Pat's Predictions

Young people who tune in at random to the Christian Broadcasting Network’s flagship television program, The 700 Club, might think Pat Robertson nothing more than an old, white guy who has spent most of his life with his nose stuck down in a Bible and the rest praying for the souls of a world filled mostly with sinners. They would, of course, be phenomenally in the wrong. Robertson was a candidate for the Republican Party’s nomination for President in 1988. Though his bid was unsuccessful, he did defeat George Bush, who would become America’s next president-elect a few months later, in the Iowa caucuses. Despite forgoing his aspirations to hold a public office, he has remained active in American politics throughout the years, founding the Christian Coalition which currently supports conservative politicians and has over 1.7 million members. Now 78 years old, he does seem to have adopted a gentler television persona, but he remains an icon for fundamentalist evangelicals.

Recently, Robertson issued a press release on the Russian aggression in Georgia. As a spiritual figurehead, his call to prayer makes sense. As a man with experience in politics, his worry over Russia’s growing boldness and Iran’s inflammatory rhetoric are totally understandable. But that’s not all the insight he gives us. He goes on to suggest that the threat of Russia and Iran as allied enemies is so great that Israel should enter Iranian airspace and strike its nuclear reactors. Madness, you say? Robertson is aware of the danger Hezbollah poses on Israel’s northern border and Hamas to the south. He even thinks Israeli military action would be the impetus for Russia to act on their greed for oil and enter the conflict in the Middle East. Telling this side-by-side with biblical prophecy, his tone is concerned but expectant. Economic disaster, a game of “nuclear chicken,” another attempted Jewish genocide. England and the USA, he surmises from the Book of Ezekiel, will speak against the chaos but fail to take action. “It will all conclude when God has rained fire on the islands of the sea and on the invading force coming against Israel.”

Robertson certainly does not look forward to the violence and evil he sees ahead. Yet, for him, “what is clear is this: the Israeli strike against Iran will be the trigger.” And while even Robertson might hope that most of these predictions never come to pass, he sees the strike on Iran as necessary, claiming the “time for talk will be over.” I, personally, will cling to a hope that our time for diplomacy does not expire. Robertson, however, whose opinions reach millions of Americans each day, stated at the time of writing that “we have between 75 and 120 days before the Middle East starts spinning out of control.” And today is day 76. Robertson believes Israel should, or will, strike during Bush’s lame duck period. He seems to believe that Obama, without God’s direct intervention, will enter office and continue to do nothing about the situation, possibly resulting in nuclear attacks on our coastal cities. We may not all respect Robertson’s political opinions, or his prophetic ones. But it is important to remember that in today’s America, though millions are singing hope and freedom in the streets of our cities, a strong representative of what many of us call “the base” of last night’s losing party is envisioning and calling for drastic and dangerous action.