Robertson is right about one thing
Essays, Featured — By Karen Spears Zacharias on January 18, 2010 at 12:00 am
Rescue crews hadn’t even begun to unload supplies before Pat Robertson began to upbraid Haitians for their “pact with the devil.” Robertson said Haitians joined forces with Satan’s Army: “They said, ‘We will serve you if you’ll get us free from the French.’ True story. And so the devil said, ‘Ok, it’s a deal.’ They kicked the French out … ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after another.”
That curse includes punishing poverty, howling hurricanes and now an earthquake so violent the foundations of their finest buildings have crumbled like graham crackers in the hands of a toddler, leaving an untold number buried alive and many more dead.
While more compassionate souls offered help with antibiotics, bandages and cases of bottled water, Robertson offered advice: “[Haitians] need to have, and we need to pray for them, a great turning to God.”
His callous comments drew push-back.
“Go to hell Pat Robertson – and the sooner the better,” said the Rev. Paul Raushenbush, a Baptist minister and editor at the Huffington Post. “Don’t speak for Haiti – and don’t speak for God.”
Ari Rabin-Havt, vice-president of communications and research at Media Matters, suggested that Robertson’s comments “represent right-wing media figures’ willingness to use any tragedy to forward its own agenda.” (Of course, Mr. Rabin-Havt’s response appears to represent his own left-leaning agenda to bash right-wingers.)
Everyone is so focused on berating Robertson that they have completely missed how he reached his conclusions:
“The island of Hispaniola is one island. It’s cut down the middle,” Robertson explained. “On one side is Haiti; on the oth er side is the Dominican Republic. Dominican Republic is prosperous today, full of resorts, etcetera. Haiti is desperate poverty. Same island. They need to have, and we need to pray for them, a great turning to God.”
Robertson is right about one thing – we Americans equate prosperity as proof of God’s favor. People of all faith tradition s believe God rewards those he loves best with material blessings.
No longer is John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” the most quoted Bible verse.
It’s been replaced by Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
This notion that God desires us to be wealthy is not new. “It has been the warp and woof of the American soul since the Puritans came over with their divine enlightenment and Calvinistic work ethic,” said Michael Spencer, a biblical scholar and the author behind InternetMonk.com
Spencer is one of Prosperity Gospel’s most vocal critics. The Prosperity Gospel maintains that God wants us to have bigger homes, better cars, that job promotion, and better health. It is most often linked to the Word of Faith movement and to its leaders – Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Oral Roberts and now America’s most popular preacher – Joel Osteen. Osteen urges his followers to “expect God’s favor.”
Spencer says that the Prosperity Gospel takes its purest form here in America: “It is deeply wound up in who we are and far more mainstream than Joel Osteen. I grew up hearing my entire life that if you tithe, God will pay all your bills.”
Like most television evangelists, Robertson preaches the “Law of Reciprocity” – give money to God and he’s going to give it back to you ten times over. Embedded in this theology, however, is the misguided belief that material goodies come our way because we’ve been faithful to God. And if bad things are happening? Then, we need to straighten up, fly right and return to God.
What Robertson has done in the name of Jesus is deplorable. But perhaps even more troubling is the insidious ways in which all of us continue to buy into this notion that God loves Americans best and that we are the people who honor him most, which is why we are so rich, so beautiful, so smart and so immune to the sorts of disasters decimating other “pagan” people.
While it’s true that having money can inoculate a people and a nation against some diseases and some disasters, wealth should never be considered proof of God’s love or favor toward a people or a country. Nor should it be the standard by which we judge – or misjudge – a people or a nation’s devotion toward God.
Perhaps we would all do well to remember the one thing Jesus did promise us: “In this world, there will be trouble.” (John 16:33)
The question for believers and unbelievers alike is not why there is trouble, but what are we doing to help alleviate the suffering it creates?
48 Comments
Well said. And very well said. And all manner of thing you said was well said.
I loved this, brilliant insight Karen.
I enjoy this site very much and have found much to like about it and meditate on. But his piece of writing is by far the best I have read. Excellent point.
Hallelujah. Thank you so much for voicing this, Karen.
The idea that doing the right thing will bring us prosperity, or the idea of doing something wrong will bring punishment and we better straighten up, contradicts true grace in its purest form.
