Pat Robertson, a Christian fundamentalist

[jannu]

Pat made a name for himself, again, in the world of Islam by his recent comments about Islam. His site hosts the article which I guess is o.k. so as long as he doesn't preach to the wider world what his views are. My opinion.

Mr. Syed B. Soharwardy, of the "Muslims Against Terrorism" out of Canada, has issued an open letter to discuss Islam with Pat.

Though it might not be anything, but I have gone to Pat's site and filled out the questions page to ask Pat to respond to the open letter. Many of you might have come across this letter in your islamic emails. I have done my bit but am posting the letter and Pat's question page (he didn't have a contact link anywhere that I could find) address. If you so inclined, please give this a min. of your time. Effort is an effort. Don't regard the outcome during engagement but fight for the outcome.

http://www.cbn.com/partners/bringiton/askpat.asp

The letter:

http://www.twf.org/News/Y2002/1221-PatR.html

[andha_qanoon]

PAT is an ASSHOLE

[Malik73]

How many millions of American's listen to Roberston's radio station and other media outlets?

[Mr Fraudia]

Malik there have to be quite a bit to keep him and his enterprise in business, add to that the other morons including Frank Graham (my daddy was an evangelist and so am I) and Falwell.

I miss the good old days when jackasses like swaggert ( the devil made me do it) and baker were paraded in media like the con artist freaks that they are.

[Malik73]

Originally posted by Fraudz:

Malik there have to be quite a bit to keep him and his enterprise in business, add to that the other morons including Frank Graham (my daddy was an evangelist and so am I) and Falwell.

Ironic, but that sounds a lot like the pir fakirs back home in many parts of Pakistan, who largely base their claim to religious supermo status on their lineage and jagirs. Those guys have large followings but we blame that on illiteracy and poverty of the masses, but that is not quite the case in the US?

Pat Robertson and all the others have millions of followers, and millions of donated dollars from the faithful which gives them such influence and exposure. But it's puzzling why so many American's would put faith in these people?

P.S. Don't get me wrong, not all pirs are bad.

[Seminole]

People have always been (and continue to be around the world) duped by those draped in piety with the ability to quote scripture and say just enough of the right things to gain their trust. They usually appeal to conservative (or fundamentalists) of the religion who do not want the responsiblity to think for themselves.

[jannu]

When Pat had made his remarks, it had become widespread news. Pat, including the 700 club, have a huge following.

In either case, though it will not happen, we need to let him know what we think. Staying quiet is an answer.

If you have done it, fine.... and thanks. Maybe you can forward this to others outside GS. Let's not accept what he's said and show our displeasure.

[Mr Fraudia]

Originally posted by Malik73:
Ironic, but that sounds a lot like the pir fakirs back home in many parts of Pakistan, who largely base their claim to religious supermo status on their lineage and jagirs.

In many cases these run of the milla pirs jageer and lineage are both doubtful. They have taken the titles used by some very spiritual men and abused it to a point that just the word evokes images of fake witch doctor/scholar/cartoon medley.

Those guys have large followings but we blame that on illiteracy and poverty of the masses, but that is not quite the case in the US?

Not illiteracy per way but ignorance, the biggest reason for that ignorance is lack of education and exposure which is due to the poverty. The following of people like Pat, Jerry, Frank etc is also due to ignorance of people who are educated i.e. have gone to formalized educational institutions but sadly their education did not remove the hoodwink of ignornace and intolerance from their eyes.

But it's puzzling why so many American's would put faith in these people?

in a nation of 250 million plus people, even if 1% of the people are idiots, you get a critical mass to keep these jackasses business going

P.S. Don't get me wrong, not all pirs are bad.

Yup, the real ones are hard to find and dont seek fame

[Aafreen]

aa, all,
read this article about the right reverend, long but good....

http://www.atrueword.com/index.php/article/articleview/42/1/1/

The first American tax dollars in Bush’s Faith Based initiative: half a million to Pat Robertson. Where did $500,000 of your money go?
Amir Butler

The announcement of George W. Bush to provide incentives and funding to “faith based” organizations was initially opposed by Marion “Pat” Robertson who likened government funding to a “narcotic” that once taken became an addiction. It’s a strange position given that amongst the first organizations to benefit from the Bush initiative was Robertson’s own Operation Blessing International. Operation Blessing received $500,000 (termed a Compassion Capital Fund grant) in first round grants from the Department of Health and Human Services. The idea behind the government support of faith-based programs is that the government supports charities that perform social work or meet some need in the community, such as feed the hungry.

However, a close examination of Pat’s Operation Blessing begs some important questions. In 2001, the organization received donations from a range of individuals and corporations. Amongst the products donated and then distributed to mostly small churches and missionary outfits was "Ensure", a dietary supplement and "Splenda", an artificial sweetner. $2,572,548 worth of artificial sweetener, according to the 2001 tax return. The list of products also featured massive quantities of panty-hose and confectionary items. $10,465,640 worth of confectionary. One can only wonder how the donors of Operation Blessing might feel if they knew that Pat had spent their money on pantyhose, candy and artificial sweeteners.

