Pat Robertson on another contentious issue of foreign policy

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A few days ago, the supposedly conservative and supposedly Christian leader Pat Robertson made a fool of himself by calling for the assassination of Venezuelan president and all-around unpleasant guy Chavez. Now a conservative news service has dug up another scandalous interview by the same man, from archives of CNN no less, which makes it clear that where human life is concerned, and especially human life outside America, Robertson believes that the end justifies the means, however brutal both end and means may be. If anyone is willing to take him seriously as a Christian leader after this, I am not.

PAT ROBERTSON DEFENDS CHINA'S FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAM
WASHINGTON, Apr 17, 2001 (LSN.ca) - Pat Robertson, founder and chairman of The Christian Broadcasting Network and the celebrated host of the 40-year-running 700 Club program, disappointed hundreds of thousands of his fans Monday night as he defended China's notorious family planning program. In an interview on CNN's "Wolf Blitzer Reports" Robertson, founder and President of the Christian Coalition, was asked, "How do you balance your historic support for closer relation with China, improved trade relations with China, with what many conservatives complain about, specifically the so-called forced abortions in China?"

Robertson, who has spoken valiantly in favour of life in the United States, responded: "Well, you know, I don't agree with it. But at the same time, they've got 1.2 billion people, and they don't know what to do. If every family over there was allowed to have three or four children, the population would be completely unsustainable. ... So, I think that right now they're doing what they have to do. I don't agree with the forced abortion, but I don't think the United States needs to interfere with what they're doing internally in this regard."

When Blitzer asked for clarification, asking, "But in effect, won't your critics on the right be saying that Pat Robertson is justifying abortions in China?", Robertson avoided the issue and condemned only sex-selective abortions.

Bear in mind that supporting abortion for the sake of population reduction but opposing sex-selective abortions is the hallmark of abortionist hypocrisy which we oppose. Robertson has as good as identified himself with the enemy.

Comments

[gunderpants.livejournal.com]

Those quotes were featured on the site for the Christian Alliance for Progress, and have been since the site's inception. He's a crazy man. Can you excommunicate him for me?

[pandoraculpa.livejournal.com]

Yeah, he's also been quoted as saying that feminism steers women toward killing their children, witchcraft and lesbianism, as well as a few other choice comments that I can't recall at the moment. He's a nutcase, no doubt about it, and it's absolutely appalling when one thinks about how many people he reaches out to on a daily basis through the 700 Club.

I don't see how he can call himself a Christian Minister with a straight face anymore. This is truly repugnant behavior, especially from someone who supposedly stands on the right side of morality. What a farce.

[adeodatus.livejournal.com]

If anyone is willing to take him seriously as a Christian leader after this, I am not.

Yes, unfortunately, there are many that still do take him seriously and this isn't going to put a dent in his following. They stand in line daily for his show and they attend the university on his "campus". Hell, in his little world all he has to do is publicly ask Jesus for forgiveness and everything is honky dorey again ... a tear or two on camera wouldn't hurt either but that was a different TV show Televangelist.

I respect his distinguished military service but I'm far from a fan of his particular flavor of Christianity and the same goes for almost all of his politics.

[gunderpants.livejournal.com]

Why are these crazies the ones people associate with mainstream Christianity? Someone, tell them to stop ruining our shit.

[thepreciouss.livejournal.com]

These moments remind me of my mother telling me, "Thank God we're Catholic."
;)
Catholicism has its share of problems, but at least we don't have the real loonies.