Robertson, founder of the Virginia Beach-based Christian Broadcasting Network, was one of 38 candidates for 33 board seats during the NRB's recent convention. The group represents mostly evangelical radio and TV broadcasters. NRB President Frank Wright said there was no broad effort to distance the group from Robertson. But "there was broad dismay with some of Pat's comments and a feeling they were not helpful to Christian broadcasters in general," he said in Wednesday's Washington Post.Both sides insist that that the decision to for Robertson to leave the position he had held with the National Religious Broadcasters for 30 years was "amicable".
The press has had a field day with Robertson over the past year over statements he has made on his "700 Club" program. Many evangelicals have attempted to distance themselves from him, while some have issued public statements of rebuke. Here are five of his most controversial statements:
- ''You read the Bible and he says 'This is my land,' and for any prime minister of Israel who decides he is going to carve it up and give it away, God says, 'No, this is mine.''' -- Pat Robertson, suggesting Jan. 4 that Ariel Sharon's stroke was divine retribution for ''dividing God's land''
- ''I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover: if there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God. You just rejected Him from your city.'' -- Robertson in November 2005, chastising a Pennsylvania town that had ousted school board members for advocating the teaching of ''intelligent design''
- ''If he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it. It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war.'' -- On Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in August 2005 (Robertson later apologized, saying he was speaking out of frustration)
- ''I think the gradual erosion of the consensus that's held our country together is probably more serious than a few bearded terrorists who fly into buildings.'' -- On whether ''activist judges'' are more of a threat than terrorists, May 2005
- ''Maybe we need a very small nuke thrown off on Foggy Bottom to shake things up.'' -- Referring to the State Department's location while criticizing the agency, October 2003
It amazes me is that someone like Ward Churchill can equate the men, women, and children killed in the World Trade Center bombings to Nazis who deserved to die, and we are told to "respect his right to free speech." Let a well-known religious figure make statements of a simular nature, and he is considered a threat to world peace.
Still, words have impact. The wrong words can destroy. Hugo Chavez used Robertson's words to demand that evangelical groups leave Venezuela. God informed Job that words without wisdom "darken counsel".(Job 38:2) Enough said.
