Pat Robertson is why Religion is dying...

[wolf_chatter]

What a piece of shit.

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2010/01/13/crimesider/entry6092717.shtml

[thevoice]

The worst part is that once he said this on the air, the thousands of mindless idiots that follow him nodded their heads in agreement. Then they probably went to the phone and sent him more money. Anybody that sends money to this fool deserves to be ripped off. C'mon, there's got to be a skeleton is this guys closet that has to pop out sooner or later. That way, he can just dry up and blow away like a fart in the wind.

[backsthepack]

The ridiculousness of that makes me chuckle. I grew up in Lynchburg, VA which was Jerry Falwell's town, and just visited for the first time since his passing. The entire town, let alone his church and Liberty University seem to be 10 times better without the evangelical shenanigans.

[Stuck in Seattle]

The guy is a moron and the bane of good Christians everywhere. He should stick with charitable acts and stay out of trying to filter every event through his myopic brain to generate this kind of nonsense.

[NevadaConvert]

That guy is wacked as wacked gets.

[Darth Kaepernick]

I was thinking when I first clicked on this that you were talking about Robert Pattinson, the vampire kid from the twighlight movies. Doh!!!!

[battle.borne]

What a piece of shit.

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2010/01/13/crimesider/entry6092717.shtml

Now now Chatter....calling him a POS is a little much. He's just a dinosaur is all. If were lucky, maybe God will strike him down??? ;)

[student4ever]

In defense of Pat Robertson (http://www.fivethirtyeight.com/2010/01/qualified-defense-of-pat-robertson.html) from fivethirtyeight.com. It's an interesting read.

To make a long story short, the pact with the devil has long been rooted in Haiti's religious and political history. Pat Robertson's interpretation of that history isn't that far off from what many Haitians themselves believe.

EDIT: I should add that while Haitians themselves may believe something along those lines, I still disagree with wholeheartedly with Pat Robertson's point of view regarding why the earthquake happened.

[NevadaConvert]

That's the problem. Pat is as small minded as the people in the undeveloped counties that believe in curses, witchcraft, human sacrifices to impress the spirits, etc.

I don't think dickheads like Pat totally ruin Christianity because everyone already knows he's so far out there. It's the mentally ill crowd that's really upset with him. He's embarrassing the crap out of them!! :)

[Stuck in Seattle]

Chatter...religion isn't dying. Self identified Christians still make up over 78% of the country. Now in Europe...Christianity is on it's death bed and more's the pity as they slide into decline.

Increases in atheists or non affiliated are taking place but not in what I consider dramatic numbers. And the cause of this shift isn't due to some stupid comments by Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell.

But don't get me going...please.

[NevadaConvert]

It looks like Pat and this guy are battling it out for the '2010 Beyond-Dumbass" award.

http://blogs.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/timblair/index.php/dailytelegraph/comments/pact_with_gaia/

[wolf_chatter]

Chatter...religion isn't dying. Self identified Christians still make up over 78% of the country. Now in Europe...Christianity is on it's death bed and more's the pity as they slide into decline.

Increases in atheists or non affiliated are taking place but not in what I consider dramatic numbers. And the cause of this shift isn't due to some stupid comments by Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell.

But don't get me going...please.

Religion is indeed seeing a decline in the US and amongst Catholics a significant decline. The other major religions (other than mormonism and we all know why that is!) are also seeing decline. There were some studies done last year that indicate a few percentage point drop in those that would describe themselves as religious. As far as Europe declining due to its lack of religious people that is clearly anectodotal on both parts and you know it.

[PackIzBack]

Religion is indeed seeing a decline in the US and amongst Catholics a significant decline. The other major religions (other than mormonism and we all know why that is!) are also seeing decline. There were some studies done last year that indicate a few percentage point drop in those that would describe themselves as religious. As far as Europe declining due to its lack of religious people that is clearly anectodotal on both parts and you know it.



Here is a question. What percentage of the world believes in some form of religion? Whether they believe in Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Mormon, Jehovah's Witness, Paganism, Sicentology, or some other belief system. The number that is generally accepted in most places is that 85% of the world's population is religious vs 15% of the world's population that is agnostic, athiests or those who don't care either way. To say that religion is dying doesn't seem like an accurate statement.

