I am blessed by the incredible response by churches and Christian ministries across America to the suffering souls in Haiti. But sadly a big part of the media coverage is focusing on some remarks by television commentator Pat Robertson. Mr. Robertson speculated on why Haiti has suffered so much over the years. He believes that the country sold their soul to gain freedom from the French and that their nation is cursed because of that pact with the devil.
I will not resort to the kind of comments I am reading elsewhere about Pat Robertson. I do think his timing was terrible. Our entire focus as followers of Christ should be aid and prayer for our brothers and sisters in that country. To be fair, Robertson said that he prayed that out of this disaster a spiritual renewal would take place in Haiti. Still, I wonder how anyone can say definitively why suffering takes place.
The Old Testament offers an interesting story about a place that was more degenerate than any place in ancient history. But God was willing to show compassion even to a city as overwhelmingly wicked as Sodom.
“For the sake of only ten, I won’t destroy the city.” (Genesis 18, The Message)
I don’t know if Haiti can be mentioned in the same breath as Sodom and Gomorrah. And how about the prophet Jonah? He wanted judgment on Ninevah and ran away instead of taking the message of repentance and redemption to a city that he wanted judged. Jonah was ticked off that his personal revenge might be thwarted.
I knew you were sheer grace and mercy, not easily angered, rich in love, and ready at the drop of a hat to turn your plans of punishment into a program of forgiveness! (Jonah 4, The Message)
So here is my unsought advice to all of us. Get out of the prophet business. In the Old Testament the prophets had a high standard.
“But any prophet who fakes it, who claims to speak in my name something I haven’t commanded him to say, or speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die.” (Deut 18, The Message)
Now that is a strong deterrent to shooting from the hip. You could not follow up a false prophecy with a big smile and a proclamation of “just kidding”!
Here is my concern when comments like this attract media attention. Pat Robertson becomes the face of Christianity to many people. I certainly hope he did not mean to have that happen. When I try to use my meager skills to point people toward Jesus things like this come up. What about that Pat Robertson guy? Do you believe the things that he says? Is that the God you are representing? Do you think God is punishing Haiti? My answer is that I simply don’t know and I don’t think Pat Robertson does either.
I don’t have a big agenda. I want to introduce people to Jesus. Trying to assign blame for a natural disaster does not help me model the saving grace of the Lord Jesus to people who are desperate for hope.
Unfortunately in our soundbite news cycle high profile “spokesmen” become the face of Christianity. I want the face of Christianity to be Jesus. And I want His followers to be the humble hands and feet of God to love, heal and restore the aching souls in Haiti.
Skeptical Believer
[pasted from my comment at Crosswalk on 1/22, because I much prefer this site!] Great article! And how about the words from Jesus Himself in Luke 13:1-5? “Do you think that these Galileans [Haitians] were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? I tell you, no!”
Remember, God sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous, and sends the sunrise to the good and the evil.
When Jesus Himself is telling you you’re wrong, it’s probably time for Pat Robertson to crack open his Bible again and get reacquainted with it.
The Skeptical Believer
Victoria Odugbesan
You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.(Jn 8;32). It is the truth that we know and that we acted on that we set us free. In my own opinion, i don’t think Pat Robertson is not compassionate about the tragedy. It has happened and somebody will have to speak out the truth and look for a way out and ammend our ways so as such a thing not to happen again. Zech.8;16b implored us to speak each man the truth. We shouldn’t take things personal especially when things like this is going on round the world. You and i have been called to preach the gospel not condemming one another.2Chro.7;14 should be our focus now that Pat Robertson has reveal the history to us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleaven bread of sincererity and truth(1Corinthians5;8]. But we should speak the truth n LOVE[Ephe.4;15-16]. And lets come together as one family for healing in our midst. Thanks.
mattpeace
As a Jewish Believer who was saved through a series of supernatural occurrences (beginning with a near-death experience), I have been given only 2 words for evaluating the words and actions of myself and others … first Love (1 Corin 13 sums it up very well) and then Truth (When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; John 16:12). Without Love, I am NOTHING. So, in Love I implore those who claim to be Witnesses for Christ (Moshiach) to be living examples of the Love that He demonstrated for us on the Cross. There are over 200 Assembly of God churches in Haiti. Assuming that each church has a pastor and at least one righteous person, Haiti clearly survives the Sodom test. And, we all know, there are thousands if not millions of precious souls who we are called to love and pray for. “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:2. Let us pray for mercy and forgiveness fo those of us whose words may subject them to harsh judgment as they have harshly judged others. “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:24)
Becky Barber
I read your article and thought you made some very interesting points. It is a shame that the media looks to just one person to be the “voice of God” or even “all Christians”. It is too bad that the media will probably hold on to those sound bites like a crazied bulldog and insinuate that is the belief of all Christians. It is too bad that people won’t hear about my friends, the Mangines. That have been in Haiti less than a year that are now coordinating relief efforts in Jacmel, Haiti after sending their three young kids back to North Carolina. Gwenn Mangine has been supplying pictures to CNN.
