Pat Robertson: Open mouth, insert foot--again

Citizens of Dover, PA, be afraid. Be very afraid. Pat Robertson says, that, by voting out the school board that tried to introduce the teaching of intelligent design in science classrooms, you have offended God and had better watch out:

On today's broadcast of "The 700 Club," Robertson told Dover residents, "If there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God." The founder of the Christian Broadcasting Network explained, "You just voted God out of your city."

So let me get this straight. By legally voicing through the ballot box their disapproval of religiously-motivated school board members who tried to get religiously-inspired pseudoscience into the science classroom to be taught to all the children of Dover, whether they share the fundamentalist Christian faith that inspired "intelligent design" creationism or not, and wasted large quantities of the school district's money fighting a lawsuit over their actions that they are highly unlikely to win, given the patent unconstitutionality of the school board's actions, the citizens of Dover have somehow called God's wrath down upon them? Certainly, that's what Pat seems to be saying:
“I’d like to say to the good citizens of Dover. If there is a disaster in your area, don’t turn to God, you just rejected Him from your city. And don’t wonder why He hasn’t helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I’m not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city. And if that’s the case, don’t ask for His help because he might not be there.”
What's next, Pat? Fire and brimstone? Floods and tornadoes leveling Dover? How pissed off is God at the citizens of Dover because they were unhappy with their elected officials' attempts to teach religious ideas as science? Do tell us. Or are you going to use your supposed "personal relationship with God" to ask Him to cause some "problems" for Dover or to provide a disaster? If anything bad does happen in Dover, look for idiots like Pat Robertson to proclaim it "God's punishment" for rejecting intelligent design.

This sort of absolutist thinking is a hallmark of fundamentalists. There's no room for rational disagreement. If you don't agree with the religious position, you have "rejected God," and are therefore shunned by believers. And just what was it that Michael Behe and all the Discovery Institute drones are always saying that the "intelligent designer"is not necessarily God, that "intelligent design" is not creationism, not a religious concept? Perhaps they had better have a little talk with Pat Roberts. It would appear that he hasn't gotten the memo. He's wandering off the talking points.

(Hat tip to The Probe.)

UPDATE: Pat Robertson has issued a "clarification":
Later Thursday, Robertson issued a statement saying he was simply trying to point out that "our spiritual actions have consequences."

"God is tolerant and loving, but we can't keep sticking our finger in his eye forever," Robertson said. "If they have future problems in Dover, I recommend they call on Charles Darwin. Maybe he can help them."
Talk about digging yourself in a deeper hole! I think Pat went totally off the deep end after 9/11, and this is just one more example supporting that conclusion. It's also typical for fundies to try to make the specious claim that evolution is a "religion" (Pat's sarcastic comment about "calling on Charles Darwin).

You know, it occurs to me. The slate of candidates elected in Dover is not actually hostile to ID. They have stated that ID would be appropriate as subject matter in comparative religion or sociology classes, which, of course, it would. (I would certainly have no objection to teaching about ID in such classes.) They simply agree with nearly every biologist that evolution is established science, the underpinning of modern biology, and that ID is not appropriate subject matter for the science classroom (mainly because it isn't science and they don't think we should be teaching religious ideas in the science classroom).

But that's offensive to Pat Robertson and his minions, apparently. It's not enough to Pat Robertson's version of God to allow ID to be taught in public schools. No, it must be taught in science classes as science! And, if you don't agree, well, Pat's version of God will "take care" of you. He'll make you pay.

(Hat tip to Ed.)

Comments

  1. Ironically, the first disgusted words that formed in my mind were "Oh, Jesus Christ." I can't even believe the nerve of this guy anymore. This must be the early stages of dementia. I can't believe he was always this crazy, or he couldn't have gotten this far.

    I never did understand why my grandmother liked the guy so much. But she grew up Baptist in small-town East Texas, so I guess it's kind of a given...

    -Ali

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  2. since we have recently has the Catholic Church reaffirming its acceptance of evolution, I assume the alliance of convenience between that church and evangelicals is off again?

