What do Jake Tapper, Alan Colmes, Rich Shapiro, John Cook and Mike Potemra all have in common? All of them reported that reliable media punching bag, Pat Robertson, blamed the devastating earthquakes in Haiti on a “pact with the Devil.” But did Robertson really do that?
Did the former Republican presidential candidate really state on his national TV program, The 700 Club, “that the earthquakes were the Haitians own fault”?
First, readers can listen to Robertson, then form their own conclusions. The video is below.
At no point do I hear Robertson actually blame the earthquake on “a pact to the Devil.” Whether you agree with Robertson or not about the “why,” he was also correct about the long-time suffering of the Haitian people. And he asks for his viewers to contribute generously to his relief fund.
So, what could have caused so many to get this item so wrong?
One guess: one-part conclusion jumping, one-part deadline pressure, and one-part attitude; in this case, an attitude of Pat Robertson animus. In getting the story wrong, the reporters in question were guilty of the very thing they accused Robertson of doing: taking advantage of a human tragedy to further their own ends.
Robertson quickly released a statement in response to the almost-immediate discharge of vitriol.
On today’s The 700 Club, during a segment about the devastation, suffering and humanitarian effort that is needed in Haiti, Dr. Robertson also spoke about Haiti’s history. His comments were based on the widely-discussed 1791 slave rebellion led by Boukman Dutty at Bois Caiman, where the slaves allegedly made a famous pact with the devil in exchange for victory over the French. This history, combined with the horrible state of the country, has led countless scholars and religious figures over the centuries to believe the country is cursed.
Dr. Robertson never stated that the earthquake was God’s wrath. If you watch the entire video segment, Dr. Robertson’s compassion for the people of Haiti is clear. He called for prayer for them.
So what’s the alleged “pact with the Devil” Robertson was referring to?
The story goes that on August 14, 1791, “…a black slave and witch doctor named Boukman led the slaves in a voodoo ritual. They sacrificed a pig and drank its blood to form a pact with the devil, whereby they agreed to serve the spirits of the island for 200 years in exchange for freedom from the French.” According to Jean Gelin, a Haitian-American minister in the Church of God:
The satanic pact allegedly took place at Bois-Caïman near Cap-Haïtien on August 14, 1791 during a meeting organized by several slave leaders, under Boukman’s leadership, before launching what would become Haiti’s Independence War. This brutal period lasted 13 years until the last survivors of the French expeditionary forces, dispatched to Saint-Domingue with the sole purpose to re-establish slavery, were allowed by Dessalines to leave the island and return to Napoleon. Those who made it safely to France wrote and reported about the utmost bravery and supreme courage of Haiti’s indigenous army.
In his essay, God, Satan, and the Birth of Haiti, Gelin goes on to say:
I was born and raised in Haiti, and I am a graduate of the State University in Port-au-Prince. I am also a believer in the Lord Jesus-Christ in accordance with the Bible. In all of my studies of Haitian history, however, I have yet to find a good evidence of even the idea of Satan’s assistance in the Independence War, let alone a satanic pact
Regardless of whom or what you believe, it seems clear that Robertson was giving his take on the miserable existence of the Haitian people–not on some divine-retribution cause of the earthquake.
Not everyone got it wrong. Several reporters accurately separated fact from hype. They included:
* Politico’s Ben Smith, and again here.
* Ryan Smith, CBS News
Among those reporting it wrong were:
* Jake Tapper/ABC News, Pat Robertson Blames Earthquake on Pact Haitians Made with Satan. In addition, the video from ABC News at Tapper’s site is titled, “Robertson: Deal with Devil Caused Quake.”
* Mark Silva/Chicago Tribune’s Swamp: Haiti, humanity and a devil named Pat.
* Rich Schapiro/ NY Daily News, Rev. Pat Robertson says ancient Haitians’ ‘pact with the devil’ caused earthquake.
* John Cook/ Gawker, even though he didn’t tie the deal to the earthquake in his story, still titled his piece: Thousands Dying because Haitian Slaves Swore a Pact with the Devil for their Freedom.
* Alan Colmes/ Liberaland, Pat Robertson: Haiti Earthquake Because Of “Pact To The Devil.