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/17/haiti.jacmel.hotel/index.html#cnnSTCText
There are hundreds of other missionaries like the Mangines that are called by God to Haiti. If God is mad at Haiti, He certainly hasn’t turned His back. Job had some “well-meaning friends” that suggested that God was displeased as well but Job became more steadfast in his devotion. I wish we could all take a good look at what is happening and has happened and conclude that even so God is a good God. “Is God mad…?”. I don’t know, but I know he is good, gracious, and faithful. I want to focus on that and I wish we all could see that even in the midst of trouble His grace abounds even still and even more. Thanks for your insightful article.
To HIS Glory,
Becky Barber
Ministring in Belize
Steve
The truth is that they did make a pact with the devil.
Now the significance you put on that pact I guess has to do with whether you believe the devil is real or not.
But it is one of Haiti’s founding myths.
http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/small_axe/v009/9.2laroche.html
According to Haitian national history, the revolutionary war was launched on the eve of a religious ceremony at a place in the north called Bwa Kayiman (Bois Caiman, in French). At that ceremony on August 14, 1791, an African slave named Boukman sacrificed a pig, and both Kongo and Creole spirits descended to possess the bodies of the participants, encouraging them and fortifying them for the upcoming revolutionary war. Despite deep ambivalence on the part of intellectuals, Catholics, and the moneyed classes, Vodou has always been linked with militarism and the war of independence and, through it, the pride of national sovereignty.
So, yeah if there is a devil, Haiti made a pact with it. Might explain why even though Haiti and the Dominican Republic share the same island, the Dominican Republic has been far more successful.
Isabella Evans
I have been overwhelmed by the tragedy in Haiti. I was overwhelmed by the tragedy on 911. I was overwhelmed by the Tsunami tragedy, the Katrina tragedy, the Columbine killings, the AIDS crisis, the killings of millons of unborn babies, and so on. Why do we, like Adam and Eve, look for someone to blame, to condemn? May we be reminded of God’s Word, “All have sinned…” Romans 3:23. (Dave, Pat, me, all of humanity!) Who are we to point the finger? If God were to execute justice, who would be left standing? Let us stop focusing on the cause or who caused it. Let’s provide comfort and give compassion as followers of Christ. Instead of the media, allow God’s track record and His Word to dictate how we will declare and demonstrate His love. God has committed all judgment to His Son, Jesus(John5:22) not Pat Robertson. I don’t know what happened in history, but what matters is His Story…..God became man to reconcile us to Himself. Now He has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. 2 Cor 5: 18-20. As His ambassadors, let’s help bring others to Christ! It is His desire that all be saved. Spread God’s Love!
Andrea
YOU are RIGHT. JESUS IS THE CENTER.
KEEP OUR FOCUS ON HIM!
Karen
My heart is heavy for the earthquake victims in Haiti. It is also heavy for all those people who heard Pat Robertson’s comment or read about it and said to themselves, “See, Christians are just bigoted, ignorant (impolite word)” and hardened their hearts yet more against God. My heart is heavy because whatever Pat thinks, he chose a poor time and poor words to express it.
Someone already referenced this Scripture from Luke 13, but I’ll reference it again:
1 Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices.
2 And Jesus said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate?
3 “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
4 “Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem?
5 “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
The citizens of Haiti do not have a monopoly on sin. Many disasters happen, and God does not prevent them. Who are we to say which ones are allowed as “punishment”, if any, and which are not? There are also many many Christians in Haiti – are they being punished as well?
There is a song by Andrew Peterson that has been in my mind lately. These words especially: “… and it feels like the church isn’t anything more than the second coming of the Pharisees … scrubbing each other til their tombs are white, they chisel epitaphs of piety…”
Judy Ann Alexander
Shame on You! I may not always agree with Pat Robertson, but until you have served the Lord for 50 years and done all he has done to spread the gospel and bless Israel and given millions of dollars of aid to foreign countries and the U.S. and have gone to him personally about your concerns before posting your thoughts on the internet spreading strife and division and becoming an accuser of the brethern, I think I would fall on my knees and repent before the Lord if I were you. How do you know that God is not angry with Haiti? He says He is angry at nations in Zechariah. Yes, it is the old testament, but look what He is going to do in Revelation.God says in His word He can build up and tear down. I look at these tragedies and a warning as what is going to take place during the tribulation. Have you gone to CBN’s website for the explanation that was given or are you following after the secular news and their viewpoint?I don’t know who you are , but as a Christian, I am much more disappointed in you than in Pat Robertson who I have know for many years.