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  3. This kind of stuff really gets on my tits. I am sure that if the Jesus Christ that Robertson gets paid to promote is "up there" somewhere or wherever else he is supposed to be, he would be appalled by these sentiments. Roberston appears to believe in the vengeful god of the old testament.

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  4. It was a toss-up between Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson --and PR won!

    I'm just hoping that they both keep up with their idiotic remarks in the belief that they'll embarrass their congregations into consciousness someday.

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  5. By the same logic, to use the term loosely, Kansas ought to be experiencing a God-given bounty about now. Anyone in Kansas want to report on the miraculous economic growth and good weather? The absence of tornados doesn't count: they're out of season at the moment. Kansas City Chiefs victories will have to be prorated, as miracles, based on their opponents....

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  6. "He's wandering off the talking points."

    Good one :-)

    I would say though that he was nuts before 9-11. When the Lewinsky scandal broke he was giddy and saying God told him He would bring down Clinton. Robertson said he initially thought it would be in the 1996 election, but now he knew what God meant, that this was it, blah blah blah. I'm no fan of Clinton, but listening to Robertson was just goofy.

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  7. I'm thinking that Pat gets hit by lightning tomorrow, what do you think?

    Well, maybe the earth will just open up and swallow him, instead.

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  8. This just in: Robertson finds toilet roll empty--bans housekeeper to 7th level of Hell.

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  9. Better a friend of Charles Darwin than Charles Taylor.

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  10. Here is an image I made in response to the first "foot in mouth". http://nanogirl.com/images/robertson.jpg

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  11. YOU PEOPLE ON HERE MAKE ME SICK

    I GUESS YOUR LANGUAGE IS BEYOND PERFECT.

    I guess David Westin (President of ABC News)is God and Pat's the Villain huh?


    fyi..

    ABC NEWS HEAD DECLARES: JOURNALISTS SHOULD HAVE 'NO OPINION' IF TERROR ATTACKS WERE 'RIGHT OR WRONG'
    DRUDGE ^ | David Westin


    Posted on 10/31/2001 7:57:36 AM PST by jbstrick


    ABC NEWS HEAD DECLARES: JOURNALISTS SHOULD HAVE 'NO OPINION' IF TERROR ATTACKS WERE 'RIGHT OR WRONG'

    Link to article




    To: jbstrick
    They pass judgement on Republicans and conservatives every minute of the day...but terrorists?
    No bias at ABC!


    51 posted on 10/31/2001 8:41:53 AM PST by capt. norm
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    To: jbstrick
    Let me get this right. ABC stands for AMERICAN Broadcast Network. I am confused.

    52 posted on 10/31/2001 8:43:05 AM PST by CaliforniaDreamer
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    To: jbstrick
    ABC head declares . . .
    THAT scumbag is beneath contempt.


    53 posted on 10/31/2001 8:43:15 AM PST by LibWhacker
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    To: jbstrick
    Is this the same conference where he declared idiocy a form of intellect?

    54 posted on 10/31/2001 8:43:35 AM PST by Richard Kimball
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    To: jbstrick
    I said it before, and I will say it again: Before 12 months passes, the American Left will be on record as being IN FAVOR of the World Trade Center terrorist attacks.

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  12. ALL OF YOU ON HERE CAN FLUSH YOURSELVES DOWN THE TOILET AND ROLL AROUND LIKE A BUNCH OF PIGS
    IN RAW SEWAGE

    OINK OINK..

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  13. Heh.

    I'm guessing "anonymous" (from 1:14 AM last night) supports Pat Robertson.

    Note that he doesn't explain what any of his rambling rant on terrorism and those evvilll liberals has to do with Pat Robertson's statement. I also wonder where the heck he got the idea that I (or anyone here) thinks David Westin is God...

    I'll leave his incoherent rant up as an example of what we're up against.

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  14. As usual, God remains silent, so far apparently not being able to decide whether to smite Dover or Pat Robertson.

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  15. In response to the "Call on Charles Darwin" statement, I think people should be set up a Charles Darwin Rescue Service.


    -Different Anonymous

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