* NRO: Why Pat Robertson Is Wrong.
Which side of the political spectrum one resided seemed to make no difference: the meme that Robertson said the earthquakes were caused by a deal with the Devil was “too good to check.” Most of the blogosphere merely cut and pasted from the reporters above, adding in a sentence or two of their own brand of wit about “whether Robertson was dead,” “on medication,” or deciding on the degree of hate Rev. Pat had exhibited with his callous remark.
Trying to understand how otherwise normally-reasonable people took a tack I—and others who watched this video clip originally — just could not see, I was struck by two thoughts.
The first was a paraphrase of an Alfred Hitchcock quote: “The better the villain, the better the press narrative.” In 2010, no one makes a better press villain than a 79-year-old Evangelical Christian minister who isn’t embarrassed about opining about faith-based beliefs on his national TV show.
The second is this Don Surber quip (about a completely unrelated subject): “Nothing like putting words in people’s mouths and bashing them for ’saying’ it.” One suspects that for the press, in Pat Robertson‘s case, nothing could have been easier.
Then again, you can always blame global warming. Just ask Danny Glover.
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498 Comments
Why do you keep giving him air space. Stop talking about him. He's a loser
Fern, because on the right side of these issues, accuracy is supposed to matter.
Thanks for posting the video so I could see for myself what he said. If there is one thing I have learned over the past 5 years, the MSM cannot be trusted. They have their agenda (Alinsky style) and they use it to the nth degree. They have become experts at not fact checking before reporting and to many in the American public they are to ignorant to pick up on it.
This attack is from the Left that has contempt for anything evangelical. They are "Godless" (great book by Ann Coulter) and have their own religion in their ideology. They will never understand…..sad.
1Ti 1:6-7 For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.
It was a poorly timed comment by Robertson – but good analysis here. People just grabbed on the soundbite "pact with the devil" and ran with it – ignoring what it was actually referring to.
Okay, thanks for posting the other side of the argument. I truly do appreciate it, and am posting it on facebook.
Now can we get back to the race in Massachusetts?
There was no "pact with the devil" at Bois-Caïman, just a Vodou ceremony. Vodou has no "devil" to make a pact with–that's a Judeo-Christian construct. Further, Boukman was a Vodou priest, not a "witch doctor." The pig was sacrificed to feed the lwa, spirits which are often represented by Catholic saints, but the lwa serve Bondye (Bon Dieu), the Creator and One True God.
Kinda ironic that a post calling out media for misrepresenting an event has such huge factual holes in its recounting of a different event.
"[The Haïtians] got together and swore a pact to the devil [...] True story" ( which is false, as you clearly demonstrare it's a belief, not fact) "[...] But ever since they have been cursed"
Really, you're trying to tell us this is not a cause-effect declaration from his part?
The source, a Haitian-American minister, was very clearly cited in the piece as author of the statement, and quoted accurately. Please clink on the link and read his entire post.
Please don't spin this.
Big Journalism has more quality issues to deal with than spinning Pat Robertson's ridiculous remarks.
I'm a conservative because conservatism to me represents rational, grounded, realistic thinking. To talk about Satanic pacts of the 1700's as people suffer babies starve is moronic at best.
Robertson may not have said it was God's wrath, but he went on to say that Haiti has been hit by one tragedy after another since making a pact with the devil. There's a devil at work here alright, it's the Haitian government who keeps industry out and keeps people dependent on other nations.
CCP is right. Criticize all you want, be it the left, the right, the up, the down, whatever. You must quote the person accurately.
That said, I still dislike Robertson. I'm sure his charitable endeavors have done a lot of good. Perhaps, that is the best one can hope for in life. It's just that I have seen too many followers of his that…….well, fall a bit short.
Pact with the devil to rid themselves of the French? I can't believe it. The same French who planted trees along the roads so the Germans could march in the shade?
Pat Robertson, has been a favorite punching bag of the Liberal Lefties for years.They don't like Born-Again-Christians, especially the spokesministers on TV They subscribe to the mantra: 'When he's wrong..he's wrong….. and when he's right.,he's wrong". And , THAT won't ever change.