Grace is the unmerited, freely bestowed protection and sacntification of the favor of God. We do nothing to earn or lose it, and I believe this protection and sanctification applies to or souls and transcends all worldly circumstances.
It’s taken a lot for me to get to this place in my life where I actually believe this, and I am so thankful every day for the freedom true grace brings not just me, but all of us.
Thanks for bringing that perspective to those comments. We do need to keep our attitudes on what constitutes God’s blessing in check as well. I love your last line. That is exactly what I have communicated to parents and kids that I minister to and with… it’s not why bad things happen but what do we do to bring light to the darkness of pain and suffering.
Great example of why I’m already recommending your book, Karen. Thank you for providing this kind of insight… We need it.
That was some much needed perspective.
Karen, I share your disdain of the Prosperity Gospel. I really do. The list of reasons is so long I don’t dare try to list them here, except to say I think such a mentality is destructive to the human soul.
That said, I also have to acknowledge that God’s provision–not prosperity, not over-abundance–but His provision, does seem to have some correlation to our willingness to follow and obey Him. This is throughout Scripture so many times, that it’s hard to dispute, at least for someone who believes the bible is God’s word.
I won’t bother listing all the passages here, but one which comes to mind is in Matthew 6, where Jesus specifically says (my paraphrase): “Do not worry what you will drink or eat, or where you will sleep [in other words, your basic needs], but seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”
So it seems from this passage, and others, that there is a connection between our seeking Him, and His provision of our basic needs.
I agree with you that many TBN/WOF types have twisted this and other scriptures to mean much more than basic needs, but it’s pretty clear that there is a correlation between obedience and provision.
By the way, one of the frustrating things to me about that verse in Jeremiah is that the word which gets translated “prosper” is actually shalom, and most of the time, that word is understood to mean peace. Certainly doesn’t seem to mean Corvettes or diamonds or piles of cash. Thankfully, many bibles translate it differently in that verse.
I think I agree with James on this one. I would add that the provision that is promised by God is not necessarily physical. I think it means that we will have whatever we need according to the work we are called to do and when we seek first the Kingdom of God, then our wants will be limited to that which we need to do the work of the Kingdom. Thus we will always have our desires fulfilled. When we pursue physical desires that are of the ego or “satan” such as Jesus was tempted to do in the wilderness, then we open ourselves up to the experience of loss and lack. In this way there is a kind and compassionate wisdom in calling for those facing tragedy to turn to God. I would submit that some of the means by which this call has been made were far less than skillful and have not seemed to be loving at all (from my limited perspective).
Ryan, thanks for that. Although the particular passage I quoted was about material provision, the entirety of passages on this topic cover both physical provision and desires of the heart, and when we are sold out to God, He is the one who gives us our desires. Your comment added a much-needed dimension to what I focused on.
Thank you so much. This was brilliant.
Robertson’s comments about the stark divide between Haiti and the Dominican set me on fire. I think my friends who run an orphanage in the Dominican Republic, hidden away from the wealth and comfort of the resorts, could paint a very different picture of the tiny country’s poverty – both financial and spiritual.
We need to be praying for this “great turning to God” for ALL nations. Including the mighty, rich, seemingly indestructible U.S.
Anyway. Thank you for this. It was so well said!!!
Thank you all for your comments. It makes me hopeful that issues addressed in Doublewide will find a receptive audience somewhere amid the millions of books sold urging people to expect God’s favor.
But consider this comment that I rec’d in response to this same essay:
So, if I’m a righteous Christian believer who has decided to serve Christ by helping people come to the lord in a country like Haiti, my reward from God will not necessarily be an SUV like my drug-dealing neighbors at home have, but could be my getting crushed by buildings during an earthquake? Let me decide now…
How would you respond?
My initial response would be “Don’t be retarded.”
But then, after that, I would have to say that our decision to serve Christ, wherever that may be, shouldn’t be based on an expectation of physical or financial reward. Nor should we believe, falsely, that we will be protected from harm, disaster, or ruin of any kind because of our position as servants. The rain falls on the just and the unjust. People die in earthquakes… sometimes even white people that go to brown cities to serve Jesus die in Earthquakes, or mudslides, or from disease. Get over it. If your desire is to have an SUV like your drug slinging neighbors, go for it. But don’t pretend it’s a reward from God.
