When I returned to my hotel a few minutes ago (I am in Louisville for a doctorate seminar), I turned on my laptop.  As I clicked on Firefox to bring up the internet, I glanced at the trending topics on Twitter.  I immediately noticed Pat Robertson’s name.  My first thought–he must have died.  My second thought, I better Google his name.

The first link that popped up was a story from The Huffington Post.  To my dismay, I quickly learned that Robertson had gone and done it again.  He has given yet another black eye to Christianity.  While the rest of the evangelical world is driven to their knees, he pronounces judgment.

In the words of Michael Rowe,

Last night, as I was updating my Facebook status, I briefly considered a post wondering how long it would take before Pat Robertson made some monstrous insinuation about the earthquake in Haiti being God’s will. I remember thinking, No, even Pat Robertson wouldn’t exploit a tragedy of this magnitude–a tragedy that, as of this writing, has claimed over 100,000 lives.

As it happens, I should have taken bets on “when” instead.

On the 700 Club today, Robertson did what he does best: he perverted a tragedy to suit his religious agenda. In his best creepy Evangelical wizard voice, he intoned that the people of Haiti had brought this catastrophe on themselves by compacting with the Devil.

Rowe then quotes Robertson:

“Something happened a long time ago in Haiti and people might not want to talk about. They were under the heel of the French, you know Napoleon the third and whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said ‘We will serve you if you will get us free from the prince.’ True story. And so the devil said, ‘Ok it’s a deal.’ And they kicked the French out. The Haitians revolted and got something themselves free. But ever since they have been cursed by one thing after another.”

Jesus approached natural disasters radically different.  I think I like his approach better.

Luke 13:1-5

There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.  And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?  No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.  Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?   No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

In the words of Dr. Moore, “Pat Robertson’s reported comments on Haiti are embarrassing, unhelpful, and counter-gospel. Jesus loves Haiti.”