Not sure why folks are defending the guy. His statement after the fact sounds like something Bill Clinton might have given us ("I know what I said, and I know what the words I said mean, but I didn't really mean what I said.").
But clearly his own spoken words, which basically say "200 years ago some Haitians made a pact with the devil, and they've been cursed ever since," tell us what he really believes. He thinks the "pact with the devil" is responsible for Haiti going to crap, and he thinks it's because of some kind of supernatural curse. Whether it's the wrath of God or the devil coming back for payment isn't the point; Robertson thinks Haiti's problems are a result of supernatural phenomena, and he thinks the earthquake is tied into that.
That's what he said. I don't know why people are trying to parse words. Robertson may not have explicitly said the phrase "wrath of God," but he most definitely implied that the people of Haiti are suffering because their ancestors made nice with the devil.
No. Declarations are explicit in nature. It is up to the reader or listener to infer a cause-effect. He mentions alleged pact with devil and the fact that subsequent to that pact Haiti has been impoverished and "cursed". No arguing the second statement. He leaves it up to you to make the connection or not.
gb8898…..the definition of "parsing words" is dividing words into different meanings, which you do very well in your comments. "Robertson may not have said…….", yet you attribute the meaning you desire to what he did say. Before you accuse others of something you ought to make sure you don't do it yourself.
Which implies that a nation stupid enough to make a pact with the devil lacks the competency and/or compassion necessary to run a nation well. (Assuming said pact was made)
Ummmm….but he DID blame a pact with the Devil for the Earthquake. He said after they turned to the Devil a number of terrible things have befallen them…including the earthquake. Therefore the "pact" is responsible for that and that much more. Liberals always try to hang Robertson around our necks, we don't have to do it to ourselves. He has nothing to for me as a conservative.
Why defend this guy?
Here is a clip of Robertson and Falwell on Sept. 13, 2001 saying that we Americans got what we deserved on 9/11. The buildings were still burning, man.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-CAcdta_8I
This guy is an a$$hole straight up.
If I'm parsing words, please tell me this: What exactly does he really mean by mentioning the "pact with the devil" and then immediately saying Haiti has been cursed ever since? Are you actually going to sit there and argue that he didn't mean the two things are related? That's ridiculous because that's obviously what he meant.
It's like someone saying "Grandma fell down the stairs two years ago, and she hasn't been the same ever since."
I researched this and came up with eye witness reports that state: A voodoo service was held in which a woman invited and was posessed by a demon, she spoke with the demon's voice urging people to kill their opressors, after the spirit left her, it entered into a pig, the pig was sacrificed and its blood drunk by those present. A prayer was offered up to "the god of creation" who was "not the white man's God who is unforgiving." An uprising occured in which the runaway slaves did indeed kill people, including whites and blacks. Later Boukman was beheaded when caught by the French authorities, he was later made an important loa or inhabiting spirit for voodoo. That is a synopsis of the eyewitness accounts. Gelin says that there is no evidence of a pact with the devil, but he leaves out lots of statements from the eyewitness acounts, and is either confused or misleading when he discusses just who was prayed to in the prayer. From reading the accounts, what Robertson said was understandable. You can process the reports as meer superstition if you are of a materialistic mindet, but it is also quite easy to accept what he says if you have a more spiritual world view.
It's a knee-jerk reaction from folks on the Right. They're defending Robertson the way the Left defends people like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton.
Thanks for putting his words in context and offering the clip. It is quite clear that many in the media twisted and clipped his words to sound much more sinister and condemning than was his intent. However, he should have expected such a response from voicing his "pact with the devil" theory.
When you dance with Satan, you dance.
Did he say "…the earthquake was a result of the pact…" No. What he said was "…but ever since they have been cursed by, by one thing after the other…" Sooo, every other ill that has befallen Haiti was a result of the pact, just not last week's earthquake?
I have heard Robertson say some crazy stuff over the years, but It seems like every time I investigate a little deeper I find out he was on the money. He has his own unique way of looking at things; not wrong just unique (out of the box), and he is far more intelligent and well versed in history than most would ever give him credit for. I believe he deserves a little respect, if for nothing else, speaking his mind and not cowering to political correctness on his TV program.
