Pat Robertson: Prayer Assassin*
John Roberts, nominee for associate justice to the U.S. Supreme Court, is now being considered for the role of chief justice following news of the death of Chief Justice William Rehnquist, who died Saturday at age 80 after a long battle with cancer. Roberts was originally nominated to the court when Justice Sandra Day O'Connor retired in July.
The opening on the court, and Roberts' subsequent nomination, were cause for celebration for right-wing televangelist and possible coke fiend Pat Robertson, whose rants against everything from liberals to common sense often land the preacher in hot water with the American media (recent examples include Pat's exhortation of political assassination on the airwaves of his program, The 700 Club).
But given Robertson's obvious lack of caring when it comes to murdering those with whom he disagrees, the question must be asked: Did Pat have something to do with Rehnquist's death? The chief justice was hardly in good shape, but Robertson's eagerness to capitalize on Supreme Court openings raises certain suspicions.
In 2003, Robertson asked viewers to take a break from going to Wal-Mart or sexually assaulting each other to join him in a 21-day "prayer offensive" -- because prayer is all about attacking people -- three Supreme Court justices with whom Robertson had grown displeased. In addition to this, Robertson said it might be a good idea to "shake things up" by tossing a "small nuke" into the State Department.
The nomination of Roberts led Robertson to announce on The 700 Club that God had answered his prayer and provided and opening on the court, and now viewers should continue to pray that another opening be made available soon. Was Robertson targeting Rehnquist with his prayer offensives, hoping that his vitriolic, misguided attempts to persuade the Almighty to take out an old man with cancer might allow the country to turn away from the moral decay toward which we have so eagerly run and begin the long, painful trek back toward ethical rectitude?
My guess is, probably so. After all, after the United States was attacked on Sept 11, 2001, Robertson stated that the events happened because have been "consumed by the pursuit of ... health, wealth, material pleasures and sexuality." He added that "this is God's power and he sent this thing to warn us. ... We needed a shock."
I don't know what conclusions to draw from this, if any. But I know that since I disagree with Pat Robertson, I hope he doesn't find out my name, or worse, pray for me. I've got a long life to live.
[*All quotes in this column are, sadly, true.]
