Oct.13-19 - More Returns and Changes

Pat Robertson's Angry God Strikes Again?

Robertson's interpreted Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's massive stroke as a possible punishment from God for giving up Israeli territory. ( Thanks to Mark Gibson I now see that there's a better, more detailed piece on it over here.)

Using the phrases "dividing God's land" and inviting "God's emnity", he added "I would say woe to any prime minister of Israel who takes a similar course." Then he reminded the audience that Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated -- presumably reminding us that God isn't above divinely inspiring assassins.

Does this man have a conscience?

Does he think?

While the most recent statements regarding the stroke irritate me on multiple levels - the Creator of All can't find a better way of conveying his will and displeasure than massive strokes delivered to a 77 year old, highly-stressed head of state? - but the one concerning an assassin is playing to the "Christian" Right's version of Muslim jihadists. (Update: Thanks to Crypt Leak for adding this link to the comments.)

I'd press him on his statement, and ask him if Rabin's assassin was doing God's will, and if so, does this sanctify his actions? If it does, then we're still in with some mean-spirited Old Testament God -- and the arguments between him and his peace-loving, cheek-turning, meek-blessing son must be Heavenly epics. If it doesn't... then, what..? God runs a particularly violent version of Mission: Impossible, disavowing any knowledge of his agents' actions and letting them go to Hell? Does he grant pardons on the sly, and let them up into Heaven once the reporters have turned their attention to some new, more titillating scandal involving a closeted, self-loathing pastor?

I remain bewildered as to how these people interpret the term Christian and the teachings of their avowed and accepted savior. Did Jesus try to organize hit teams to take out the Roman emperor and Senators? Maybe I just missed that part along the way. After all, I was raised Catholic, and often had the sense that theologians' writing on God's will somehow trumped what was in the Bible. Okay, to be fair, the message seemed to be more along the way of them supplying a helpful translation.

Maybe what I really want to know is what's Jesus' weapon of choice, and what calibre shell makes the best sacrificial blade?

Oh, to quickly revisit that bit about dividing God's land by having Israeli authorities cede territory, how does God feel about the 125 acres of Israeli territory being given free of cost for use as a Christian theme park? What is it with these wacky Jews and their Wacky God? Did he send them a messiah 2000 years ago or didn't he? Millions of people have to be wrong one way or another, right? Are the Red Sea pedestrians hedging their bets?

Something's not kosher here, folks.