you aren't a Christian and/or you're not familiar with the Bible, you may not realize that Pat can be judged by his own behavior and can be condemned through the Bible.
In the New Testament (in the Christian Bible, it's the second half of the Bible) Christians are warned repeatedly that not just one, or several, but many false prophets will arise*. Pat is just one of many.
Well, the next logical question would be "OK, then how do we spot a false prophet?"
In the Old Testament (the first half of the Christian Bible) we are told in Deuteronomy 18:21-22, "You may say to yourselves, "How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD ?" If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him."
In fact, back then, they stoned false prophets to death (which wasn't a pretty way to go).
I know a very famous false prophet, who is a very personable guy. I pray that he wakes up before it's too late. One night, recently, he told me that these verses don't apply to him (even though he admits his predictions aren't always correct) because he's a "New Testament Prophet" and is "under the law of grace" so he's allowed to make mistakes.
I'm sure this is the same excuse Pat would use. But although you "can't judge a book by it's cover", you can surely judge such a cover by The Book.
The problem is that Jesus himself said (in the New Testament) "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." (Matt. 5:17). That means that unless Jesus specifically says "Don't worry about that anymore," we still need to worry about it.
These same false prophets who are pro death penalty or anti homosexuality (both are discussed in the Old Testament but not specifically touched upon in the New Testament) are the ones who want us to forget the Old Testament rules when it comes to them.
Sadly, there are many people that define the Christian faith by Pat Robertson. It would be difficult to find a worse spokesman.
* If you want to check it out yourself, you can look at Matthew 7:15, 2 Corinthians 11:4-15; Galatians 1:6-9; 1 Timothy 4:1; 2 Peter 2:1-3; 1 John 4:1 and Jude 3-16.
23 comments:
I especially like the quotes at the end.
...and I thought fruitcakes were just seen around Christmas!
I think the whole world would be better off if they just got comfortable with the Bible and learned to understand it! But that is just my opinion! Each time I read it I find more and more that shows people like Pat for what charlatans they really are! Nicely said!
Debbie, thanks, hon!
Ed, yeah, he's full of interesting...er...opinions.
Of all the assholes on the planet, Pat Robertson is the assholeiest. Seriously. He tops my list, beating even the abhorrent, abominable, annoying,and awful Bill O'Reilley.
The main problem is that nobody ever challenges the guy when they have the chance. Nobody. He is even allowed to be a commentator on cable news channels. What are people afraid of?
By the way, Pat also predicted another massive terrorist attack in the USA in 2002. And 2003. And 2004. And 2005. And 2006. And now 2007. Somehow, I am not too worried. He is a pimple on a mole on the ass of society. Someone PLEASE pop him already.
And how could my favorite Pat Robertson quote be missing from that last picture? You know, the one about Hurricane Katrina being caused by "God's wrath against the homos" and stuff. As if EVERYONE killed was gay. Or everyone whose home was flooded beyond repair was gay. Or whatever. And how could he forget that his good close personal (butt) buddy Trent Lott had his home in Mississippi damaged - does that means God also hates Lott?
We should have hung Pat Robertson instead of Saddam Hussein.
hang a man for having an opinion is better than hanging a murderer? If we hung people for opinions...well, you get my point.
I agree that if people look for the definition of Christianity in everyone and everything else, including government, tv, media, etc.., but instead rely on their own relationship with God and Bible reading, there would be less finger pointing and stereotyping of what Christian(def. 'follower of Christ')really was. Pat Robertson is human, not who I follow and worship.
Emma, I believe that Lazy was (hopefully) exaggerating about the hanging bit, although I understand his frustration with Pat. As you say, being an idiot (or false prophet) is no longer an offense that warrants the death penalty in the USA.
But do be careful to not take Pat lightly. Just because he is "human" does not exempt him from being a false prophet. The false prophets of old were human too, and yet they were stoned to death if their message was not of God. Something for modern Christians to think about because that seems to indicate that God took such lying/misdirection very seriously...
Lazy, Pat is indeed a blight. You said it well and I agree with most of it (except for the part I mentioned to Emma above).
Well, if we are going to go around being the world police hanging people who are a threat to world peace and stability - lets be honest here. Some of those people do live in the USA.