I would choose to follow Jesus to death by falling rubble before I would happily accept the material melanoma that is eating suburbanites alive.
Ok, maybe that’s a little harsh… But whatever.
Yep
Ditto Jamie.
Material Melanoma. I like that terminology tho I’m repulsed by the truth of it.
If you don’t like what Pat Robertson said, I think that’s fine. It’s definitely open to criticism.
But you should get your facts straight before throwing out your criticism. You stated:
“While more compassionate souls offered help with antibiotics, bandages and cases of bottled water, Robertson offered advice.”
This statement leaves your readers to believe that all Pat Robertson does is talk. It may be difficult for you to accept…but…Chistians you disagree with are also…gulp…compassionate.
Robertson’s organization “Operation Blessing” has been in Haiti for several years providing food, water and medical supplies to those in poverty. They continue to provide these same supplies through disaster relief since the earthquake.
If you pride yourself as a journalist, which you have in the past, you may want to crosscheck your facts first.
Vince,
Operation Blessing was investigated in 1999 for operating as a non-profit but transporting diamond mining equipment for Pat in Liberia after two OP pilots complained about the nature of their missions.
I’m not claiming that Operation Blessing is not doing good work not, but in the spirit of fact checking, some skepticism or at least caution is warranted.
Larry,
I knew someone would mention that, just wondering how long it would take. That seems to be the normal ammo people use when they have a hard time with Operation Blessing. The incident you referred to happened in 94-95. Robertson blamed it on poor bookkeeping. I don’t know if that’s true, probably more bad judgment on his part. I’m not defending it but OB was reimbursed $400,000.
Regardless, it doesn’t change the fact that Operation Blessing is providing food, water and medcial supplies in Haiti and has been doing so since before the earthquake.
Larry,
I figured someone would mention that, just wondering how long it would take. That seems to be the normal ammo people use when they have a hard time with Operation Blessing. The incident you referred to happened in 94-95. Robertson blamed it on poor bookkeeping. I don’t know if that’s true, probably more bad judgment on his part. I’m not defending it but OB was reimbursed $400,000.
Regardless, it doesn’t change the fact that Operation Blessing is providing food, water and medcial supplies in Haiti and has been doing so since before the earthquake.
To quote moral philosopher, Jack White: “You can’t take the effect and make it the cause.”
“People don’t take up the “normal ammo” because they have a problem with OB.”
Normal people have a problem with a non-profits misappropriating funds and resource and then develop a problem with Operation Blessing.
Additionally, bad book keeping doesn’t load diamond mining equipment on a OB cargo plane and cause OB pilots to fly it across Liberia. OB Pilots flying diamond mining equipment causes someone to create bad books.
Larry, you were my hero already, but quoting Jack White just made you Superman. But you still need to settle down about the mining equipment. When I was a youth pastor, a paperwork error caused me to bring five ceramic turbines and Mylon LeFevre on mission trip to Mexico.
Vince:
Abusive parents sometimes feed their children, too.
Oh my gosh Karen, couldn’t agree more. They do just a tiney bit of good and it is supposed to erase all the years of goofy behavior, and bad theology. They live in this Christian Media bubble, entirely insulated from real tragedy of life because they fly over anything that will draw them in to human tradegy. I think the thing that has bothered me most is the idea that “if you have enough faith then……..”(you fill in the blank). I have talked to people who have sent money to these guys, in the hopes that God will some how “bless” them out of whatever they were going thru, only to be told that, because they did not have enough faith there prayers were not answered.
I loved your article, just curious about something. You quoted Michael Spencer, who said: “It has been the warp and wolf of the American soul since the Puritians came over with their divine Enlightment and Calvinistic work ethic”. I think that the Puritians came over here with the same hope’s and dreams that other Christians came over with, and that was the desire to escape the oppression of tryants, dictators, and relegious zeliots who would seek to control them and their “worship”. And the idea of a Calvinistic “work ethic” is more of a biblical idea of “if a man is not willing to work, he should not eat”. Seemed like a kind a re-interpitation of history. Talk to me.
Billybob, many scholars argue that Puritans were somewhat intolerant of other interpretations of Scripture once they settled into the New World. And Calvin surely was.