[NevadaConvert]

Here is a question. What percentage of the world believes in some form of religion? Whether they believe in Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Mormon, Jehovah's Witness, Paganism, Sicentology, or some other belief system. The number that is generally accepted in most places is that 85% of the world's population is religious vs 15% of the world's population that is agnostic, athiests or those who don't care either way. To say that religion is dying doesn't seem like an accurate statement.

I agree. And I don't think too many of them care about what Pat Robertson thinks.

[wolf_chatter]

Here is a question. What percentage of the world believes in some form of religion? Whether they believe in Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Mormon, Jehovah's Witness, Paganism, Sicentology, or some other belief system. The number that is generally accepted in most places is that 85% of the world's population is religious vs 15% of the world's population that is agnostic, athiests or those who don't care either way. To say that religion is dying doesn't seem like an accurate statement.

The Aris Report (link here) indicates only 76% of Americans call themselves religious. Down 10% from 1990. And the US is one of the most religious Western Countries in the world.

http://b27.cc.trincoll.edu/weblogs/AmericanReligionSurvey-ARIS/reports/p1a_belong.html

[wolf_chatter]

Furthermore just 52% of UK respondents believed God (or a Higher Power) created the universe, compared to 85% in the USA, 83% in Mexico, 99% in Indonesia and 96% in Lebanon.

All I can say is it looks like the UK population has a better handle on reality than the US population. :rolleyes:

[NevadaConvert]

One things for certain about what I believe......I believe I'll have another beer. :D

[NevadaConvert]

Furthermore just 52% of UK respondents believed God (or a Higher Power) created the universe, compared to 85% in the USA, 83% in Mexico, 99% in Indonesia and 96% in Lebanon.

All I can say is it looks like the UK population has a better handle on reality than the US population. :rolleyes:

You must have had a mean Sunday school teacher, chatter. :D

[backsthepack]

Furthermore just 52% of UK respondents believed God (or a Higher Power) created the universe, compared to 85% in the USA, 83% in Mexico, 99% in Indonesia and 96% in Lebanon.

All I can say is it looks like the UK population has a better handle on reality than the US population. :rolleyes:
I'd blame soccer for England's low numbers, and low numbers in general in Europe.:D

[wolf_chatter]

You must have had a mean Sunday school teacher, chatter. :D

Never went to Sunday school. Grew up with an Atheist father (his entire family pretty much is) and a non-practicing Catholic mother. Just never made any sense to me. Unlike a lot of Atheists though, I don't mind religion or the religious as long as they don't shove it in my face or use it to preach hate (hence the Robertson thread)

[wolf_chatter]

I'd blame soccer for England's low numbers, and low numbers in general in Europe.:D

I agree 100% Soccer should be purged from this earth and replaced with NFL or Rugby!

[Steppenwolf]

The worst part is that once he said this on the air, the thousands of mindless idiots that follow him nodded their heads in agreement. Then they probably went to the phone and sent him more money. Anybody that sends money to this fool deserves to be ripped off. C'mon, there's got to be a skeleton is this guys closet that has to pop out sooner or later. That way, he can just dry up and blow away like a fart in the wind.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Robertson_controversies

Here's a whole list of "skeletons" in his closet. Take your pick.

[FR4NV]

I am going to take heat for this, but let me try to explain what Pat Robertson was saying. In his theology, we are living in the last days before Jesus returns. And he believes that this could happen at any moment. First, Jesus is going to return and take His church out in an event called the rapture of the church. Then God is going to pour out His wrath on a Christ rejecting world for 7 years in a time called the tribulation. That is why he said that about the pact with the devil. Even though they had some light, they rejected God and made a pact with Satan.

In Matthew chapters 24-25, Jesus gave His followers a teaching called the Olivet Discourse. In these chapters, Jesus laid out the events that would surround the time of His return. In verses 7 and 8 of chapter 24 He said this:

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
The New King James Version, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1982.

