Externally Processing My Way Through Life

A friend of mine asked my thoughts on the whole Pat Robertson issue. I didn't think I was going to weigh in on the subject but after typing out a long email I thought I might as well throw it up here for all 3 of you that read this : )

So here were my two cents (if that!) worth:

Here are my thoughts, since you asked.

We (our generation) who was raised in a predominately legalistic "work your way to heaven" point of view wants to be all about God's love and grace and mercy, since that was so severely lacking to us growing up. However, often times people want to put God's attributes of righteousness and judgement on the back burner, and well, you can't roll like that. Not and be biblically justified any how.

So when any one in our modern day Christian culture, no matter who he or she is, wants to start talking about judgement and wrath, people (christian and non) usually shut it down pretty quickly. I think deep down because we know we are just as deserving of the judgement and wrath.

I did find it interesting the people who decided to speak out about the issue and how they chose to do so. I was amazed and confused at the amount of people that thought it best to respond in an attacking matter. Doesn't that just put you on his (presumed) level? While a few others chose to handle it in a more mature manner simply stating a different point of view.

The bible talks about wrath and judgement on a repeated basis. Israel was several times over virtually wiped out by the wrath of God. Nearly all of the prophets either foretold or told the Israelites (or another nation) of their impending judgement for their actions. That's not mentioning the multiple nations who were completely wiped out at the hand of God or specific cities (like Sodom and Gomorrah) that were.

I think to say that the possibility of God choosing to act in such a way is ignorant and blasphemous against the character of God.

On the other hand, I'm not sure Pat Robertson is a prophet. In fact I think he primarily preaches the prosperity gospel which is something I strongly disagree with and think flies in the face of the gospel Christ died for. I also think how he chose to deliver his message was very poor. Even if he first addressed the pain and hurt in the nation and prayed for them before he decided to speak the rest it would have been taken very differently. Also whenever prophets either told or foretold impending wrath to a nation there was always a call to repentance. There was none of that from Pat, so it really just felt like a vindictive "I told you so".

All of us individually and corporately (being America) have done horrible things justifying such wrath. I have no idea why God hasn't rained fire on our nation yet. We could talk about what we did to the slaves, or to women, or to the Japanese (we had our own work camps). There has been countless acts of horror done in this nation just as deserving of a fate like Haiti's. If we aren't supposed to compare ourselves and our sin individually why is it okay to do so corporately? Sin is sin (generally speaking there are two exceptions but they aren't relevant regarding this topic) and we are all sinful nations just as deserving of their fate.

Which is why I think we should be on our knees for them in prayer sending every ounce of help that we can. It could just as easily have been us. And I think that Christ would have been up to his elbows in blood and tragedy trying to help those around him .

In summary I guess I would say that while I can understand his point of view and their may be some truth to what he said, I think how he chose to handle the situation and spoke about the scenario wasn't well thought out or done so in a way that glorified God. How often do I make the same mistake?

However we have the opportunity in this situation to help make a difference.

Part of my point in choosing to post this was to get people thinking about the way that Christ would have decided to act in the circumstances. I would hope those thoughts spur action to help, if so here are some options:

Text "HAITI" to 90999 to donate $10 to the Red Cross relief efforts in Haiti

Compassion

Samaritan's Purse

Doctor's Without Border's

spendyourself