That may be true, but it does not change why they came here. They came in order to worship in a way they wanted. And frankly, I have never heard of a “Calvinistic” work ethic before, just people who had a “good work ethic”. The quote makes it sound like it is Calvin’s fault for what has transpired here (whatever that is) which is a reach.
I have read some of Spencers work and agree with him, but it seems a bit of a reach to blame “Puritian” ideals and “Calvinistic” for the reasons why Pat and other prosperity goofballs think the way they do.
If you’re interested, I’m running an auction for Haiti relief over at my blog: http://karenzach.com/2010/doublewide-auction-for-haiti-relief/
Will do, thanks.
Very nice of you.
Ok, I’m new here so please don’t berate me with your sarcastic comments.
I think it’s become popular to not agree with Pat Robertson, and I will say, that though I agree that equating wealth and prosperity with God’s one and only blessing is a falsity, I am having a hard time seeing what was so wrong with his statement. ALL nations do need to turn to God. If God is the same today as He has always been, why would He NOT pour judgement in the form of destruction on any given country? I believe the Bible says, basically, that He does whatever He wants to the people inhabiting this earth. Maybe it was an insensitive statement, and I don’t follow Robertson at all, but I do believe that God can and does operate out of judgement from time to time. I also think it could happen in a moment to any country. I think we are all sinful, all turned away, all unrighteous and we need to beg for mercy, pray and ‘turn to God’. I am open to discussion.
One thing that’s wrong with Robertson’s statement is the bizzare and unfounded claim about a pact with the devil. It is superstitious at best and bears little evidence of reasoning when fleshed out biblically. The sin that he is describing would be idolatry. The “devil” is not a character in the Bible that we can bargain with unless I have missed something big. If God really did smite those who worshipped idols as defined by Judeo-Christian traditions, then these things would be happening in every eastern country in the world for their various religions as well as the western countries for worshipping money and technology. Unless, of course, God is an inconsistent God, but that wouldn’t follow scripture either. Furthermore, there aren’t any nations that I know of that would measure up to the biblical standard of godly. We all want answers and meaning when faced with tradgedy, and I think that in time those answers and that meaning will be revealed. However, that is for history. Our work in responding to the immediate crisis is loving, unconditional service which is far more redeeming than any proselytizing could ever be, both for the ones serving and the ones being served. No doubt all nations would be in better shape if their citizens “turned to God,” however the statement that Haiti is being punished for a pact with the devil is utterly inappropriate in responding to devastation of this magnitude.
I just don’t happen to believe that earthquakes are God’s judgment but then that’s just me and I have a view of God that’s been warped by mercy and grace.
Do you believe that they used to be a part of God’s judgment? Like, maybe, before Jesus came, and then He rethought His past actions and decided He would no longer operate that way? I hate taking this stance because I am in no way a hell, fire and brimstone kind of person and I do not think that approach ever works in winning people for Christ. So, insensitive of Robertson, yes, I just don’t know that it was all together in every way wrong. It is wrong to say it as a fact, because who are we to know God’s will or doings, I just believe that we should realize His awesome power and His ability or even will to do whatever He pleases to whomever He pleases without answering to any of us. 2 Samuel 3:25 is a little scary. And we should have a healthy fear that we are not in control. Any one of us at any time could be taken. Is that punishment or mercy? It could be either. We all need to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. And yes, every nation is guilty. None are righteous and it rains on the righteous and the unrighteous alike. I was only saying that the theory itself might not be inaccurate, the concept, if you will. And yes, yes, yes, our first response should be of love and compassion. That is always the answer. I am not arguing that. I’m just saying that there are two sides to this coin. And there is a truth that exists that we may be afraid to look at. And where is the mercy when God allows the demonic to harm the innocent? Maybe His mercy is destroying that which is demonic and saving those who are innocent. These conversations are good, though, we need to stretch our minds, and I do not believe I have all the answers or know God’s entire nature.
I reiterate: Pat Robertson did not say that the earthquake was a result of the curse, or selling themselves to the devil or whatnot. He said the poverty is. Still a debatable point, of course, but it’s an important distinction.