The human race is cursed due to the original sin of our first parents Adam and Eve. It was to redeem us from this curse that Jesus came into the world. He died for our sins and He died in our place. If anyone desires salvation it is available only through belief in the saving work of Jesus Christ. To all you scoffers, you should know the Bible prophesies that in the end times a great tribulation will come upon the earth that will make events like the Haiti disaster seem tame by comparison. Yet salvation will be available to any who turn to Christ, right up until the end. Jesus will judge the earth, He will destroy those who are destroying the earth, and He will establish His righteous Kingdom that will endure for a thousand years and on into eternity. I sincerely hope that at least some of you reading this will believe.
Pointing out what someone actually said–even someone as un-beloved in some quarters as Robertson–as opposed to putting words in their mouths and bashing them is anything but knee-jerk. It would have been a lot easier to let this go. What's the upside?
Except to accurately quote what the guy said. The downside is to have knee-jerk reactions to anyone "taking the side" of Pat Robertson. I feel like I took the side of what actually happened. I could have just piled on or ignored it.
But then, I'd be the same as most Mainstream Media "reporters". Thanks for commenting.
He is an evangelical Christian expressing his beliefs. "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12 If it was the only thing he had to say about Haiti I would consider it porely timed and heartless, however, it was not. It was part of a plea to send money to help their recover and followed by a request to pray for the country and people. The point he was making was being spoken in a spiritual context for those who believe Ephesians 6:12 to pray for a spiritual change in the leadership of Haiti, nothing more, nothing less.
I think you kind of made Pat Robertson's point for him. I f your messing around with the Occult Voudou or what have you – You are in bed with the wrong Character.
No, because those French only exist in jokes. Some have come close, but usually not. Indeed, the French nearly destroyed the Haitian army several times, and probably would have were it not for disease and the issues of logistics.
"Scholarship" has always sought to discredit both belief and withcraft, which in the case of Haiti and it's Bwa Kayiman pact has ALWAYS been known about Haiti by its citizens from that day to this. Many friends of mine have served as missionaries for over twenty five years in Haiti and strongly attest to this story and its popular recollection. And I think to dismiss it is to make the same mistakes of the "scholarly" research into the slave narratives of the Old South. Which is to say, in short, if a slave said it, it was regarded as "not likely to be true" unless there was corroborating testimony from a WHITE person – which then made it true. If a researcher investigating the issue at hand could find no empirical evidence of it, then any and all slave recollections, family passdowns, griot narratives, are not worthy of the weighty respect of western research. Hence, Bwa Kayiman, like other slave accounts is to be reckoned as "folklore", "mythological" and perhaps "fabricated" – the product of superstitious minds.
The point wasn't whether Robertson said the words, "pact with the devil".
The point was, Robertson did not say the earthquake was caused by a pact with the Devil–as was reported by major news outlets. Indeed, some of them not only made it their ledes, they made it their headlines.
In any case whether it is true or not, Mr. Robertson picked a lousy time to tell the story.
Yes, you are right!
I'm sorry, but "cursed" is not the same as saying "been impoverished", or victim of a long streak of sad events. It carries a supernatural meaning. Of course, the word, nowadays, is often pronounced as a metaphor for that (though there is often a "might be" in the mind of the speaker), but in the case of this man, who publicly believes in an interventionist God, such a word should be taken for its true and full meaning. Character of the speaker and his story do play a role when reporting quotes in journalism.
I definitely agree with something, though: He never said the people of Haïti deserved what's happening to them (this catastrophe and prior events) and do not deserve help, nor is there anything leading me to believe he would.
Robertson spoke one day after the earthquake, mentioned that Haiti is cursed, said it was a fact that the slaves who revolted swore a pact with the devil and that Haiti has been cursed ever since. He even contrasted it to the Dominican Republic to prove his point – same island, different conditions.
While Robertson never said the earthquake was the "result" of the "pact," he most certainly implied it. I have no respect for MSM and less for Robertson, but in this case I think the implication was clear and the MSM was right to bring it out in the open. His message had to be denounced. You may believe that our actions cause our punishment, but you rarely tell someone who is crushed, without food, water or medicine that you or your ancestors brought it down on you.