The "beginning of sorrows" speaks of these events, which would be like the birth pangs a woman feels before she delivers her baby. In other words, they will increase in rapidity and frequency as the time for Jesus to return draws near. What Robertson was saying is that the earthquake in Haiti was a birth pang. And remember, he was saying it to a Christian audience. In his view, he was being loving. He believes that God is using these kind of events to wake people up as to their need to come to Christ before it is too late. What he said was not PC. But in his understanding, time is short. So he said it not to be hateful, but because he doesn't want more people in Haiti to die before coming to know Jesus.

[NevadaConvert]

I am going to take heat for this, but let me try to explain what Pat Robertson was saying. In his theology, we are living in the last days before Jesus returns. And he believes that this could happen at any moment. First, Jesus is going to return and take His church out in an event called the rapture of the church. Then God is going to pour out His wrath on a Christ rejecting world for 7 years in a time called the tribulation. That is why he said that about the pact with the devil. Even though they had some light, they rejected God and made a pact with Satan.

In Matthew chapters 24-25, Jesus gave His followers a teaching called the Olivet Discourse. In these chapters, Jesus laid out the events that would surround the time of His return. In verses 7 and 8 of chapter 24 He said this:

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows.
The New King James Version, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1982.

The "beginning of sorrows" speaks of these events, which would be like the birth pangs a woman feels before she delivers her baby. In other words, they will increase in rapidity and frequency as the time for Jesus to return draws near. What Robertson was saying is that the earthquake in Haiti was a birth pang. And remember, he was saying it to a Christian audience. In his view, he was being loving. He believes that God is using these kind of events to wake people up as to their need to come to Christ before it is too late. What he said was not PC. But in his understanding, time is short. So he said it not to be hateful, but because he doesn't want more people in Haiti to die before coming to know Jesus.


Even if you believe all that stuff, the big problem is that Robertson ain't God, and he doesn't know if that earthquake had anything to do with any of that. That's what makes it's ridiculous for even the people that are as conservative as him. and as a man of God, he's supposed to use the common sense that God gave him (well, I guess not) and use it to reach out to non-believers, not drive them away. He should know that whatever he's says in public will be heard by everyone....and even twisted as much as possible because so many people dislike him. He's in a strange vacuum of his own.

[FR4NV]

But that is exactly what he thought he was doing, reaching out to non-believers. A whole generation of believers came to Christ because they read Hal Lindsay's book "Late Great Planet Earth." That book deals in depth with what many Bible believing Christians call the last days.

By the way, Billy Graham once said that if God didn't pour out His judgment on San Francisco, He owed Sodom and Gomorrah an apology. Not PC. But true from a Biblical perspective.

[FR4NV]

Isaiah 29:8:

You will be punished by the Lord of hosts
With thunder and earthquake and great noise,
With storm and tempest
And the flame of devouring fire.
The New King James Version, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers) 1998, c1982.

According to the Bible, God has used lots of natural things to open people's eyes. So Robertson at least had some precedent.

[wolfin1]

"Shake off all the fears of servile prejudices, under which weak minds are servilely crouched. Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear. "

Thomas Jefferson

[FR4NV]

"Shake off all the fears of servile prejudices, under which weak minds are servilely crouched. Fix reason firmly in her seat, and call on her tribunal for every fact, every opinion. Question with boldness even the existence of a God; because, if there be one, he must more approve of the homage of reason than that of blindfolded fear. "

Thomas Jefferson

Your point? I don't think Robertson suffered from fear. He knew he would take heat for saying what he did. And from his perspective, he was being reasonable. There was no prejudice in what he said.

[wolfin1]

Your point? I don't think Robertson suffered from fear. He knew he would take heat for saying what he did. And from his perspective, he was being reasonable. There was no prejudice in what he said.

From my perspective...Pat Robertson and your quote to support Pat Robertson (not saying you do, but it is in support of Pat Robertson's position) is just fear mongering and the quote is adequate.

[pack-o-five]

His comments were just a stupid as Danny Glover's comments in S.F. the other day saying that the earthquake was a result of global warming. Opps...I guess people in general make dumb @$$ comments not just people who label themselves as Christians

[wolfin1]

His comments were just a stupid as Danny Glover's comments in S.F. the other day saying that the earthquake was a result of global warming. Opps...I guess people in general make dumb @$$ comments not just people who label themselves as Christians

Are you suggesting that attributing the earthquake to god or global warming is the same thing? I would agree.