US State Department protests televangelist's nuclear threat
Pat Robertson with his finger on the trigger. That thought should be enough to scare every reasonable American with half a brain. Yes, that notable purveyor of Christian love and charity is at it again, this time suggesting that a nuclear device be snuck into the State Department. Understandably, Foggy Bottom is NOT amused....
WASHINGTON (AFP) - The US State Department has lodged a vehement complaint with prominent conservative televangelist Pat Robertson for comments suggesting that its Foggy Bottom headquarters should be destroyed with nuclear weapons, officials said.
Spokesman Richard Boucher called the remarks -- which Robertson made last week on his nationally televised "700 Club" program -- "despicable" and a senior department official said a protest had been made "at the highest level."
"I lack sufficient capabilities to express my disdain," Boucher told reporters when asked about Robertson's comments. "I think the very idea, though, is despicable."....
Robertson, who has been a frequent critic of the State Department, made the offending comments during an interview with a like-minded critic of US diplomacy, columnist Joel Mowbray, who has written a book entitled "Dangerous Diplomacy: How the State Department Threatens American Security."
"I read your book," Robertson said, according to a transcript of the interview posted on his Christian Broadcasting Network's website (www.cbn.com).
"When you get through, you say, 'If I could just get a nuclear device inside Foggy Bottom, I think that's the answer'," he said.
"I mean, you get through this, and you say, 'We've got to blow that thing up.' I mean, is it as bad as you say?" Robertson asked.
Mowbray responded: "It is."
Mowbray's book accuses the State Department of endangering the security of the United States by allegedly cavorting with sponsors of terrorism, negligence or incompetence in the visa issuance process and ignoring the travails of US citizens abroad.
Can Robertson really be so ignorant, so full of hatred, and so unaware of the impact of his words that he can seriously discuss the promotion of domestic terrorism? Apparently so. This comes from a man who presents himself as a man of God- the only problem with this is that his God is hateful, vengeful, and extremely Conservative. Of course, I'm no Biblical scholar, but if I were to search my memory bank back to my Sunday School days, I don't recall ever being taught that.
Pat Robertson is everything that is wrong with Christianity (and Judaism and Islam) today. The religion itself is a fine and noble concept- after all, who could argue with peace, love, and charity? That is NOT what Robertson is practicing or preaching, though. The problem with today's Christian right is that it has become all about their narrow, hateful, moralistic world view. The teachings of Christ are conspicuously absent from the pronouncements of trolls like Robertson.
You know, there are places where Robertson's advocacy of domestic terrorism would get him arrested and imprisoned- and deservedly so. Luckily for him, we have this little thing called "freedom off speech" here. Of course, when you are anointed by God (or at least your version of Him), you can no doubt say whatever pops into your pointy little noggin. Chucklehead....
