Pat Robertson Accused of Damaging Movement

From the AP via the Washington Post courtesy of Crooks and Liars:

Fellow conservative religious leaders have expressed concern and even open criticism over Pat Robertson's habit of shooting from the hip on his daily religious news-and-talk television program, "The 700 Club."

The Christian Coalition founder and former GOP presidential candidate has said American agents should assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and suggested that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's stroke was divine retribution for pulling Israel out of the Gaza Strip.

Some observers say Robertson, who'll turn 76 next month, courts controversy as a strategy to stay recognizable and keep his followers mobilized. Others say he remains important to the evangelical movement that he helped create when he established the Virginia Beach-based Christian Broadcasting Network in 1960 but he needs to stop damaging it with his words.

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So, Robertson is an inflammatory nut even by fundamentalist standards. I suppose that would make me feel better about fundamentalism in general except for the fact that the entire movement itself is also completely psychotic. According to the article, one of Robertson's critics observes that "he tries to interpret contemporary events as 'being part of the drama of God's activity in the world." That's true enough, but ignores the fact that most fundamentalists see current events as part of a larger spirtual struggle. The whole lot of them are millenialists. That is, they believe that humanity is now experiencing the first days of "the end times," wherein the forces of good and evil will do battle in the Middle East--good will eventually win and will establish a holy worldwide regime, ruled by Jesus himself, that will last a thousand years. Then the Earth will be destroyed and all who are not evil will live in eternity with the Father. Actually, their interpretation of the strange visions of the apostle John found in the book of Revelation is even weirder than that, but you get the idea. Fundamentalists also believe that human society is permeated by invisible demons and angels who are locked in constant spiritual warfare over each and every soul. Yes, that's right: they're fighting right now, right next to YOU. They're totally nuts. My best bet is that these fundamentalist leaders have more of a problem with Robertson creating controversy and turning off supporters by speaking so frankly than they do with his theology.

Oh yeah, don't forget that our President is also a fundamentalist.

Heh.

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