The Problem With Pat

Probably by now, most of you have your minds made up about Pat Robertson–you’re either “fer him or agin’ him!” Is there any other alternative?

Maybe. If you dare to have your minds stretched and your notions challenged, then check out this post written by Bill Gnade at Contratimes. Bill is certainly no 700 Club shill, but in his trademark methodical and lucid fashion, he stakes out some sober and reasonable middle ground from which to view the current uproar over Robertson’s remarks regarding “God’s judgement” of Ariel Sharon and his recent stroke.

Bill is one of my favorite commentators in the blogosphere and once again he slams one home off the fast break (we are in the middle of college hoops after all, not baseball season!).

8 Comments

  1. DJG

    Thanks for this, I was guilty again of taking the press at its word….

    Sometimes people are not all that bad when we take the time to really LISTEN to what they are saying.

  2. Hoots Musings

    I too stand corrected for believing the MSM (Main Stream Media). I do think Pat is a loose cannon, but you have to admire him for having an opinion and not borrowing from someone else.

  3. mike

    djg & Hoots-

    Obviously, I’m not a Pat Robertson fan either. I agree with Bill that too often he seems eager to pronounce judgements and the press, eager to cast him badly, takes that and runs with it, sometimes too far. It takes a great deal of discernment to sort through both Robertson’s comments and the media reports.

    As for prophecy, I think one of Bill’s points is that presumption works both ways. So-called prophets often overreach while skeptics dismiss all together–both may be wrong. Perhaps more silence is in order for both parties.

    As for me, I want nothing to do with it–I have to get the hang of this “love your neighbor as yourself” thing before I feel comfortable stepping up to making and judging prophecies. Here’s a prophecy for you–that will never happen!

  5. mike

    Ed–

    Ouch! Looks like Pat’s version of a Christianized “Disneyworld” might be on hold now. Maybe he ought to run any future prophecies by the lawyers and accountants first. 🙂

  6. contratimes

    Dear Mr. Ocular F. Usion,

    Thank you for the effusive praise. I am humbled, honored. I pray that I may continue to earn your confidence.

    As for college hoops, uh, for whom shall I cheer? Uh, go, ‘Bama! Go, uh, Auburn! Er, uh, go, UConn! (No, that’s not it.) Here it is: Go, UNH!(?)

    Peace and mirth,

    BG

  7. mike

    Bill–

    You’re welcome! I always enjoy your tempered and fair-minded analyses of current affairs. They are a breath of fresh air in the sometimes smoggy blogosphere.

    If you are not firmly committed to a college hoops team, I would suggest you hook your wagon to the Duke Blue Devils (my favorite team). Since they are the team that most of America “loves to hate” it would be a very “contra” thing to do.

  8. contratimes

    Go, Blue Devils! It has a nice ring. OK. Duke it is.

    As a New Englander, I’ve always been directed to hope for UCONN (blech!) or BC (foolish!). And there was a time, somewhere in an alternate universe, when UMASS was something (rather than nothing).

    To be honest, I gave up on BB some time ago. College hoops still hold some magic for me, but there still seems to be something missing since the Bird/Magic days on which I was weaned.

    BG

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