Sorry Pat Robertson, but that’s not a Christlike response

“Something happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about. [Haitians] 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.’ But ever since, they have been cursed by one thing after the other.” — Pat Robertson

A spokesman for Pat Robertson’s ministry has since issued a statement attempting to backpedal this shocking statement, but the reality is that the statement implied the Haitians went through the recent earthquake because they deserved it. The comment, unfortunately, displays the same spirit that the late Jerry Falwell exhibited in 2001 when he blamed 9/11 on “the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People for the American Way.”

Is there any merit in their statements? First of all, let me say that I understand where they are coming from. I wholeheartedly disagree with them, but I understand where they’re coming from. They’re coming from a particular theological view, based largely upon a specific interpretation of the Old Testament, that sees God as a God who avenges sinful nations. They expect judgment from Him whenever they see people living in ways that they believe to be against the morals of the Bible.

There are a few problems with their logic, however.

1. “ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” and “the wages of sin is death.” Those words are from the Bible (Romans 3:22-24 and 6:22-23) and what they tell us is that, from God’s perspective, we ALL deserve God’s judgment. Where we get off deciding for God that certain groups of people are more deserving of it than we are, I do not know, but such an attitude is definitely not biblical.



2. “It is not God’s will that any should perish.” This verse from the Bible shows God’s heart for people. In the Old Testament, we see His judgment exerted upon nations that have turned against Him. We can’t deny that. However, even in the Old Testament, we see that God was already working out a plan wherein people could be saved from the judgment they deserved. And that plan was made available to EVERYONE, regardless of what nation they were born in!
3. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” Although, according to the Bible, we are ALL deserving of judgment, Jesus took the judgment for our sinfulness in our place. He paid the price for all the junk in our lives, and then He rose again. Now He’s alive, and He says to EVERYONE who will believe in Him that He will forgive them and give them the gift of eternal life. Those who focus more on blame and threats of judgment than upon grace seem to have forgotten that we now live in the age of the New Testament, on the other side of the cross!

Rather than trying to cast blame when bad things happen, we need to realize that we live in a broken world and that we need to demonstrate God’s LOVE in every situation. The best thing we can do as followers of Christ is to pray for Haiti and seek out ways we can demonstrate His love in practical ways by helping the people who are hurting. This is the best thing we can do for ANYONE who is suffering. That’s part of what following Christ is all about.

I apologize on behalf of my Christian brothers and sisters

There is a certain brand of “Christianity” I have seen which makes me very, very sad. It’s a mindset held by some within certain church circles that is about as contrary to the mindset of Christ as one can come. It’s a mentality that basically says, without going so far as to use these words, “Jesus loves everyone, but he loves me most.” Another way of referring to it is to call it what it is: sheer racism.

I saw a comment recently from one American church-person saying that we need to get the blueprints for the Berlin Wall and build our own along the Mexican-American border. For him, this idea wasn’t simply born of a desire for better security at the borders but of the thought that all Mexican people should be banned from “his” country. Another church-person, in the same conversation, blamed all of America’s problems on “foreigners” and indicated that the “Christian” cause would best be served by kicking “them” out so that America can return to its “Christian roots.”

I can’t be too blunt in saying that — if we define Christian to mean “like Christ” — these people are not Christian in any way, shape or form when they maintain such attitudes. Now, “Christian” is usually defined as someone who has asked Christ into their hearts to be their Lord and Savior, thus it is true that those who utter racist comments in the name of “Christ” might be “saved,” but there is no way that viewpoint reflects Christ or gives Him glory.

A similar breed of racist religion existed in Jesus’ day. Jews tended to look down on Gentiles as somewhat inferior and, of course, Gentiles were anyone who were not Jews. But Paul made it clear several times in the New Testament that, in Christ, there is no distinction between Jews or Gentiles. He even said this:

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” — Galatians 3:28

In the world of the Jews during Jesus’ time, there was one group in particular that many of the Jewish religious people looked down on. They were called the Samaritans. Many of the Jews hated what they considered to be their false views on religion and they saw them as people who were of no real use to society. They looked down on them and refused to associate with them. As long as they stayed on “their side” of the border, there was no problem, but they did not want them in their midst.

That’s why Jesus told his story about a “good Samaritan,” because his audience found it hard to believe there could be any such thing. In his story about the man who was robbed and left at the side of the road, it was the good “religious” people who ignored him, and it was the member of his people’s hated race who rescued him. The story was specifically and unashamedly a statement against racist religiosity.

Alas, many who hold to a harsher form of Christianity appeal more to the Old Testament and feel they can justify their mindset from there. They are wrong, however, as even the Old Testament Law was very clear about God’s attitude towards people of other races. Here’s what God said to the Israelites:

“The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.” — Leviticus 19:34

That’s why I apologize right now on behalf of so many of my Christian brothers and sisters who have placed their patriotism above their faith and treated so many as second-class citizens. They may be true to God in many things, but they do NOT represent Him in their attitudes toward those of various races or backgrounds.

