Pat Robertson's Not-So-Excellent Misadventure

[Pat] Robertson, the founder of the Christian Coalition and a leader of the Christian right that has provided strong support for Bush, said on Monday of Chavez's fears: "If he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it." (Reuters)

When a Christian leader makes such an asinine statement, I gotta laugh. Christian Coalition. Humph. I'd say that this comment of his actually qualifies him, while not technically as a terrorist, but, as an every-bit-as-despicable religious extremist as any of those who are enlisted in Al Qaeda. Terrorists are those who actually inflict terror, in my estimation. But then I'll admit I've never watched the 700 Club. Like Osama bin Laden, he is actually advocating the murder of another human being despite the doctrines of the faith to which they are so rigorously devoted that they have perverted it altogether.

You just can't win claiming that you're a Christian. To claim to be Christian, you profess that it would be really really cool to be Christ-like. Face it, to be Christ-like is to be damn-near perfect. To claim to be Christian and go on the air, or even the freeway, you are sure to be called out as a Christian that sucks.

"But Tad", you say, "Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven".

That's right. I know. Christians aren't perfect because NO ONE is perfect. They may be forgiven by the Good Lord above, but don't take it for granted that your fellow humans are going to do so.

Now I've always considered myself a Christian, but my idea of being Christian is to try to embody the Christian ideals in my actions, not my words. And I don't claim it with what I say, or with a bumper sticker on my car, because it would be pretty obvious that I too was a hypocrite.

And as for fundamentalist Christians, I think that it is pretty much insane to turn off your brain and turn responsibility for all you thoughts and actions over to a book like the Bible, claiming that anything it says is fact, and that settles it. Didn't the Good Lord give you your brains to begin with? Isn't it apparent that there are enough contradictions in the Bible that it would be IMPOSSIBLE to live your life by it word-for-word? Take a step back, folks. Consider what it is trying to tell you. Don't fret about the wording.

So shut up about being Christian, and just do it.

I think that the Bible can be glibly summarized by a quote from Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.

"Be excellent to one another"

Pat Robertson is just another man. Narrow-minded, judgmental, afraid, insecure. He is not excellent.


"Moderation in all things" - Socrates
"Perfect love casteth out all fear" - the Bible

but also
"Blessed is he who smashes the head of his enemy on the rocks" -- somewhere in the Bible as well, I'm thinking Old-Testamentish.

Enough rambling for now.

Tad