I have to agree with Nixie here. Yeah, I don’t like “Name it claim it, blab it grab it” teachings any more than I think anyone else on here does, but then Robertson, Osteen and the like are in their little cocoon of people who mostly agree with them just like you and I are on here. I have compassion for them because I have been stuck like that before and hurt people, but I didn’t mean to. Now a little more theologically, what about “God is the same yesterday, today and forever”? Didn’t our God of endless mercy and grace direct, strengthen and even personally help the people of Israel to commit what we today would call genocide when they entered the promised land? Undeniably yes.
Woah, I didn’t finish sorry,
I am not trying to say that the earthquake was judgement and that it wouldn’t have happened with more “Christians” there, but should we completely ignore that possibility? Shouldn’t we pray for those who remain to turn to God and seek his mercy, perhaps even if it is from selfishly wanting freedom from some of their pain. Religion IS a crutch, but those without it aren’t strong like they assume, they are ignorant of the strength that they haven’t found, and those of us with it aren’t strong like some may claim, we are being held up. I love that about faith.
God does do things we don’t understand, but then again why should we understand it all. Everyone wants to know so much but God has called out in the past to TRUST HIM. We tend to respond to terrible things like Job’s friends at times, we think we’ve figured out how the man upstairs works, in reality, he’s not a man.
Does everyone agree that our first reaction to tragedy should be mercy, compassion and love?
When Houston TX experienced severe flooding a few years ago Pastor Osteen opened his mega church to be a shelter, welcoming all sorts of dirt and rif-raf into their new sanctuary, not without a good deal of expense and repairs needed later. Operation Blessing has been helping the poor consistently for decades, consistently offering mercy, compassion and help to the needy. We are alike you know, us who wouldn’t say what Robertson said, maybe because we’re not so sure that it’s true, and those who actually send him their money.
Okay those were my thoughts, I’m done now.
JamesW
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5TE99sAbwM&feature=player_embedded
This link shows Pat making a case that since the quake was caused by a curse.
Larry, I was referring to his original statement (which is included in your link but there is also some additional stuff in there). In the statement you linked to, he says the curse has led to poverty, and never once says the quake is part of that. The implication is that the poverty has led to the deaths and devastation being a lot worse than it might have been had the same quake happened in a more prosperous economy.
Of course, all his points are debatable, but I see several people here who have made points based on the idea that Pat R said that the quake itself is a curse or punishment from God, and he never said any such thing.
I think it’s a pretty important distinction.
And for the record, I am in no way defending his remarks, even as it is my observation that they are being misunderstood big time.
James,
When I listen to this clip I hear Pat saying that both poverty and the quake were caused by the curse. The notion that poverty caused the quake is unintelligible, isn’t it?
Man, I hate conversations like these, because I come of sounding like I am defending Pat. But I’d rather complain about what really happened than imaginary events.
Anyway, when I heard this clip, I heard the guy saying (a) he feels for the Haitians (b) we should help the Haitians (c) it’s not their fault (d) the poverty that caused them to be unable to deal with the quake is the result of the sins of their fathers, not any current Haitian, and (e) he hopes this event will cause them to repent of the sins of their ancestors. I heard not one word which blamed the quake on their selling the country to the devil. If that’s even possible, which again, is another debate entirely.
That’s not anywhere near what is being portrayed in blogs, posts, Jon Stewart rants, etc. But Pat says enough boneheaded stuff as it is. We don’t need to make things up about the guy.
To answer your question, yes the notion that poverty caused the quake is, in fact, unintelligible. But I didn’t hear him say a word which indicated he thinks that.
Very well said. I’ve recently had this conversation with some real fundamentalist friends on Facebook. I think every country has a long list of grievances that God could punish. So many people say how our “Christian” forefathers built this country that’s why the US is so blessed. Ummmm…. the forefathers were mostly Deists so, I don’t think so. Good work Karen.
Excellent article. The Prosperity Gospel disturbs me so greatly. I know amazing Christians who have had misfortune on their heels since day one, it seems. And while I know many prosperous people, not many of them are the kind of faithful Christians that encourage me to follow God instead of Greed. Thank you for the reminder to not get sucked in by it- the more we fight against this kind of poor theology, the better!
Saw your blog bookmarked on Delicious. I love your site and marketing strategy.