Following Christ is about loving God, and it’s also all about loving the people He loves. And He loves EVERYONE equally. NOBODY is better or closer to God just because they speak English or have a certain color of skin. In God’s sight, we are all equal and unless we can learn to love one another — loving “the alien in our midst” as much as the “native-born” — we cannot begin to claim we are following the ways of Christ.

If you have been hurt by church people who have treated you as somehow inferior because you are of a different race, I know that I cannot make up for the wrong they’ve done you. Yet, I do apologize on behalf of the segments of the Church who are guilty of this sin as best I can and want you to know that I KNOW that race is IRRELEVANT in God’s eyes and must be equally irrelevant in the lives of any true Christ-follower.

On the other hand, if you are a Christian who has held this racist mindset, perhaps because of the influence of your background or teachings you received in your youth, I understand how you got there. You were influenced by others and, in a way, I don’t blame you. We are all products of our environments in many ways. However, I do call your attention to the Word of God and strongly urge you to repent.

We are ALL sinful people in need of forgiveness and grace. God has given us that forgiveness and grace and, just as He has done so for us, He has called us to do for one another. That love for one another is not intended to be only for those who are “like us.” It’s equally intended for those who are different from us. After all, in reality we are all the same. We are sinners in need of grace and, until we accept those who are different from us as equals in our midst, we can never honestly claim to be channels of that grace.

World AIDS Day revisited

This is a post by the webmaster to acknowledge an important campaign as well as this blog’s first post from one year ago;
World AIDS Day

World AIDS Day is an international effort to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS around the world. Held 1 December every year, it has been an ongoing campaign since 1988. Understanding the facts is that crucial first step to finally fighting the prejudice and continuing to protect ourselves. With more people than ever before living with HIV across the globe, it’s not surprising that Christopher first posted herein on this date last year from a sincere heart and serious concern for the many affected. I encourage you to read that post and allow this issue to become personal for you, if it hasn’t already, for the statistics are not yet getting better:

People living with HIV

• 33.4 million people living with HIV worldwide
• 31.3 million adults
• 15.7 million women
• 2.1 million children under 15

New HIV cases in 2008

• 2.7 million people
• 2.3 million adults
• 430,000 children under 15

HIV-related deaths in 2008

• 2 million total deaths

All figures from UNAIDS.

Parkinson’s: The quest for a cure

It was only the second time I ever saw my dad cry. He walked in the front door of our home in Reedley, California and told me, “I have Parkinson’s Disease.”

He’d had a relative who had Parkinson’s Disease, so he knew well what it does. It’s a degenerative neurological disease that does terrible things to the body. Over the past several years, we’ve watched as it has taken its toll on my dad. Through it all, he’s managed to stay in good spirits and provide us all with a good example of strong faith and resilience in the midst of adversity. In some ways, I think his spirit may be stronger than ever, though his body is weak.

All the same, how many times we’ve all wished and prayed for a cure!

In America alone, more than half a million people are affected with this disease. At least six million around the world have been diagnosed with it. I’m sure they’re all hoping and praying for a cure.

But is a cure possible?

Prominent neurologists believe it is. In the 1980s, a doctor named Bill Langston made a breakthrough that opened up several promising avenues of investigation into the causes of Parkinson’s. Since then, prominent researchers such as Dr. Langston, Dr. Jeffrey Kordower and Duke University researcher, Miquel Nicolelis, have made great strides toward finding better treatments for the disease and towards the possibility of a cure.

Ten years ago, many in the field of neurology believed in the possibility of finding a cure but very little research was being done. This was due to a lack of finances made available for that research. In the mid-1990s, very little research money was directed toward this disease, in spite of the fact the research opportunities were so promising.

However, in 2000, actor Michael J. Fox (who has Parkinson’s Disease) started the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. In the past nine years, the foundation has funded more than $149 million in research directly or via partnerships. Through the work of aggressive funding and the raising of awareness around the world, great strides have been made in the improvement of treatment and the quest for a cure. In fact, they believe that a cure could be found within the next decade.

As a follower of Christ, I believe that one way we can live out our faith is by responding to causes such as this one. We are not called just to preach a message of “going to heaven someday,” but to also seek out ways of demonstrating God’s love and the values of His Kingdom through frontal assaults upon issues of injustice, poverty and illness around the world.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation generates funds for research through the generous giving of people around the world who care about the cause. For me, this cause is not some generic concern out there that is competing for our attention. For me, it has a name, and its name is Dad.

It has various names and some who are reading this will know it by one dear to you as well. Maybe it is you, or maybe it’s somebody you love.

If you’d like to join the quest for the cure, you can find out more about it at this link:

About The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research

I believe this urgent goal will finally be reached as more and more of us get involved.

“Medical science has proven time and again that when the resources are provided, great progress in the treatment, cure, and prevention of disease can occur.” — Michael J. Fox