Pat Robertson: A Voice for Christian Pessimism

By Dr. Russ

Last Thursday, on his 700 Club broadcast, 81 year old Pat Robertson had this to say about the Denver broncos trade of Tim Tebow to the New York Jets and hiring of Peyton Manning as his replacement:

• "Peyton Manning was a tremendous MVP quarterback. But he's been injured, if that injury comes back, Denver will find itself without a quarterback. And in my opinion, it would serve them right," Robertson says.

Pat Robertson claims to be a spokesperson for Christianity; a modern day disciple of Jesus Christ.  In my opinion, in this message, Robertson is preaching an anti-Christ perspective, one of judgement and retribution.

I do not know of any New Testament verse in which Jesus would be described as advocating for untoward events to happen to another.  His message is consistently about acceptance and treating others as we would like to be treated; about love, caring and the unification of all in the Spirit of Christ.

The Good News of Jesus is 100 % optimistic:  By taking up our personal cross and sacrificing our personal egos to follow Christ, we have the chance for new life, rebirth, every minute of every day. (See Mark 8:34-38 NIV).

Robertson preaches pessimism when he calls for ill fortune to befall another.

Jesus makes an open invitation to anyone and everyone to follow Him regardless of their past.  Faith, not works, is what matters.  The beauty of Christianity is its all inclusiveness, acceptance of “all peoples from around the world.”

Pat Robertson has a history of preaching about Christianity as an unwelcoming and judgmental religion.  I guess he forgot all that Jesus had to say about, “Do not judge others.”

From my humble Christian perspective:

1. God may or may not be involved in any of this NFL nonsense.
2. If He is, then He has a plan for Tebow that involves at least a stopover in NY.  And, Pat Robertson is not God’s spokesperson in this matter.
3. If He is not involved, then He expects Tebow to use his Christian faith to deal with the circumstances he has been dealt; to be a role model for how a Christian deals with adversity and finds new opportunities for self-reinvention and rebirth.
4. John Elway, the Denver Broncos, and Peyton Manning used their God given free choice to make the decision to pick Manning over Tebow.  Like all of us they will have to live with and deal with consequences of their choices. 
5. God is there to help Denver if they ask. Neither He nor Jesus would wish for their ill will.  They would, however, always keep the invitation open to share in the Good News of the Jesus Christ.
6. My hope is that Tim Tebow will continue to be a positive role model and witness for Christianity in how he deals with adversity and this new opportunity in the Big Apple.

Comments

[chauffeur car rental]

I thought you are going to use him as a character in a theory of creation kind of argument