On Pat Robertson, disasters and Christian theme parks

There was a recent report (10 Nov 2005) by the Christian Science Monitor that several Christian organizations are partnering with the Israeli ministry of tourism to build the Holy Land Christian Center, a Christian theme park and visitors' center that promotes the places where Jesus Christ walked.

According to the report, "one of the key figures at the heart of the project would be Pat Robertson, the prominent televangelist and founder of The 700 Club."

Now, I have nothing against any Christian visiting historical sites of the Bible. However there is this one particular paragraph that sets off alarm bells ringing in my head.

And bowing to protests from Orthodox Jewish groups, the Christian partners will have to agree not to go out and proselytize to local Jewish Israelis.

As any true Christian would know, the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ is of utmost importance. What use is the theme park if the unsaved Jews do not hear the gospel? Is the theme park so essential that it must be built at the expense of the gospel?

I have also noticed another report (10 Nov 2005) by Reuters on Pat Robertson. Here is a short quote:

"I'd like to say to the good citizens of Dover: if there is a disaster in your area, don't turn to God, you just rejected Him from your city," Robertson said on his daily television show broadcast from Virginia, "The 700 Club."

"And don't wonder why He hasn't helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I'm not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city. And if that's the case, don't ask for His help because he might not be there," he said.

Pat Robertson is basically "prophesising" that any disaster that befalls the city would be the result of the citizens of Dover, Pennsylvania choosing the theory of evolution over intelligent design.

False prophet anyone?

Unless Pat Robertson actually receive a direct revelation from God, this statement from him is most ridiculous. So hey Pat, here is a newsflash: you do not reject God by believing in evolution. You reject God because you are born a sinner. You reject God by rejecting the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Pat Robertson is trying to add works, that is support for intelligent design, to the gospel. According to Pat, if we do not support intelligent design, "don't ask for His help because (God) might not be there." You can interpret his statement this way: if God is not with us, it means that God has rejected us. If God has rejected us, it means that we are not saved.

In fact, the gospel Pat Robertson preached in his recent statement is similar to the false gospel found in the epistle to the Galatians. Like some of the Galatians who thought that circumcision is needed for salvation, Pat is saying a vote for intelligent design is needed for our salvation.

A word of advice to the non-Christians: please do not listen to Pat Robertson. He does not represent us Bible-believing Christians. His previous call for the assassination of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez is in direct opposition of the Word of God. We are called to preach the gospel, not to murder politicians, give false prophecies or build theme parks. It is people like him who gives Christianity a bad name.