Here we have a "man of God" preaching all kinds of total crap. We should kill Chavez. God will destroy Orlando and all the people in it because a company refuses to put up "no gays beyond this point" signs in front of theme parks. Presbyterians are the Antichrist?? Did he really say that? And here I was thinking that the Presbyterians I have met were mostly nice people. How foolish of me.
How is this any different from a man in a cave saying "Allah commands us to kill infidels"?
What is good for the goose is also good for the gander. Pat.
And as you know, I am not in favor of capital punishment. but let me tell you - sometimes I am tempted to retract my stance. Pat.
Saur,
I don't listen to Pat, I don't watch him. Pat Robertson is human, meaning he is fallible. I stick to 2 Timothy 3:2-5 and 1 Tim 2:5.
In the Bible, they also stoned children for disobeying their parents and pre-marital sex. These weren't handfuls of pebbles, these were huge 50lb rocks hurled at people, who would die by a horrific death of blunt force trauma.
I say this as a friend. False prophets are serious, but he who is blameless cast the first stone. You cannot hold someone to the Bible and personally disregard the parts of the Bible that are difficult for you to understand or obey. (Matt 5:18) I'm certainly not blameless but I won't ask people to follow me for salvation and Lord knows, I won't post on the theology on someone like Billy Graham, either (whom I very much admire).
Emma, Yes. You are correct about the stoning. But I'm not recommending stoning today. Even if a modern Christian doesn't take a false prophet seriously, he/she needs to be aware that God warns them to not listen to false prophets. Don't stone him, but certainly don't listen to him, or give him any responsibility whatsoever.
As for posting theology on Billy Graham, you certainly should if he's doing something wrong. What's happened to our Christian watchdogs?! Does everyone calling themselves a "Christian" get to do whatever they want to with impunity just because they hide behind the label? Say it isn't so!
Lazy Iguana, thankfully most people just see Pat as being a flake, so he's not really equivalent to someone like Osama Bin Laden. Additionally, Pat's never ordered that we kill people of a different faith (thankfully). Still, there's no doubt that he's a dangerous non-Christian who touts himself as a believer (IMHO). Actions speak louder than words, and he has a lonnnnng track record.
And I might be wrong but doesnt it also say something to the extent-If something is proclaimed in MY name and does not come to pass it was not MY word-
Excellant topic and comments, and I'm glad you brought this man to light. I bow to Iguanas assessment of Robertson and feel the same way about the man.... all the more reminding me of the Bakkers, Charlie Manson, and the Jim Jones-types of the past.... and the lemmings that follow these prophets. What amazes me is that a great deal of people don't see these little men for the money-grubbing Chicken Littles they are.
Oh.... and a very, very belated Happy New Year to you to, sweetie!
It drives me crazy when Christians (or questionable Christians) claim God "told" them something.
I don't want to hear it even if the most truly Godly person in the world hears from God that I will be run over by a bus this afternoon.
If God wants something to happen, it will happen. So what is the point of telling everyone?
Saur,
Oh, I knew you weren't condoning that, just my point being, what was Biblically wrong then, is Biblically wrong now. Avoiding false prophets is not that I don't care, it's that the Bible says to avoid them, just like some of the other fruitcakes mentioned above. I agree with you that it should stop if it is not from God, but I personally feel like I'm treading on thin ice because I am human too and, symbolically, unable to cast a stone.
I'm with you on letting sleeping dogs lie..hehe, pun intended.
On a different note:
What strikes me funny is that Pat Robertson gets so much media and someone like the white bigot, supposed God-fearing leader like Rev. Jesse Jackson gets little coverage on his hate comments accusing 'white people' of the entire Katrina catastrophe.
I guess Pat was due for a headline story. Why do people in the "liberal" media continue to pay attention to him?
I just cringe to think of the mental hurdles the more intelligent of the "faithful" put up to delude themselves. This is madness!
May he burn in hell...
Saur,
I'm predicting 16 named stores this hurricane season.
Excellent post.
I have believed Pat to be a false prophet for some time now. And you're right, he should not be taken lightly. Remember also that he has consistently supported globalist economic polices such as NAFTA, which have only served to harm middle-class Americans.