BTW Berto, a lot of Christian churches were destroyed. Was that because God loved them or because they had sinned?
Yes, especially the right. If it was taken out of context, why did he mention it in his coverage of Haiti. If you talk about a football game, would you randomly bring up something about a player that has nothing to do with the game? No, you wouldn't.
You really are a subjective, non-thinking crackpot to believe anything that you really say. You are totally objective about this situation, because the bible verse at the end really sealed your argument up pretty good. Great job for you.
The fact that voodoo or witchcraft, or whatever name you want to give it, should not be part of this dispute. [Here is a link to BBC stories about voodoo in Haiti]. The more important issue is whether you believe that Haiti is "doomed/cursed" because of it. As I said in my first post, a lot of Christians suffered too (some not Haitians); do they suffer because of the beliefs of others?
BTW, I can't believe that you would defend comments like that. You are a pathetic human being, just like Robertson is. Maybe instead of trying to explain away his failures Mr. Frazier, you could do something constructive like report on the disaster or urge people to contribute. You wing nuts are as pathetic as you are inept.
No, you're the loser for not wanting the facts to get out.
Who has made a pack with the devil? The people of Haiti or Massachusetts? One country is steep in voodoo and Catholicism the other is steep in Catholicism and shanty Irish family who thinks its their job to save is all from ourselves. Who is going to save us from the Kennedy's?
You didn't listen to his comments, did you. We know your type, "Follow the media template…baaa…media….baaa….."
Baaaa….media template….baaaaa…..media template….baaaaaa
Robertson is a biblical literalist. He believes that Satanic powers and principalities are given some sway over 'all' empires and countries. The Book of Daniel has some explicit examples of this phenomenom. His example of a pact with the devil if true, would mean he believes that the Satanic spritual influence in that country was given greater access than normal. He was not judging individuals in that country. That having been said, his timing was abysmal. Waiting a month or two would probably been the wise way to go.
I agree: his timing was abysmal.
It would be helpful to point out where in the article that I defended Pat Robertson's comments. I'll help you out: you can't.
Either you're all right with having your news served up with bias and outright falsehoods or you're not. If you're all right with the bias and falsehoods, then you'll see nothing wrong with what was written. Thanks for your comment.
This guy scares plenty of people who would otherwise be reliable right leaning voters. I respect a person's right to their faith and beliefs, but Pat has a special talent for saying dumb things. He KNOWS there are plenty of people just waiting for an opportunity to hang him with his own words, and he still steps in it. Still, too much play for such an irrelevance.
FTR- Danny Glover blamed our "failure" at Copenhagen. Another brilliant American intellectual speaks…
What a ridiculous article.
That “clip” only goes to prove the point that everyone else was trying to make.
OK, he didn’t directly say “the pact with the Devil caused the Earthquake” but he sure as hell implied it did.
Stop apologising for this disgrace of a human being who uses the deaths and suffering of others as a platform to preach from.
Cheers,
G.
That's because, to many Christians, anything "weird" is automatically Satanism.
It couldn't have anything to do with him blaming Katrina/911/whatever other disaster is convenient on feminism/gays/liberals/other people he thinks are dirty.
I understand Mondo. You're piece on Game Change was excellent. I just feel you were off base here. Looking forward to the rest of your work.
My complaint is this: there is no biblical basis for a “pact with the devil”. While such stories of humans making deals with dark forces exist in all cultures they are noticably abscent from sacred scripture. Satan has no power to make such a deal and no power to enforce it. God alone is God and God alone has authority. Dr. Robertson is a good man IMHO, but he fumbled the ball on this one
This is just the latest in a long line of irrational and hateful statements from this creep Robertson. He is a thieving deceiver. Shame on you for trying to give his hate-filled ramblings a positive spin.
After I watched him tell an old couple several years ago: "You go ahead and send us your last hundred dollars. God will provide for you." I decided that God should really provide for Pat. He merits the Hell to which he condemns others. Hopefully he can get a place on 'Inquisitors' Row'. I've heard the demons there are particularly fierce.
Taking things out of content and jumping to pre-conceived conclusions, not unusual for many of the media.
