It’s Hurricane Season, and that can only mean one thing…it’s about time for the Rev. Pat Robertson to make a fool of himself (and by association anyone else who calls themselves a Christian or minister). Pat’s lifelong habit has been to put his enormously pious feet into his gargantuan mouth by assigning the blame for national tragedies on someone’s ungodliness. Not surprisingly, his sin is never the sin to blame.
In response to his pathetic and spiritually presumptuous statement about what he believed caused Haiti’s catastrophic earthquake, my mentor, the Rev. Dr. Mike Khandjian, wrote the following at his blog:
“And what of Robertson? He belongs to that hard, rigid, self-serving, un-Biblical, unkind and unyielding crowd that finds joy in others’ miseries and sorrows and some twisted form of satisfaction in thinking that what they have, they have because they are better or right, or whatever ungodly, ungracious, prideful superlative they lean on to prop themselves up and raise their obscene amounts of money. Because they do have a following – you need to know that. A lot of people who are filled with the same fears that drive these folks love a message that is filled with self-righteousness – a message that is always about ‘them’ and one that never turns the scrutiny into one’s own heart.
And I do feel sorry for them. They are prisoners. They don’t sleep well at night because it is near impossible to feel good about having to always perform and put on a mask of moral perfection and superiority – it is impossible to have to keep up with that – to know what is true in one’s heart and when they look in the mirror, but then to go out and act as though none of what is dark within them is real – when all along it is – when all along they know what they know. It must be so hard to have to pretend that one is something they are not and that none of us can be.
I’m a pastor – and thankful to be one – Don’t lump us all together. In truth, on a very visceral level and in the reality of how good God is, we are far worse than Pat Robertson. That’s not the point. His problem isn’t that he’s bad – it is that he thinks everyone else is, but that he isn’t.” (www.unfinished1.wordpress.com)
Read Time Magazine’s List of Pat Robertson’s Top 10 Gaffes
As Comedienne Joan Rivers is given to ask, “Can we talk?” I ask you, have you had enough of this type of so-called Christian leadership? Has our definition of holiness been so truncated that we actually believe that our adherence to our American legalism and culturally prioritized lists of “good works” makes us holy by comparison to God, let alone others?
All this to say, will you agree with me to meditate deeply on this passage of Scripture from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossian church? Can we mutually pledge ourselves to demonstrate the humility of Christ so people will see Jesus in us individually, in our churches and communities collectively, and as a result be drawn into His gracious presence?
Titus 3:1-11, “ 1Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men. 3At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 8This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves to doing what is good. These things are excellent and profitable for everyone. 9But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. 10Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. 11You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.”
Can I get an Amen, somebody?