I'm not positive so don't quote me on this, but I believe Robertson has even made light of Bush's efforts to combine the U.S., Canada and Mexico under one economic roof called the North American Cooperative Security Act. If, in fact, Robertson does indeed support such an act of treason, then in my books he is not to be trusted at all.
These are policies that Bush and his NWO cronies espouse and should disturb freedom-loving Americans everywhere.
Since so many American Christians seem to give unwavering support to people like Pat Robertson, in spite of warnings from Scripture, I can envision a scenario quite easily in which Robertson might even be used to invite people to worship Antichrist (if he really is a false prophet) as the legitimate savior, when the time comes. I know that will infuriate some Christians out there in your reading audience, but given what the prophetic books of the Bible say about End Times and the deception that will be rampant, I don't think it is necessarily far-fetched at all, especially given the God-like following Robertson and others like him have.
Of course Robertson wouldn't introduce "the man of sin" as Antichrist; that would defeat the purpose. :)
I really don't think modern American Christians understand the power and scope of the kind of deception that we are dealing with today. If they did, they would also be able to see through what our current President is doing to destroy our Constitution and the liberties it safeguards. Early-American preachers would have been all over any President who is doing what this one is doing to destroy liberty. Yet our modern-day preachers are strangely silent. Such a shame.
I agree about the false prophet thing. In the Christian circles I've been in, I never knew anyone who took Pat Robertson seriously. I know they are out there, but it's nobody I know.
Are you an attorney or DA or something in real life, you always have such debateable controversial conversation stirring posts. lol
Hi. Happy New Year.
That part about separation of church and state (on that poster) is correct. However, it didn't come from "the Left," it came from Thomas Payne, of all people.
Actually, Pat Robertson is a nice WASP. I went to hear him speak once in a great big Ft. Worth church. That was the year he ran for President. I lost all respect when, during the closing prayer, he slipped off the podium and out the back door, never to be seen in that county again.
I'm no one to judge, but I think he's made a lot of bad turns in his life. Really bad. He's no prophet. Don't let him kid you.
Paul, I'm happy to see you again! Thanks for the weigh-in. I agree with you.
Kathleen, well-said!
Live, Love, Laugh, ;o) Nope. But closer than you think. I am skilled in debate because I know what I'm talking about.
Jenn, I've occasionally run into people that worship at the Altar of Pat.
Bryan, beautiful contribution. Thank you.
Badoozie, please predict my personal path this year. I'm adrift at the moment, and I'm hoping that Jeff Goldblum sails across my path. Is it in the stars?
Senor, and that's it? No other cataclysmic events? A new form of chocolate on the horizon, perhaps?
Daniel, but you don't believe in hell, my friend...
Matt, it is, isn't it!?!?
Emma, ahhh. I see! Well, we agree entirely, then. ;o)
AQ, 'zactly!
Ellen, very true!
Honkeie2, excellent addition. Thank you.
Saur: My earlier statement about Robertson inducing people to worship Antichrist was just conjecture on my part. He might not be one to do such a thing.
But then again he might. God only knows.
It really is incredible to see the apostasy and other signs written about in scripture thousands of years ago unfolding before our very eyes: a lukewarm, lackadaisical church; false prophets; earthquakes and other natural disasters on the rise; exponential increase of knowledge; loss of natural affection, etc.
Even so Lord Jesus come soon!
P.S. I recently bought a documentary on DVD entitled, Secret Mysteries of America’s Beginnings: The New Atlantis. It’s not some hokey, half-baked conspiratorial film void of substance. In fact, it has won some awards. The quality is reminiscent of something you’d see on the History Channel; only you wouldn’t find anything on the History Channel that goes into the kind of depth regarding esoteric societies that this film does. I’ve seen the History Channel special on secret societies but it barely scratches the surface.
The film is a “who-done-it” of history.
Anyway, I thought it might be something that would interest you. I wish I could share it online but cannot because that would violate the copy write.
It really all has gotten out of hand with these tv preachers and major right wingers hasn`t it? My personal opinion is that there most likely are true prophets still in this day and age, but they aren`t out there in the open broadcasting about it.
tea
xo
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