Since "God" did bugger-all to help the Haitians while the good, kindly Christian French folks ENSLAVED THEM, why not ask the Devil for some help? Obviously, God's followers were nothing but a scourge to the poor Haitians, so backing the opposing team seems only natural.
If everyone looked at the complete piece that aired on CBN http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2010/January/Pow... – you would see that Operation Blessing the relief agency that CBN operates and facilitates for disaster relief was on-site the day after with food, water, and medical supplies, and coordinated efforts with medical and missionary organizations in Haiti – Dr. Robertson discussed this and asked for prayer for the Haitians and donations to Operation Blessing – which also works with the US government to offer aide and access. Dr. Robertson also commented before he offered the historical bit on Haiti, that many people wouldn't like him relaying the bit of history about the founding of Haiti.
What so many people fail to recognize is not that Robertson is saying God is causing these events, but God will remove his protective hand upon those who do not abide by his laws and believe in Him. For example Job, Job feared God, prayed, worshiped and communed with God. The devil ran to and fro looking for someone to torment. The devil asked that God remove his protective hand from Job to prove to God that Job would not continue to worship or praise God if he no longer had God's favor, if he became ill, lost his wealth and his family, Job would curse God. Job did not curse God but continued to pray and worship him. Job proved the devil wrong and God blessed Job with more than he had before the Devil tormented him.
The five doomed cities – Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah, Zeboiim, and Zoar – God told Lot he would destroy these cities because of their sin and wickedness. Lot asked God to spare the city if he could find 50 righteous men in the city. Lot bargained down from 50 to 10 asking that God spare the cities from destruction. In the end only Lot and his daughter's were spared from the destruction. Archeologists presume an earthquake destroyed the cities.
So Dr. Robertson is not saying God has stricken Haiti. He is offering examples of God removing his protection from cities and countries that move away from worshiping him, based on passages in the Bible. And the Reuters reported just today that the Voodoo priests are complaining to the Haitian president that the mass graves will cause the dead to revolt against the Haitians still living after the earthquake. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60G2DF20100...
You prove my point quite nicely!
Actually, Robertson infers that this earthquake was a consequence of Haiti's so called "pact with the Devil." He follows this with the very clear statement, "ever since…" and a litany of suffering which the Haitians have endured.
The media interpreted this inference for what it was: Robertson's implication that this earthquake was just the latest in a string of suffering of the Haitian people, a consequence of the so called "pact with the Devil."
There's no other way to interpret this.
I'm wondering how exactly Pat Robertson knows what the devil answered!
Does anyone not believe that if Haitians had been practicing Presbyterians the last 200 hundred years, instead of practicing their blend of catholicism/voodoo/animism/demon worship, that they would have had a far less miserable existence and be in much better shape today?
Funny how many of the prominent secular people on the Left aren't the ones sticking their necks out and giving their lives to service and missions on behalf of and among the Haitian people in one of the most desolate islands in the world. Funny, that.
Pat Robertson may be a bit of a rube, but if you want to know how he really feels about and what he does for the less fortunate despite one thing he said, let's take the advice of our Liberal brethren and:
(1) Look at his record.
(2) Look at his record.
(3) Look at his record.
and
(4) Look at his record.
You know, like we were supposed to with Harry Reid? Except instead of voting to give someone else's money to those in need, Pat Robertson–like it or not–repeatedly offers his own and asks others nicely to donate theirs. He doesn't raise anybody's taxes to do so, and helps out a HELL of a lot more people than that old codger, racist-elitist, Harry Reid does by growing government and being an old a$$.
My Daddy had a saying that I have called to memory many times since, "Don't believe anything you hear, and only half of what you see."
Danny Glover claimed that the Earth Mother Goddess Gaia created this earthquake because the results in Denmark were not establishment of the World Government, a tax on wealthy nations to fund the dictators of the third world nations and a reduction of carbon by everyone except China, India and third and fourth world countries. His worship of Gaia and his hysterical comments have somehow been missed by the MSM.
That's because, to many Christians, anything "weird" is automatically Satanism.
