Thank You Pat Robertson

Another wonderful representation of Christianity by our dear, tottering, old friend Pat Robertson! This week, he has suggested, nay recommended, that we send some Special Forces down to Venezuela to 'off' President Chavez.

I am SO PROUD that the world ties me to Pat because of his professed belief in Messiah! He does such a good job of spreading the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In Hezekiah 14 is says - "Go therefore and subjugate all nations, baptizing them in a hail of bullets in the name of democracy, capitalism, and oil; teaching them to observe all that the USA commands. And behold, Ronald Reagan is with you always, to the end of the age."

There is no Hezekiah, I am being facetious...

What it actually says in the Word of God is this...

1st Timothy 2:1-4: First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Romans 13:1, 2: Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment.

And finally (there are more places, but these will suffice)...

1st Peter 2:13-15: Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.

I am not saying that we abandon the public forum; that is wrong. What I am saying is that we should use the public forum as Paul did on Mars Hill, to present the gospel. Yes, we should challenge the world view of the lost, it is empty and shallow and we should expose it for what it is. Unfortunately, whenever a 'Christian' leader gets an opportunity to speak in the public forum, it is all too often about taxes, school vouchers, and other triviality such as the item that Pat Robertson spoke of this week!

This should not surprise anyone; when we have the majority of Christians reading books about their purpose, and having the good life now, we are going to get this type of nonsense. These books are man-centered (forget the protestations, read the book itself), and therefore, our thoughts and words will be man-centered as well. What ever happened to the true gospel men and women; those who lived a life of self-sacrifice, denying their own comforts in order that Christ may be preached? Alas, they are all too rare in today's 'marketplace' of ideas.

What are we called to?

Philippians 1:12-18: I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of rivalry, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

Philippians 4:11-13: Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

How do those passages fit within the community that is man-centered and ego-seeking? How does it fit within the cult of personality that marks many of the so-called mega-churches today?

Pat Robertson does NOT speak for Christ! And I for one will not let his asinine statements go unchallenged! Pat, pick up the Word of God; refamiliarize yourself with it, and get out of the public forum until you have figured out what we, as people of Christ, are called to be doing and saying!