It's not easy to watch the suffering without feeling enormous compassion for the victims. I certainly had some welling of tears in my eyes.
So then, how do other people react when confronted by such human misery. Surely men of God, react with compassion, love, and an earnest desire to do what Jesus would have wanted them to do.
Most of us react, I have to believe, in the same way even if we don't believe in the divinity or even existence of Jesus. We are wired, by evolution or design (whatever floats your boat), to care for those around us. This is entirely normal, we see these people and recognise ourselves in them. We feel compassion because they are like us and we understand that on a visceral level.
What then of Pat Robertson?
In case you don't know, Pat Robertson is a U.S. televangelist who with Jerry Falwell claimed in 2001 that the events of 9-11 were the direct result of God's anger at homosexuals and Feminists and Abortionists. http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/f/falwell-robertson-wtc.htm
He now claims that the Earthquake in Haiti is the consequence of some pact with the devil that Haitians made way back in the early 1800's when they were slaves to the French. How he know this, he doesn't say. I suppose it might have come to him in a vision-or something.
He's not all indifferent to the suffering though. As if we needed to be reminded of his deep compassion for his fellow human being, he also concluded his interview on the Christian Broadcasting Network by asking viewers to send donations for his Haitian relief effort. That at least is good, right?
Well, maybe not so good if history is any indication, and I quote:
"Robertson was investigated by the Commonwealth of Virginia's Office of Consumer Affairs, which determined that he had "willfully induced contributions from the public through the use of misleading statements and other implications" when he asked for support for Rwandan refugees, but used the money to airlift mining equipment from the diamond mines he had started with Zaire dictator Mobuto Sese Seko."
So Pat Robertson does smell a little rancid. Surely he is alone among religious leaders. The Pope surely, as the leader of some 2 billion Catholics must be a man of exceptional goodness ...
Let's deal with him in another post.
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