Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Pat Robertson: Haiti 'cursed' since Satanic pact

Today, the day after Haiti suffered a devastating earthquake, Dr. Pat Robertson said that Haiti was "cursed" because its former leaders made a pact with the devil to free them from French rule. In essence, he implied that Haiti is cursed and got what it deserved. What do you think about Dr. Robertson's statements? Is he correct? If so, who brought the earthquake, God or the devil?

I still make John 10:10 the dividing line to determine what is of God and what is the devil. Jesus said, the thief comes to kill, steal, and destroy. Jesus said He came to bring life i.e. zoe the God-kind of life. Which category would you place destruction and loss of life in?

I do not believe that Dr. Robertson was malicious or cold hearted. I believe that he was attempting to explain why the earthquake occurred. I have no doubt that CBN will provide money and manpower to help the devastated country. However, some things are better not spoken and I think his statement falls into that category. No one really knows why these things occur and in times like this, we must trust our Sovereign God who knows best.

6 comments:

Unknown said...

In light of our study on the power of our words, doesn't there to seem to be some merit to Mr. Robertson's statement? However, I believe since the satisfaction of God's will for justice, by Christ, He desires to be merciful. He aso states that,"it is not His will that any should perish", but we know some will. A place is prepared for such. What would Mr. Robertson's words say for The United States and our disasters?

Unknown said...

I have to agree with Carolyn. What we have been studying in church about the words we use and what we say are very powerful. I understand that somethings are left better unsaid also. But I beleive in order for people to understnad what they do and say has a consequence, then someone like (much like our Pastor) should let them (the world) know. Maybe he should have followed it up with your teachings of the last 2 weeks so people would understand where he or his pointr of reference was coming from. I think it is very hard for us to accept that these truths are as real today as back in the Old and New Testaments.

Barry Jenkins Sr. said...

I have been investigating in an effort to verify the pact with Satan. There is little documentation outside of rumors. I found one article written by a Haitian minister and it is located at: http://www.blackandchristian.com/articles/academy/gelin-10-05.shtml

As you all know, I believe very strongly in the power of words. They have the power of life and death. Assuming the pact was made, who sent the earthquake that brought death?

Unknown said...

A lot of discussion going around as to who "sent" the earthquake. We discussed this after hurricane Katrina. My view is not that a natural disaster is "sent" but that the protective hand of God is "lifted". Satan was given dominion over the Earth after man relinquised it to him. God is very active in protecting those who belong to Him. Yet even those who are protected sometimes are "allowed" to experience loss. Do I know why? No. Ask Job.

Unknown said...

Why Have You Done Bad to this People?!
One Rabbi's Response to the Haitian Earthquake of 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
By Shais Taub

It's hard enough to comprehend the significance of what a 7.0 magnitude earthquake does to a densely populated area. It's even harder to imagine what this means when most of the people affected are already living in sub-standard conditions.

Haiti is figured to be the poorest country in the Americas. Something like a third of its GNP is foreign aide. It's been wracked by disease, war, hurricanes and, now, earthquake. It's unreal. Anyone who says that they can understand it clearly doesn't understand it at all.

Most of us will react with compassion. We will feel sympathy for the millions displaced from their homes, searching for lost relatives and left without access to even the most meager resources. Some of us will find somewhere to quickly donate online to help in the relief effort.

And then there are those – a very, very small number actually – who will take it upon themselves to interpret for us the meaning of the disaster. They will try to extract moral lessons from what happened. Perhaps they will find some reason to explain why the Haitian people deserve such pitifully bad luck. They did the same thing after Katrina and after the Tsunami. They are quick to figure out why people suffer and to hold up the victims as a frightening example of G‑d's potential wrath to us as well.

Please, do not listen to those who exploit human suffering for rhetorical flair.

They will tell you that G‑d wants to tell us something and that if we don't learn from this, there will be more calamity.

I know this because this is how they respond to every tragedy that grabs the world's attention.

What they are loath to admit is that we have no idea why this happened. We have no idea why G‑d did this. There are no answers that we can understand.

How then are we of faith to react? I mean, in addition to offering our help and our sympathy. How are we supposed to look at something like this?

Just this past Saturday, in Jewish communities all over the world, we read the first portion of the Book of Exodus—a portion which ends with Moses' complaint to G‑d: "Why have You done bad to Your people?"

The answer to this question comes at the beginning of this week's Torah reading, in which G‑d basically answers that the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, also had cause to question Him but never did. In other words, G‑d doesn't answer the question. Rather, He tells Moses that from another perspective – the perspective of the Patriarchs – it would not even occur to ask such a question.

It's actually quite remarkable. G‑d never answered the question.

I wonder if that's because G‑d knew that Moses wouldn't be able to understand the answer... or because He knew that he would?

It is not for us to be comfortable with human suffering. It is certainly not for us to rationalize it away or, worse yet, to use false piety to audaciously explain the unexplainable.

Does G‑d have a plan? Does He know what He is doing? Yes.

Are we able to explain what that is? If we do, we show that we have not only lost our hearts but also our minds.

Unknown said...

In several places in Holy Scripture,earthquakes accompany the presence of The Lord. I have been considering the first chapter of Nahum. Our Father's reply to Moses in Ex4:1 bears understanding,also. But, Jesus' reply in Luke 13:1-5 spoke most to my heart for it addresses the question-Are the ones to whom disaster occurs worse that any other sinner or offender? Jesus says NO!! Then He tells those bringing the news to Repent, or perishing would be their end also.