I can hardly believe what I am reading here!!! What the H is wrong with you people??? God does NOT take revenge on anyone!!! Did you ever consider that the earthquakes, and hurricanes and whatever else has happened in Haiti, is:
#1..where they are located??!!
#2..Poor management and dictatorship, people in charge, that just don't give a damn about the country or the people??!!
The way I see it…if you think that God, had anything to do with this (personally or out of spite!), your argument makes as much sense as the so-called VooDoo pact with the devil!!
Haiti is cursed by itself, not by God. It is cursed nonetheless. An identical earthquake hit San Fransisco in 1989. Fewer than 70 people died. It's likely that 300,000 corpses will be burned like cord wood in Haiti.
And Haiti isn't cursed?
your little terrorist flag shows that you are in the satanic realm yourself.
Good point.
Actually, the timing couldn't be better, in my opinion. It amazes me how resistant people are to the truths about spiritual accountability.
Why? Because he cares for people? Because he puts his money where his talk is? His organization, Operation Blessing International was one of the first groups on the ground there and have already put millions into relief effort for the earth quake alone. They have been working there lately on improving water quality. I am not a shill for them, I actually researched this myself yesterday. "Loser" implies a person who has squandered away their life. What have you done thus far with yours, Fern? Dr Robertson is still reaching out and ministering to needy people around the world at 79 years of age. Would you rather rely on the likes of Al Gore to do this? How many billions of dollars richer is Albore after selling imaginary things to fools?? Did you know there is a large consortium of scientists (not actors, polilticians etc) who are pursuing him with a vengence due to blatant falsehoods he has propagated? They are climatologists, meterologists amongst others. He gets my vote for Loser.
Most of those responding have probably never read and studied the Bible. They are speaking out of they're own stupidity. My suggestion to all you bar room experts read and study the Bible, after all it has been the best selling book for decades. God is a loving God, but he does chastise those that choose to ignore Him.
Since the United States started moving away from God look at the condition of our country. More and more violence everyday, there seems to be no reason for the chaos that has engulfed us in the last 50 years. As we move away form God He will turn His back on us and let us continue to flounder. We have gone from a lender nation to a debtor nation.
Study the early years of our country, our leaders were men of God, worshiping Him before congressional sessions and asking for divine guidance. God raised this nation up as a beacon for the world to carry His Word to every country.
So until there is Repentance, Restoration and Deliverance the world will continue to slide into the grasp of satan. God will judge us everyone whether you believe it or not. Disbelief does not change His law.
So, when is a good time for true history? A good history teacher talks about what is news today and puts it in context of what happened before. I'd say it was perfect.
[...] What Did Pat Robertson Really Mean by His ‘Pact with the Devil’ Remark? – Big Journalis… [...]
[...] [...]
Biblically speaking, Satan is the "god of this world" and the "whole world lieth under the power of the evil one". If a pact is made with Satan (the destroyer), the persons involved are in turn exempted from Gods PROTECTION and BLESSING as they are agreement with Gods enemy. The result is experiencing the satanic curse" that dominates the fallen world in which humans live. This is what Pat Robertson was saying.
You still miss the boat of what this article is saying. Robertson didn't have a "pact with the devil" remark. There is no denying that he implied or that at least it can be interpreted that is what he meant. However, a good journalist, an honest journalist will recognize it as an implication and as an interpretation. Even better, they will recognize that he does have historical records on his side — regardless if you believe those records. On top of that, a good reporter, an honest reporter, will also talk about his call for helping the people of Haiti in their calamity regardless of the past. In other words, the whole story and complete.
You can dance on Pat Robertson's grave all you want. That still doesn't excuse the knee-jerk and unsophisticated childish MSM reporting.
. . . or you have actually read the Bible if you are Christian or Koran if you are Muslim.
I would agree with you, IF they msm did as much of a story on Danny Glover and his totally ignorant remarks, but they don't…that's Hollywood, not many Conservatives there…
Anyone or any religion etc that makes a pact or deals with 'spirits' is dealing with the demonic–demonic spirits. There are no 'heavenly spirits' to make pacts/deals with–one can only come to God and ask his help, through Jesus. So voodoo definitely deals in the demonic as it deals in a spirit world that Christians have been commanded to have nothing to do with.
