Nothing in this world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”

local clergy disappointed in Pat Robertson's 'devil' talk about Haiti disaster
Published: 1/17/2010 12:00:00 AM
Last Updated: 1/17/2010 12:01:33 AM
By: Jodi Magallanes |
Pat Robertson pointed a finger at Haitians and the Prince of Darkness last week, faulting them for Tuesday's devastating earthquake. But not everyone agrees with him.
On Wednesday, Robertson used his television show, "The 700 Club," to promote his belief that Haitians brought the massive disaster upon themselves by selling their souls to the devil during the country's colonial period.
"They were under the heel of the French ... and they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, we will serve you if you'll get us free from the French. True story. And so, the devil said, 'OK, it's a deal,'" Robertson said.
French rule ended in 1803, and Robertson apparently thinks the country remains cursed to this day. He continued by asserting that the country's poverty is another example of its evil accord.
Response to Robertson's comments exploded onto the airwaves, Internet and social media Thursday and Friday.
Elkhart pastor Jennifer Tinsley of St. James African Methodist Episcopal navigated angry comments about Robertson's assertion from members of her church.
"Everybody I talked to was outraged. I don't remember such a response (on Robertson's part) when there was a tsunami, or at other times when he has said things," Tinsley said.
She's disappointed in the comments.
"I just felt that in the face of such devastation that the responsibility from the Christian community should be one of compassion, not condemnation," she said.

The Rev. Donald Morgan of St. John's United Church of Christ was working in the Gulf Coast area when Hurricane Katrina hit and people made similarly surprising statements.
"I personally don't believe that God is like that. Earthquakes, hurricanes -- it's a matter of time and chance. I do not believe that God sics nature on anyone," he said.
"Some of those remarks don't need to be said. We just pray for those people," agreed the Rev. Nathan Breneman of Northside Baptist Church, who is waiting to hear from 10 pastors in the church's missionary field who have not checked in since the quake.
Gwen Gustafson-Zook, a pastor working in Goshen with Mennonite Central Committee, said Friday she was disappointed with Robertson and had conversed online with others who felt the same way.
"It places the blame for the unfortunate suffering on the unfortunate. But he doesn't speak for all Christians. I've even read some stuff coming out of some circles that he doesn't even represent all conservative Christians," Gustafson-Zook said. Rather, Jesus calls people to respond with mercy, compassion and love, she said.

I didn't mean you Kfarley but the fellow you were taking to and the expert on Haiti that lives in Poland it appears..that just knows everything about Haiti....what a laugh

Remember eveyone just because someone make a claim doesn't mean it is true, and claims from people like Pat Robertson are the most unreliable of them all

He once claimed God told him to run for president...well he didn't even make it into the choosing process..He also claimed he turned a hurricane away from the Virgiania coastline with his prayers...He has some opinion of himself!....

Hardly anyone trusts him nor beleives his drivel..he is a laughing stock

If you want to know about Haiti ask a priest who actually lives there

It appears neither of you know a thing about Haiti and are taking the word of someone who is nothing more than a hate monger coming up with dreadful things to accuse people about, every time there is a tragedy

from a priest's homily

This horrific earthquake confronts us anew with the question: How can a loving God allow such horrible suffering? I do not know the answer - much of human suffering comes from the misuse of the freedom God gave us. But also the natural structure of our world - tectonic plates, microbes, storms, etc. - brings suffering. Why God allows all that is beyond the grasp of my mind.
I will say this: Some have posited that the Haitian earthquake came as a consequence of a supposed pact they made with devil at the time of their independence from France. Now, even though we know the devil exists and that humans sometimes enter into commerce with him, we have no historical evidence that Haitians made such a pact. As far as I can determine, it's an urban legend. The story that they erected a iron statue to a pig after the pact and that you can still see it in Port-au-Prince is just that - a story somebody made up. It is sad that someone would repeat these urban legends in face of such terrible human suffering - and use them to claim that he knows why this terrible earthquake happened. Best to remain silent about things we do not know, to pray for those who suffer things we can barely imagine - and to do what we can to assist them. (Danny Glover would have done well to also have taken that prudent approach.)