Pat Robertson says Haiti had it coming

When I first heard about this story, I assumed he was talking about the loa from some sort of flatheaded but not entirely uninformed viewpoint. But of course I was giving him much too much credit. The best he can come up with is Napoleonic-era Catholic propaganda. http://mediamatters.org/mmtv/201001130024And, for all his fake news-show facade, Robertson and his overpaid crew do absolutely no fact-checking whatsoever. He just opens his sacred sphincter and crazy comes out. It wasn't under Trey at all, it was the original Little General. It wasn't a population-wide contract, it was a specific arrangement by the leaders of the slave revolt. The purpose was to gain sufficient ability to win the fight and keep their honor in the process. And, it worked. Robertson: Haiti 'cursed' since Satanic pact- POLITICOWho the deal was with, assuming you understand voudun and the way these bargains work, is pretty easy to guess. Papa Legba is the black man at the crossroads who will give you a talent. It doesn't cost you your soul or your country, just a chicken and your undivided attention.The Crossroads

It burns, it burns the precious.Edited by anglagard, : context

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The idea of the sacred is quite simply one of the most conservative notions in any culture, because it seeks to turn other ideas - uncertainty, progress, change - into crimes.
Salman RushdieThis rudderless world is not shaped by vague metaphysical forces. It is not God who kills the children. Not fate that butchers them or destiny that feeds them to the dogs. It’s us. Only us. - the character Rorschach in Watchmen

Unmysterious WaysJehovah, as I understand,
holds all creation in his hand:
the Bible leaves no doubt.
And yet he always intervenes
with great economy of means,
and takes the easy route ---sends droughts to nations that defy
his will (and which are hot and dry);
to prove his power is great, he
judiciously supports this boast
by flooding regions on the coast
and causing quakes in Haiti.For God, it seems, has got a chronic
dislike of anything tectonic
as Pat Robertson's revealed,
and he'll pour his wrath and hate on
folks who don't live on a craton
on a continental shield.For petty sins like genocide
and torture, he lets those abide
and wisely stays his hand;
but saves his deadliest assaults
for those who have tectonic faults ---
that's one thing he can't stand.The wage of sin is death, it's written:
and yet I somehow stay unsmitten
by earthquake or tsunami:
for God forgives the rather large sins
of those who shun tectonic margins,
and chooses not to harm me.And so, as far as I am able
I stick to regions that are stable
and so avoid my sentence.
This clever little dodge, I call
most geo-theo-logical ...
and more fun than repentance.

No, Mr Roberton, we thought you were a stupid insensitive asshole.Now that you've explained you thought you heard a genuine news report on the radio about God punishing Hades, we think you are a lying stupid insensitive asshole.

I'm pretty sure that the Huffington Post made that up.

Yes and if false incredibly belittling to the suffering of tens of thousands of people, since he is speaking with authority to millions of viewers about the fault of the Haitian's suffering as being on their own heads. I must say it is extremely obvious what he has done wrong, so obvious that you must see it. I can then only conclude the cynical opinion that you are defending him because he has the same beliefs as yourself.

You're right. A dire post, showing poor judgement and even poorer taste given the circumstances. Defending Pat Robertson wasn't ever on my agendaPermit me to retract it.Sorry.Edited by iano, : No reason given.

Except for the fact that he said it......WHILE RAISING FUNDS TO HELP Haiti!That's the ironic bit: his orginization is actually helping tremendously by donating thousands/millionsof dollars to relief. he knew full well what he said and what he was talking about. I don't recall Hades being oppressed by France.So, like Dr. A said...I'm also pretty sure HuffPo made that up.

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Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people
-Carl SaganFor me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
-Carl Sagan

Or maybe Pat Robertson is proof that the devil is active in our world today.--Percy

I commend you for your retraction. It shows wisdom that, even though you may share some of Robertson's underlying belief system, you recognise the indefensible nature of his comments.

A noteworthy point.The Huffington Post undoubtedly fabricated the "Hades" comments, but it's interesting that, because of the ridiculous things that have come out of this man's mouth in the past, it isn't immediately obvious.

It really sounds like something The Onion would report.Can you really see this fundy publicly calling himself an asshole?Edited by hooah212002, : No reason given.

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Who are we? We find that we live on an insignificant planet of a humdrum star lost in a galaxy tucked away in some forgotten corner of a universe in which there are far more galaxies than people
-Carl SaganFor me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
-Carl Sagan

Yeah, one can see him being stupid, but ... expressing repentance? Never.---I presume Fred Phelps has also released the usual bulletin.

Spoken as a true gentleman.We all make mistakes. I know I've more than my share in this forum.Thanks.

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The idea of the sacred is quite simply one of the most conservative notions in any culture, because it seeks to turn other ideas - uncertainty, progress, change - into crimes.
Salman RushdieThis rudderless world is not shaped by vague metaphysical forces. It is not God who kills the children. Not fate that butchers them or destiny that feeds them to the dogs. It’s us. Only us. - the character Rorschach in Watchmen

Well done Iano, mistakes is something we all make.Now, for a challenge. Will you not only contract your "defense", but go so far as to comdemn his actions?Show other "main stream christians" an example, speak out and, eventually, remove the idiocy from your religion!

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I hunt for the truthI am the one Orgasmatron, the outstretched grasping hand
My image is of agony, my servants rape the land
Obsequious and arrogant, clandestine and vain
Two thousand years of misery, of torture in my name
Hypocrisy made paramount, paranoia the law
My name is called religion, sadistic, sacred whore.
-Lyrics by Lemmy Kilmister of Motorhead