It could, of course, be worse. A 1993 Time report mentions that Operation Blessing "was criticized for spending too much money on transportation, pulling its workers out too soon and proselytizing.” According to one American aid worker cited in the report, “they were laying on hands… speaking in tongues and holding services while people were dying all around.” (Now, of course, these tongue-speaking hand-layers don’t hold services in Third World countries, they hold positions like Attorney General of the United States).

However, what is also of concern is that the biggest beneficiary of the charity is none other than Pat’s own Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) which received a grant of $2,061,755.00 in 2001. That is more than half the total amount given in grants for that year. According to Robertson, charity, it would seem, really does begin at home.

The CBN has been an important vehicle for evangelical Christianity in the United States, and indeed throughout much of the world where CBN programs are broadcast. It has long adopted an aggressive editorial position against other religions, however that tone has become far more bellicose in the aftermath of September 11.

Indeed, since September 11, there have been few voices so aggressive in their attacks on Islam as these same evangelical Christians. Tele-evangelists such as Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Franklin Graham and Jimmy Swaggert have all seized on the opportunity presented by both September 11 and the widespread community fear of Muslims, to attack and revile the Prophet Muhammad (1) with complete disregard to the truth or to fairness. Whilst most Christian denominations saw the time as a period to reach out to Muslims and to be voices of reason and calm in the community, many evangelicals saw this as an opportunity to step up the hateful rhetoric.

Why they chose to adopt such a bellicose approach to Islam and Muslims is open to speculation, however it seems most likely, given their track record, that the Falwells and Robertsons saw the incitement of hate against Muslims as a good and easy way to drum up donations.

Pat Robertson provided a clear example of the type of hate that now forms the basis for much of the evangelical discourse on Islam, on September 18, 2002. Appearing on Fox’s Hannity and Colmes television show, Robertson said:


All you have to do is read the writings of Mohammed in the Koran. He urges people to attack the infidels. He urges his followers to kill Christians and Jews. He talks about eradicating all of the Jews. This man was an absolute wild-eyed fanatic. He was a robber and a brigand. And to say that these terrorists distort Islam, they're carrying out Islam.


This captures the mood of much of the evangelical commentary on Islam and Muslims; harsh, baseless, invective that focuses almost invariably on the character of Muhammad.

As the evangelicals pursued this hateful agenda, the White House was attempting to demonstrate that they held no ill will towards Islam as a religion or Muslims as a people. George W. Bush constantly reiterated that Islam was a "religion of peace", attended mosques, and seemed to be making an attempt, whether earnest or otherwise, to send a message to the American people that Islam was not the enemy.

This has led to a kind of schism forming between the Christian Right and the Bush Administration. The Christian Right has since the time of Reagan, have held considerable influence in the Republican Party, and it is widely believed that it was Christian Right intervention that facilitated Bush’s win over McCain in the Republican pre-selection for the last election.

In a recent interview, Robertson quipped:


One minor disagreement among friends does not end a friendship ... I appreciate the president, appreciate what he's doing; and I want everybody to know that something like this does not sever the support that I have given him over the years.


Robertson then went on to compare the Qu'ran to Mein Kampf, to claim that it teaches the genocide of Jews, and that Islam is "extreme and violent".

He concluded with some advice to the American people:


Please read the Koran and see what it says ... Please see what the mullahs are teaching the little children in Palestine and in other parts of the world about you. And when you get through, do us a favor, don't criticize your friends, but see who your real enemies are.

truncated....

[Malik73]

However, what is also of concern is that the biggest beneficiary of the charity is none other than Pat’s own Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) which received a grant of $2,061,755.00 in 2001.

So Christian fundementalist bigots like Pat Robertson get money from US federal government funds? Interesting...

[Stu]

Robertson is an a-hole. He has come out w/statements against Jews, Catholics and Muslims. Bigots like him should not qualify for gov't assistance.

[Malik73]

Originally posted by Stu:
Robertson is an a-hole. He has come out w/statements against Jews, Catholics and Muslims. Bigots like him should not qualify for gov't assistance.

But bigots like him DO get financial assistance for the federal government don't they? On top of that this Preisdent visited a very well bigoted University when he was fighting for the Presidency? The Bush White House panders to these sort of bigots, and thus they are given more importance than they would normally get.

[ahmadjee]

^^ Not until recently with the faith based initiatives, which BTW gives assistance to anyone in the name of faith, be it Christian or non-Christians. Unless you want to take into account the tax breaks they get. :-)

[Chaltahai]

When these a-holes start flying planes into the buildings then we can all go after them. Until then, freedom of speech protects these a-holes.

[Mr Fraudia]

nyah lets go for a preemptive strike