Thanks for clarifying his remarks. I tried to clarify Roberson's remarks in a post on a Breitbart site and was skewered.
No matter what your opinion of Robertson, he did not blame the victims and is not afraid to discuss what he believes about the countries' history, correctly or incorrectly. He certainly didn't deserve the hate that was showered on him.
Now, how about a story on the nation building we're about to embark on in Haiti?? Something we should do or not?
By the way, posing the question does not mean that I don't want to support the people of Haiti right now. I do and am.
It is simply the next logical question because this is what Obama is about to embark on.
listen, such things do exist. I don't think you're a Christian or student of the Bible—or are you taking into account that Robertson is first and foremost a pastor not a conservative political figure. From a biblical point of view he is speaking then–from a knowledge of the history given to us in the Bible–for example— Israel many times got in bed with the occult, worshiped Baal, etc, and it always came back on them. Either God punished them, or they were deceived by prophets who prophesied lies (prophets of these false gods, like Baal) and so they were mislead into taking certain actions or lack of them in wars etc, and they ended up losing. From my understanding of it, these people have mixed voodoo into their Catholic beliefs and they elected a priest (Aristide) who did the same. Robertson is a pastor who believes in the word of God and has some understanding about how reliance on the occult brings suffering in the end, and he commented on that. Now should he have done so on his show, or should he have waited to comment on this, and then done an entire show on the teaching of this kind of thing later- perhaps so –he amy have forgotten he was not just speaking to Christians, but to unbelievers too- who don't understand this stuff .IN that case I think you have to make sure to explain what you are saying far better than he did.
But from a spiritual point of view, a country that is relying on voodoo–maybe even electing or supporting leaders according to what some voodoo priest is telling them etc is surely not going to prosper. There is a connection–God cant bless a nation that goes to the enemy (satan–the demonic) and seeks its assistance. He just leaves them to their own folly –maybe through these events the people can find a purer faith and rely on God and not a little God and a little devil mixed together. Jesus himself said "A HOUSE DIVIDED CANNOT STAND" if your loyalties are divided, well, you will not be torn. Its like nuts to do that. and the Catholic church never should have looked the other way adn made room for such things which I heard they did
correction: if your loyalties are divided, you WILL be torn
First, full disclosure. I've never liked Pat. I didn't like him the first time I saw him, I still don't like him.
That said, when I looked up his remarks the other day (perhaps a bit too hastily) all that was mentioned was the "pact with the devil" part. Completely missing was the rest of the conversation. I mean, he even had a hotline for donations for goodness sake. They should have -mentioned- that.
Actually, if you kill the dopey pact with the devil part (and don't wonder how exactly Pat knew what the devil said), the rest of what he said…. was pretty true. They have had constant problems and their neighboring country is in much better condition economically.
What's always funny to me is how they can't stand anything that Pat Robertson says about anything that might reflect upon the libbies/perverts, and they demonize each time the reverend says anything that catches their attention.
If what he says is soooo wrong and so inflammatory, why do they continually repeat/post/share it, over and over, giving him a wider audience?
I wouldn't know what he, Glen Beck, O'Reilly, Rove, etc say if it wasn't for the libbie's heads exploding and repeating/posting/sharing what they say.
Then I have to go and look it up, and in context, learn why they oppose what was said.
9 times out of 10 it's because those guys have spoken the truth. And that's absolute. And absolutes are offensive.
[...] that the God of more than a billion people on this planet might not approve of a deal that many Haitians themselves believe was made by their forbears. Not to mention simultaneously calling on Americans to pray [...]
Jesus Christ was a schizophrenic with delusions of grandeur. Go to any mental health facility in the world and you'll find at least one person claiming to be the messiah. Their claims are no more accurate than Christ's was. He was a man who died 2000 years ago while attracting a small following that in turn went out and convinced others to follow the same lie. In another 1000 years, Elvis Presley will be worshipped as a messiah. Anyone foolish enough to believe that all human life derived from two people is seriously misinformed. It's time to finally set aside these idiotic superstitions and face reality. God and his angels are no more real than the Tooth Fairy or Santa Claus.
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