Pat Robertson - Aren't you glad he's on ABC Family?

[Name]

After reading a bit of the site, Thanks FlippyShark, ran across this bit, found it funny...

From http://mediamatters.org/items/200508190011

Pat Robertson bears false witness against Sen. Boxer

Pat Robertson's 2004 book The Ten Offenses (Integrity Publishers, January 2004) devoted a section of a chapter titled "Tell the Truth" to "The Ninth Commandment and the Media." On page 183, Robertson described a "flagrant" violation of the Ninth Commandment:


Just a few days before I finished writing this book, Les Moonves, the president of CBS Television, pulled from the lineup a so-called documentary about former president Ronald Reagan that demeaned the reputation of this great president. ... [H]e was shown as a bumbling dolt saying something that he had never said in his life. ... While this aged man is suffering from Alzheimer's disease in the twilight of his life, a film producer bears false witness against him, puts words in his mouth that he never spoke, and seeks to destroy his legacy and reputation. A more flagrant violation of the Ninth Commandment would be hard to find.

Two pages later, Robertson explained just how serious such a violation is:


[T]hose who spread falsehoods against others ... are acting like the devil himself. Those who break the Ninth Commandment are in essence taking on the very nature of the devil.

It's clear, then, that Pat Robertson is strongly, deeply opposed to depicting a public figure "saying something that he had never said in his life" -- he considers such an act the work of the "devil himself."

Or does he?

On August 15, Robertson appeared on Fox News' Hannity & Colmes, where he said of Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), "I'm absolutely appalled at what she had to say. I don't know if you read all the transcripts. ... But she says first, 'I've got to wait on Ralph Neas of the People for the American Way to see what he says about it.' She's supposed to be a senator from the biggest state in America. And then she says, 'I'm going to follow the lead of Chuck Schumer. I trust him.' And he's the senator from New York, of course."

There's only one problem: Boxer never said those words in her life, as Media Matters revealed Robertson was apparently relying on a post on the weblog Radio Blogger, which purported to offer a "translation" of Boxer's comments. The "translation" was actually an obvious gross distortion of Boxer's comments -- but Robertson put Radio Blogger's words in Boxer's mouth.

Surely, then, Robertson quickly atoned for his sins and rededicated himself to faithfully following the Ninth Commandment?

Nope.

On the August 18 edition of Christian Broadcasting Network's The 700 Club, Robertson again falsely quoted Boxer as saying "I've got to consult with Ralph Neas to see what stand to take on this nominee [John Roberts]." Robertson also claimed that Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) is "without question the most doctrinaire left-wing radical in the United States Senate. ... he is a radical leftist who is now proven to be a puppet of Ralph Neas of People for the American Way."

Leahy, the "most doctrinaire left-wing radical in the United States Senate"? That can't be right, can it? Well, no -- not according to the Christian Coalition of America, anyway. The coalition -- which, incidentally, Robertson founded -- argues that "[w]e must see the political tide of this nation continue to turn away from liberalism." To that end, it produces "scorecards" that rate senators' voting records. The coalition gave Leahy a score of 16 in 2004. That's low, to be sure -- but 29 Senators got a zero, including Leahy's fellow Vermonter, independent Jim Jeffords, and that noted left-wing radical Joe Lieberman. Far from being "without question the most doctrinaire left-wing radical in the United States Senate," according to the Christian Coalition's most recent ratings, Leahy isn't even the "most doctrinaire left-wing radical" among senators from Vermont.

But what's a little rhetorical excess to make a point? Surely there's nothing wrong with Robertson's tiny little exaggeration; overstating Leahy's supposed extremism is well within the bounds of reasonable discourse, right? Let's turn to page 181 of Robertson's The Ten Offenses for an answer:


Falsely labeling a public figure "hard right-wing," "an extremist," or "an intractable obstructionist" when those descriptions do not clearly fit violates the [Ninth] commandment.

Looks like Robertson needs to read his own book.

[€uroMeinke]

I know of at least on Christian who is an athiest

[wendybeth]

Eric follows the Agnostic Dyslexic doctrine- he's not sure there really is a Dog.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by wendybeth

Eric follows the Agnostic Dyslexic doctrine- he's not sure there really is a Dog.

Reminds me of one of my favorite Kids in the Hall sketches.

[wendybeth]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Reminds me of one of my favorite Kids in the Hall sketches.

I love that show!!!

Isn't Robertson the one who had a meltdown on tv and blamed the 9/11 attacks on a vengeful God out to punish us all for suffering the heathens and gays to live? I'm too lazy to Google it, but it seems his style.

[scaeagles]

As someone who professes to be a Christian (though I am far from exemplary in my attempts to be one), I find what he said to be destestable.

I will speak up and say I do not agree with it. I will speak up and say I wish he would come out and say how wrong he was to even suggest such a thing. I will say that I am saddened that he is held up as a voice of those who supposedly speak for Christians.

I think the media bestows certain status on willing individuals to become "spokesmen" for "their cause" or "their race". Jesse Jackson. Pat Robertson. Patricia Ireland. They are most often completely out of step with what the majority of who they are supposed to be speaking for believe or want. It is an attempt to quantify into segments various portions of the populace. "All Christians think like this" or "all women want this" or "all black people believe this". It is racism, sexism, and....religion-ism to to a despicable degree.

I reject what Robertson said, as I would suspect a tremendous majority of Christians do. As someone who has been portrayed as speaking for for folks like me, I am afraid that he makes me and everyone else striving to be Christian look like lunatics.

Edited to add: ah, never mind. I can't word it properly.

[€uroMeinke]

Originally Posted by scaeagles

I think the media bestows certain status on willing individuals to become "spokesmen" for "their cause" or "their race". Jesse Jackson. Pat Robertson. Patricia Ireland. They are most often completely out of step with what the majority of who they are supposed to be speaking for believe or want. It is an attempt to quantify into segments various portions of the populace. "All Christians think like this" or "all women want this" or "all black people believe this". It is racism, sexism, and....religion-ism to to a despicable degree.

Here here - certainly a failure on the medias's part, but I know how they love to have icons, simple stories, and a sensational headline - Sadly these people know how to work it as well.

[Ghoulish Delight]

It doesn't help when you have someone like Robertson who, long before the worst of the media sensationalism, did all he could to put himself in that position. I have a hard time blaming the media when it's exactly what he wanted from the beginning, and when he created his own media outlets to make it so.

[scaeagles]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

It doesn't help when you have someone like Robertson who, long before the worst of the media sensationalism, did all he could to put himself in that position. I have a hard time blaming the media when it's exactly what he wanted from the beginning, and when he created his own media outlets to make it so.

Please note that I said "willing individuals". They want to spout off as an expert or a representative, and the media then chooses to promote them whether the individual has any credibility or not.

[Not Afraid]

No no no. Wasn't that Jim Baker. Or was it that guy who got caught with a prostitute and porn. Something with an S.....

Man! Are they all slimey?