Samantha
I think everyone is taking what Pat said out of context. I watched the show and the segment where he was giving a historical recollection of facts on Haiti and in my studies of things such as the occult, it is just a matter of interpretation. The history of Haitian Voodoo is just in fact, as the Bible says, if it is not for God, it is against God. There is no in between. Although God didn’t call any of us to be judges, He did call us to be fruit inspectors. Voodoo is rooted in fear and myth. Haiti has the highest concentration of Voodoo followers that consider the “Devil” a god when it comes to revenge and curses. I think people need to read a bit more of the history of this nation and find what Pat was referring to. I do not for once believe that he was saying Haiti got what it deserved, he was telling why he believed that this disaster was allowed to happen. When Christians start turning on each other and pointing out each others faults instead of praying for each other, then the devil has accomplished what he set out to do. Don’t give him the satisfaction. The world persecutes us enough without our helping them along!
Pam
The God in heaven that I know as my personal Savior is loving, kind, gracious, compassionate and forgiving. Jesus Christ paid for our sins — everyone’s sins — on the cross so that we would have life everlasting if we believe in Him — John 3:16. God allowed this to happen so that we would be forgiven for our sins. We all make sin and make mistakes every day …. and will continue to sin and make mistakes whether we want to or not for the rest of our lives. God knows this and He offers grace and forgiveness if only we ask Him for it.
Do I think God exacts punishment when He’s mad? No. I do believe God allows things to happen. What is important in difficult situations is our response and the choices we make. Do we trust God? Are we His hands and feet? Do we allow tragedies and difficult times to destroy us or do we cling to our hope and faith in God? Do we encourage others in when their down and feeling helpless or distraught. Do we offer Christ to them by loving them, helping them and giving them hope in Christ.
God allows us free will to choose to love and serve Him. He loves us so much yet He does not force us to do anything. He patiently waits for us to come to Him. That’s the God I know and love. That’s the God I hope others come to know as their personal Lord and Savior as He is mine.
Christy
I have a friend that arrived in Haiti 2 days before the earthquake hit. With a broken ankle and cuts from broken glass of her own she is still being “the humble hands and feet of God to love, heal and restore the aching souls in Haiti.” Mandi is a nurse, she and her husband adopted two children from Haiti. She returns once or twice a year to serve in the orphanage.
Jerry G.
I’m with you too, Dave. Pat made the same mistake that so many “Christians” made regarding the Aids crisis. This crisis opens up a lot of opportunities to serve and to witness just as the Aids crisis has. We need to respond postively, reflecting the love of Jesus. We can save the sneers and hard-wringing for post-crisis when we’re feeling all poofy about ourselves!!! 🙂
Jamey
Luke 13:2-3
And Jesus said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered this fate? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
Katie
I thought about this also last night. My first inclination was to roll my eyes at Pat and say “Oh no, not again”, due to his similar remarks about the New Orleans tragedy. I fear he gives Christianity a judgemental name, however, as I thought, I remembered my daughter coming back from a mission to Porta Prince this summer and telling me the major religion in the country was Voodoo. That made me think…but I agree, it is not up to any of us to purpose God’s plan or guess at whether or not he’s mad at anyone.
Alan Maricle
I couldn’t agree more, Dave. We need to be very careful applying “logic” and trying to assign blame in these kinds of situations.
Is God punishing the hundreds of missionaries in Haiti? Using this type logic, I guess he is! He destroyed their homes, churches, orphanages, and clinics, caused personal injuries and probably even visited death on some, so he must be really angry! I don’t think so. We live in a fallen world, where evil affects everyone in an endless number of ways.
Job lost everything. Paul was continually beaten, shipwrecked, and imprisoned. Mary had her reputation ruined by being pregnant out of wedlock, then watched her son die in the worst and most humiliating way possible. Yet these were some of God’s most faithful, doing exactly what he called them to do.
We can only get ourselves in deep trouble when we presume to “know” why good or bad happens to anyone – who should be blessed and should be punished.
Isaiah 55: 8-9 says:
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
As you point out, we are not called to judge (or even complain if it happens to us!) We ARE called to faithfulness, trust, and love. We need to leave the rest up to God.
Alan Maricle
Is God punishing the hundreds of missionaries in Haiti by destroying their homes, churches, orphanages, and clinics? I don’t think so. We live in a fallen world, where evil affects everyone in an endless number of ways. That’s just the way it is.
Job lost everything. Paul was continually beaten, shipwrecked, and imprisoned. Mary had her reputation ruined by being pregnant out of wedlock, then watched her son die in the worst and most humiliating way possible. Yet these were some of God’s most faithful.
We can only get ourselves in deep trouble when we presume to “know” why good or bad happens to anyone – who should be blessed and should be punished. Isaiah 55: 8-9 says:
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
As you point out, we are not called to judge (or even complain if it happens to us)! We ARE called to faithfulness, trust, and love. We need to leave the rest up to God.