Comments on: Pat Robertson and why we don’t need reactive prophets

By: garret

garret — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 13:30:02 +0000

sorry i’m late to the “comment table”.
i like this. i like that you’ve brought proper attention to Pat’s comments. Too often when a Christian makes a decidedly unbiblical assertion with great certitude it spurs the world to dig in its heels against the god that isn’t.

The God that IS ought to be better represented by us in word and deed. We fail enough without having “spokesmen” wiping out faithful witness in a few ill-conceived words.

MB: i don’t know if you’ll turn back here this late but, how did you manage to link Pat and Rush in the same sentence? Did Rush say the same thing?

By: Darren

Darren — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 16:33:47 +0000

Great post Marty!! I always love your perspective and insight!! Whenever anything happens martyholman.com is the first place I go to learn how I should think and feel.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 23:41:32 +0000

The other Old Testament story this brings to mind is the story of Joshua and the angel. Joshua says to the angel, “Are you on my side?” and the angel rebukes Joshua for his arrogance, thinking that God would pick human sides…
It seems like Robertson begins with this (largely political) world view and then uses everything that happens as a way to demonstrate how God has taken up his side.

By: Rich Simpson

Rich Simpson — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 20:29:03 +0000

Good words, Marty.

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 23:35:16 +0000

Yeah, never mind, he didn’t

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 23:19:33 +0000

Did anybody go back and see if Pat Robertson HAD said something before this happened or are we just assuming he didn’t?

By: JBaily

JBaily — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:59:54 +0000

Great post! I really like the symbolism of the parent. It can also show how God does not cause these things to happen. As with the parent & child, even though the parent instructed the child not to touch the stove ahead of time, they did not make the child touch the stove.

Just like through the Bible and God speaking to us, we learn how we should live and get instruction. now if we don’t heed his instruction and something bad happens it is not God that caused it to happen. We have free will to make decisions for ourselves.

He will work through these things to help us achieve the best outcome, but we still have to struggle through it.

By: MB

MB — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:02:13 +0000

I’m trying so hard not to get boiled over with anger at Pat Robertson and Rush Limbaugh for their absurdly ignorant and fanatical comments. It does no good to put any energy into that when so much more is needed to actually HELP people in Haiti. I’m trying……
Thank you God for the grace and strength. *sigh. Ok, now lets get to work!

By: Billy McGuiness

Billy McGuiness — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:28:57 +0000

Excellent post Marty! God is a God of second Chances not I told you so’s.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 17:23:31 +0000

Marty,
Great take. I agree. Hindsight has 20/20 vision? I definitely don’t serve a “gotcha” or “I told you so God”.
Robertson’s timing shows his lack of understanding of human need, lack of civility, and poor timing. We can debate the accuracy of his comments at a latter time.
Robertson is also pretty irrelevant. I think he said some of these things to get a blip on his relevant radar.
Bottom line for me is that no one knows why or why not God in his goodness allows things to happen. For now, we should pray, aid, and comfort those in terrible need.